Search

Mycobacterium bovis infection of cats is exceedingly rare in regions where bovine tuberculosis is not endemic. We describe the diagnosis and clinical management of pulmonary M. bovis infection in 2 indoor-housed cats and their association with at least 1 M. bovis-infected human in Texas, USA, in September 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of improved vaccines against tuberculosis (TB) is directly linked to the investigation of new and better correlates of protection after vaccination against TB. Cloning and characterization of bovine homologues of the antimicrobial protein granulysin (Bo-lysin) and perforin by our group could be used as potential biomarkers for TB vaccination efficacy. In the present study, we examined the kinetics of granulysin, perforin, IFNgamma and Fas-L responses to Mycobacterium bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) stimulation by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from M. bovisDeltaRD1-, BCG- and non-vaccinated cattle. Gene expression profiles following PPD stimulation showed significant increases in transcripts for granulysin and IFNgamma in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in BCG-vaccinated as compared with non-vaccinated animals. Perforin and IFNgamma examined by flow cytometry, showed a difference of 1-2% more PPD-specific cells in BCG-vaccinated than non-vaccinated animals. In the vaccine trial, granulysin and perforin were significantly increased in both vaccine groups as compared with control after vaccination and challenge. IFNgamma expression was increased only after vaccination and secretion was higher in the control, non-protected group as compared with both vaccine groups demonstrating no correlation with protection upon vaccination. In summary, results shown here provide evidence that granulysin and perforin are prospective candidates as biomarkers of protection after vaccination against TB.

Background: The European bison (Bison bonasus), a symbol of Polish nature, is a protected species that requires active health monitoring. However, conservation efforts are made difficult by the zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis. Objective: The aim of this study was to screen the Polish European bison population for exposure to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and Brucella spp. Methods: A total of 323 free‐living and captive European bison from 13 localities were tested serologically for antibodies against the M. bovis P22 multi‐protein complex (in‐house ELISA) and against Brucella spp. (commercial ELISA). Results: Antibodies against the MTC (P22) were detected in 7% (22/323) of the tested European bison. Anti‐MTC antibody positivity was not significantly different by sex, age, and captive/free range status. Anti‐MTC antibodies were found in six of 13 populations sampled, always in populations with larger sample sizes including the four free‐living ones. Antibodies against Brucella spp. were detected in 36% (116/323) of the tested bison. While Brucella spp. antibody prevalence was not different by sex, it was significantly different by age (lower in adults) and captive/free‐living status. Brucella spp. seroprevalence decreased with sample size and seropositive bison were found in 12 of 13 sampling populations. Conclusions: Our findings identify potential emerging threats to the European bison population and confirm the first serological response to P22 in European bison. As Poland is currently officially free of brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis, our results require careful interpretation. Further studies are needed to establish the presence of cross‐reactions with atypical mycobacteria in the case of MTC and other bacteria (e.g. Yersinia enterocolitica O:9) in the case of Brucella spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Beef calves are born with underdeveloped immune systems and extremely vulnerable to diseases. Therefore, calf health is one of the most significant animal health issues facing the livestock industry. Maternal nutrition during pre- and post-partum with essential nutrients plays a significant role in offspring's physiological functions. Thus, this study attempted to evaluate the effects of supplementation of the maternal diet with organic trace minerals on the health and immune status of beef calves. This study indicated that maternal supplementation with trace minerals containing zinc, manganese, copper, and cobalt is a promising strategy for preventing infections and improving calves' immunity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of supplementation of the maternal diet with organic trace minerals including Zn (zinc), Mn (manganese), Cu (copper), and Co (cobalt) on the health and immune status of beef calves. We examined 19 pregnant cows, which were divided into a group of 9 cows fed a basal diet (control) and 10 cows fed a diet with organic trace minerals (treated). Cows were fed for a period of 45 days before the predicted calving date until 45 days after calving. The number of treatments