Detection of influenza D virus in bovine respiratory disease samples, UK.

Influenza D is a newly described virus of cattle, pigs and small ruminants first detected in North America during 2011. Cattle have been shown to be the main viral reservoir and mounting evidence indicates that infection with influenza D may contribute to the development of bovine respiratory disease. The virus has been detected across the United States, Europe and Asia. To date, influenza D has not been reported in the UK. During the winter and spring of 2017/2018, we performed molecular testing of cattle submitted for post-mortem examination where respiratory disease signs were present. We detected influenza D virus in 8.7% of cases, often as the sole viral agent and always in conjunction with bacterial co-infection with one or more agents. Viral RNA was present in both the upper and lower respiratory tract and pathological changes in lung tissues were observed alongside signs of concurrent bacterial infections. Sequencing of one UK isolate revealed that it is similar to viruses from the Republic of Ireland and Italy.

Serological and molecular epidemiology of canine adenovirus type 1 in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the United Kingdom.

Canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) causes infectious canine hepatitis (ICH), a frequently fatal disease which primarily affects canids. In this study, serology (ELISA) and molecular techniques (PCR/qPCR) were utilised to investigate the exposure of free-ranging red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) to CAV-1 in the United Kingdom (UK) and to examine their role as a wildlife reservoir of infection for susceptible species. The role of canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), primarily a respiratory pathogen, was also explored. In foxes with no evidence of ICH on post-mortem examination, 29 of 154 (18.8%) red foxes had inapparent infections with CAV-1, as detected by a nested PCR, in a range of samples, including liver, kidney, spleen, brain, and lung. CAV-1 was detected in the urine of three red foxes with inapparent infections. It was estimated that 302 of 469 (64.4%) red foxes were seropositive for canine adenovirus (CAV) by ELISA. CAV-2 was not detected by PCR in any red foxes examined. Additional sequence data were obtained from CAV-1 positive samples, revealing regional variations in CAV-1 sequences. It is concluded that CAV-1 is endemic in free-ranging red foxes in the UK and that many foxes have inapparent infections in a range of tissues.

A serological investigation of caseous lymphadenitis in four flocks of sheep.

A double antibody sandwich ELISA developed by ID-DLO, Lelystad to detect Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection was used on 329 sheep from four pedigree Suffolk flocks in which clinical cases of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) had occurred. At subsequent necropsy, typical CLA lesions were seen in 133 sheep, and the diagnosis was confirmed on culture. Lesions were most commonly seen in lungs (n = 46), parotid lymph nodes (n = 44), prescapular lymph nodes (n = 38) and mediastinal lymph nodes (n = 31). The sensitivity of the ELISA test for detecting culture-positive sheep was 0.88, while the specificity of the test was 0.55. The antibody ELISA detected 87.5 per cent of sheep that had CLA lesions restricted to internal organs only. It was concluded that the ELISA test has a valuable role in detecting sheep with both clinical and subclinical CLA.