Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Porcine Deltacoronavirus not Detected in Waterfowl in the North American Mississippi Migratory Bird Flyway in 2013.

Cloacal swab samples collected from 538 migratory waterfowl along the Mississippi Migratory Bird Flyway in 2013 were tested for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine deltacoronavirus. Neither virus was detected in any of the samples, indicating that waterfowl likely did not contribute to the rapid spread of these viruses within central US.

Evaluation of nonwoven fabrics for nasal wipe sampling for influenza A virus in swine.

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a zoonotic pathogen threatening animal and public health; therefore, detection and monitoring of IAV in animal populations are critical components of a surveillance program. Swine are important hosts of IAV, wherein the virus can undergo rapid evolution. Several methods (i.e., nasal swabs, nasal wipes, and oral fluids) have been used to collect samples from swine for IAV surveillance. We utilized nasal wipes made from cotton gauze and multiple, polyester or mixed polyester fabrics to compare performance in the molecular detection and isolation of IAV. In vitro experiments revealed that no polyester or mixed polyester fabric was superior to cotton gauze for molecular IAV detection; however, 3 polyester or mixed polyester fabrics yielded significantly more viable IAV than cotton. In a field trial, both cotton gauze and the polyester or mixed polyester fabric yielded similar proportions of IAV isolates from swine. The results indicate that cotton gauze remains a practical and useful material for swine nasal wipes.

Detection of influenza A virus from agricultural fair environment: Air and surfaces.

Agricultural fairs facilitate an environment conducive to the spread of influenza A virus with large numbers of pigs from various different locales comingling for several days (5-8 days). Fairs are also associated with zoonotic transmission of influenza A virus as humans have unrestricted contact with potentially infected swine throughout the fair's duration. Since 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 468 cases of variant influenza A virus, with most cases having had exposure to swine at agricultural fairs. Many mechanisms have been proposed as potential direct and indirect routes of transmission that may be enhancing intra- and inter-species transmission of influenza A virus at fairs. This study examines airborne respiratory droplets and portable animal-care items as potential routes of transmission that may be contributing to enhanced viral spread throughout the swine barn and the resulting variant cases of influenza A. Air samples were taken from inside swine barns at 25 fairs between the years 2013 and 2014. Influenza A virus was detected molecularly in 11 of 59 (18.6%) air samples, representing 4 of the 25 fairs. Viable H1N1 virus, matching virus recovered from swine at the fair, was recovered from the air at one fair in 2013. During the summer of 2016, 75 of 400 (18.8%) surface samples tested positive for molecular presence of influenza A virus and represented 10 of 20 fairs. Seven viral isolates collected from four fairs were recovered from the surfaces. Whole genome sequences of the viruses recovered from the surfaces are >99% identical to the viruses recovered from individual pigs at each respective fair. The detection and recovery of influenza A virus from both the air and surfaces found within the swine barn at agricultural fairs provide evidence for potential viral transmission through these routes, which may contribute to both intra- and inter-species transmission, threatening public health. These findings reinforce the need for new and improved mitigation strategies at agricultural fairs in order to reduce the risk to animal and public health.

Influenza A(H3N2) Virus in Swine at Agricultural Fairs and Transmission to Humans, Michigan and Ohio, USA, 2016.

In 2016, a total of 18 human infections with influenza A(H3N2) virus occurred after exposure to influenza-infected swine at 7 agricultural fairs. Sixteen of these cases were the result of infection by a reassorted virus with increasing prevalence among US swine containing a hemagglutinin gene from 2010-11 human seasonal H3N2 strains.

Inactivation of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus using heated water.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a very contagious swine pathogen that spreads easily via the fecal-oral route, notably from contaminated fomites. The present study investigated heated water as a method for rapid thermal inactivation of PEDV. Cell-culture adapted PEDV was treated with water at varying temperatures and viral titers were measured at multiple time points post-treatment. Viable PEDV was not recovered after a ten second or longer treatment with water heated to ≥76 °C; however, PEDV nucleic acid was detected in all samples regardless of treatment. Hot water decontamination could be considered in settings where chemical disinfection is impractical.

Why arboreal snakes should not be cylindrical: body shape, incline and surface roughness have interactive effects on locomotion.

Depending on animal size, shape, body plan and behaviour, variation in surface structure can affect the speed and ease of locomotion. The slope of branches and the roughness of bark both vary considerably, but their combined effects on the locomotion of arboreal animals are poorly understood. We used artificial branches with five inclines and five peg heights (≤40 mm) to test for interactive effects on the locomotion of three snake species with different body shapes. Unlike boa constrictors (Boa constrictor), corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) and brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) can both form ventrolateral keels, which are most pronounced in B. irregularis. Increasing peg height up to 10 mm elicited more of the lateral undulatory behaviour (sliding contact without gripping) rather than the concertina behaviour (periodic static gripping) and increased the speed of lateral undulation. Increased incline: (1) elicited more concertina locomotion, (2) decreased speed and (3) increased the threshold peg height that elicited lateral undulation. Boiga irregularis was the fastest species, and it used lateral undulation on the most surfaces, including a vertical cylinder with pegs only 1 mm high. Overall, B. constrictor was the slowest and used the most concertina locomotion, but this species climbed steep, smooth surfaces faster than P. guttatus. Our results illustrate how morphology and two different aspects of habitat structure can have interactive effects on organismal performance and behaviour. Notably, a sharper keel facilitated exploiting shorter protrusions to prevent slipping and provide propulsion, which became increasingly important as surface steepness increased.