needed for respiratory and digestive diseases within 14 days of birth was significantly lower in the treated group (p < 0.05) than the control group. In addition, the concentration of serum zinc in the treated group on day 1 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the control group. The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in the treated group on days 30 and 60 were significantly increased (p < 0.01) compared with those in the control group, as was the number of γδ T cells on days 1 and 30 (p < 0.05). The number of IgM+ cells in the treated group on days 30 and 60 was significantly increased (p < 0.01) compared with that in the control group, as was the number of MHC class II+ cells on day 60 (p < 0.01). The number of NK cells in the treated group on day 60 was also significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared with that in the control group. The expression levels of mRNAs encoding interlukin-2 (IL-2), interlukin-4 (IL-4), interlukin-12 (IL-12), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the treated group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05) on days 1 and 60. The results indicate that maternal supplementation with trace minerals is a promising approach for producing highly disease-resistant calves and enhancing calf immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the singleton protocol to resolve issues in specificity of the single intradermal comparative cervical test (SICCT) for bovine tuberculosis (TB) initiated by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1996. Topics discussed include the SICCT procedures using mycobacterium bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) and mycobacterium avium PPD, background on the national bovine TB control, and the effectiveness of the qualifying criteria for the protocol.

Simple Summary: Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis characterized by the formation of tubercles in any organ or tissue. This disease affects various animal species and humans; therefore, it represents a significant veterinary and public health problem. Bovine tuberculosis control is based on the tuberculin test and the disposal of reactor animals. In underdeveloped countries, this strategy has not been successful due to the lack of economic resources to compensate producers for their slaughtered animals. Recently, it has been suggested to incorporate the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine to reduce the disease prevalence by reducing the number of animals with lesions, the number of lesions per animal and bacterial load. Several experiments have shown the efficacy of different vaccine formulas against bovine tuberculosis. In Mexico, there is a growing interest, both from producers and authorities, to integrate the vaccine into current control programs, especially in dairy cattle, where the prevalence of the disease is high, and overcrowding favors the dissemination. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a disease of cattle that represents a risk to public health and causes severe economic losses to the livestock industry. Recently, one of the strategies recommended for reducing the prevalence of the disease in animals is the use of the BCG vaccine, alone or in combination with proteins. It has been shown that the vaccine elicits a strong immune response, downsizes the number of animals with visible lesions, and reduces the rate of infection as well as the bacillary count. This paper, based on scientific evidence, makes suggestions about some practical vaccination alternatives that can be used in infected herds to reduce bTB prevalence, considering BCG strains, vaccine doses, routes of application, and age of the animals. Our conclusion is that vaccination is a promising alternative to be included in current control programs in underdeveloped countries to reduce the disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for the replacement of synthetic food colorants with naturally derived alternatives. Filamentous fungi are prolific producers of secondary metabolites including polyketide-derived pigments, many of which have not been fully characterized yet. During our ongoing investigations of black aspergilli, we noticed that Aspergillus homomorphus turned yellow when cultivated on malt extract agar plates. Chemical discovery guided by UV and MS led to the isolation of two novel yellow natural products, and their structures were elucidated as aromatic α-pyrones homopyrones A (1) and B (2) by HRMS and NMR. Combined investigations including retro-biosynthesis, genome mining, and gene deletions successfully linked both compounds to their related biosynthetic gene clusters. This demonstrated that homopyrones are biosynthesized by using cinnamoyl-CoA as the starter unit, followed by extension with three malonyl-CoA units, and lactonization to give the core hybrid backbone structure. The polyketide synthase AhpA includes a C-methylation domain, which however seems to be promiscuous since only 2 is C-methylated. Altogether, the homopyrones