BackgroundHepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the major causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. In Europe, food-borne zoonotic transmission of HEV genotype 3 has been associated with domestic pigs and wild boar. Controversial data are available on the circulation of the virus in animals that are used for human consumption, and to date, no gold standard has yet been defined for the diagnosis of HEV-associated hepatitis. To investigate the current HEV infection status in Lithuanian pigs and wild ungulates, the presence of viral RNA was analyzed by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) in randomly selected samples, and the viral RNA was subsequently genotyped.ResultsIn total, 32.98 and 22.55% of the domestic pig samples were HEV-positive using RT-nPCR targeting the ORF1 and ORF2 fragments, respectively. Among ungulates, 25.94% of the wild boar samples, 22.58% of the roe deer samples, 6.67% of the red deer samples and 7.69% of the moose samples were positive for HEV RNA using primers targeting the ORF1 fragment. Using primers targeting the ORF2 fragment of the HEV genome, viral RNA was only detected in 17.03% of the wild boar samples and 12.90% of the roe deer samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on a 348-nucleotide-long region of the HEV ORF2 showed that all obtained sequences detected in Lithuanian domestic pigs and wildlife belonged to genotype 3. In this study, the sequences identified from pigs, wild boars and roe deer clustered within the 3i subtype reference sequences from the GenBank database. The sequences obtained from pig farms located in two different counties of Lithuania were of the HEV 3f subtype. The wild boar sequences clustered within subtypes 3i and 3h, clearly indicating that wild boars can harbor additional subtypes of HEV. For the first time, the ORF2 nucleotide sequences obtained from roe deer proved that HEV subtype 3i can be found in a novel host.ConclusionThe results of the viral prevalence and phylogenetic analyses clearly demonstrated viral infection in Lithuanian pigs and wild ungulates, thus highlighting a significant concern for zoonotic virus transmission through both the food chain and direct contact with animals. Unexpected HEV genotype 3 subtype diversity in Lithuania and neighboring countries revealed that further studies are necessary to understand the mode of HEV transmission between animals and humans in the Baltic States region.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of long-term building construction noise from refurbishment, which including vibration, on some physiological parameters and histopathological changes of organs of Wistar rats. Twenty 12 month old female rats were divided into two groups: rats group I (n = 10) were exposed to long-term construction noise and rats group II (n = 10) were kept under normal noise level. Study results revealed that long-term construction noise from building refurbishment has an influence on body weight, haematological and some serum biochemical parameters affects caecal microbiota, and causes histopathological changes in the organs of adult female Wistar rats. It was noticed that rats in group I exihibited significantly higher mean values for total protein, albumin and lower values for glucose, AST, ALT, blood urea nitrogen, haematological and caecal microbiota parameters than rats in group II. The most common pathologies were determined in the kidney, liver and lungs. Other observed pathologies were lymphadenopathy, catarrhal inflammation of the intestines, spleen hyperplasia and mammary gland adenofibroma. Single cases were subcutaneous fibroma in the thoracic region, abortus with uterine inflammation and thymus hyperplasia with formation of cysts were found.

BackgroundPorcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is recognized worldwide as an important and economically devastating pathogen in pig production. Although PRRSV is widespread in domestic swine, there is a lack of information regarding PRRSV infection in European wild boars (Sus scrofa). Currently available information does not provide conclusive evidence that wild boars are a reservoir of PRRSV. Nevertheless, wild boars may be likely to become infected by domestic swine through occasional direct or indirect contact. Furthermore, wild boars can act as a reservoir for infectious diseases of domestic pigs. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to determine the virus prevalence and further explore the epidemiology and diversity of PRRSV strains present in Lithuanian wild boars over a 5-year period. A total of 1597 tissue and serum samples from wild boars inhabiting 44 districts and ten counties in Lithuania were analysed using conventional nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time Taqman RT-PCR for the detection of PRRSV-specific open reading frame (ORF) 1 and 6 sequences.ResultsPRRSV was highly prevalent in Lithuanian wild boar populations, with an average rate of 18.66 % using conventional RT-PCR and 19.54 % using real-time RT-PCR. PRRSV was detected in 36.71 and 41.77 % of 237 hunting grounds tested by conventional RT-nPCR and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. No statistically significant differences in PRRSV prevalence were observed by geographic area in the ten Lithuanian counties. Animals infected with PRRSV were identified in all age groups; however, significantly higher prevalence rates were identified in subadult and adult wild boars than in juveniles up to 12 months old. No positive results were obtained using conventional PCR with Type 2 specific primers. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial ORF5 region revealed that ten wild boars harboured virus sequences belonging to genetic subtypes 3 and 4 and may therefore pose a serious threat to Lithuanian pig farms in which only subtype two strains are circulating.ConclusionsThe results of virus prevalence and phylogenetic analyses strongly support the role of wild boars as a possible natural reservoir for PRRSV in Lithuania.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13028-016-0232-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Hepatitis E is an important public health concern disease that causes acute hepatitis in humans with different hepatitis E virus strains reported among domestic and wild animals. In Lithuania, seroprevalence studies on animals considered to be possible virus reservoirs, particularly in wildlife species, had never been investigated before. In order to assess the actual distribution of the virus in the domestic pig and wildlife species, serum samples originating from different geographic areas of Lithuania were tested for the presence of antibodies to the virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The study results proved that hepatitis E virus infection is prevalent among domestic pigs, wild boar, moose, and roe deer in Lithuania, with the overall prevalence of IgG antibodies against hepatitis E virus being 43.75%, 57.05%, 11.76%, and 1.20%, respectively. Significantly higher (P < 0.01) seroprevalence values of 53.66% and 80% were observed in weaned pigs and adult wild boar. Herds with 15 001-30 000 pigs were 2.4 times more likely (P < 0.01) to test positive for hepatitis E virus antibodies (70.18%), than herds with ≤ 500 pigs (21.11%). The differences in seroprevalence rates between domestic pigs (from 25 to 66.67%) and wild boar (from 42.86 to 73.33% ) in all 10 counties were not significant (P > 0.05). Estimated low seroprevalence rate in moose, roe deer and absence of antibodies in red deer suggest that such wildlife species are accidental hosts of hepatitis E virus or at least hepatitis E virus is not present in Lithuanian cervides. HEV, sow, wild boar, cervidae, serum, zoonosisAccording to data reported by the World Health Organization (2015), in humans there are estimated 20 million cases of hepatitis E infections, over 3 million symptomatic cases of hepatitis E, and 56 600 hepatitis E-related deaths every year. Therefore, hepatitis E is considered an emerging zoonotic disease in many developing and industrialized countries. The aetiological agent of the disease is hepatitis E virus (HEV) that affects multiple hosts. The HEV is unique among known hepatitis (A, B, C, D) viruses because domestic pigs, wild boar, deer, and other animal species are considered to be possible reservoirs of HEV. Up to date, at least seven genotypes of HEV have been reported, and five of them have been described in humans (HEV-1 and HEV-2 anthroponotic, HEV-3 and HEV-4 zoonotic, HEV-7 zoonotic potential is still being questioned) (Roth et al. 2016). In contrast to humans, pigs and wild boar infected by HEV do not show obvious clinical manifestations.The consumption of raw or undercooked contaminated meat of domestic pig, wild boar or deer and also seafood receiving sewage sludge or direct contact with infected animals have been identified as modes of transmission linked to autochthonous sporadic cases of acute hepatitis E in humans (Pavio et al. 2010;Kaba et al. 2013). Moreover, increased distribution and availability of game meat poses a major risk for foodborne transmission of HEV worldwide. In addition,

Successful management of lactating dairy cows needs to integrate the programs of herd reproduction and health. The objectives of this study was to determine the relationship of dystocia, stillbirths, and the prevalence of mastitis in dairy cow herds. A total of 559 304 Lithuanian Black and White dairy cows were evaluated in relation to calving ease and stillbirths. Moreover, 1498 cows from the aforementioned group were tested for the milk somatic cell count and the presence of udder microbiota in the post partum period. The majority of extremely difficult births were estimated in primiparous and multiparous cows of lactations 6-8 (3.8-4.2% births) (P < 0.0001). Repeatability of dystocia was determined in 82.7% of cows in the following lactation (P < 0.0001). The stillbirth parturition rate was estimated to be 5.37% and shown to be the most important problem in the first calving compared to the second and subsequent calvings (P < 0.0001). Stillbirth was 11.2 × higher in cows with severely difficult calving compared to cows having no calving difficulties or slight calving difficulties (P < 0.0001). Dystocia significantly increased the somatic cell count (P < 0.05) and incidence of mastitis (P < 0.001), in particular mastitis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus.