Veterinary Research最新文献

{"title":"Genomic characterization and pathogenicity validation of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae strains from diseased sheep: insights into potential pathogenic mechanisms of GSWW364.","authors":"Qiangsheng Lu, Jie Peng, Zongwu Ma, Lvfeng Yuan, Zhipeng Zhao, Shangdong Jia, Meijuan Tian, Huibin Tian, Xiaoxue Zhang, Qiaoying Zeng, Weimin Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01810-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01810-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo) is the primary etiological agent of mycoplasmal pneumonia of sheep in China, posing a significant threat to the sheep industry. In this study, 18 strains of Mo were isolated from nasal swab samples collected from diseased Hu sheep at nine farms in Gansu Province. Nine representative strains were selected for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and analysis to explore the genetic relationships between the isolates and reference strains from different regions and hosts. On the basis of the cultural characteristics and the genetic variability among regional strains, strain GSWW364 was chosen for further experiments. A total of 100 healthy 2-month-old Hu sheep were challenged experimentally with strain GSWW364 at a dose of 1 × 10⁷ color change units (CCU). Fifty-four sheep exhibited typical clinical symptoms, including elevated body temperature, coughing, and pulmonary lesions, confirming the pathogenicity of GSWW364. Transcriptomic analyses at both the tissue and cellular levels revealed three infection-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs): HIF1A, SLC2A3, and SLC38A1. Validation confirmed significantly upregulated expression of these genes in diseased lung tissues. Knockdown of these genes in sheep alveolar epithelial type II cells significantly reduced Mo adhesion. These findings suggest that these genes may promote pathogen adhesion and inflammatory responses by regulating hypoxia-responsive and metabolic pathways during infection. Collectively, this study provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of mycoplasmal pneumonia of sheep and lays the groundwork for further investigation into the disease's pathological mechanisms. It also offers valuable insights for vaccine development and disease-resistant breeding programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13339553/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148406030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the effects of limited vaccine supply on risk-based vaccination strategies in regions of endemic foot-and-mouth disease.","authors":"Glen Guyver-Fletcher, Mike Tildesley","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01805-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01805-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an important livestock disease that is endemic in many regions of the world, many of which struggle to supply enough vaccine doses to cover the entire population of animals at risk. We use a previously fitted stochastic metapopulation model of FMD spread, utilising high-quality data from Erzurum in Turkey, to simulate four plausible vaccine allocation strategies in the context of limited vaccine supply and endemic disease. We find that random allocation outperforms other strategies when the objective is to minimise average prevalence, and random allocation also achieves local eradication at lower doses per capita. However, all strategies perform similarly when minimising annual incidence, with the 'optimal' allocation strategy varying by doses available per capita. These results suggest that policymakers in regions of endemic FMD should focus more on sourcing high-quality vaccines and achieving high coverage, with risk-based vaccination being a secondary concern.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13340340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148406057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of a novel gene, Lsa(F), conferring resistance to pleuromutilins, lincosamides and streptogramin A in Streptococcus parasuis.","authors":"Xingyang Dai, Paulin Mungongo Mayama, Xiao Liu, Xiao Gao, Jingyan Xu, Xiaoming Wang, Jinhu Huang, Zongfu Wu, Diafuka Saila-Ngita, Liping Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01784-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01784-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Transferable antimicrobial resistance poses significant threats to public health. This issue is further exacerbated by Lsa homolog-mediated resistance to pleuromutilins, lincosamides, and streptogramin A (PLS_A). This study aimed to characterize a novel PLS_A resistance gene, designated Lsa(F), identified in Streptococcus parasuis. The Lsa(F) protein exhibits 41.9-58.7% sequence identity with known Lsa variants and shares structural features typical of the F lineage of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein superfamily that confers ribosome protection. Functional expression of Lsa(F) in Streptococcus suis and Staphylococcus aureus confers resistance to PLS_A. Although the prevalence of the Lsa(F) gene among S. parasuis isolates was found to be relatively low, database analyses revealed that this gene is primarily present in Streptococcus and Lactococcus species. In Streptococcus, the Lsa(F) gene is predominantly associated with various mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including plasmids, integrative and conjugative elements (ICE), and ICE-derived elements; in Lactococcus, it is primarily located on plasmids and at a specific chromosomal locus. Examination of the genetic context analysis identified the insertion sequence ISLll1 downstream of Lsa(F) on almost all chromosomal MGEs and plasmids, suggesting a potential mechanism facilitating its movement. Notably, our results indicate that the Lsa(F) gene can be transferred from S. parasuis to Streptococcus suis, highlighting a risk of its spread to other pathogens. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance surveillance and epidemiological monitoring of the Lsa(F) gene to reduce the potential public health risks associated with its spread.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13339394/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148398029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the evolution of the Arctic lineage of canine distemper virus circulating in Italy.","authors":"Zsófia Lanszki, Francesco Pellegrini, Georgia Diakoudi, Violetta Iris Vasinioti, Gianvito Lanave, Maria Loredana Colaianni, Maria Stella Lucente, Canio Buonavoglia, Nicola Decaro, Ana Moreno, Enikő Fehér, Tamás Görföl, Gábor Kemenesi, Vito Martella","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01801-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01801-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Canine distemper virus (CDV) can cause fatal viral infection in domestic and wild animals globally. Several lineages are known, originating from distinct geographical regions and hosts, and can spread naturally or through human intervention into new geographic areas. The Arctic lineage was first described in carnivores of the Arctic ecosystems and subsequently reported in several European and Asian countries, yet its origin, evolution, and ecology remain partially unresolved. In this study, we generated genome sequence data of (n = 16) CDV strains of Arctic lineage collected from dogs in Italy over a nearly 15-year period, providing an extensive dataset to investigate the evolution of this particular lineage. We also generated genome data of seven Europe strains of another major lineage collected during the same period from red foxes (n = 3) and dogs (n = 4). Inter-lineage recombination events were identified in two CDV sequences. Sequence 2008 of the European lineage acquired a fragment from an Arctic lineage virus between the N and P genes. Sequence 2015 of the Arctic lineage displayed a more complex recombination pattern with fragments from Europe, America-2, and Rockborn lineages across multiple genes and hosts. Phylogenetic tree showed that the oldest Italian Arctic lineage from 2006 was more similar to the oldest Arctic CDV isolates, whilst a well-defined sub-cluster circulated from 2009 onwards in domestic and wild carnivores. These results provide novel insights into CDV evolution in Europe and emphasize the importance of ongoing genomic monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13333092/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148387994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of PlsC in Brucella melitensis virulence: impacts on membrane homeostasis, stress tolerance, and pathogenesis.","authors":"Fazhi Xu, Yao Feng, Mengsi Li, Na Li, Guangyu Yang, Jing Qu, Zheliang Yang, Yang Li, Shaohui Wang, Yanqing Bao, Jingjing Qi, Mingxing Tian","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01811-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01811-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brucella melitensis, a facultative intracellular pathogen, relies on membrane integrity and homeostasis to resist host defenses and establish infection. The plsC gene encodes 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, a key enzyme in the glycerophospholipid pathway that catalyzes the synthesis of phosphatidic acid, an essential precursor for membrane lipid formation. However, its role in B. melitensis virulence remains poorly understood. Here, we constructed a plsC deletion mutant (ΔplsC) and a complemented strain (ΔplsC-Com) in B. melitensis strain M5 and characterized their phenotypes. Deletion of plsC impaired bacterial growth in nutrient-limited media, reduced tolerance to hydrogen peroxide and polymyxin B, and decreased lipid synthesis while increasing outer membrane permeability. Ultrastructural analysis revealed surface roughness, cytoplasmic voids, and nucleoid condensation in the mutant. Although ΔplsC retained normal adhesion and invasion capabilities in RAW264.7 macrophages and HeLa cells, its intracellular survival was specifically attenuated in macrophages at 48 h post-infection. In a mouse model, ΔplsC showed significantly reduced colonization of the spleen and liver and induced fewer and smaller liver granulomas as compared with the parental and complemented strains. These results demonstrate that PlsC is essential for maintaining membrane homeostasis and stress resistance in Brucella, which in turn supports its survival within professional phagocytes and full virulence in vivo. Our study suggests a critical link between phospholipid metabolism and Brucella pathogenicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13332610/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148382888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From inserts to 3D spheroids: MAC-T and BME-UV1 co-culture models for in vitro reconstruction of the bovine mammary epithelial architecture.","authors":"Julie Bellemans, Evelyne Meyer, Marion Boutinaud, Laurence