World food security, globalisation and animal farming: unlocking dominant paradigms of animal health science.

This paper presents a critical review of intensive animal farming in the light of past and present global crises, reflecting the fragility of its foundations, its unsustainability and its inability to ensure world food security. A central argument of this paper is that intensive animal farming promotes industrial efficiency, commodity production and the availability of cheap food at the expense of farmed animals, the environment and society. This paper begins by briefly examining the history of world food security and explores the role assigned to animal farming, animal health and public health in this context. It then reviews changing perceptions of world food security during various periods of global instability and their implications for animal farming and animal health and welfare. At the same time, the paper seeks to identify what has so far been missing in discourses around world food security and animal farming, and discusses how these gaps shape and are shaped by specific scientific thinking on animal health and well-being. With the recent exponential growth of aquaculture, the authors' objectives are to examine animal health practices in farming and to understand how animal health science could effectively, in the long term, help animal farming, and in particular aquaculture, to contribute to global food security.

Dans cet article, les auteurs procèdent à un examen critique de l'élevage intensif et mettent en évidence, à la lumière de crises présentes et passées, la fragilité, le caractère non durable et l'incapacité de ce modèle agricole à contribuer à la sécurité alimentaire mondiale. L'argument central avancé par les auteurs est que l'élevage intensif favorise la rentabilité de l'industrie agro-alimentaire ainsi que la production et la commercialisation de denrées alimentaires bon marché, au détriment des animaux d'élevage, de l'environnement et de la société. L'article commence par un aperçu historique de la sécurité alimentaire suivi d'une analyse du rôle assigné, dans ce contexte, à l'élevage, aux animaux d'élevage et à la santé publique. L'évolution de la perception de la sécurité alimentaire est analysée au fil de diverses périodes d'instabilité, parallèlement à ses conséquences sur l'élevage, la santé et le bien-être des animaux. Les auteurs tentent ainsi d'explorer ce qui a, jusqu'à présent, manqué dans les discours dominants de la sécurité alimentaire et de l'élevage, et d'expliquer comment ces lacunes ont pu déterminer et être renforcées par les pratiques des sciences de la santé et du bien-être animal. Compte tenu de la croissance exponentielle du secteur de l'aquaculture, le but des auteurs est d'examiner de quelle manière une redéfinition du rôle et de l'intervention des sciences de la santé animale en élevage permettrait à celui-ci, et en particulier à l'aquaculture, de réellement contribuer à la sécurité alimentaire mondiale.

Los autores presentan un estudio crítico de la producción animal intensiva a la luz de una serie de crisis mundiales pasadas y presentes que ponen de relieve sus frágiles fundamentos, su carácter insostenible y la incapacidad de este modelo agrícola para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria del mundo. Uno de los argumentos centrales aquí expuestos es el de que la producción animal intensiva promueve la eficiencia de la industria agro-alimentaria, la producción de artículos básicos y la oferta de alimentos baratos a expensas de los animales de granja, el medio ambiente y la sociedad. Los autores empiezan repasando sucintamente la historia de la seguridad alimentaria mundial y examinando la función atribuida en este ámbito a la producción animal, los animales de granja y la salud pública. Después exponen la evolución de las concepciones relativas a la seguridad alimentaria mundial durante varios periodos de inestabilidad del mundo y las repercusiones que esas distintas formas de verla han tenido en la producción, la salud y el bienestar animales. Al mismo tiempo, tratan de determinar aquello que hasta ahora ha estado ausente del discurso sobre la seguridad alimentaria mundial y la producción animal, y explican cómo estos elementos faltantes influyen en el pensamiento científico sobre salud y bienestar animal y a la vez son influidos por él. En vista del crecimiento exponencial que de un tiempo a esta parte viene experimentando la acuicultura, los autores tienen por doble objetivo examinar las prácticas zoosanitarias de la producción animal y aprehender de qué manera la ciencia de la sanidad animal podría ayudar eficazmente a la producción animal, y particularmente la acuicultura, a consolidar a largo plazo la seguridad alimentaria mundial.

Short- and long-term association between individual levels of milk antibody against Ostertagia ostertagi and first-lactation heifer's production performances.

