Network of Contacts between Cattle Herds in a French Area Affected by Bovine Tuberculosis in 2010

France attained ‘Officially Tuberculosis‐Free’ status in 2000. However, the Côte d’Or department (a French administrative unit) has since seen an increase in bovine tuberculosis (bTB) cases, with 35% of cases attributed to neighbourhood contamination. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of neighbourhood contacts in an area affected by bTB in 2010, through the use of social network methods. We carried out a survey to determine the frequency and distribution of between‐herd contacts in an area containing 22 farms. Contacts were weighted, as not all types of contact carried the same risk of bTB transmission. Cattle movement was considered to be associated with the highest risk, but was not observed within the studied area during the study period. Contact with wild boars was the most frequent type of contact, but was associated with a very low risk. Direct cattle‐to‐cattle contacts in pasture and contacts with badger latrines were less frequent, but entailed a greater risk of M. bovis transmission. Centrality values were heterogeneous in these two networks. This would enable the disease to spread more rapidly at the start of epidemics than in a perfect randomly mixed population. However, this situation should also result in the total number of infected herds being smaller. We attributed 95% of the contacts to direct contact in pasture or contact with wild boars or badger latrines. Other kinds of contact occurred less frequently (equipment sharing, cattle straying) or did not occur at all (attendance at a show). Most of the contact types were correlated, but none was sufficient in itself to account for all contacts between one particular farm and its neighbours. Contacts with neighbours therefore represent a challenge for the implementation or improvement of control measures.     

Factors that Influence Mycobacterium bovis Infection in Red Deer and Wild Boar in an Epidemiological Risk Area for Tuberculosis of Game Species in Portugal

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a worldwide zoonotic disease of domestic and wild animals. Eradication has proved elusive in those countries with intensive national programmes but with ongoing transmission between wildlife and cattle. In Portugal, a high‐risk area for bTB was defined and specific measures implemented to assess and minimize the risk from wildlife. Data from the 2011 to 2014 hunting seasons for red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) were analysed with bovine demographic and bTB information to assess factors that determined the occurrence and distribution of bTB in both species. The likelihood of bTB‐like lesions in wild boar was positively associated with density of red deer, wild boar and cattle, while for red deer, only their density and age were significant factors. The likelihood of Mycobacterium bovis isolation in wild boar was associated with density of cattle and red deer and also with the anatomical location of lesions, while for red deer, none of the variables tested were statistically significant. Our results suggest that, in the study area, the role of red deer and wild boar may be different from the one previously suggested by other authors for the Iberian Peninsula, as red deer may be the driving force behind M. bovis transmission to wild boar. These findings may assist the official services and game managing bodies for the management of hunting zones, what could also impact the success of the bTB eradication programme.     

The Pathogenesis of Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease I: Viral Pathways in Cattle

In 1898, foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) earned a place in history as the first disease of animals shown to be caused by a virus. Yet, despite over a century of active investigation and elucidation of many aspects of FMD pathogenesis, critical knowledge about the virus–host interactions is still lacking. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of FMD pathogenesis in cattle spanning from the earliest studies to recently acquired insights emphasizing works which describe animals infected by methodologies most closely resembling natural infection (predominantly aerosol or direct/indirect contact). The three basic phases of FMD pathogenesis in vivo will be dissected and characterized as: (i) pre‐viraemia characterized by infection and replication at the primary replication site(s), (ii) sustained viraemia with generalization and vesiculation at secondary infection sites and (iii) post‐viraemia/convalescence including resolution of clinical disease that may result in long‐term persistent infection. Critical evaluation of the current status of understanding will be used to identify knowledge gaps to guide future research efforts.     

Prevalence of Bovine Tuberculosis in Egyptian Cattle and the Standardization of the Interferon‐gamma Assay as an Ancillary Test

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) caused primarily by Mycobacterium bovis continues to cause significant losses in the cattle industry and is a major public health problem. Despite its worldwide application, the IFN‐γ assay has not been applied in Egypt. The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate cut‐off value of IFN‐γ assay to complement the skin test screening in Egypt. The relative sensitivity (Se_r) of PPD and antigen cocktail‐based IFN‐γ assays (IFN‐γ‐BA and IFN‐γ‐EC) was analysed retrospectively, relative to bTB confirmatory tests (culture and PCR), using single cervical tuberculin (SCT) test reactors during 2011–2013. The absolute specificity (Sp) was studied using blood samples collected from cattle from one bTB‐free herd. Analysis of the bTB database‐generated sheets indicates the infection rate had decreased from 2009 to 2012 and then increased in 2013. The disease is concentrated in the Egyptian Nile Delta and Valley relative to elsewhere in the country. The cut‐offs for IFN‐γ‐EC assay could be optimized to provide higher sensitivity, comparable to cut‐offs for IFN‐γ‐BA assay. Data analysis suggests (PPDb_OD > 0.1, PPDb_OD − NIL_OD > 0.05 and PPDb_OD > PPDa_OD) and (EC_OD − NIL_OD ≥ 0.1) cut‐off strategies to get optimal IFN‐γ‐BA and IFN‐γ‐EC assays results respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the prevalence of bTB in cattle in Egypt and pointing out the appropriate cut‐off criteria to optimize IFN‐γ assay as a routine ancillary test for diagnosis of bTB in Egypt.     

Epidemiological Study on Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease in Cattle: Seroprevalence and Risk Factor Assessment in South Omo Zone,South‐western Ethiopia

A cross‐sectional sero‐epidemiological study was conducted in seven districts of the South Omo zone, south‐western Ethiopia, between October 2008 and May 2009 with the objective of determining the seroprevalence of foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) in cattle and identifying the potential risk factors associated with the disease. In total, 770 cattle sera samples were collected and submitted to the National Veterinary Institute (NVI), Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, for screening using the 3ABC‐ELISA. The overall seroprevalence of 8.18% (n = 63) was recorded in the study. The highest district‐level prevalence was observed in Bennatsemay district (30.2%), and the lowest prevalence was in Malle and Debub Aari districts, each with prevalence of 6.3%. The difference in seropositivity of FMD in the studied districts was found to be statistically significant. From the various risk factors analysed, age of animal, contact history with wild animals, distance of the herd from parks and wild animals’ sanctuary and movement pattern of herds in search of pasture and water from area to area were found to be significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the seroprevalence of FMD. The results of this study showed that FMD is an important cattle disease in the study areas. Thus, an appropriate control strategy has to be designed and applied, which could involve regulation of transboundary cattle movement, prevention of contact with wildlife and vaccination against the circulating virus strain.     

Detection of Bovine Papilloma Viruses in Wart‐Like Lesions of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract of Cattle and Buffaloes

In present investigation, etiopathological characterization of upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) tumours of cattle and buffaloes was undertaken. A total of 27 GIT wart‐like lesions in rumen, reticulum, mouth and oesophagus of cattle and buffaloes revealed the presence of small nodular to larger spherical or slender growths with thin base present on mucosa and ruminal pillar. Histopathologically, these cases were diagnosed as fibropapilloma/papilloma. This is the first world record on ruminal papillomatosis in buffaloes. Ruminal warts of cattle and buffaloes revealed the presence of BPV‐5, ‐1 & ‐2, which is the first report of presence of these BPVs in the ruminal warts from India. Quantitative real‐time PCR revealed that DNA samples of different GIT wart‐like lesions contained varying amount of BPV DNA copy numbers. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the PCNA and Ki67 immunopositivity was present in the basal and spinosum layer of the fibropapilloma/papilloma, indicating these as the cellular proliferation site. In conclusion, the present investigation revealed that BPV‐5, ‐1 & ‐2 are associated with certain ruminal wart‐like lesions/growths in cattle and buffaloes, and the basal and spinosum layer of the ruminal fibropapilloma/papilloma were cellular proliferation sites.     

