Over the past two decades, the poultry sector in China went through a phase of tremendous growth as well as rapid intensification and concentration. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 was first detected in 1996 in Guangdong province, South China and started spreading throughout Asia in early 2004. Since then, control of the disease in China has relied heavily on wide-scale preventive vaccination combined with movement control, quarantine and stamping out. This strategy has been successful in drastically reducing the number of outbreaks during the past 5years. However, HPAIV H5N1 is still circulating and is regularly isolated in traditional live bird markets (LBMs) where viral infection can persist, which represent a public health hazard for people visiting them. The use of social network analysis in combination with epidemiological surveillance in South China has identified areas where the success of current strategies for HPAI control in the poultry production sector may benefit from better knowledge of poultry trading patterns and the LBM network configuration as well as their capacity for maintaining HPAIV H5N1 infection. We produced a set of LBM network maps and estimated the associated risk of HPAIV H5N1 within LBMs and along poultry market chains, providing new insights into how live poultry trade and infection are intertwined. More specifically, our study provides evidence that several biosecurity factors such as daily cage cleaning, daily cage disinfection or manure processing contribute to a reduction in HPAIV H5N1 presence in LBMs. Of significant importance is that the results of our study also show the association between social network indicators and the presence of HPAIV H5N1 in specific network configurations such as the one represented by the counties of origin of the birds traded in LBMs. This new information could be used to develop more targeted and effective control interventions.

Hyperphagic and hypothalamic neuroendocrine responses to acute glucose deprivation are modified by the ovarian steroid estradiol (E). Observations of genomic activation of catecholaminergic (CA) neurons in the hindbrain lateral reticular nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, and area postrema (AP) by glucopenia support their potential function in pathways mediating regulatory effects of this metabolic challenge within the brain. Expression of E receptors by these cells suggests that their activity may be sensitive to steroid modulation during glucopenia. The present studies investigated the role of E on transcriptional activation of caudal brainstem CA neurons by the glucose antimetabolite, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG). Ovariectomized rats were implanted with s.c. Silastic capsules containing E (30 or 250 µg/ml) or sesame oil, and injected i.p. 7 days later with 400 mg 2DG/kg or saline. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in the C₁/A₁, C₂, C₃, A₂, A₅, and A₆ cell groups and AP were colabeled for Fos following antimetabolite administration, whereas vehicle injection resulted in negligible nuclear staining of these cells. With the exception of A₂, A₆, and AP cells, mean numbers of Fos- and TH-/Fos-ir-positive neurons in these brain sites did not differ between E- and sesame oil-implanted groups. Numbers of TH-positive A₂ and A₆ neurons that expressed Fos in response to 2DG were significantly greater in rats implanted with the high E dose vs. either the low steroid dose or sesame oil. These results show that the magnitude of cellular Fos labeling within discrete hindbrain CA neuron populations varies in accordance with circulating E levels. These findings suggest that E may exert potential modulatory effects on glucoprivic activation of the Fos stimulus/transcription cascade and consequent compensatory genomic responses within specific areas of the female rat caudal brainstem.

SUMMARYEffective methods to increase awareness of preventable infectious diseases are key components of successful control programmes. Rabies is an example of a disease with significant impact, where public awareness is variable. A recent awareness campaign in a rabies endemic region of Azerbaijan provided a unique opportunity to assess the efficacy of such campaigns. A cluster cross-sectional survey concerning rabies was undertaken following the awareness campaign in 600 households in 38 randomly selected towns, in districts covered by the campaign and matched control regions. This survey demonstrated that the relatively simple awareness campaign was effective at improving knowledge of rabies symptoms and vaccination schedules. Crucially, those in the awareness campaign group were also 1·4 times more likely to report that they had vaccinated their pets, an essential component of human rabies prevention. In addition, low knowledge of appropriate post-exposure treatment and animal sources of rabies provide information useful for future public awareness campaigns in the region and other similar areas.

Reports that food intake is stimulated by fourth ventricular administration of glucose antimetabolites or uptake inhibitors suggest that glucose deprivation within the periventricular caudal brainstem activates compensatory neural mechanisms that restore global metabolic stasis. In the present study, Fos immunocytochemistry was employed to characterize the distribution of neurons within this region of the male rat brain that undergo genomic activation in response to intraventricular delivery of the antiglycolytic agent, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG). Fos immunoreactivity (-ir) was only detected in the locus coeruleus (LC), nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and area postrema (AP) following drug treatment, whereas immunostaining for Fos was absent from these structures in the vehicle-treated control group. Dual-label immunocytochemical processing of sections of these loci for Fos- and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-ir revealed that, in each site, a majority of TH-ir-positive neurons were co-labeled for this nuclear protein in response to this treatment paradigm. These results provide evidence for the transcriptional activation of catecholaminergic neurons in discrete periventricular caudal brainstem structures during central glucopenia. Taken together with pharmacological evidence for the initiation of glucoprivic regulatory signaling within neural tissue accessible from the fourth ventricle, the present findings suggest that LC A6, NTS precommissural C2 and commissural A2, and AP TH-ir-positive neurons may function to monitor and/or signal alterations in periventricular glucose metabolism as a means of defending central substrate balance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global issue for both human and animal health. Antimicrobial drug (AMD) use in animals can contribute to the emergence of AMR. In January 2018, California (CA) implemented legislation (Senate Bill 27; SB 27) requiring veterinary prescriptions for medically important AMD use in food animals. The objective of our survey was to characterize AMD use, health management, and AMD stewardship practices of adult cows on CA dairies since the implementation of SB 27. In 2019, we mailed a questionnaire to 1282 California dairies. We received a total of 131 (10.2%) survey responses from 19 counties in CA. Our results showed that 45.6% of respondents included a veterinarian in their decision on which injectable AMD to purchase. Additionally, 48.8% of dairy producers included a veterinarian in their decision on which AMDs were used to treat sick cows. The majority (96.8%) of dairy producers were aware that all uses of medically important AMDs require a prescription. Approximately 49% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that AMD use in livestock does not cause problems in humans. The survey documents antimicrobial use and stewardship practices in CA’s dairy industry and focus areas for future research and education.