represent a rare case of hybrid phenylpropanoid- and polyketide-derived natural products in filamentous fungi. Key points: • Homopyrones represent a rare type of fungal polyketides synthesized from cinnamic-CoA. • CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been firstly applied in Aspergillus homomorphus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a population of innate-like T cells that utilize a semi-invariant T cell receptor (TCR) α chain and are restricted by the highly conserved antigen presenting molecule MR1. MR1 presents microbial riboflavin biosynthesis derived metabolites produced by bacteria and fungi. Consistent with their ability to sense ligands derived from bacterial sources, MAIT cells have been associated with the immune response to a variety of bacterial infections, such as Mycobacterium spp., Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. To date, MAIT cells have been studied in humans, non-human primates and mice. However, they have only been putatively identified in cattle by PCR based methods; no phenotypic or functional analyses have been performed. Here, we identified a MAIT cell population in cattle utilizing MR1 tetramers and high-throughput TCR sequencing. Phenotypic analysis of cattle MAIT cells revealed features highly analogous to those of MAIT cells in humans and mice, including expression of an orthologous TRAV1-TRAJ33 TCR α chain, an effector memory phenotype irrespective of tissue localization, and expression of the transcription factors PLZF and EOMES. We determined the frequency of MAIT cells in peripheral blood and multiple tissues, finding that cattle MAIT cells are enriched in mucosal tissues as well as in the mesenteric lymph node. Cattle MAIT cells were responsive to stimulation by 5-OP-RU and riboflavin biosynthesis competent bacteria in vitro. Furthermore, MAIT cells in milk increased in frequency in cows with mastitis. Following challenge with virulent Mycobacterium bovis , a causative agent of bovine tuberculosis and a zoonosis, peripheral blood MAIT cells expressed higher levels of perforin. Thus, MAIT cells are implicated in the immune response to two major bacterial infections in cattle. These data suggest that MAIT cells are functionally highly conserved and that cattle are an excellent large animal model to study the role of MAIT cells in important zoonotic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium bovis has the largest host range of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and infects domestic animal species, wildlife, and humans. The presence of global wildlife maintenance hosts complicates bovine tuberculosis (bTB) control efforts and further threatens livestock and wildlife-related industries. Thus, it is imperative that early and accurate detection of M. bovis in all affected animal species is achieved. Further, an improved understanding of the complex species-specific host immune responses to M. bovis could enable the development of diagnostic tests that not only identify infected animals but distinguish between infection and active disease. The primary bTB screening standard worldwide remains the tuberculin skin test (TST) that presents several test performance and logistical limitations. Hence additional tests are used, most commonly an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) that, similar to the TST, measures a cell-mediated immune (CMI) response to M. bovis. There are various cytokines and chemokines, in addition to IFN-γ, involved in the CMI component of host adaptive immunity. Due to the dominance of CMI-based responses to mycobacterial infection, cytokine and chemokine biomarkers have become a focus for diagnostic tests in livestock and wildlife. Therefore, this review describes the current understanding of host immune responses to M. bovis as it pertains to the development of diagnostic tools using CMI-based biomarkers in both gene expression and protein release assays, and their limitations. Although the study of CMI biomarkers has advanced fundamental understanding of the complex host- M. bovis interplay and bTB progression, resulting in development of several promising diagnostic assays, most of this research remains limited to cattle. Considering differences in host susceptibility, transmission and immune responses, and the wide variety of M. bovis- affected animal species, knowledge gaps continue to pose some of the biggest challenges to the improvement of M. bovis and bTB diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, is a pathogen that impacts both animal and human health. Consequently, there is a need to improve understanding of disease dynamics, identification of infected animals, and characterization of the basis of immune protection. This study assessed the transcriptional changes occurring in cattle during the early weeks following a M. bovis infection. RNA-seq analysis of whole blood-cell transcriptomes revealed two distinct transcriptional clusters of infected cattle at both 4- and 10-weeks post-infection that correlated with disease severity. Cattle