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Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus discovered in South Africa in 1959, has spread to many European countries over the last 20 years. The virus is currently a major concern for animal health due to its expanding host range and the growing number of avian mass mortality events. Although human infections with USUV are often asymptomatic, they are occasionally accompanied by neurological complications reminiscent of those due to West Nile virus (another flavivirus closely related to USUV). The knowledge about the various study models is a helpful tools for scientific to identify the best methos for different scientific questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) is the etiological agent of a severe hemorrhagic fever affecting Africa, Asia and southern Europe. In recent decades, climate change has led to an increase in the distribution range of this virus. Little scientific data is yet available on the interactions with its vector, the tick, or on its biology. However, the confirmed presence of human infections in Spain and positive serologies in Corsican livestock could well focus attention on this pathogen. This review takes stock of developments in eco-epidemiological knowledge of this virus, particularly in Europe and especially in France. What about Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate directly impacts health through climatic extremes, air quality, sea-level rise, and multifaceted influences on food production systems and water resources. Climate also affects infectious diseases, which have played a significant role in human history, impacting the rise and fall of civilizations and facilitating the conquest of new territories. This review highlights significant regional changes in vector and pathogen distribution, changes that have been anticipated by scientists worldwide. Further future changes are likely if we fail to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Many key factors affect the spread and severity of human diseases, including mobility of people, animals, and goods; control measures in place; availability of effective drugs; quality of public health services; human behavior; and political stability and conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an important tick-borne human pathogen endemic throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. The pathogenic mechanisms of CCHF are poorly understood, largely due to the dearth of animal models. However, several important animal models have been recently described, including novel murine models and a non-human primate model. This review, we examine the current knowledge of CCHF-mediated pathogenesis and describe how animal models are helping elucidate the molecular and cellular determinants of disease. This information should serve as a reference for those interested in CCHFV animal models and their utility for evaluation of medical countermeasures and in the study of pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the general goal to provide a rationale for the application of the 3Rs rule (Replace, Reduce, Refine), we aim to study the effect of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on the tumor response to a chemotherapeutic agent and use this research as a series of case studies in which to assess the application of the 3Rs rule from an epistemological point of view. In particular, by comparing reiterated experiments using 2D and 3D tumor cell cultures with murine models of cancer, we aim to assess to which extent mice can be Replaced or their number Reduced. In addition, we propose to further characterize a novel, Refined model of cancer that better mimics humans in respect to classical murine models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since the appearance of COVID-19, the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV2 infection, the identification of treatments and the development of vaccines have been priorities. This search for preventive and therapeutic strategies has been carried out using animal models adapted to the problem under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have highlighted that the risks for developing cardiovascular alterations are significantly increased in patients who previously suffered from Covid-19. This study aims at determining the functional and structural long-term effects of Covid-19 disease on the cardiovascular system using a specific and original humanized mouse model recapitulating the endogenous cardiovascular expression of the SARS-CoV-2 main receptor ACE2 (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2). We will focus on studying the systemic and pulmonary vessels and the cardiac tissue to understand how SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to cardiac and vascular tissue remodelling and function alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Nile virus (WNV) is an important zoonotic flavivirus responsible for mild fever to severe, lethal neuroinvasive disease in humans, horses, birds, and other wildlife species. Since its discovery, WNV has caused multiple human and animal disease outbreaks in all continents, except Antarctica. Infections are associated with economic losses, mainly due to the cost of treatment of infected patients, control programmes, and loss of animals and animal products. This cross-sectional study explored the feasibility of domestic dogs as sentinels to better understand risks of mosquito-borne diseases in Iasi city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zoonotic origin of the SARS-CoV-2 requires surveillance on animals. We report the potent active and previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 of household cats and dogs from COVID-19 owners in Romania, during 2021 and 2022. These results are in accordance