Detection of Disease‐Associated Prion Protein in the Posterior Portion of the Small Intestine Involving the Continuous Peyer’s Patch in Cattle Orally Infected with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Agent

Twenty‐eight calves were exposed to 5 g of homogenized brainstems confirmed as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agents. Two to five animals were sequentially killed for post‐mortem analyses 20 months post‐inoculation (MPI) at intervals of 6 or 12 months. Samples from animals challenged orally with BSE agents were examined by Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Immunolabelled, disease‐associated prion protein (PrPsc) was detected in a small portion of follicles in the continuous Peyer’s patch from the posterior portion of the small intestine involving the entire ileum and the posterior jejunum but not in the discrete Peyer’s patches in the remaining jejunum in preclinical animals at 20, 36, and 48 MPI. The PrPsc‐positive cells corresponded to tingible body macrophages on double immunofluorescence labelling. In addition, PrPsc accumulated in 7 of 14 animals in the central nervous system (CNS) after 34 MPI, and five of them developed clinical signs and were killed at 34, 46, 58, and 66 MPI. Two preclinical animals killed at 36 and 48 MPI presented the earliest detectable and smallest deposition of immunolabelled PrPsc in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the medulla oblongata at the obex region, and/or the intermediolateral nucleus of the 13th thoracic segment of the spinal cord. Based on serial killing, no PrPsc was detectable in the CNS, including the medulla oblongata at the obex level, before 30 MPI, by Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. These results are important for understanding the pathogenesis of BSE.     

Nationwide Cross‐Sectional Study on Bovine Tuberculosis by Intra Vitam Testing in Germany, 2013–2014

Germany was declared officially free from bovine tuberculosis (bTB) effective from 1 July 1996. After the occurrence of several Mycobacterium (M.) bovis outbreaks in north‐western Germany in recent years with high intraherd prevalence at the time of detection, the reliability of abattoir surveillance as the principal component of the national bTB control programme was debated by veterinary public health officials. Rising numbers of wildlife‐associated outbreaks caused by M. caprae in southern Germany eventually prompted a nationwide cross‐sectional study on bTB. A total of 51 999 cattle, that is 0.41% of the national herd kept on 1.73% of German cattle farms, were tested. Despite 4 positive and 152 inconclusive single intradermal comparative cervical test results, none of the animals was confirmed as bTB‐positive by a subsequent interferon‐release assay or by post‐mortem PCR testing. The estimated prevalence of bTB in Germany was thus calculated as 0.0% (CI 0.0000–0.0064%) affirming that Germany still qualifies as an officially tuberculosis‐free (OTF) country. Occasional randomized nationwide testing can be an appropriate tool to reassure the OTF status and may also help to maintain an appropriate training level for the diagnostic procedures and for supporting sustained disease awareness among stakeholders.     

Farm Community Impacts of Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Cattle and Buffaloes in Karnataka State,India

This study was conducted to assess the impact of Foot‐and‐mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in cattle and buffaloes on farming community in Kolar district, Karnataka state, India. Primary data were collected using pre‐tested schedule from 178 sample farms using multistage random cluster sample technique. The results revealed that 78% of surveyed villages were affected with FMD. The FMD incidence risk was high across the herd sizes, whereas the mortality risk was high in small herds. In indigenous cattle, the highest loss due to FMD was distress sale (208 USD) followed by other losses, whereas, in Crossbred cattle, the highest loss was mortality loss (515 USD) followed by distress sale (490 USD), milk yield loss (327 USD), treatment cost (38 USD) and extra labour engagement expenses for nursing of FMD‐affected bovines (30 USD). In local and upgraded buffaloes, the mean total loss per affected animal was 440 USD and 513 USD, respectively. A very high variability in the loss per animal was observed across the type of losses in the Crossbred cattle, and it may be due to differences in age of the FMD‐infected animal, value of the animal, milking stage, lactation levels, herd sizes and labour engagement levels, etc. In local and upgraded buffaloes, the mean total loss per animal was 639 USD and 1008 USD, respectively. The sensitivity analysis for 5% change in price revealed that the mean total loss per animal was positively correlated with price. Further, the social impact elicitation revealed that majority of the livestock owners perceived FMD had caused permanent asset loss, which in turn increased psychological stress of the family. The estimated losses and social impact due to FMD signify the importance of the intervention to control the disease and thus socio‐economic gain to the farmer and society at large.     