exhibiting more severe disease were transcriptionally divergent from uninfected animals. At 4-weeks post-infection, 25 genes had commonly increased expression in infected cattle compared to uninfected cattle regardless of disease severity. Ten weeks post-infection, differential gene expression was only observed when severely-affected cattle were compared to uninfected cattle. This indicates a transcriptional divergence based on clinical status following infection. In cattle with more severe disease, biological processes and cell type enrichment analyses revealed overrepresentation of innate immune-related processes and cell types in infected animals. Collectively, our findings demonstrate two distinct transcriptional profiles occur in cattle following M. bovis infection, which correlate to clinical status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal vaccination strategies for the control of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in case of early mycoplasmal infection. Methods: A total of 120 pigs were randomly divided into 6 groups (20 pigs per group). Four separate vaccine regimen groups were selected. Pigs from the four vaccinated groups were challenged with M. hyopneumoniae at 28 days old followed by a challenge of PRRSV or PCV2 at 49 days old. Results: Regardless of PRRSV or PCV2 vaccination, pigs vaccinated with one of the M. hyopneumoniae vaccines at 7 days old had a significantly better growth performance over the whole length of the study compared to pigs vaccinated with a second M. hyopneumoniae vaccine at 21 days old. Vaccination of pigs with M. hyopneumoniae at 7 days and PRRSV at either 7, 14 or 21 days old resulted in significantly reduced PRRSV viremia and lung lesions compared to vaccination of pigs with M. hyopneumoniae and PRRSV at 21 days old. Conclusions: The efficacy of the PRRSV MLV vaccine is influenced by the different timing of M. hyopneumoniae vaccination whereas the efficacy of the PCV2 vaccine is not. This experiment study demonstrated that early vaccination with a M. hyopneumoniae vaccine should be the highest priority in order to control M. hyopneumoniae and PRRSV infection in cases of early M. hyopneumoniae infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes granuloma formation. Characterization of granulomatous lesions of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) experimentally infected cattle has helped to better understand the pathogenesis of this disease. However, few studies have described granulomas found in M. bovis naturally infected cattle. The aim of this work was to examine granulomas from Holstein-Friesian cattle naturally infected with M. bovis from a dairy basin located in the central region of Mexico. Tissue samples from thirty-two cattle with lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were collected post-mortem. Fifteen of the 32 sampled animals (46.8%) were 4 months of age or younger (calves), whereas the rest (53.2%, 17/32) were over one year old (adults). Macroscopic lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were found in the mediastinal lymph node chain of all animals (32/32). From the 1,143 granulomatous lesions that were microscopically analyzed, 34.6% (396/1143) were collected from adult animals and subsequently classified according to the nomenclature suggested by Wangoo et al., 2005. Surprisingly, lesions from calf tissues showed an atypical pattern which could not be fitted into the established developmental stages of this classification. Granulomatous lesions found in calves covered most of the affected organ, histologically showed large necrotic areas with central calcification, absence of a connective tissue capsule, and few giant cells. Also, there was a higher percentage of lesions with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) when compared to studied granulomas in adults. Growth of Mycobacterium spp was detected in 11 bacteriological tissue cultures. Genotypic identification of M. bovis was performed by DNA extraction from bacterial isolates, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and samples without bacterial isolation. M. bovis was detected by PCR in 84.3% (27/32) of the studied cases; whereas other AFB were observed in tissues of the remaining sampled animals (5/32). Our results describe atypical granuloma formation in calves 4 months of age or younger, naturally infected with M. bovis. These findings contribute to better understanding the physiopathology of M. bovis infection in cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The light microscopic appearance and ultrastructure of the nasopharyngeal tonsil (tonsilla pharyngea), collected from 12 adult buffaloes of local mixed breed, were explored for the distribution of different types of epithelia, lymphoid tissue and high endothelial venules. The tonsillar mucosa was lined by pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium having goblet cells. The respiratory epithelium associated with the underlying lymphoid tissue formed the lymphoepithelium. The epithelium was further modified