Lactococcus is the causative agent of lactococcosis in fish; however, its genetic characteristics in yellowtail from Japan have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance genes, and genetic relationships among 40 Lactococcus isolates from diseased yellowtail in 2021. Serotype II accounted for 82.5% of the isolates, while the remaining 17.5% comprised serotype I. No novel serotype (serotype III) was identified. Compared with serotype III Lactococcus strains isolated from other fish species, virulence gene patterns varied among serotypes, and the nucleotide sequences were distinct from those of serotype III. The isolates showed resistance rates of 87.5% to lincomycin and 12.5% for erythromycin, and no resistance to tetracycline, ampicillin, or florfenicol was detected. All erythromycin-resistant isolates carried the erm(B) gene on a plasmid. The core-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism-based phylogenetic tree showed clear clustering by serotype. Although no novel serotype was found in the yellowtail, isolates from other fish species exhibited distinct gene sequences encoding surface proteins, suggesting caution regarding vaccine efficacy. Because high lincomycin resistance was observed, susceptibility testing is recommended to guide appropriate antimicrobial selection. Overall, the elucidation of the WGS-based characteristics of field isolates of Lactococcus provides useful information for vaccine use and antimicrobial therapy for the prevention and treatment of lactococcosis.

Infectious coryza (IC) is an acute upper respiratory tract disease in chickens triggered by Avibacterium paragallinarum, causing reduced egg production and growth retardation that result in significant economic losses in China’s poultry industry. The prevalence of IC in chicken flocks in mainland China between 1993 and 2024 was estimated from 29 epidemiological studies from databases including the PubMed, Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Data, and China Knowledge Network (CNKI). Studies involving non-chicken hosts, duplicate records, or incomplete data were excluded based on predefined exclusion criteria. A total of 29 studies, encompassing 15,729 poultry, met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimated prevalence of IC infection in Chinese poultry was 33% (2,696/15,729), with North China having the highest prevalence at 43%, exceeding the rates reported in other regions. IC prevalence was associated with geographic region and sampling season. The findings indicate distinct regional variation in IC prevalence across China. Therefore, ongoing surveillance and region-specific control strategies are important. In areas with higher prevalence, targeted regulatory interventions are required to reduce transmission and prevent disease spread in poultry populations.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus that infects bovine B lymphocytes and causes enzootic bovine leukosis in approximately 1–5% of infected cattle. Although recent studies have shown that older Holstein cattle with a high proviral load (PVL) exhibit significantly reduced carcass weight, the impact of BLV infection on young fattening cattle remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between BLV infection and carcass weight in fattening Japanese Black cattle, a breed of high economic importance in beef production, worldwide. A total of 474 blood samples were collected from slaughterhouses in Kyushu, Japan. Cattle were classified into enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-negative and ELISA-positive groups to assess the effect of BLV infection, and PVL was quantified. No significant differences in carcass weight were observed between ELISA groups, and no significant correlation was found between carcass weight and PVL. These findings suggest that subclinical BLV infection does not directly affect carcass weight in fattening Japanese Black cattle. Although BLV may not cause immediate economic losses in beef production, potential long-term effects and breed-specific responses warrant further investigation. To minimize economic losses while maintaining practical disease control, strategic herd management approaches are essential. We propose that BLV-infected cattle, particularly high-risk animals with elevated PVL, be separated from uninfected cattle during fattening and subsequently shipped for processing. This strategy may offer a realistic, economically viable, and low-burden approach to controlling BLV transmission in beef herds.