Finot","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01763-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01763-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Two bovine mammary epithelial cell lines, MAC-T and BME-UV1, were co-cultured either in Transwell® inserts or in 3D culture systems to comparatively investigate their potential to mimic the structure and function of a mammary alveolus. Using either Matrigel® or animal-friendly alternatives, i.e. rat collagen type I, a mixture of rat collagen type I and mouse laminin, Vitrogel® or matrix-free ultra-low attachment surfaces, both co-culture mammosphere development and tight junction formation were assessed. On Transwell® inserts, co-culture failed to establish a functional epithelial barrier. In contrast, varying patterns of cell-cell interaction and barrier organization emerged using the different 3D co-culture systems, providing new insights into the reconstruction of physiologically relevant and animal-friendly models of the bovine mammary gland.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13332615/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148382912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the clinical signs and pathology in red deer (Cervus elaphus) naturally infected with epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus serotype 8.","authors":"Leonor Muñoz-Fernández, Irene Agulló-Ros, David Cano-Terriza, Fatma Abo-Zakaib-Ali, Remigio Martínez, Mario Frías, Jose Antonio Ortiz, Christian Gortázar, Gisella Armillotta, Maria Teresa Mercante, Elena Fuentes-Rodríguez, Jose Francisco Ruiz-Fons, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Roser Velarde, Mª Ángeles Risalde","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01807-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01807-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a notifiable disease to the World Organisation for Animal Health caused by Orbivirus ruminantium (EHDV), closely related to bluetongue virus (BTV) and transmitted by Culicoides spp. In autumn 2022, EHDV serotype 8 (EHDV-8) was detected for the first time in Spain and Europe, affecting domestic and wild ruminants. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) were the most affected wild species, with reports of neurological signs, severe respiratory distress and mortality. Nevertheless, the pathogenesis of EHDV-8 in this species remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and pathological impact of EHD in red deer, characterising clinical signs, main lesions, tissue distribution and target cells of EHDV. Clinical data were collected through a nationwide online survey and field outbreak studies, and histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on 16 confirmed EHDV-8 cases. Frequent clinical signs included neurological signs, ptyalism, lameness and dyspnoea. During the outbreak, average morbidity and mortality in captive red deer were 6.9% and 4.9%, respectively, with a case fatality rate of 70.3%, higher in males and almost exclusively in adults. Gross examination revealed extensive vascular and epithelial lesions with generalised congestion, focal to multifocal haemorrhages and marked pulmonary oedema, confirmed histologically with severe cellular damage. The most affected organs were the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen, showing interstitial oedema, vasculitis, mononuclear infiltration with necrosis, severe lymphoid depletion and gliosis with satellitosis in the brain. The EHDV antigen was primarily detected in macrophages, reticular cells, endothelial cells and epithelial cells. This study provides the first description of EHDV's clinical and pathological impact in red deer, confirming their high susceptibility to EHDV-8.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13326546/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148370011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virus and host-associated variations in the interaction of low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses with the epithelial target tissue of the chicken reproductive tract.","authors":"Basel A Abukhadra, Frederik Bexter, Sana I Mohamed, Lonneke Vervelde, Kate Sutton, Sjaak de Wit, Silke Rautenschlein","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01799-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01799-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) show pathogenesis variations, suggested of being impacted by virus and host characteristics. This study aimed to understand the interaction of virus and host factors in LPAIV reproductive tract infection. Oviduct organ cultures (OOCs) were prepared from two chicken lines, brown layers (BL) and white layers (WL), to compare virus replication, microscopical lesions, and host-immune responses between two atypical virulent LPAIV strains H3N1 (A/chicken/Belgium/460/2019) and H6N1 (A/chicken/Netherlands/917/2010), and an avirulent H9N2 strain (A/chicken/Saudi Arabia/2525/2000). mRNA levels of interferon λ (IFN λ), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), host factors such as importin (Imp) α3, α8, and chemerin were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). High-throughput transcriptomic profiling of innate immune genes using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) array focused on H3N1- and H9N2-infected BL-OOCs. H3N1- and H6N1-infected BL-OOCs showed significantly higher viral loads compared with H9N2-inoculated OOCs (p < 0.05). This was associated with higher mRNA levels