Control of Bovine Brucellosis from Persistently Infected Holdings Using RB51 Vaccination with Test‐and‐Slaughter: A Comparative Case Report from a High Incidence Area in Portugal

Bovine brucellosis due to Brucella abortus infection causes significant reproductive and production losses in cattle and is a major zoonosis. Eradication of this disease has proved difficult to achieve in Portugal where it still occurs in some regions despite an ongoing national eradication programme. In 2004, the Alentejo region, a major cattle producing area, reported one of the highest levels of bovine brucellosis in the country, especially in one divisional area. In that area, bovine brucellosis was particularly problematic in a holding of ten herds, the largest extensive cattle unit in the country, which remained infected despite an extensive test‐and‐slaughter programme and depopulation of five herds. A 5‐year programme of RB51 vaccination with biannual test‐and‐slaughter was thus implemented in 2004. The apparent animal seroprevalence decreased from 19% (646/3,400) to 3% (88/2930) on the third herd‐level test and remained below 0.8% (27/3324) after the fourth test. After the tenth test, the holding had a prevalence of 0.1% (2/2332) and only one herd remained positive with a within‐herd prevalence of 1.1% (2/177). The results were compared to all other herds (n = 10) in the divisional area that were also persistently infected but were subject only to test‐and‐slaughter before being depopulated. In these herds, the strategy of test‐and‐slaughter did not reduce the prevalence, which remained significantly higher than the vaccinated group (median = 0.48% and 8.5% in vaccinated versus non‐vaccinated herds; Wilcoxon rank sum test; P < 0.01). The success of this pilot programme in continental Portugal provided a valuable case study to the official veterinary services by illustrating the value of RB51 vaccination with parallel testing and improved biosecurity as a comprehensive and sustainable strategy for bovine brucellosis control in persistently infected herds.     

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Infection in Cattle Herds in the State of Paraná, Brazil

Epidemiological data describing bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV‐1) infection in Brazilian cattle herds are scarce. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in the state of Paraná between December 2001 and July 2002 with the objective of estimating the apparent prevalence of BoHV‐1‐seropositive herds and animals and identifying the potential risk factors for infection in farms with breeding animals in the state of Paraná in Southern Brazil. The state was divided into seven regions based on the livestock production dynamics of the different areas. Sampling was performed in two stages. Initially, herds were randomly selected, followed by a random selection of animals within the selected herds. Blood samples were collected from 14 803 females, aged ≥24 months, from 2018 BoHV‐1 non‐vaccinated herds. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against BoHV‐1 using an indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The apparent prevalence of seropositivity in the herds and animals in Paraná was 71.3% (95% CI: 69.3–73.3) and 59.0% (95% CI: 56.2–61.8), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that risk factors associated with the presence of the infection were as follows: beef herds [OR = 1.58 (1.12–2.23)], natural service [OR = 1.48 (1.02–2.14)], purchase of animals [OR = 1.90 (1.52–2.37)], pasture rental [OR = 2.24 (1.51–3.33)], existence of calving pens [OR = 1.56 (1.20–2.03)] and records of abortion in the last 12 months [OR = 1.45 (1.08–1.95)]. These results indicate that BoHV‐1 infection is widespread in the state of Paraná.     