The aim of this study was to distinguish canine lymphoma from other diseases, particularly reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH), based on fine needle aspiration (FNA) images. We developed four deep learning models based on Vision Transformer (ViT) and Inception-v3, which were pre-trained image classification models. The two models out of four were ViT and Inception-v3, and the remained were the two types of combination, i.e., ensemble learning models, of ViT and Inception-v3; the mean of class probabilities of ViT and Inception-v3 (Ensemble model A; MEAN) and the maximum probabilities of ViT and Inception-v3 (Ensemble model B; MAX). A total of 2,290 FNA images of canine lymphoma and 871 FNA images of RLH were analyzed. The FNA images were obtained from the twenty-five slides of fourteen lymphoma cases and eight slides of seven RLH cases in two hospitals. Three types of training and test datasets were prepared from the above image datasets for fair evaluation of the models. Three deep learning-based image classification models (Inception-v3 and the two ensemble models) attained high performance of >80% accuracy, recall and area under the curve (AUC) values for all three datasets. ViT did not archive high performance, except the precision (>0.85). This study is an example of showing potentials of deep learning models through image classification problem in canine lymphoma.

A six-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair presented with a one-month history of respiratory distress. Echocardiography showed a large lesion adjacent to the left atrium that was compressing the pulmonary vein. Peak pulmonary venous flow velocity was high (1.5 m/sec). The diagnosis was pulmonary vein stenosis due to mass compression. Fine-needle biopsy cytology of the lung mass led to a direct diagnosis of lymphoma. After two weeks of treatment with L-Asparaginase and prednisolone, a reduction in the mass adjacent to the left atrium and slower peak pulmonary venous flow velocity (0.9 m/sec) were observed. Pulmonary vein stenosis was attenuated by a reduction in the size of lymphoma. This is the first case report of secondary pulmonary vein stenosis in a cat.

A 10-month-old mixed-breed cat was presenting a female appearance; however, a detailed examination of external genitalia revealed an enlarged clitoris with spines. The urethra opened into the vagina. Laparotomy and subsequent histopathological examination revealed that both ovaries were replaced by hypoplastic testes, with underdeveloped uteruses located caudal to them. Chromosome and genetic testing using peripheral blood revealed that the cat displayed a nearly 1:1 mosaicism of the 37,X and 38,XY chromosomes and presence of the SRY gene. Only two cases of 37,X/38,XY mosaicism have been reported in cats, both displaying a normal penis and prepuce, indicating a male phenotype. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of 37,X and 38,XY mosaicism manifesting as a female phenotype.

A 9-year-old Toy Poodle presented with sudden hypersalivation, vomiting, and retching unresponsive to symptomatic treatment. One month later, the mandibular salivary glands were enlarged and painful. Additional signs included weight loss, intermittent stiffness and tremors, and a fly-biting behavior, which is atypical for this disease. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral enlargement of the parotid and mandibular glands. Oral phenobarbital (PB) led to marked improvement, confirming phenobarbital-responsive sialadenosis. Residual hypersalivation and retching almost completely resolved within 24 hr after gabapentin (GBP) addition, with only mild hypersalivation (about 10% of the initial level) remaining. No recurrence was observed during a 3-year follow-up, during which PB (3.6 mg/kg administered orally twice daily [PO BID]) and GBP (15 mg/kg PO BID) were continued at the same doses.

Working memory tests were performed on days 8–18 after 5-min cerebral ischemia in juvenile (2-month-old) and adult (6-month-old) gerbils, followed by observation of cell death in the hippocampus on postoperative day 19. Both 2- and 6-month-old ischemic gerbils made significantly more working memory errors than age-matched sham-operated ones. After repeated trials, the number of working memory errors in 2-month-old ischemic gerbils reached the level of sham-operated ones earlier than in 6-month-old gerbils. However, no significant differences were seen in the number of hippocampal cell deaths between 2- and 6-month-old ischemic gerbils. This study revealed that juvenile gerbils recovered from cognitive impairment more quickly than adults, although no difference in hippocampal damage was evident after transient forebrain ischemia.

