♦ 25 April 2018 ♦ [Relayed from the ANSES website] “Basing itself on philosophical, social and legal interpretations of the concept of animal welfare, this Opinion proposes a definition of animal welfare that takes into account developments in scientific knowledge and summarises analyses by experts regarding the methods required for its assessment. The Opinion identifies numerous assessment grids aiming to objectively measure the conditions for animal welfare and encourages the development of specific tools depending on the species, development stage and environmental conditions of the animals. It provides an essential framework for ANSES's future research and expert appraisal work, and will serve as a basis for subsequent Opinions in this area. [Read more…]  

Abstract A Brucella suis biovar 1 infection was diagnosed in a dog without typical exposure risks, but the dog had been fed a raw meat-based diet (hare carcasses imported from Argentina). Track and trace investigations revealed that the most likely source of infection was the dog's raw meat diet.

Together with a significant upgrade of the MicrobesGenotyping web interface (version 1.4.0) the Brucella database has been updated in April 2018. It now contains genotype from 5611 strains, including more than 900 in silico deduced profiles. (source MLVA-NET)

KEY FACTS In 2015, 439 confirmed brucellosis cases were reported in the EU/EEA.  The notification rate in the EU/EEA was 0.1 cases per 100 000 population.  The highest rate was detected in 25–64-year-old males (0.14 cases per 100 000 population).  The notification rate was stable during the period 2011–2015.  The highest rates were reported in southern Member States (Greece, Bulgaria, and Portugal). (source ECDC: Annual Epidemiological report for 2015)

Abstract Brucellosis due to Brucella suis biovar 2 is one of the most important endemic diseases in wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations in Europe. The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis in wild boars in the eastern part of Latvia. Wild boars killed by hunters in the period from January to April 2015 (n = 877) and from March to April in 2016 (n = 167) were examined for antibodies against B. suis by the Rose Bengal test (RBT), a complement fixation test (CFT), and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In 2015, 199 samples (22.7%) were positive by RBT and/or CFT while 36 samples (21.6%) were seropositive in 2016. Of the Brucella seropositive samples from 2015 and 2016 (n = 235), 162 (68.9%) were also seropositive to Yersinia enterocolitica. Considering cross-reactivity of serological tests, the seroprevalence of B. suis biovar 2 exposure in wild boars in the eastern part of Latvia was calculated to 14.0% in 2015 and 9.6% in 2016. From selected seropositive samples (42 in 2015 and 36 in 2016) total DNA was extracted and analyzed with an IS711-based nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Species and biovar identification was conducted for bacteria isolated in monoculture from PCR positive samples by species specific primers and Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR. Brucella suis biovar 2 was isolated from 12/20 samples in 2015 and 9/9 samples in 2016. The average seroprevalence was relatively low compared to that found in certain other European countries. Males and females had an equal level of seropositivity, but a positive age-trend was observed for both males and females.

For any information, please contact Dr Guillaume Girault (guillaume.girault@anses.fr).    

DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.01.005

Frozen corn is the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogeneswhich has affected five EU Member States (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) since 2015. This is the conclusion of a rapid outbreak assessment published today by EFSA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). As of 8 March 2018, 32 cases including six deaths had been reported.  

♦ 12 February 2018 ♦ [Relayed from GARC website] In 2016, WHO, OIE, FAO, and many NGOs released a framework to achieve the joint goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. But the goal requires overcoming substantial challenges. Dog-rabies endemic countries are at different stages in their control efforts; most countries have to overcome important hurdles […].Drawing from multiple datasets […], researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) roughly estimated the resources needed to achieve the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030, […]. Their aim was to describe the global rabies situation, highlighting some of the main challenges that may complicate elimination efforts in a consistent framework, the Global Dog Rabies Elimination Pathway (GDREP). The GDREP focuses of four key factors that determine [read more…]