into follicle‐associated epithelium (FAE) characterized by reduced epithelial height, presence of a few dome‐shaped cuboidal cells equivalent of the M‐cells and absence of goblet and ciliated cells. The lymphoid tissue was distributed in the form of isolated lymphoid cells, diffuse lymphoid tissue and lymphoid follicles, mainly distributed within the propria‐submucosa along with the sero‐mucous glandular tissue. The goblet cells of the respiratory epithelium and the acinar cells contained different mucopolysaccharides. Scanning electron microscopy of the surface mucosa demonstrated a dense mat of cilia, island‐like arrangement of microvillus cells, M‐cells and a few brush‐like cells. The transmission electron microscopy revealed the different cell organelles of the respiratory epithelium and the FAE. Lymphocyte migration via the high endothelial venules in the propria‐submucosa was also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D (VitD) is involved in important mammalian physiological mechanisms, such as Ca–P metabolism, bone development and immunological response. VitD deficiencies are frequently detected in domestic animals and related to various health problems (e.g., rickets, bone deformation). However, knowledge about the status of VitD in wildlife species, such as the wild boar, is scarce. The aims of this work were to explore VitD status in wild boar populations from mid‐western Spain and to elucidate the influence of daylight exposure and food supplementation in levels of VitD. Serum concentration of VitD (measured as 25‐hydroxivitaminD) was assessed in 276 wild boar from 27 game estates located in mid‐western Spain using a commercial ELISA kit. In 19 out of 27 estates, the staff supplied a specific VitD‐enriched food (2,000 UI/Kg) ad libitum throughout the year, while in the remaining estates (8), no food was supplied. Blood samples were extracted from hunted animals (198) between October and February of hunting seasons 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, and from live wild boar (78) that were captured, sampled and released (March–September of 2017). The percentage of animals with VitD deficiency (<20 ng/ml), VitD insufficiency (20–30 ng/ml) and VitD sufficiency (>30 ng/ml) was estimated, and the relationship of these levels to factors like sex, age and season was assessed using chi‐square tests. Furthermore, associations between daylight exposure and supplemental food with VitD levels were explored using linear models. Of the studied wild boar population, 82.2% showed a VitD deficiency or insufficiency. VitD deficiencies were more frequent in animals sampled in winter and spring. Furthermore, levels of VitD positively correlated with daylight exposure and supplemental food intake. Ad libitum supplementation with VitD‐enriched food was insufficient to prevent VitD deficiencies in wild boar from November to April, probably because food consumption is lower during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response of calves to enteric infections Ray Waters, W., Harp, J. A. & Nonnecke, B. J. (1996) Research in Veterinary Science 61, 45 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) prevalence substantially increased over the past two decades with relatively high impact on large dairy herds, raising the concern of regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders, and threatening animal and public health. Lack of resources, together with the economic and social consequences of whole-herd stamping-out, makes depopulation an impractical disease control alternative in these herds. The increase in bTB prevalence was associated with demographic and management changes in the dairy industry in Uruguay, reducing the efficacy of the current control programme (i.e. status quo) based on intradermal serial testing with caudal fold- and comparative-cervical tuberculin test-and-slaughter of reactors (CFT-CCT). Here, we aimed to assess the epidemiological effectiveness of six alternative control scenarios based on test-and-slaughter of positive animals, using mathematical modelling to infer bTB-within-herd dynamics. We simulated six alternative control strategies consisting of testing adult cattle (>1 year) in the herd every 3 months using one test (in vivo or in vitro) or a combination in parallel of two tests (CFT, interferon-gamma release assay-IGRA- or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results showed no significant differences overall in the time needed to reach bTB eradication (median ranging between 61 and 82 months) or official bovine tuberculosis-free status (two consecutive negative herd tests) between any of the alternative strategies and the status quo (median ranging between 50 and 59 months). However, we demonstrate how alternative strategies can significantly reduce bTB prevalence when applied for restricted periods (6, 12 or 24 months), and in the case of IGRAc (IGRA using peptide-cocktail antigens), without incurring on higher unnecessary slaughter of animals (false positives) than the status quo in the first 6 months of the programme (p-value < .05). Enhanced understanding bTB-within-herd dynamics with the application of different control strategies help to identify optimal strategies to ultimately improve bTB control and bTB eradication from dairies in Uruguay and similar endemic settings., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The increasing recognition and importance of fungal infections, the difficulties encountered in their treatment and the increase in resistance to antifungal agents have stimulated the search for therapeutic alternatives. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activities of three substituted 2-aminothiophenes (1, 2 and 3) against some fungal species. The synthesis of substituted 2-aminothiophenes was carried out through the most versatile synthetic method developed by Gewald et al. The antifungal activity was performed against yeast, dermatophytes and Aspergillus species using the broth microdilution method. The effect of these aminothiophenes was examined on the protein content and profile. Compound 2 was the most active (MIC varying from 2.00 to 128 μg ml−1). All the three substituted 2-aminothiophenes had a relatively important dose-dependent effect on Microsporum gypseum protein profile and content. These compounds affected the structure and dye fixation of macroconidia of this fungus. The overall results indicate that the tested substituted 2-aminothiophenes can be used as precursors for new antifungal drugs development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both bovine tuberculosis (BTB) and paratuberculosis (paraTB) continue to cause significant economic losses in cattle breeding; in addition, their etiological agents have zoonotic potential. Although the diagnostics of both diseases are still being improved, problems still remain, such as the potential for cross-reactivity to the antigens used in tests. The aim of the present study was to confirm whether animals known to harbor Mycobacterium bovis antibodies are at increased risk of yielding positive results in paraTB serotesting and, additionally, to verify the accuracy of three commonly used methods for confirming M. bovis infection: ELISA, the tuberculin skin test (TST), and the presence of gross lesions. Material was collected from 98 dairy cattle suspected of BTB due to TST-positive results. During postmortem examination, gross lesions were assessed visually. Blood, lymph nodes, and TB-suspected organs were collected. Serum was obtained from the collected blood and tested serologically for TB and paraTB. The tissues underwent standard microbiological testing for M. tuberculosis complex. Among the 98 TST-positive individuals, tuberculous gross lesions were detected in 57 (58.1%), MTBC were isolated in 83 (84.7%), and the ELISA test was positive for 21 (21.4%). None of the lesions characteristic for paraTB were detected. The chance of obtaining a positive TB result by ELISA was seven times higher using the ELISA-paraTB method; hence, there is a significant risk of obtaining false-positive serological results for paraTB in M. bovis-infected cattle. However, the hypothesis that infection of M. bovis or prior TST performance may have boosted the host immune response and therefore increased the sensitivity of the paraTB-ELISA cannot be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of human prion diseases are sporadic, but acquired disease can occur, as seen with variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) following consumption of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). With increasing rates of cervid chronic wasting disease (CWD), there is concern that a new form of human prion disease may arise. Currently, there is no evidence of transmission of CWD to humans, suggesting the presence of a strong species barrier; however, in vitro and in vivo studies on the zoonotic potential of CWD have yielded mixed results. The emergence of different CWD strains is also concerning, as different strains can have different abilities to cross species barriers. Given that venison consumption is common in areas where CWD rates are on the rise, increased rates of human exposure are inevitable. If CWD was to infect humans, it is unclear how it would present clinically; in vCJD, it was strain-typing of vCJD prions that proved the causal link to BSE. Therefore, the best way to screen for CWD in humans is to have thorough strain-typing of harvested cervids and human CJD cases so that we will be in a position to detect atypical strains or strain shifts within the human CJD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A post mortem examination on a young fox which had been observed to be clinically ill revealed a severe infection with . A further 11 foxes were examined and four were infected with the parasite; three of these also had advanced lesions of sarcoptic mange. The cases all occurred outside the previously defined focus of endemic infection for dogs in Cornwall and they appear to be the first recorded cases of in foxes in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]