Poultry production in Thailand has expanded considerably and industrially; however, ectoparasite infestations in poultry farms could still occur. Information on ectoparasite prevalence in intensive poultry farms in Thailand is limited. This study investigated the current distribution and diversity of ectoparasites in commercial layer farms in central Thailand using two sampling methods: feather-picking and AviVet™ trapping. A total of 1,006 samples (507 feather and 499 trap samples) were collected from 28 poultry houses in 10 intensive farms across five provinces. Samples were examined microscopically, and the infestation status was recorded for each ectoparasite species. Seven taxa were identified, comprising three chewing lice species (Lipeurus caponis, Menacanthus stramineus, and Menopon gallinae) and four mite species (Dermanyssus gallinae, Megninia spp., Ornithonyssus bursa, and Pterolichus obtusus). Megninia spp. (44.0%) and P. obtusus (20.8%) were the most prevalent, whereas M. stramineus and O. bursa were rare (≤0.4%). No fleas or ticks were detected. Feather-picking yielded significantly higher detection rates than AviVet™ trapping for L. caponis, M. gallinae, Megninia spp., and P. obtusus (P<0.001 for all), while no significant method-related differences were found for M. stramineus, D. gallinae, or O. bursa. Spatial analysis was possible only for Megninia spp., which varied significantly among provinces and farms (P<0.001). This is the first report describing the diversity of ectoparasites collected using AviVet™ traps in intensive poultry farms in Thailand and provides baseline data to guide integrated control strategies in tropical poultry production systems.

Canine oligodendrogliomas express platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), an oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) marker. In this study, tumor cells derived from 3 French bulldogs with oligodendroglioma were cultured in conventional medium with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and an OPC-tailored medium containing platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Immunocytochemically, cells cultured with 10% FBS were negative for PDGFRA, but tended to express 2’,3’-cyclicnucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and β3-tubulin. In contrast, the cells cultured with PDGF-AA and bFGF tended to express PDGFRA. These results suggest that canine oligodendroglioma cells cultured with PDGF-AA and bFGF exhibit OPC-like immunophenotype. Cells cultured with OPC-tailored medium may be useful for further in vitro research on canine oligodendrogliomas.

Beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide (beta-NMN) is a direct precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), a coenzyme essential for maintaining homeostasis in living organisms. NMN administration has attracted attention as a potential treatment for aging and age-related conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic kidney disease. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, degenerative muscle disease caused by X-linked frameshift mutations in the Dmd gene. NAD⁺ levels in skeletal muscle decline in DMD pathology. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of NMN as an NAD⁺ booster for muscular dystrophy by administering NMN to DMD rats, which exhibit severe phenotypes comparable to those of human DMD patients, for 2 months. Although NMN administration did not improve muscle function in DMD rats, it did reduce the release of creatine kinase in their blood. RNA-seq analysis revealed that NMN administration could reverse DMD-related gene expression changes associated with skeletal muscle homeostasis. These results suggest that NMN can protect skeletal muscle against degeneration in DMD and may hold therapeutic potential for DMD patients.

Access to medical care is important not only for humans, but also for companion animals. However, the distribution of veterinary services and their potential benefits to human well-being remain unclear. This study examined the relationship between veterinary clinics and community well-being in urban areas of Japan. The dataset included total 191 wards in Tokyo (a metropolitan city) and 19 ordinance-designated cities. Veterinary clinical locations were obtained from a high-resolution commercial database provided by ZENRIN Marketing Solutions Co., Ltd. Community well-being scores were obtained from the Digital Agency of Japan. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to predict the well-being scores based on the number of veterinary or human clinics per 100,000 residents. The results of veterinary clinics showed positive satisfaction with environmental symbiosis (β=1.17), natural disasters (β=1.04), community connections (β=1.00), self-efficacy (β=1.18), health status (β=1.32), employment and income (β=0.89), recreation and entertainment (β=0.91), culture and arts (β=1.53), abundance of educational opportunities (β=1.34), and business creation (β=1.03), while the results of human clinics showed negative satisfaction with public spaces (β= −0.69). Findings suggest that residents who place a high value on pets and the care they require may be attracted to areas with high concentrations of art, entertainment, education, and business resources. Although unmeasured confounding factors were related, this study posits a new assumption that the enrichment of animal welfare services is associated with regional well-being.