It is agreed that exposure of adult dairy cattle to helminths on pasture can negatively affect production performances as milking herd. Young animals, especially replacement heifers, represent the future of a dairy farm and are among the most vulnerable to helminth infections in a dairy herd. For this reason, dairy farmers tend to frequently treat heifers against helminths, although the impact of helminths on heifers' production performances is still poorly understood. Using different epidemiological and serological tools, this study examines the relationship between heifer exposure to helminths on pasture and production performances over time. During a one-year period, 1,454 individual milk samples were collected from first-lactation heifers in England and tested for Ostertagia ostertagi (O. ostertagi) antibodies. After controlling for other confounders, increasing milk antibody levels against O. ostertagi were significantly associated with decreased milk yield at sampling but not at day 305 of heifer lactation. We did not observe any relationship between milk antibody levels against O. ostertagi in heifers and yields in fat and protein. However, heifers with a high level of milk antibodies against O. ostertagi were more likely to produce dead calf at first calving and present a delay in second calving. Moreover, these heifers had significantly higher levels of milk antibodies against Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) during their first lactation and were more likely to die before the end of the study. We argue that epidemiological approaches can be useful but must be complemented by other methodologies to better understand the impact of helminth infections in dairy heifers. In order to address the complex dynamics of helminth infections in dairy cattle production we require more comprehensive approaches that include triangulation between data sources and interdisciplinary studies.

A longitudinal study of gastrointestinal parasites in English dairy farms. Practices and factors associated with first lactation heifer exposure to Ostertagia ostertagi on pasture.

The gastrointestinal nematode Ostertagia ostertagi is an important cause of lost production, health, and welfare in cattle. Detailed records were obtained over a 5-yr period (2010-2015) by questionnaires and qualitative interviews to investigate the practices adopted by dairy farmers to control cattle helminth infections and the factors associated with heifer exposure to O. ostertagi on pasture. In total, 1,454 heifers' individual milk samples were collected over a 1-yr period (2014-2015) in 43 dairy farms in England and tested for O. ostertagi antibody by ELISA. Multilevel linear regression models were used to investigate the association between individual milk optical density ratio (ODR) against O. ostertagi and heifer management from birth to time of sampling. Farm and heifer median ODR against O. ostertagi were 0.98 (interquartile range = 0.76-1.02) and 0.64 (interquartile range = 0.42-0.84), respectively. The majority of heifers (88%) received an anthelmintic treatment before sampling in this study. After controlling for the effect of anthelmintic treatments, heifer individual milk ODR against O. ostertagi significantly increased with high stocking rate at first grazing and co-grazing with adult cows before calving. Conversely, heifer individual milk ODR against O. ostertagi significantly decreased when heifers had co-grazed with sheep and pasture grass had frequently been mowed. Overall, these results provide evidence to support targeting grazing management toward limiting the use of anthelmintics in dairy young stock to enable sustainable control of cattle helminth infections in England. However, to be accepted and adopted by farmers, these best practices would need to take into account farmers' perspectives and contextual challenges.

Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke single- and poly-infections in cattle: An abattoir study of prevalence and production impacts in England and Wales.

This study aims at investigating the occurrence, risk factors and production impacts on beef carcass parameters of three of the most important cattle helminth infections in England and Wales. Abomasa, reticulorumens and livers from healthy cattle were collected and examined post-mortem quarterly over a one year period in an abattoir in South-West England. Specific viscera from 974 cattle were collected, examined and scored for Ostertagia spp., adult rumen fluke and liver fluke lesions/presence. A total of 89%, 25% and 29% of the carcasses had lesions/presence of Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke, respectively, and 39% had presence of helminth co-infection. Animal demographic and carcass parameters associated with helminth infections were investigated using multilevel multinomial and multilevel linear mixed models respectively. After adjusting for other factors, significant differences in the distribution of helminth infections were observed among cattle by type of breed, animal category (cow, heifer, steer and young bull), age, season and concurrent helminth infections. Compared to carcasses free of helminths, carcasses presenting solely Ostertagia Spp. lesions or adult rumen fluke had significantly lower cold carcass weight (coef.: -30.58 [-50.92;-10.24] and -50.34 [-88.50;-12.18]) and fat coverage (coef.: -3.28 [-5.56;-1.00] and -5.49 [-10.28;-0.69]) and carcasses presenting solely liver fluke lesions had significantly lower conformation grade (coef.: -3.65 [-6.98;-0.32]). Presence of helminth poly-infections was negatively associated with cold carcass weight.