of innate-immunity related genes, including Pentraxin (PTX3) at 48 hours post-infection (hpi) after H9N2 inoculation. Compared with H9N2, H3N1 triggered a stronger yet delayed innate immune response at 48 hpi with an 8- and 256-fold increase in IFN λ and C-C motif chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4) expression, respectively, along with upregulation of Imp α3 in BL-OOCs. WL-OOCs were less susceptible to H6N1 with lower viral loads compared with BL-OOCs, which coincided with lower IFN λ expression levels after virus infection (p < 0.05). Overall, the OOCs model was a suitable model to demonstrate variable pathogenicity of LPAIV strains across chicken genotypes. Variations in host responses were detected impacting virus replication in a strain-dependent manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307412/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148333208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in commercial eggs across different production systems in Spain.","authors":"Ana Marco-Fuertes, Marta Cerdà-Cuéllar, Teresa Ayats, Marta Muñoz-Baquero, Clara Marin, Laura Montoro-Dasi","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01798-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01798-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The European poultry sector is transitioning towards alternative production systems, driven by consumer concerns about animal welfare. However, these systems, by providing access to the outdoors, increase exposure to the environment and wildlife, raising the risk of disease spread and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) in Escherichia coli isolates from commercial eggs from the four production systems in Spain: organic, free-range, floor and cage, and their genetic diversity using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. To this end, 1200 eggs were collected from the main supermarket chains over the course of a year. The shell and contents were analysed, evaluating the susceptibility of isolates to 15 antimicrobials. A total of 49 E. coli isolates were found, only on the shell. Overall, resistance to at least one antimicrobial was found in 69.4% of the isolates, and 44.9% showed MDR. When compared, the prevalence of MDR was significantly higher in organic systems (61.5%) than in cage systems (22.2%; p < 0.05). Moreover, PFGE analysis revealed great genetic diversity with 37 distinct pulsotypes, observing that E. coli isolates with similar genetic profiles presented different AMR patterns. These results suggest that the outdoor environment and contact with wildlife are crucial for AMR acquisition, even in organic systems with restricted antimicrobial use. It is imperative to implement rigorous perimeter and environmental biosecurity measures in poultry production systems to mitigate the spread of AMR, addressing this public health challenge through a comprehensive One Health perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13307403/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148333167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation and molecular characterization of foot-and-mouth disease viruses from small ruminants in Nigeria.","authors":"David O Ehizibolo, Olumuyiwa Oyekan, Moses O Oguche, Abdullahi Ardo, Anna B Ludi, Britta A Wood, Simon Gubbins, Hayley M Hicks, Jemma Wadsworth, Etienne Chevanne, Fabrizio Rosso, Nick J Knowles, Valerie Mioulet, Donald P King, Georgina Limon","doi":"10.1186/s13567-026-01809-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13567-026-01809-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) poses significant economic challenges to the livestock industry in Nigeria due to its widespread prevalence and detrimental impacts on animal health and international trade. Documented FMD outbreaks in the endemic areas of West and Central Africa consistently highlight the role of cattle as the indicator species for FMD. However, the role of small ruminants (SR) is poorly understood. Aiming to improve our understanding of the role of SR in the epidemiology of the disease, this study investigated FMD outbreaks on farms where cattle intermixed with sheep and goats. Blood and oral swabs (n = 177) were collected from 138 sheep and 39 goats in nine local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau State, Nigeria. Additionally, epithelial tissue samples were obtained from suspected cases of FMD in six sheep and three goats in four of the LGAs. The majority (71.2%, 95% CI 64-77) of SR sampled seroconverted to FMDV measured by a 3ABC non-structural protein (NSP) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) where 77.5% (95% CI 70.7-84.5) of sheep and 48.7% (95% CI 33-64.4) goats tested positive for FMDV-NSP antibodies. FMDV genomic RNA was detected in 36.6% (95% CI 25-49) of oral swabs samples collected from SR and two FMDV serotypes: O and A were detected using antigen-ELISA. Phylogenetic analyses of the VP1 coding sequences indicate that these viruses were closely related to those identified from cattle in the same farms and to those previously published from the same region. The findings from this study demonstrate that SR should be considered when developing FMD risk-based surveillance and control strategies in Nigeria.</p>","PeriodicalId":23658,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Research","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13292450/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148319538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}