The distribution of anesthetic solutions, sensory blockade (SB), and motor blockade (MB) following coccygeal epidural anesthesia in dogs were evaluated. Six dogs received three different doses (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mL/kg) of a mixture containing equal volumes of ropivacaine and iohexol, administered via the first and second coccygeal intervertebral spaces. Drug spread was assessed using computed tomography, whereas SB and MB were evaluated using standardized scoring methods. The cranial extent of contrast medium spread reached L5, the L4-5 interspace, and L4 in the 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mL/kg groups, respectively, with no significant differences among groups. SB extended from the tail to the cranial femoral region in the 0.1 mL/kg group, to the caudal femoral-pubic region in the 0.2 mL/kg group, and to the cranial femoral-pubic region in the 0.3 mL/kg group. The 0.2 and 0.3 mL/kg groups showed significantly higher SB than the 0.1 mL/kg group did (P=0.039 and P=0.019, respectively). MB extended to the femoral nerve territory in dogs receiving 0.2 or 0.3 mL/kg, while dogs in the 0.1 mL/kg group maintained motor function. The 0.3 mL/kg group showed significantly higher MB than the 0.1 mL/kg group did (P=0.019). Despite the increased volume at 0.3 mL/kg, greater leakage through the neural foramina resulted in a net epidural dosage comparable to 0.2 mL/kg. These findings indicate that coccygeal anesthesia at 0.1 mL/kg provides SB from the tail to the perineal region while maintaining hindlimb motor function in dogs.

Canine malignant melanoma (CMM) is a highly aggressive tumor with limited treatment options. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have shown promise in cancer therapy by modulating gene expression. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor effect of an HDAC inhibitor, vorinostat, on CMM cell lines. Vorinostat significantly suppressed cell proliferation through apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in vitro. These findings suggest that vorinostat might serve as a potential therapeutic agent for dogs with CMM, providing a basis for further in vivo studies.

This study investigated the effects of intrauterine platelet-rich plasma (PRP) administered during the follicular phase on endometrial thickness and conception rate (CR) in dairy cows. Cows were randomly assigned to a PRP group (n=36) or a control group (n=36). All cows underwent timed artificial insemination (TAI). Endometrial thickness and sex-steroid hormone concentrations were measured before and after TAI. PRP was prepared by double-spin centrifugation without activation. The platelet count in PRP was 100.7 ± 32.7 × 10⁴/μL (47.1 to 187.3 × 10⁴/μL), corresponding to a 4.0 ± 0.7-fold concentration (3.0–5.3-fold). Two days before TAI, 10 mL PRP was administered intrauterinely to cows in the PRP group. Endometrial thickness at TAI was significantly greater in the PRP group than in controls (25.36 ± 7.07 mm compared with 20.45 ± 4.18 mm; P<0.05). CR after TAI did not differ between groups (58.3% for the PRP group and 47.2% for the control group). Estradiol-17β and progesterone levels were similar in both groups. Because hormone sampling was intermittent, sex-steroid dynamics were captured only fragmentarily, and independence from steroid effects cannot be concluded. Together, these findings indicate a positive local effect of PRP on the endometrium, as evidenced by increased endometrial thickness. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate intrauterine PRP administered two days before TAI and its effect on endometrial thickness in dairy cows.

Neonicotinoid pesticides (NNs) are widely used for their selective toxicity to insects via an agonistic action on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. However, growing evidence suggests that NNs may have adverse health effects in mammals. In parallel, recent studies have shown that trace environmental chemicals such as antibiotics, endocrine disruptors, and pesticide residues can alter the gut microbiota, a key regulator of host health. Thus, NNs may also disrupt gut microbial homeostasis and impact host physiology. In this study, we investigated the effect of the neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin (CLO) on the rat gut microbiota. Male rats were orally administered CLO at 0, 30, and 300 mg/kg/day (designated as the CLO-0, 30, and 300 groups) for 28 days; doses were selected based on the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL; 27.9 mg/kg/day). Cecal contents were collected after euthanasia and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. Our results showed that even at approximately the NOAEL dose, CLO exposure altered gut microbiota composition and tended to reduce microbial diversity, especially in the CLO-300 group. Notably, several CLO-affected taxa are known producers of short-chain fatty acids, and changes were particularly prominent in two individuals from the high-dose group. Moreover, CLO exposure resulted in distinct alterations in butyrate-producing bacteria, with increases observed in the CLO-30 group and decreases in the CLO-300 group. These results suggest that CLO has various effects on the gut microbiota and that even exposure at the NOAEL may affect host health.

