Livestock Diseases

Leiber, a German producer of yeast products, submitted a request of health claim saying that its beta-glucan of yeast “helps to maintain the body's defence against pathogens in the upper respiratory tract”. It is already the second trial presenting new informations to the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). [1]

Rinderpest (cattle plage) is an ancient viral infection of cattle and other large ruminants, It is caused by a member of the genus morbillivirus, of the Paramyxovirus family  closely related to human measles virus and canine distemper virus. The disease is characterized by fever, oral erosions, diarrhea, lymphoid necrosis, and high mortality. [1]

The CDC reports a total of 296 infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) viruses July 12 through September 6, 2012 in U.S.A. The first death caused by the virus occurred in the last week of August.  [1]

Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from  6.8% of retail meat in Egypt, other isolate were Aeromonas caviae with 2.7% and Aeromonas sobria with 2.1% from the total meat samples. Three of seventeen meat isolates of Aeromonas  hydrophila produced aerolysin toxin gene (aerA). Osman et al 2012 stress the health hazard to humans handling contaminated meat. [1]

The CDC reports new cases of swine flu virus strain H3N2v in Indiana, Ohio, and Hawaii. The virus contains genes from the H1N1 flu virus, which made headlines as it spread. Most of the cases were associated with exposure to swine before the onset of symptoms, and exposure to swine while at fairs. The majority of the cases have occurred in children. [1]

Since its first detection in Germany in 2011, til mid May 2012, the “Schmallenberg” virus (SBV) has been reported in 3745 holdings. [1]
The impact of this animal disease on holdings does not exceed 4% for sheep or 2% for cattle in member states  Goats and a bison. SBV were also infected.  SBV antibodies have been detected in deer but no other species. It is unlikely that SBV poses a risk to humans.

In 2011, an unidentified disease in Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) was reported in China. The infection caused  unstable gait, weakness in legs, diarrhea.and death in 40% of flocks. At necropsy, large necrotic foci were observed in the spleens and alterations in liver. [1]

Schmallenberg virus (SBV), a novel orthobunyavirus, is spreading, since November 2011, among ruminants, especially sheep, cattle, and goats throughout Europe. Infection causes acute fever, diarrhea, severe congenital malformation, and a high proportion of stillbirths.  The virus is transmitted by midges (Culicoides spp.). [1]

Macedo et al. 2012 describe the serology and isolation of  Toxoplasma gondii strains from blood and tissue of pregnant dairy cows and foetuses in Southern Brazil. [1]