Veterinary Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Effects of Fermented Ginseng By-Product Supplementation on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Flavor, and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Hongyu Roosters.","authors":"Hongxi Chen, Yuhao Liu, Shuo Zhang, Yi Jin, Wanfeng Liang, Xijiu Jin, Junzhe Min","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080844","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080844","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Agricultural by-products and Chinese medicine crop residues, as non-traditional animal feed, have great potential to alleviate the scarcity of traditional feed and reduce the environmental burden. In this study, the effects of adding fermented ginseng by-products to the diet on growth performance, meat quality, flavor characteristics and metabolism of Hongyu roosters were evaluated. A total of 100 Hongyu roosters were randomly assigned to either a control (Con) group fed a basal diet or a fermented ginseng by-products (Fe) group fed a basal diet supplemented with 3% fermented ginseng by-products, with five replicates per group, for 100 days. The results demonstrated that the fermented diet significantly enhanced final body weight and average daily gain (ADG) while reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The percentages of breast and thigh muscles and breast muscle fiber diameter were significantly increased. The results also exhibited enhanced water-holding capacity, coupled with significantly decreased shear force and drip loss (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Electronic nose and tongue analyses confirmed enriched meat aroma and optimized taste profiles, which aligned with elevated levels of flavor-precursor amino acids and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Serum metabolomics found purine metabolism and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids to be pivotal pathways. Metabolites related to nucleotide and lipid metabolism were regulated. In conclusion, fermented ginseng by-products serve as an effective functional feed to improve poultry growth performance and meat quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517448/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Effects of Reduced-Level Coated Inorganic Compound Trace Minerals on Breeder Hen Performance, Eggshell Quality, Antioxidant Status, and Progeny Development Compared with an Inorganic Premix.","authors":"Linfeng Zhou, Zhongyu Li, Ruicheng Han, Lubing Xu, Hao Sun, Liangmei Xu, Hongzhi Wu","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080842","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080842","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effects of reduced inclusion levels of coated inorganic compound trace elements as a reduced substitution for uncoated inorganic trace elements in layer breeder diets. A total of 360 Hy-Line Brown layer breeder hens were randomly assigned to three groups, with six replicate pens of 20 hens per group: control group A (inorganic trace elements), group B (500 mg/kg coated inorganic compound trace elements), and group C (1000 mg/kg coated inorganic compound trace elements). Compared with the control, the coated trace element groups significantly increased the laying rate, eggshell strength and yolk color, and decreased the cracked egg rate and feed-to-egg ratio (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Group B had a lower cracked egg rate and a higher egg shape index than group C. Regarding eggshell ultrastructure, group B had a greater effective layer thickness and proportion and a lower mammillary layer thickness and proportion (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while group C presented increased mammillary width. The coated trace elements increased the deposition of Mn, Zn, and Se in eggs and increased serum GSH-Px and Cu-Zn SOD activities and the T3 concentration. No significant differences in hatching performance were observed among the groups. For progeny, groups B and C had higher birth weight, pectoralis muscle weight, and liver weight, as well as improved serum antioxidant indices and intestinal morphology (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The mRNA expression of intestinal tight junction genes was upregulated in group C (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and showed a modest increase in group B. In conclusion, the coated inorganic compound trace elements, when used at reduced inclusion rates, replaced the conventional uncoated inorganic premix without compromising production performance and improved several performance outcomes. The 500 mg/kg inclusion level provided the most balanced improvements in breeder performance and progeny quality while reducing feed costs. These findings suggest that coated mineral technology may sustain productivity at a substantially lower mineral input and may benefit progeny by increasing egg mineral deposition and supporting intestinal development, thereby providing a more sustainable mineral-feeding strategy for breeder hens.