Campylobacter species abortion in sheep

This focus article was prepared by Jasmine Smith of the APHA Small Ruminant Species Expert Group. Data extraction and analysis was done by Anna Brzozowska of the APHA Surveillance Intelligence Unit and Leanne Dempsey from APHA Thirsk.

Update on severe summer scour syndrome in cattle

This focus article has been prepared by Vanessa Swinson, veterinary lead of the APHA Cattle Expert Group, Liz Nabb, of APHA Starcross, Katrina Henderson, of SRUC Dumfries, and Mick Millar, of the University of Bristol Veterinary School.

Putative Novel Avian Paramyxovirus (AMPV) and Reidentification of APMV-2 and APMV-6 to the Species Level Based on Wild Bird Surveillance (United States, 2016-2018)

Avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) (subfamily Avulavirinae) have been isolated from over 200 species of wild and domestic birds around the world. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) currently defines 22 different APMV species, with Avian orthoavulavirus 1 (whose viruses are designated APMV-1) being the most frequently studied due to its economic burden to the poultry industry. Less is known about other APMV species, including limited knowledge on the genetic diversity in wild birds, and there is a paucity of public whole-genome sequences for APMV-2 to -22. The goal of this study was to use MinION sequencing to genetically characterize APMVs isolated from wild bird swab samples collected during 2016 to 2018 in the United States. Multiplexed MinION libraries were prepared using a random strand-switching approach using 37 egg-cultured, influenza-negative, hemagglutination-positive samples. Forty-one APMVs were detected, with 37 APMVs having complete polymerase coding sequences allowing for species identification using ICTV's current Paramyxoviridae phylogenetic methodology. APMV-1, -4, -6, and -8 viruses were classified, one putative novel species (Avian orthoavulavirus 23) was identified from viruses isolated in this study, two putative new APMV species (Avian metaavulavirus 24 and 27) were identified from viruses isolated in this study and from retrospective GenBank sequences, and two putative new APMV species (Avian metaavulavirus 25 and 26) were identified solely from retrospective GenBank sequences. Furthermore, coinfections of APMVs were identified in four samples. The potential limitations of the branch length being the only species identification criterion and the potential benefit of a group pairwise distance analysis are discussed. IMPORTANCE Most species of APMVs are understudied and/or underreported, and many species were incidentally identified from asymptomatic wild birds; however, the disease significance of APMVs in wild birds is not fully determined. The rapid rise in high-throughput sequencing coupled with avian influenza surveillance programs have identified 12 different APMV species in the last decade and have challenged the resolution of classical serological methods to identify new viral species. Currently, ICTV's only criterion for Paramyxoviridae species classification is the requirement of a branch length of >0.03 using a phylogenetic tree constructed from polymerase (L) amino acid sequences. The results from this study identify one new APMV species, propose four additional new APMV species, and highlight that the criterion may have insufficient resolution for APMV species demarcation and that refinement or expansion of this criterion may need to be established for Paramyxoviridae species identification.

Pneumonia in adult cattle

This focus article has been prepared by Arthur Otter of the APHA Cattle Expert Group and Anna Brzozowska of the Surveillance Intelligence Unit.

Entomological surveillance of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), vectors of arboviruses, in an ecotourism park in Cachoeiras de Macacu, state of Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil

Arboviruses are arthropod-dependent viruses to complete their zoonotic cycle. Among the transmitting arthropods, culicids stand out, which participate in the cycle of several arboviruses that can affect humans. The present study aimed to identify species of culicidae and to point out the risk of circulation, emergency, or reemergence of pathogenic arboviruses to humans in the region of the Jequitibá headquarters of the Parque Estadual dos Três Picos (PETP), in Cachoeiras de Macacu, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sampling was carried out at five Sample Points (SP) demarcated on trails from the headquarters, with CDC light traps, HP model with dry ice attached to the side, for 48 hours of activity each month. Additionally, active catches were made with a castro catcher in the period of one hour per day in the field, from six to eleven o'clock in the morning, in each PM. After the captures, thematic map was assembled using the ArcGIS 10 software and performing a multidimensional scaling (MDS). A total of 1151 specimens were captured and the presence of culicids already incriminated as vectors of arboviruses circulating in the region was observed: Aedes fluviatilis Lutz, 1904 (71 specimens); Aedes scapularis Rondani, 1848 (55 specimens); Haemagogus leococelaenus Dyar and Shannon, 1924 (29 specimens). In addition to the subgenus Culex (culex) spp. (163 specimens). In this sense, we highlight the importance of strengthening the actions of continuous entomological surveillance of the emergence and re-emergence of new arboviruses in ecotourism visitation parks.

Pestivirus infections of cattle

This focus article has been prepared by Arthur Otter, Nick Torrens and Lucy Martindale of the APHA Cattle Expert Group, Penrith Veterinary Investigation Centre and Surveillance Intelligence Unit, respectively.

Testing for exclusion of avian notifiable disease: six-year review

This focus article has been prepared by Scott Reid of the APHA's virology department with Sharon Brookes, Rowena Hansen, David Welchman, Richard Irvine and Ian Brown of the APHA.

APHA thin ewe investigation project

This focus article has been prepared by Suzi Bell, Amanda Carson, Rachael Collins, Lizzy Dunnett, Rudolf Reichel and Moyna Richey of the APHA Small Ruminant Expert Group.

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolate multilocus sequence type dashboard

This focus article has been prepared by Susanna Williamson, Emma Stubberfield and Anna Brzozowska of the APHA and Jill Thomson of SRUC - Veterinary Consulting Services, Edinburgh.

Update on the APHA's scanning surveillance network

In this focus article, Fin Twomey, head of the APHA's Surveillance Intelligence Unit, describes how the APHA delivers veterinary scanning surveillance in England and Wales and provides an update on recent changes to the network.

An update on joint ill in sheep

This focus article has been prepared by Vanessa Swinson of the APHA Small Ruminant Expert Group.

Using worm egg count data to detect and counter trends in equine helminth abundance

Jan van Dijk, RCVS specialist in veterinary parasitology, describes how data can be used to both increase understanding of trends in equine helminth abundance and drive better treatment of individual horses.

Suckler calf diseases

This focus article has been prepared by Arthur Otter of the APHA Cattle Expert Group.