with those reported globally, confirming the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, there is no evidence that pets are involved in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, but are instead accidental hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project largely involved studying neutrophil dynamics or kinetics in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study is carried out in a mouse model using transgenic mice expressing the human ACE-2 receptor, which allows the virus to enter cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease, known as viral necrotic hepatitis or hemorrhagic pneumonia, is a contagious disease with peracute or acute outcome and characterized by hyperthermia, prostration, hemorrhagic foamy discharge and mortality in 50-90% of cases. The main lesions are consisting in hemorrhagic diathesis, especially in lungs, liver and spleen. There are no evolution particularities regarding the age, breed, gender or species (domesticated or wild). The aim of this paper was consisting in describing the symptomatology and the pathology of hemorrhagic disease outbreak in rabbits. To the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Iasi were submitted for a physical examination 5 rabbits, 4 female and one male, crossbreed between Lionhead and Californian breed, 4 to 9 months old, kept in a private household, and. During the physical examination, the main symptomatology seen was consisting in sign of seizures, agitations, respiratory illness and nasal bloody and foamy discharge. Due to their bad conditions, the rabbits died shortly after the physical exam. The gross pathology was characterized by hemorrhagic diathesis, catarrhal-hemorrhagic rhinitis, laryngitis and tracheitis with the presence in lumen of a frothy and hemorrhagic liquid. The lesions seen in lungs were consisting in hemorrhagic pneumonia and edema, in liver a necrotic hepatitis, while in kidneys lesions with hemorrhagic pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, turtles have become more and more common as pets, while owners are not properly informed about their care. Thus, the pathology of this species in 90% of cases are caused by neglecting microclimate and nutrition conditions. The requirements of turtles are also according to their type (terrestrial tortoises or aquatic turtles). They need an environment as close as possible to their natural environment, a habitat with temperature, humidity, UV light and food which offer a maximum comfort. This paper aims to underline the importance of the feeding and microclimate conditions on turtle's welfare and health. The clinical study was performed on turtles (different species: Testudo hermanni hermanni, Emys orbicularis and Trachemys scripta) that were referred to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Iasi between 2015-2017. The main disorders noticed were consisting in vitamin and mineral imbalances, oral and ocular lesions, impaired development of the shell. After a careful physical examination which was correlated with turtle's history given by the owner who described how the turtles are feed and where they are kept, an appropriate therapy has been recommended and adapted according to the symptoms severity (adequate diet, supplements with vitamins and minerals, improvement of microclimate conditions). When owners are respecting the doctor's indication, the animal's conditions is visibly improving after 2-3 months. Therefore, the main inconvenient of this long term treatment is the owner's attitude, who is expecting good results in a short time and in some cases he renounces to follow the recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RAGE is a transmembrane receptor of immunoglobulin family that can bind various endogenous and exogenous ligands, initiating the inflammatory downstream signaling pathways, including inflammaging. Therefore, RAGE represents an attractive drug target for age-related diseases. For the development of small-molecule RAGE antagonists, we employed protein-templated dynamic combinatorial chemistry (ptDCC) using RAGE's VC1 domain as a template, the first application of this approach in the context of RAGE. The affinities of DCC hits were validated using microscale thermophoresis. Subsequent screening against AGE2 (glyceraldehyde-modified AGE)-sRAGE (solubleRAGE) (AGE2-BSA/sRAGE) interaction using ELISA tests led to the identification of antagonists with micromolar potency. Our findings not only demonstrate the successful application of ptDCC on RAGE but also highlight its potential to address the pressing need for alternative strategies for the development of small-molecule RAGE antagonists, an area of research that has experienced a slowdown in recent years., (© 2024 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease that can be contracted by direct contact with viremic animals or humans. Domestic animals are accidental hosts and contribute to the spread and amplification of the virus. The main objective of this study was to provide updated information related to CCHF virus (CCHFV) infection in Southern Romania by assessing the seroprevalence of CCHF in small ruminants (sheep and goats) using a double-antigen sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by detection of CCHFV in engorged ticks and serum samples using real-time RT-PCR. The overall seroprevalence of CCHF in small ruminants was 37.7% (95% CI 31.7 to 43.7). No statistical seroprevalence difference was observed between the two species of ruminants ( p  = 0.76), but a significant difference was established between the locations ( p  < 0.01). No CCHFV RNA was detected in tick pools and small ruminant's sera tested by real-time RT-PCR, although the high seroprevalence to CCHFV among ruminants indicates that CCHV or a closely related virus circulates in Southern Romania.