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517525/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Effects of Graded Hydroxylated Lecithin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Serum Lipid-Related Indices, Meat Quality, and Tissue-Specific Gene Expression in Jiangnan White Geese.","authors":"Dexin Zhao, Haoliang Chai, Linfeng Zhou, Ruicheng Han, Weiqi Peng, Li Xu, Hongzhi Wu","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080843","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080843","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conventional soybean lecithin has limited hydrophilicity, which may restrict its efficacy as a feed emulsifier. This study evaluated graded hydroxylated lecithin supplementation in Jiangnan White geese. Six hundred one-day-old females were allocated to five treatments, with six pens of 20 geese each: a basal diet, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg hydroxylated lecithin, and 100 mg/kg conventional soybean lecithin. The pen served as the experimental unit (<i>n</i> = 6). After 64 days, all lecithin-supplemented groups had higher final body weight and average daily gain than the control (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas 100 and 200 mg/kg hydroxylated lecithin reduced feed conversion ratio (<i>p</i> < 0.05). After false-discovery-rate adjustment within prespecified outcome families, robust treatment effects remained for selected serum indices, leg-muscle shear force, muscle-fibre morphology, inosine monophosphate, several flavour-associated amino acids, selected fatty acid outcomes, and tissue-specific expression of the candidate genes (<i>q</i> < 0.05). Nominal differences in intramuscular fat, carcass traits, body measurements, and several individual fatty acids did not withstand adjustment and were treated as exploratory. The equal-dose comparison did not show a consistent advantage over conventional soybean lecithin. Overall, hydroxylated lecithin elicited endpoint- and dose-dependent responses, but their commercial relevance and underlying mechanisms require confirmation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517868/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"<i>Urtica dioica</i> L. Alleviates Bisphenol A-Induced Testicular Toxicity in Rats via Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis.","authors":"Seydi Ahmet Şengül, Gülsüm Pektanç Şengül, Fırat Aşır, Nurdan Coşkun, Irmak İçen Taşkın, Oğuz Kaan Yalçın","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080840","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080840","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, the aim was to investigate the effect of <i>Urtica dioica</i> L. (UD) on bisphenol A (BPA)-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Forty-eight male rats were divided into six groups: control, BPA (50 mg/kg), UD100 (100 mg/kg), UD200 (200 mg/kg), BPA + UD100, and BPA + UD200. UD ameliorated the BPA-induced reductions in sperm concentration and motility, membrane integrity and decreased increments in abnormalities of sperm. The results showed that BPA exposure significantly decreased testosterone levels, and moreover, co-administration of UD appeared to enhance this effect. Treatment with UD alleviated BPA-induced testicular apoptosis by attenuation of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 levels by increasing Bcl-2 level. Moreover, it was significantly reduced inflammation by decreasing the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in the testis tissue compared to the BPA group. It was also determined that BPA-induced histopathological damage was significantly mitigated by UD co-administration. In the BPA group, CAT, SOD, and GPx levels decreased compared with those of the control group. However, co-administration of UD showed an ameliorative effect on the other antioxidant enzymes except for SOD. These findings revealed that UD can be used as a potential and effective agent to ameliorate BPA-induced testicular toxicity due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517725/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"First Report of a Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mammaliicoccus sciuri</i> Strain Harboring <i>exhB</i> Isolated from an Alpaca with an Intracranial Abscess.","authors":"Wei Dong, Aobo Zhang, Ruiting Che, Nana Peng, Zhangquan Zhou, Junhao Liang, Meng Ge, Lei Yang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080836","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080836","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intracranial abscesses are extremely rare in alpacas, and previously reported cases have lacked systematic etiological characterization. The virulence characteristics of <i>Mammaliicoccus sciuri</i> (formerly <i>Staphylococcus sciuri</i>) in alpaca intracranial infections remain unclear. We investigated an alpaca with chronic otitis media and an intracranial abscess. Bacteria were recovered from intracranial purulent material and several other sites. A representative isolate was designated CS234. It was identified as <i>M. sciuri</i> by 16S rDNA sequencing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis showed 95.58% identity with <i>M. sciuri</i> NCTC12103. WGS identified <i>mecA</i>, <i>mecA1</i>, <i>fexA</i>, <i>optrA</i>, and <i>sal(A)</i>. The isolate showed phenotypic resistance to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and macrolides. PCR screening detected several virulence-associated gene targets, including <i>exhB</i> and tsst-1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of <i>exhB</i> in <i>M. sciuri</i>. In an intraperitoneal mouse challenge, the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) was 4.4 × 10⁷ colony-forming units (CFU)/g body weight. Multiple-organ lesions were also observed. These findings indicate systemic pathogenic potential in mice. Recovery of <i>M. sciuri</i> from several affected sites indicates a strong etiological association with the suppurative disease in this alpaca. These findings expand current knowledge of <i>M. sciuri</i> infection and antimicrobial resistance in alpacas. They may also aid the diagnosis and treatment of similar cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517204/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Disruption of Functional Membrane Microdomains Enhances Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Pathogenesis via Hyperexpression of Hemolysins.","authors":"Bingtian Jin, Changzhen Wang, Tiantian Liu, Pengcheng Dong, Xurong Wang, Xiao Yang, Dengwang Yuan, Feng Yang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080839","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080839","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>(1) Background: methicillin‑resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) is a zoonotic pathogen, and its hemolysins serve as key virulence factors. Functional membrane microdomains (FMMs) are protein-enriching platforms and regulate diverse physiological functions by recruiting and assembling various proteins. However, whether and how FMMs regulate the hemolytic ability of MRSA remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate FMM-mediated regulation of MRSA hemolysins and the underlying mechanisms. (2) Methods: Homologous recombination was employed to generate FMM-disrupted (N315Δ<i>floA</i>) and complemented (N315Δ<i>floA</i>::<i>floA</i>) strains from the MRSA N315 wild-type strain (N315 WT). The three strains were compared with respect to hemolytic activity, transcript levels of key virulence and regulatory genes, and in vivo virulence. (3) Results: Disruption of FMMs significantly enhanced hemolytic activity compared with N315 WT and complemented strains. Meanwhile, FMM disruption repressed the two-component system genes (<i>vraS</i> and <i>vraR</i>), while activating the <i>agr</i> operon (<i>agrB</i>, <i>agrD</i>, <i>agrC</i> and <i>agrA</i>) and its effector molecule RNAIII, leading to upregulation of hemolysin genes (<i>hla</i>, <i>hlb</i>, <i>hld</i>). In vivo, N315Δ<i>floA</i> infection markedly increased mortality in <i>G. mellonella</i> larvae and BALB/c mice, with significantly elevated pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) in mouse plasma. All these phenotypes were effectively reversed in N315Δ<i>floA</i>::<i>floA</i>. (4) Conclusions: Disruption of FMMs potentiates both hemolytic activity and overall virulence in MRSA, with the potential underlying mechanism involving the VraS/R-Agr regulatory axis that drives transcriptional upregulation of hemolysin-encoding genes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517402/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"A Dietary Supplement Supporting the Resolution of Acute Diarrhea in Dogs.","authors":"Francesca Perondi, Natascia Bruni, Raffaella Adami, Giorgia Meineri, Lucia Zema, Alice Melocchi, Elisa Martello","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080837","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>(1) Background: Acute diarrhea is a frequent clinical manifestation in dogs, often involving dysbiosis and mucosal barrier impairment. This study evaluated the efficacy of Florentero Complex^® (Candioli S.r.l.), a multi-targeted dietary supplement combining probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidant components, in supporting the recovery of dogs with acute diarrhea. (2) Methods: In a randomized, controlled trial, 28 client-owned dogs presenting with acute diarrhea for 3-4 days were assigned to either a Treated Group (TRT: standard commercial diet plus supplement) or a Control Group (CTR: standard commercial diet alone) for 7 days. Daily defecation frequency (nDEF), fecal score (FS), and inflammatory markers (fecal cytology and C-reactive protein) were monitored throughout the study. (3) Results: Both groups showed a reduction in nDEF over time, with no significant difference observed between groups. However, a significant intergroup difference in FS was observed, with the supplemented dogs showing a faster and more pronounced improvement in stool consistency than the CTR. Fecal cytology and serum CRP levels also showed a trend toward reduced inflammation in the TRT group. (4) Conclusions: Florentero Complex^® appears to provide nutritional support that improves clinical signs and stool quality beyond standard dietary management alone.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Serological Survey on the Occurrence of Bacterial Tick-Borne Pathogens in Cattle and Dogs from Bolivian Chaco.","authors":"Valentina Virginia Ebani, Maribel Mendoza Moreno, Fabrizio Bertelloni, Pablo Abad Rodriguez Farell, Olga Gabriela Palenque Aguilera, Simona Nardoni, Fabio Macchioni","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080838","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080838","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) have been reported in Latin America, but information on their prevalence in cattle and dogs in Bolivia are scant. In the present survey, blood serum samples from 95 cattle and 67 dogs living in different communities of Bolivian Chaco, a region in southeastern Bolivia, were tested for antibodies against <i>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</i>, <i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> sensu lato (s.l.), <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>, <i>Ehrlichia canis</i>, and <i>Rickettsia rickettsii.</i> Indirect immunofluorescence assays detected 54/95 (56.84%) cattle sera positive to one or more pathogens: 29/95 (30.5%) to <i>A. phagocytophilum</i>, 27/95 (28.42%) to <i>R. rickettsii</i>, 5/95 (5.26%) to <i>C. burnetii</i>; all sera were negative to <i>B. burgdorferi</i> s.l. Among canine sera, 11/67 (16.41%) were positive to at least one pathogen: 2/67 (2.98%) to <i>C. burnetii</i>, 3/67 (4.48%) to <i>E. canis</i>, 6/67 (8.95%) to <i>R. rickettsii</i>; all sera were negative to <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> and <i>B. burgdorferi</i> s.l. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first serological survey investigating exposure to multiple TBPs in cattle and dogs from the Bolivian Chaco. Our findings suggest the circulation of <i>A. phagocytophilum</i>, <i>E. canis</i>, <i>C. burnetii,</i> and Spotted Fever Group <i>Rickettsia</i> among the animals living in this area. The results are relevant because these pathogens pose a significant threat to human and animal health and may result in substantial economic losses.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517835/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Suspected Paramalignant Pleural Effusion as the Primary Presentation of Disseminated Cholangiocarcinoma in a Cat.","authors":"Kanoklada Koomgun, Wuttikij Ruangpoonga, Piraya Jaiyangyeun, Nattawipa Suwannasaeng, Chaiyan Kasorndorkbua, Naris Thengchaisri, Panpicha Sattasathuchana","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080834","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080834","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 12-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat presented with recurrent pleural effusion following repeated thoracentesis. Initial analysis of the pleural effusion did not reveal neoplastic cells. Thoracic imaging demonstrated pleural effusion without identifiable nodular lesions. However, abdominal computed tomography and histopathological examination of an ultrasound-guided percutaneous core liver biopsy identified a large hepatic mass, confirmed to be cholangiocarcinoma, with suspected metastases to the spleen. After exclusion of other potential causes, the effusion was suspected to be a paramalignant pleural effusion. Despite palliative management, the disease progressed, and the cat was euthanized 98 days after definitive diagnosis. Postmortem examination revealed widespread metastatic cholangiocarcinoma involving the lungs, spleen, and intercostal muscles. No gross mass lesions were identified in the pulmonary parenchyma. Histological results demonstrated neoplastic cell infiltration within both the pulmonary lymphatic and blood vessels, a finding consistent with lymphovascular spread, which can contribute to the development of pleural effusion. This case show that while the characteristics of neoplasia-associated pleural fluid may vary according to disease stage, cholangiocarcinoma-associated pleural effusion may occur in the absence of cytologic evidence of malignancy, pulmonary nodules on thoracic imaging, or typical hepatobiliary signs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517488/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Development and Validation of an RT-Droplet Digital PCR Assay for Detection of Peste des Petits Ruminants.","authors":"Rima Si, Jiao Xu, Xiaohua Wang, Yumeng Liu, Linlin Fang, Jiani Li, Yingli Wang, Jiarong Yu, Yi Zhai, Qinghua Wang, Jingyue Bao, Zhiliang Wang, Lin Yang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci13080841","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci13080841","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To achieve rapid, accurate, and quantitative detection of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), we aligned the available PPRV genomic sequences, screened for conserved regions, and designed specific primers and probes accordingly. An RT-droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR) method was established, and a series of reaction conditions were optimized. Subsequently, the specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability of the method were subsequently evaluated. The results demonstrated that the RT-ddPCR method exhibited good specificity, with positive results obtained exclusively for PPRV and negative results for all other goat-derived viral or bacterial biological products and seed viruses tested. The method showed promising analytical sensitivity, with a LOD of 1.0 copies/μL for gene copy number. The method also demonstrated good repeatability, with coefficients of variation in all groups not exceeding 5%. In a preliminary clinical evaluation using 150 field samples, RT-ddPCR identified 113 positive cases, compared to 105 by RT-qPCR, with 8 additional low-copy-number positives detected exclusively by RT-ddPCR, and although the sample size is limited for precise diagnostic performance estimation, the assay showed 100% relative diagnostic sensitivity (105/105) and 82.2% relative diagnostic specificity (37/45), with almost perfect agreement between the two methods (κ = 0.87). As the positive signals in these discordant samples were too weak for independent confirmation by Sanger sequencing, they should be interpreted as \"presumptive positives\" requiring further investigation. The RT-ddPCR method established in this study enables sensitive and rapid detection of PPRV nucleic acid. However, detection of low-copy-number targets should be interpreted with caution, as it does not necessarily indicate active infection or epidemiologically significant virus circulation. This assay shows promise as a valuable research and surveillance tool for PPRV nucleic acid detection, particularly for confirming low-level viral RNA in samples near the detection limit of conventional methods, and could complement existing RT-qPCR-based approaches in PPR eradication programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13517568/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148832779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}