Trained immunity (TI) is a memory-like response of the mammalian innate immune system. However, a convenient assay system for measuring TI is not yet available. Insects possess only innate immunity and therefore have the potential for evaluating innate immunity-enhancing vaccines or chemicals. In this study, larvae of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) were injected with heat-killed (HK) Escherichia coli to induce immune priming, the insect counterpart of mammalian TI, which was confirmed with reduction in the infected Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus copy numbers, and gene expression was analyzed by RNAseq and reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Among the genes with significant expression changes, B. mori homologs of known human TI marker genes were identified. Changes in the expression of some of these marker genes in response to HK E. coli were also confirmed in mouse macrophage cell lines. Although B. mori responses were results of the insect immune priming and not equivalent to the mammalian TI, these results suggest the potential use of B. mori for detecting innate immunity-enhancing agents for mammals.

Iwanai Valley virus (IWVV) is a novel tick-borne orthonairovirus classified into the Tamdy genogroup. Since several orthonairoviruses in the Tamdy and closely related Sulina genogroups have been associated with human diseases, evaluating the pathogenic potential of IWVV is an important public health priority. Despite the increase in reports of orthonairoviruses belonging to the Tamdy and Sulina genogroups in East Asia, studies on their pathogenicity remain limited. In this study, we established a mouse model of IWVV infection using type I interferon receptor knockout (IFNAR1−/−) mice and analyzed the pathogenicity of IWVV infection. IWVV infection was lethal in IFNAR1−/−mice but did not cause any significant symptoms in BALB/c mice. IWVV replicated well in the liver and spleen of IFNAR1−/−mice, leading to acute necrotizing hepatitis and damage to the spleen, characterized by lymphocyte depletion. These pathological features are consistent with those observed in immunocompromised mice infected with other human-pathogenic orthonairoviruses, such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and Yezo virus. Although human infections with IWVV have not been reported, the observed virulence in animal models suggests that further evaluation of its zoonotic potential is warranted. Our findings highlight the importance of continued surveillance of emerging tick-borne IWVV to assess potential risks to public health.

In recent years, an emerging infectious disease characterized by urate deposition in viscera and joints has outbreak in the goose farms of China, causing substantial economic losses. Although goose astrovirus (GoAstV) was believed to be the main causative pathogen, several studies have shown that co-infection with other viruses, such as goose parvovirus, alongside astrovirus, may exacerbate the disease condition. In our previous research, we isolated a goose astrovirus with a novel type of recombination that causes fatal gout in geese in Shanghai, China. By analyzing the viral community using viral metagenomics data of fecal, kidney and liver samples of geese with gout, we found that parvoviruses and picornaviruses occupied a substantial proportion, suggesting their potential involvement in the etiology of goose gout. To determine if there were other causative viruses present in these geese, fecal, kidney, and liver samples were deeply sequenced using viral metagenomics. The results indicated that goose parvovirus and picornavirus constituted the predominant part of all or partial viral communities. Subsequently, the genomes and genomic structures of two picornaviruses, as well as a parvovirus, were determined. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this parvovirus, named dependoparvovirus_CH_SH01, belongs to the Parvovirinae subfamily within the family Parvoviridae, while the two picornaviruses were classified within the Megrivirus (megrivirus_CH_SH01) or Ludopivirus (ludopivirus_CH_SH01) genus within the Kodimesavirinae subfamily, respectively. Recombination analysis suggested that megrivirus_CH_SH01 was a potential recombinant virus between two megriviruses. Our study suggested that infections with viruses other than astrovirus may be associated with the occurrence of goose gout. Additionally, this work has enriched the virus sequence information for Megrivirus and picornaviruses.