How to Assess Data Availability, Accessibility and Format for Risk Analysis?

Risk assessments are mostly carried out based on available data, which do not reflect all data theoretically required by experts to answer them. This study aimed at developing a methodology to assess data availability, accessibility and format, based on a scoring system and focusing on two diseases: Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE), still exotic to Europe, and alveolar echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus multilocularis (EM), endemic in several Member States (MSs). After reviewing 36 opinions of the EFSA-AHAW Panel on risk assessment of animal health questions, a generic list of needed data was elaborated. The methodology consisted, first, in implementing a direct and an indirect survey to collect the data needed for both case studies: the direct survey consisted in a questionnaire sent to contact points of three European MSs (Belgium, France and the Netherlands), and the organization of a workshop gathering experts on both diseases. The indirect survey, focusing on the three MSs involved in the direct survey plus Spain, relied on web searches. Secondly, a scoring system with reference to data availability, accessibility and format was elaborated, to, finally, compare both diseases and data between MSs. The accessibility of data was generally related to their availability. Web searches resulted in more data available for VEE compared to EM, despite its current exotic status in the European Union. Hypertext markup language and portable document files were the main formats of available data. Data availability, accessibility and format should be improved for research scientists/assessors. The format of data plays a key role in the feasibility and rapidness of data management and analysis, through a prompt compilation, combination and aggregation in working databases. Harmonization of data collection process is encouraged, according to standardized procedures, to provide useful and reliable data, both at the national and the international levels for both animal and human health; it would allow assessing data gaps through comparative studies. The present methodology is a good way of assessing the relevance of data for risk assessment, as it allows integrating the uncertainty linked to the quality of data used. Such an approach could be described as transparent and traceable and should be performed systematically.

French invasive Asian tiger mosquito populations harbor reduced bacterial microbiota and genetic diversity compared to Vietnamese autochthonous relatives.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is one of the most significant pathogen vectors of the twenty-first century. Originating from Asia, it has invaded a wide range of eco-climatic regions worldwide. The insect-associated microbiota is now recognized to play a significant role in host biology. While genetic diversity bottlenecks are known to result from biological invasions, the resulting shifts in host-associated microbiota diversity has not been thoroughly investigated. To address this subject, we compared four autochthonous Ae. albopictus populations in Vietnam, the native area of Ae. albopictus, and three populations recently introduced to Metropolitan France, with the aim of documenting whether these populations display differences in host genotype and bacterial microbiota. Population-level genetic diversity (microsatellite markers and COI haplotype) and bacterial diversity (16S rDNA metabarcoding) were compared between field-caught mosquitoes. Bacterial microbiota from the whole insect bodies were largely dominated by Wolbachia pipientis. Targeted analysis of the gut microbiota revealed a greater bacterial diversity in which a fraction was common between French and Vietnamese populations. The genus Dysgonomonas was the most prevalent and abundant across all studied populations. Overall genetic diversities of both hosts and bacterial microbiota were significantly reduced in recently established populations of France compared to the autochthonous populations of Vietnam. These results open up many important avenues of investigation in order to link the process of geographical invasion to shifts in commensal and symbiotic microbiome communities, as such shifts may have dramatic impacts on the biology and/or vector competence of invading hematophagous insects.

Evaluating the efficiency of participatory epidemiology to estimate the incidence and impacts of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock owners in Cambodia.

The economic and social impacts of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) for livestock owners of developed countries have been extensively documented over the past few years. In developing countries such as Cambodia, this evaluation is often lacking due to the scarcity of accurate data. In the present study, we used a range of participatory tools to infer farmers' knowledge and perception, and the relative incidence of FMD from January 2009 to June 2010 in fifty-one villages of Svay Rieng province, Cambodia. In addition, the detection of non-structural protein at village level was used to cross-validate the results from the participatory epidemiology (PE) study. A quantitative assessment using Bayesian modeling was carried out to assess the ability of PE to retrospectively determine the FMD-infected status of a village in Cambodia. Our study shows that even if FMD is ranked second in the list of priority diseases, livestock owners did not see any benefit in reporting it since the disease entailed low direct losses. The average clinical incidence rates at individual level for cattle-buffaloes and pigs in infected villages were assessed by proportional piling at 18% and 11%, respectively for the year 2009. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of PE study were estimated at 87%, 30%, 51% and 74%, respectively. This approach seems to largely overestimate the presence of the disease but proves useful in evaluating the impact of FMD at household level and in understanding the reasons for not reporting it. This information may be important in establishing well-adapted disease prevention and control strategies in Cambodia.

