A Case of Laying Hens Mycosis Caused by Fusarium proliferatum.

In this article, we present the first case report of a chicken mycosis caused by F. proliferatum occurred on a private farm in the Russian Federation. Lesions on the skin of the legs and scallops were reported. The object of this study was samples of feed and pathological material from sick hens-layers. Mycological analysis included determination of the total number of fungi (TNF) and identification and determination of the toxicity and pathogenicity of the isolates. The identification of the isolate was carried out taking into account direct microscopy, morphological features, and the method of molecular genetic analysis. Microscopic fungi of the genus Penicillium and Rhizopus were isolated by mycological analysis of the feed. The test feed was nontoxic. Mycological examination of pathological material (scrapings from the combs and affected legs) identified an isolate of Fusarium proliferatum, which showed toxicity on biological objects (protozoa, rabbits) and pathogenicity (white mice). Dermal application of F. proliferatum suspension was accompanied by reddening of the rabbit skin. Intraperitoneal injection of fungal spores caused mycosis in white mice. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) made it possible to identify this type of microscopic fungus (F. proliferatum) with high accuracy in the samples under study. The research results allow us to consider F. proliferatum as a cause of poultry disease against the background of predisposing factors in the form of desquamation of the stratum corneum of the skin against the background of immunosuppression and metabolic disorders caused by an imbalance in the diet.

Viral Vector Vaccines Against ASF: Problems and Prospectives.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting pigs, with mortality rates a primary focus as they can reach up to 100%. The widespread and colossal economic losses from ASF have impacts on the development of animal husbandry practices in most countries within Africa, Asia, and Europe. Currently, a variety of approaches toward the development of vaccines against ASF are being employed. A promising new concept centered around more economical and time-consuming vaccine production is based on the use of viral vectors to deliver selected immunogens. This review discusses the results obtained from testing various viral vectors as carriers of targeted ASF virus genes. The safety and prospects of viral vectors, the possibilities around modulating cellular and humoral immune responses by choosing genes expressing immunodominant antigens, and the degree of protection in experimental animals from infection with a lethal dose of virulent ASF virus strains have been shown and discussed.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among small mammals in Tatarstan, Russian Federation.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite with a wide host range that includes humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Small mammals serve as intermediate hosts for T. gondii and may contribute to the persistence of this parasite in the environment. Mass mortality in wild animals and deaths in rare endemic species make the study of this parasite of growing importance. In this study, T. gondii infection prevalence was evaluated in brain tissues from 474 small mammals captured at 26 trapping points in urban and rural areas of Tatarstan, Russian Federation. Nested PCR was used to detect the T. gondii B1 gene in the samples. Overall, 40/474 samples (8.44%) showed B1 gene positivity. T. gondii infection among the wild small mammals trapped in the rural area was significantly higher as a whole than that of the urban area as a whole. Multivariate logistical regression analysis also showed that the trapping area (rural or urban) significantly contributed to T. gondii positivity. Vegetation in the trapping points, small mammal species, sex, age or distance from the trapping points to the nearest human settlements did not significantly affect T. gondii positivity in the sampled small mammals.

Initial multi-target approach shows importance of improved caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus control program in Russia for hobbyist goat farms.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Several reports described the detection of specific caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) antibodies in Russian goat populations, which indicates the circulation of CAEV in Russian goat farms. The aim of this study was to use a multi-target approach to testing with both serological tests and an in-house real-time (RT) molecular test to investigate the prevalence of CAEV in goats from three hobbyist farms in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We applied a multi-target approach to testing with both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an in-house RT polymerase chain reaction test to investigate the prevalence of CAEV in goats. Animals from the three hobbyist farms were used in this study. The animals from two farms (n=13 for F1 and n=8 for F2) had clinical signs of arthritis and mastitis. In the third farm (n=15 for F3), all goats were home-bred and had no contact with imported animals. RESULTS: CAEV antibodies (ELISA targets TM env and gag genes) were detected in serum samples from two farms (F1 and F2), indicating seroprevalence of 87.50-92.31%. Specific CAEV antibodies were also detected in milk samples. CAEV proviral DNA was detected in 53.85-62.50%. The results from all tests performed in the third farm (F3) were negative, indicating that all tests were 100% specific. CONCLUSION: The results showed that CAEV is circulating and present in small hobbyist goat farms in Russia. Serological and molecular tests could be important for programs to control and eradicate CAEV in Russia for hobbyist goat farms.