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious disease in pigs, and vaccination with antibody monitoring is critical for its prevention. In this study, the effectiveness of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for antibody detection against CSF virus (CSFV)—an indirect ELISA kit authorized in Japan in 2001 (N-kit) and a competitive ELISA kit additionally authorized in 2024 (I-kit)—was compared. For each ELISA kit, detection accuracy in terms of sensitivity, specificity and agreement rate, and quantitative accuracy were evaluated based on neutralizing antibody titers determined by serum neutralization tests. In addition, the impact of serum heat-inactivation at 56°C for 30 min on ELISA results was assessed. The results indicated that the I-kit showed the highest sensitivity and agreement rate in detection accuracy, whereas the N-kit showed the highest quantitative accuracy. Although blocking rates of the I-kit increased after heat-inactivation, high correlation rates between treated and untreated samples were confirmed for both kits, suggesting that heat-inactivation does not affect the final interpretation of the test results. These findings demonstrated that the I-kit is suitable for initial antibody screening in pigs due to its higher sensitivity, whereas the N-kit provides better quantitative accuracy, making it preferable for measuring antibody titers in sows. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate ELISA kit according to the purpose of antibody detection is necessary to ensure a more accurate evaluation of the effects of CSFV vaccination on preventing CSF in pig herds.

Human and other mammals harbor diverse commensal bacteria that may protect their hosts from invading pathogens. Here, we demonstrated that Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease significantly suppressed bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) infectivity in vitro. V8 protease exhibited concentration-dependent antiviral activity by degrading BHV-1 glycoprotein D (gD), essential for viral entry. Treatment with V8 protease inhibited both viral attachment and the infectivity of released virions, suppressing incoming viruses and limiting spread during established infections. These findings reveal that proteases from commensal bacteria can directly target major viral proteins. However, to deepen our understanding of the antiviral activity of commensal bacterial enzymes on the body surface, establishing methods to measure the quantity of specific enzymes is urgently needed.

The current study conducted a seroepidemiological survey of sealpox virus infection in marine mammals in Japan. A total of 112 serum/plasma samples from 23 marine mammal species (pinnipeds, cetaceans, marine fissipeds, and sirenians) from 16 aquaria in Japan were collected and subjected to an improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting antibodies against sealpox virus, employing the recombinant major envelope protein of the virus produced in Escherichia coli. Results revealed that the tested marine mammals were seronegative, indicating that these mammals housed in various aquaria in Japan show no detectable serological evidence of the current or past infection. Results suggest that a low prevalence or absence of active infection may lead to a low risk of transmission to humans.

We report thrombotic cerebral infarction in a 13-year-9-month-old, female, captive red panda that presented with acute hemiparesis. The animal showed initial improvement with corticosteroid therapy, but its neurological condition worsened, leading to death on day 10. Necropsy revealed extensive cerebral infarction and severe Aspergillus infections in the nose and lungs, but not in the brain. Additionally, atrophy of the spleen and lymph nodes was observed. This is the first reported pathological evidence of thrombotic cerebral infarction in a red panda, and the data highlight the potential therapeutic efficacy of corticosteroids for this condition. It is also important to note that respiratory Aspergillus infection may be associated with cerebral infarction in red panda.

Larvae of trombiculid mites (Acari: Trombiculidae), known as chiggers, are ectoparasites that parasitize various animals and transmit pathogens such as Orientia tsutsugamushi. We report the first record of chigger mites in the Ogasawara Islands, collected from Bonin Greenfinch Chloris kittlitzi and Warbling White-eyes Zosterops japonicus. By morphological and molecular analysis, the chiggers were identified to the genus Toritrombicula which predominantly parasitize avian hosts. Although the mites could not be identified to the species level, this finding provides new insight into the distribution of trombiculid mites of Japan.