Experimental demonstration of a synthetic aperture compression scheme for multi-Petawatt high-energy lasers.

We present the experimental demonstration of a subaperture compression scheme achieved in the PETAL (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser) facility. We evidence that by dividing the beam into small subapertures fitting the available grating size, the sub-beam can be individually compressed below 1 ps, synchronized below 50 fs and then coherently added thanks to a segmented mirror.

Cardiac damage in pediatric carbon monoxide poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disorders including myocardial ischemia and heart failure have been described in both laboratory animals and humans following carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide cardiotoxicity may be clinically occult and often remains undiagnosed because of the lack of overt symptoms and specific ischemic changes in the electrocardiogram. Routine myocardial necrosis markers have low diagnostic efficiency, particularly in patients with concomitant skeletal muscle necrosis or multiple organ failure complicating carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide-induced cardiotoxicity has been investigated rarely in children. CASE REPORT: This paper describes carbon monoxide poisoning in a 12-year-old child who suffered from occult cardiac damage despite mild symptoms and low carboxy hemoglobin concentrations. Myocardial and mitral valve dysfunctions were observed, suggesting an ischemia-like syndrome. Cardiac damage was completely reversible within 1 month. CONCLUSION: This case report supports that a prolonged carbon monoxide exposure can cause cardiac damage in children even in the absence of specific symptoms, cerebral failure and high carboxyhemoglobin concentrations.

[Development of insulin reserves in the first 18 months in the insulin-dependent diabetic with or without remission of insulin-dependence]. / Evolution de la réserve insulinique dans les 18 premiers mois du diabète insulinoprive avec ou sans rémission d'insulinodépendance.

It seems rational to consider that residual insulin secretion is one of the factors which determine the short-term course of inaugural type I diabetes. But what about the mid-term course? We evaluated prospectively the insulin reserve (fasting and post-prandial C peptide) in 52 patients throughout the subsequent development of the disease. The patients (36 men, 16 women, mean age 35 years), who presented with ketonuria and weight loss, received a 10-day course of intensive insulin therapy, after which a remission of insulin dependence was observed in 40 of them (77 per cent). These 40 patients differed from those who had no such remission in that they were heavier and had a better initial insulin secretion. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regards to immunogenetic markers (presence of anti-islet antibodies 28/35 vs 8/12, DR3 and/or DR4 tissue group 27/37 vs 8/10). Following intensive insulin therapy, the C peptide value was consistently increased. At 6, 12 and 18 months the insulin secretion in patients of the remission group remained stable and always higher than that of patients who did not have a remission and whose insulin secretion collapsed at 18 months. Another characteristic of the remission group was that C peptide secretion could be stimulated by meals throughout the follow-up period (post-prandial C peptide at 18 months: 0.63 nmol/l). It is concluded that residual insulin secretion is one of the most effective predictive factors of remission when type I diabetes is first diagnosed and remains stable for the first 18 months of the disease in patients who show a remission.

[Fatal rupture of the ventricular strut of a Björk-Shiley prosthesis in mitral position. Description of a case, review of the literature and elements of differential diagnosis]. / Letale rottura del supporto ventricolare di una protesi di Björk-Shiley in posizione mitralica. Descrizione di un caso, revisione della letteratura ed elementi di diagnostica differenziale.

We describe a fatal case of outlet strut's fracture of a Björk-Shiley mitral valve prosthesis with displacement of the disc in left ventricular cavity. The acute, catastrophic nature of the symptoms associated with massive transvalvular regurgitation preclude survival except with immediate operation; consequently, we describe the clinical and instrumental elements for a very early diagnosis.

[Improvement in nitrogen sparing by branched amino acids during parenteral nutrition]. / Amélioration de l'épargne azotée par utilisation d'acides aminés branchés au cours de la nutrition parentérale.