Incidence and Distribution of Foot‐and‐Mouth Disease in Asia,Africa and South America; Combining Expert Opinion,Official Disease Information and Livestock Populations to Assist Risk Assessment

Risk assessment procedures frequently require quantitative data on the prevalence of the disease in question. Although most countries are members of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the importance attached to foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) reporting or surveillance for infection varies enormously between infected countries. There is a general consensus that FMD outbreaks in endemic countries are greatly under‐reported, to a degree related either to the economic or the political development level of the country. This exploratory study was first undertaken by FAO, but thereafter extended and reviewed by the working group on FMD risk co‐ordinated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The paper attempts to overcome the lack of reporting through using expert opinion to extrapolate incidence indices from countries considered to have ‘representative’ levels of FMD. These were combined with livestock density distributions to provide maps of prevalence indices, which were found to be highest in China (pigs), India (cattle), the Near East (small ruminants) and the Sahel (small ruminants and cattle). Similar patterns were found when weighted expert rankings of a range of additional ranked disease parameters were also produced, and then combined with susceptible animal densities to produce a weighted multi‐species density. Results suggest that the methods can provide useful information at both national and sub‐national resolution, even for countries for which quantitative FMD data is currently unavailable: two of the regions identified provide little or no data on a regular basis to the OIE and therefore may be overlooked if the level of officially reported FMD is only used. As the estimated prevalences are based on recent disease history and expert opinion, they are most likely to be inaccurate where FMD incursions are infrequent as a result of the preventive measures and geographical and trade isolation. This study, therefore, highlights the need for specific detailed country risk assessments where livestock trade is under consideration. Validating the approach including ground truthing, will require collaboration between a number of agencies and institutions, in critical countries, particularly those with high disease burdens that share borders or trade livestock with currently FMD‐free nations.     

Improvement in Smallholder Farmer Knowledge of Cattle Production,Health and Biosecurity in Southern Cambodia between 2008 and 2010

Farmer knowledge surveys were conducted in 2008 and 2010 in Cambodia to evaluate the impact of a research project studying interventions that can improve cattle production and health, including biosecurity and practices relating to risks of transmission of transboundary diseases. The project hypothesis is that by increasing the value of smallholder‐owned large ruminants through nutritional interventions and improved marketing, knowledge‐based interventions including risk management for infectious diseases such as foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) can be implemented into a more sustainable pathway for rural development. Between 2008 and 2010, significant improvements in farmer knowledge and attitudes were recorded in three villages in three provinces of southern Cambodia. This was achieved through participatory ‘applied field research’, ‘on the job’ training plus ‘formal’ training programmes. No cases of FMD were recorded during the study period in the ‘high‐intervention’ (HI) villages despite the common occurrence of the disease in a nearby ‘low‐intervention’ and many other villages in the three provinces. Whilst it is likely that protection of these villages from FMD infection was from increasing the herd immunity by vaccination, it could also have been partly because of a decrease in risk behaviours by farmers as a result of their increasing knowledge of biosecurity. The research indicates that smallholder farmers are motivated by nutritional interventions that improve the value of their cattle ‘bank’ and offer better marketing opportunities. This provides a more receptive environment for introduction of disease risk management for infectious and other production limiting diseases, best implemented for smallholder farmers in Cambodia by intensive training programmes. In lieu of a widespread public awareness programme to deliver mass education of smallholder farmers in disease prevention and biosecurity, livestock development projects in South‐East Asia should be encouraged to include training in disease risk management as an important intervention if the current momentum for trade in large ruminant livestock and large ruminant meat is to continue to progress and contribute to addressing global food security concerns.     

HoBi‐Like Virus RNA Detected in Foetuses Following Challenge of Pregnant Cows that had Previously Given Birth to Calves Persistently Infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus

The ability of ruminant pestivirus including bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and the related emerging pestivirus, HoBi‐like virus, to establish persistent infection (PI) following foetal infection is central to keeping these viruses in circulation. Non‐PI dams carrying BVDV PI calves develop high levels of immunity due constantly viral exposure. A study to determine whether the immunity developed following the generation of a BVDV PI is enough to prevent HoBi‐like virus infection of a subsequent foetus was performed. This study consisted of nine pregnant cows, four had birthed BVDV‐1 PI calves in a previous pregnancy, three cows had birthed BVDV‐2 PIs and two had birthed pestivirus negative calves. From this, six pregnant cows were challenged with HoBi‐like virus about day 85 of gestation (four BVDV‐1 and two BVDV‐2 cows) and three non‐challenged cows (negative control). At the day of challenge, the serum neutralizing titres against the homologous BVDV strains of the first inoculation ranged from 1148 to 5793. At day 6 post‐challenge, HoBi‐like RNA was detected in the serum of all four BVDV‐1 cows but not in the two BVDV‐2 cows. The foetuses harvested from five of the exposed dams (three BVDV‐1 and two BVDV‐2 cows) at day 30 post‐challenge were positive for HoBi‐like virus RNA. The sixth cow, BVDV‐1 cow #541, while pregnant at the time of exposure, had no foetus 30 days after exposure. Foetuses from HoBi‐like virus exposed dams were significantly smaller and lighter than control foetuses. HoBi‐like RNA was detected in samples of all challenged foetuses. The identification of viral RNA in the serum of 4 cows at day 6 post‐challenge, as well viral RNA detection in all foetuses 30 days post‐inoculation, indicates that the foetuses of dams with high antibodies titres against BVDV‐1 or BVDV‐2 would not be protected from challenge with a HoBi‐like virus.     

Spatial Epidemiology and Risk Factor Analysis of White Spot Disease in the Shrimp Farming Industry of Sinaloa,Mexico, from 2005 to 2011

White spot disease (WSD), caused by the white spot syndrome virus, is currently one of the primary causes of mortality and economic losses in the shrimp farming industry worldwide. In Mexico, shrimp production is one of the most important primary activities generating an annual income of USD 711 million. However, WSD introduction in 1999 had a devastating impact for the Mexican shrimp industry. The aim of this study was to characterize the WSD spatio‐temporal patterns and to identify the primary risk factors contributing to WSD occurrence from 2005 to 2011 in Sinaloa, Mexico. We used data collected by the ‘Comité Estatal de Sanidad Acuícola de Sinaloa’ from 2005 to 2011 regarding WSD outbreaks as well as environmental, production and husbandry factors at farm level. The spatio‐temporal patterns of WSD were described using space‐time scan statistics. The effect of 52 variables on the time to WSD outbreak occurrence was assessed using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. Results reveal that WSD risk and survival time were not homogeneously distributed as suggested by the significant clusters obtained using the space‐time permutation model and the space‐time exponential model, respectively. The Cox model revealed that the first production cycle [hazard ratio (HR) = 11.31], changes from 1 to 1.4°C of temperature oscillation caused by ‘El Niño’/’La Niña’ events (HR = 1.44) and high average daily growths (HR = 1.26) were significantly associated with lower survival (i.e. shorter time to WSD outbreak) on farm. Conversely, shrimp weight at the moment of the outbreak (HR = 0.159), changes from −0.9 to −0.5°C of temperature oscillation caused by ‘El Niño’/’La Niña’ events (HR = 0.540), high superficial water temperature during the pound stocking (HR = 0.823) and high (>100) number of days of culture (HR = 0.830) were factors associated with higher survival. Results are expected to inform the design of risk‐based, intervention strategies to minimize the impact of WSD in Mexico.     

Clinical Characteristics of Breast Cancers in African‐American Women with Benign Breast Disease: A Comparison to the Surveillance,Epidemiology, and End Results Program

