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In February 2020, a fourth parity sow gave birth to a litter of piglets with four piglets presenting pox-like skin lesions. Lesions were distributed over the whole skin surface and ulcerative lesions were also observed on the mucosa of the oral cavity. The skin lesions were described as looking like pox lesions. Virological and histopathological investigations confirmed congenital suipoxvirus infection. Since there is no effective treatment available, the farmer was recommended to improve hygiene. No further cases occurred after this single event. In the past, suipoxvirus infections were mainly related to improper hygiene conditions and to pig lice as vectors. Today, conventional pigs are usually kept under good hygienic conditions and pig lice are not reported anymore to occur in Austrian conventional pig farming systems. Therefore, we speculate, that other living vectors, such as the stable fly, may play a role in the transmission of suipoxvirus between and within farms and in the occurrence of congenital suipoxvirus infections in neonatal piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the study was to describe two different cases of equine infective endocarditis and to emphasis the challenges which occur in diagnostic work-up, therapeutic options and outcome of this rare and often fatal disease. Both cases had a history of recurrent fever, apathy, and a recently developed heart murmur. Both horses were unresponsive to pre-treatment with antibiotics and antiphlogistics. At admission, the horse with infective aortic endocarditis presented various unspecific clinical signs and was subjected to several comple)mentary examinations that were required for definite diagnosis. Despite antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment, the horse developed ataxia and obtundation. Change of the antibiotic treatment regimen did not stop the horse’s condition worsening, resulting in euthanasia 11 days after admission to the hospital. Post-mortem examination confirmed diagnosis of infective endocarditis and inflammation of several extracardiac organs likely due to embolism. Actinobacillus equuli monoculture was identified from aortic valve tissue which was sensitive to all applied antibiotics. The second horse was diagnosed with infective tricuspid valve endocarditis at an early disease stage during a routine vaccination vet check. It responded well to antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment during hospitalization. Serial follow-up examinations including exercise tests and echocardiography were performed up to 18 months after discharge from the clinic and confirmed cure of infection with persistence of tricuspid valve regurgitation allowing the horse to gradually return to training. The two cases emphasise the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of infective endocarditis which are often time consuming and expensive in line with a poor progno)sis. However, cure of infection and resolving of clinical symptoms are possible, although rare. The key factor for successful management is an early definite diagnosis which requires the equine practitioners’ awareness for this disease. Outcome and prognosis are also highly dependent on anatomical structures affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito‐borne flavivirus closely related to West Nile virus, emerged in Austria in 2001, when it caused a considerable mass‐mortality of Eurasian blackbirds. Cases in birds increased until 2003 and quickly declined thereafter, presumably due to developing herd immunity. Since 2006, no further cases were recorded, until two blackbirds were tested positive in 2016. In Hungary, USUV first appeared in 2005 and has caused only sporadic infections since then. Initially, the only genetic USUV lineage found across both countries was Europe 1. This changed in 2015/2016, when Europe 2 emerged, which has since then become the prevalent lineage. Due to dispersal of these strains and introduction of new genetic lineages, USUV infections are now widespread across Europe. In 2009, the first cases of USUV‐related encephalitis were described in humans, and the virus has been frequently detected in blood donations since 2016. To monitor USUV infections among the Austrian wild bird population in 2017/2018, 86 samples were investigated by RT‐PCR. In 67 of them, USUV nucleic acid was detected (17 in 2017, 50 in 2018). The majority of succumbed birds were blackbirds, found in Vienna and Lower Austria. However, the virus also spread westwards to Upper Austria and southwards to Styria and Carinthia. In Hungary, 253 wild birds were examined, but only six of them were infected with USUV (five in 2017, one in 2018). Thus, in contrast to the considerable increase in USUV‐associated bird mortality in Austria, the number of infections in Hungary declined after a peak in 2016. Except for one case of USUV lineage Africa 3 in Austria in 2017, Europe 2 remains the most prevalent genetic lineage in both countries. Since USUV transmission largely depends on temperature, which affects vector populations, climate change may cause more frequent USUV outbreaks in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]