Two groups of ten patients each, staying in a Intensive Care Unit, received exclusive parenteral alimentation with different concentrations of branched chain amino acids (BCAA). Group A received studied solution containing 12 g N (852 mmol) with 41,1 p. 100 BCAA. Group B received control solution containing 18 g N (1278 mmol) with 21,1 p. 100 BCAA. Every patient received 60 nonprotein Kcal x kg-1 body weight/24 hr. The study was performed on five days. Measured parameters were: daily (D0 to D5) N balance, blood urea N and total protein and urinary alpha amine N, and after therapy (D6) amino acid levels. Results have shown no statistical significant difference between both groups. N balance became less negative during the therapy. Amino acid levels were in the normal range and alpha amine urinary elimination remained low in patients with parenteral nutrition. These results indicate that 12 g (852 mmol) N in BCAA rich solution are as efficient as 18 g (1278 mmol) N in standard solution, allowing a N sparing.

[Systolic time intervals: echocardiographic study of the right and left ventricle. (author's transl)]. / Tempi sistolici. Studio ecocardiografico del ventricolo destro e del ventricolo sinistro.

Right and left ventricular systolic time intervals are measured in 40 cardiopathic subjects and compared with the respective values concerning 20 normal subjects. The results show a modification: a) of the values concerning the right ventricle in presence of pathology interesting this ventricle; b) of the values concerning the left ventricle in presence of pathology interesting this ventricle; c) of the values concerning both the ventricles in presence of left ventricular pathology which has, also, interested the right ventricle. The AA. emphasize the importance of the right and left ventricular systolic time intervals not only to separate pathology interesting the right ventricle from that interesting the left ventricle, but also, to evaluate the ventricular performance and the stage of evolution and extension of the cardiopathy.

[Clinical and echo-phonomechanocardiographic study of the mitral valve prolapse (author's transl)]. / Studio clinico e strumentale del prolasso della valvola mitrale

The results of a study of 32 patients with the clinical and auscultatory suspect of M.V.P., confirmed echo-cardiographically, are reported. Part of the pathogenetic cause of the symptomatology and ECgraphic alterations are attributed to the hypomagnesiemia. The relation between exercise test positivity and gravity of the symptomatology is confirmed. The phonomechanocardiographic tracings were studied and the morphological features from C.P. and apexcardiogram are described and shown, with particular attention given to the clicks and systolic murmurs. The authors describe three types of prolapse, early, "U"-and "double U"--shaped pansystolic, and, relating echo-to-phonomechanocardiographic results, point out features which seem typical of the M.V.P. Echo-phono mechanocardiography is confirmed as a technique which is useful and sufficiently safe and reliable in diagnosing, detecting and following the disease in its not yet perfectly acknowledged evolution. It avoids the use of invasive tools which could become extremely dangerous.

[Mitral valve prolapse in a family group. Clinico-instrumental findings]. / Prolasso della valvola mitrale in un nucleo familiare. Rilievi clinico-strumentali.

Clinical and echo-phonomechanocardiographic reports. The results concerning 7 subjects with mitral valve prolapse (M.V.P.), all members of the same familiar group, are reported. The anamnestic investigation for cardio-vascular deseases, Marfan's syndrome or other abnormalities referred to mesenchimopathies has been negative. No subject with M.V.P. has referred subjective cardio-vascular symptoms nor radiological, ecgraphic and echo-phonomechanocardiographic signs of reduced cardiac function, have been pointed out. The phonomechanocardiographic tracings have shown a variable and low-amplitude click. The echocardiographic tracings have shown a U-shaped (3 cases) and double U-shaped (1 case) pansystolic, early systolic (2 cases) and of doubtful classification (1 case) prolapse. The hypothesis of an autosomal dominant form of inheritance of the desease with not yet clear mechanism of genetic transmission is confirmed. Furthermore, environmental and genetic factors that interfere with the orderly valvular formation at a certain stage of the fetal development, are referred. The Authors remark the necessity of further investigations, among more familiar groups, for identifying the genetic-environmental factors, that, eventually, could have any implication in the ethiopathogenetic mechanism of the disease. The report of "silent" forms and the not yet completely known evolution of the M.V.P. don't justify its not-recognition.