Benign breast disease (BBD) is a very common condition, diagnosed in approximately half of all American women throughout their lifecourse. White women with BBD are known to be at substantially increased risk of subsequent breast cancer; however, nothing is known about breast cancer characteristics that develop after a BBD diagnosis in African‐American women. Here, we compared 109 breast cancers that developed in a population of African‐American women with a history of BBD to 10,601 breast cancers that developed in a general population of African‐American women whose cancers were recorded by the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System (MDCSS population). Demographic and clinical characteristics of the BBD population were compared to the MDCSS population, using chi‐squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, t‐tests, and Wilcoxon tests where appropriate. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression models were used to examine survival. Women in the BBD population were diagnosed with lower grade (p = 0.02), earlier stage cancers (p = 0.003) that were more likely to be hormone receptor‐positive (p = 0.03) compared to the general metropolitan Detroit African‐American population. In situ cancers were more common among women in the BBD cohort (36.7%) compared to the MDCSS population (22.1%, p < 0.001). Overall, women in the BBD population were less likely to die from breast cancer after 10 years of follow‐up (p = 0.05), but this association was not seen when analyses were limited to invasive breast cancers. These results suggest that breast cancers occurring after a BBD diagnosis may have more favorable clinical parameters, but the majority of cancers are still invasive, with survival rates similar to the general African‐American population.     

Lack of Evidence of Spill‐Over of Salmonella enterica Between Cattle and Sympatric Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) from a Protected Area in Catalonia,NE Spain

Salmonella enterica is a zoonotic agent of worldwide importance found in a wide range of wild hosts. However, its prevalence in many popular game species has never been assessed. Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is the main game caprinae of the Iberian Peninsula and around two thousand individuals are hunted every year for trophy or for home consumption. In this work, 313 Iberian ibexes from the Ports de Tortosa i Beseit National Game Reserve (NE Spain) were tested for Salmonella enterica in faeces, and anti microbial susceptibility was determined. The exact location of shooting or capture was recorded with a GPS device to study the links of Salmonella infection with cattle presence and human proximity. Additionally, samples were taken from cattle grazing inside this reserve (n = 73). Only three Iberian ibexes (0.96%, 95% CI 0.2–2.8) were positive to Salmonella (serotype Enteritidis, Bardo and 35:r:z35), while prevalence was moderate in cattle: 21.92% (95% CI 13.10–33.14, serotype Meleagridis, Anatum, Kedougou and Othmarschen). All isolates were susceptible to the anti microbial agents tested. Moreover, a case of fatal septicaemic salmonellosis in an 11‐year‐old male Iberian ibex is described where Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis was isolated from the lung, liver and spleen samples. The low prevalence of Salmonella in Iberian ibex and the lack of shared serotypes suggest no association to cattle. Despite this, game meat aimed for human consumption should be examined, and it is strongly recommended that hunters and game keepers manipulate animals and carcasses under maximal hygienic conditions to avoid environmental contamination and human contagion.     

A Longitudinal Study to Characterize the Distribution Patterns of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis in Semen,Blood and Faeces of a Naturally Infected Bull by IS 900 Semi‐Nested and Quantitative Real‐Time PCR

Johne’s disease is caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and has been recognized as an important bacterial infection in ruminants. Although MAP has been detected in semen and within the reproductive organs of bulls, the bacterial distribution and shedding patterns are currently not well characterized. Our investigation was performed to detect and quantify MAP in faeces, semen and blood samples repeatedly drawn from a naturally infected but asymptomatic 18‐month‐old German Simmental breeding bull candidate over a period of 3 years (June 2007–November 2010). Qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were used to correlate the presence and matrix‐specific amounts of MAP. In total, 65 sampling dates were selected. Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis was detected intermittently in all matrices with MAP‐free intervals of up to 18 weeks by an IS900 semi‐nested PCR. The number of MAP‐positive results from semen and blood samples was higher than from faecal samples. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction detected the highest MAP contents in faeces (10³–10⁶ MAP/g), while lower amounts were found in semen and blood samples (10²–10⁵ MAP/ml). Although no significant agreement was calculated between the presence of MAP in faeces and blood, a statistically significant positive correlation between its occurrence in semen and blood was determined (r = 0.38, P < 0.05, n = 29). The present study contributes to a more detailed understanding of MAP distribution patterns in faeces, semen and blood of a subclinically infected breeding bull candidate. It highlights the possible role of breeding bulls as a source of MAP transmission and indicates the need for further monitoring and hygienic measures to prevent the spread of the infection via semen.