Search Results (1,549)

Background/Objectives: Lipidomics has become a key component of systems biology, enabling comprehensive characterisation of lipid species and their roles in health and disease. As regulators of membrane architecture, energy balance, inflammation, and cellular signalling, lipids offer a powerful framework for understanding metabolic dysfunction. In veterinary medicine, however, lipidomics remains comparatively underdeveloped. In cats, lipid metabolism is central to disorders such as hepatic lipidosis, cystitis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and chronic inflammatory enteropathies, yet available data remain limited. This systematic review synthesised current evidence on lipidomics and lipid-focused profiling in feline disease and identified lipid alterations with potential clinical relevance. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched for original studies (1994–2026) evaluating lipidomics or lipid-focused profiling in cats. Eligible studies assessed lipid species, fatty acids, lipid mediators, or lipoproteins in disease or physiological states. Owing to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesised narratively. Results: Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria, covering hepatic, urinary, gastrointestinal, renal, neurological, oncological, metabolic, and pharmacologically modulated conditions. Recurring alterations involved lipoproteins, triglycerides, phospholipids, sphingolipids, fatty acids, and oxylipins. More consistent patterns emerged in hepatic lipidosis, where lipoprotein disturbances may aid diagnosis; in lower urinary tract disease, where PUFA-derived oxylipins differentiated bacterial from idiopathic cystitis; and in obesity, where phospholipid and triglyceride shifts reflected metabolic risk. Fatty acid remodelling in chronic enteropathies aligned with mucosal inflammation, while sphingolipid changes in neurological disease correlated with severity. Heterogeneity in analytical platforms, dietary control, and study design limited comparability. Conclusions: Feline lipidomics reveals biologically meaningful alterations with emerging diagnostic and prognostic value. Although still developing, lipid-focused approaches may enhance disease characterisation and support translational research. Larger, standardised studies and robust reference datasets are needed to validate lipid signatures for clinical implementation. Full article

This narrative conceptual review aims to examine how veterinary science intertwines with the different ontologies of resilience. As resilience has increasingly become an influential yet conceptually diverse framework, its different ontologies shape and are shaped by veterinary science thinking. This paper will begin with a brief overview of the origins of the resilience concept and its three major ontologies: engineering, psychological, and ecological resilience. Following these different ontologies, the paper then explores animal-level resilience, where engineering framings emphasise disease response and production stability, while welfare-oriented perspectives frame resilience in terms of the affective experience and the lived realities of animals. It then considers veterinary professional resilience, highlighting how emotional labour, workload pressures and structural constraints shape wellbeing across the profession. Finally, it analyses how veterinary science contributes to socio-ecological resilience through One Health approaches in public health, food systems and climate adaptation. Across these domains, resilience is often framed as a desirable attribute, yet it remains a value-laden concept that can obscure inequities or normalise preventable harms. This paper calls for critical, justice-oriented engagement with resilience to ensure it supports ethically grounded veterinary practice and promotes healthier, happier animals, more equitable systems, and sustainable professional environments. Full article

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) remains one of the most challenging viral diseases in veterinary medicine, largely owing to the absence of a consistently effective and safe vaccine. Despite widespread feline coronavirus infection, only a subset of infected cats progresses to feline infectious peritonitis, indicating that host immune responses are key determinants of disease outcomes. Accumulating evidence indicates that disease severity is driven not only by viral replication but also by macrophage- and monocyte-centered immune signaling, leading to excessive inflammation and systemic immunopathology in the host. Previous vaccine approaches against FIPV have failed to provide consistent protection and, in some cases, have been associated with enhanced disease. These outcomes suggest that vaccine-induced immune responses that recapitulate pathogenic signaling patterns may exacerbate disease rather than confer protection. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of immune cell signaling pathways implicated in FIPV infection, including innate sensing through Toll-like receptors, downstream mitogen-activated protein kinases and NF-κB signaling, cytokine production profiles, Fc receptor-associated processes, and intracellular pathways such as autophagy, and how these mechanisms shape vaccine-induced immunity. By integrating insights from immune signaling kinetics, antibody functionality, adjuvant-driven pathway engagement, and platform-specific immune signatures, this review emphasizes the need to reframe FIPV vaccine development strategies that actively shape host immune responses. Rather than maximizing immunogenicity, successful vaccine design is likely to depend on limiting sustained macrophage activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine amplification while supporting antiviral immune functions, thereby reducing the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement and immunopathology. Beyond feline diseases, these considerations provide broader lessons for vaccine design in settings where immune-mediated pathology contributes to disease severity. Full article

Periodontal disease is one of the most common oral conditions in dogs. The oral microbiome plays a key role in maintaining oral health, yet the normal canine oral microbiota and the effects of dental cleaning remain understudied. This study investigated changes in the oral microbiota of healthy dogs after routine tartar removal. Fourteen healthy adult Beagles underwent dental cleaning under general anesthesia. Oral microbiota was sampled using swabs at D-03 (baseline), D0 (after tartar removal), D3, D7, D14, and D28. Microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V4 region). Alpha diversity analysis showed that tartar removal was associated with a significant decrease in richness (Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.001) but not with diversity (Shannon). Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences (PERMANOVA; p < 0.05) across all sampling times compared with baseline. Dental tartar removal temporarily reduced several anaerobic taxa and increased aerotolerant bacteria, with partial recovery toward baseline within two weeks, indicating resilience of the oral microbiota. Porphyromonas dominated the oral microbiota but decreased following dental cleaning with concomitant increases in other bacterial species, notably Neisseria, Moraxella, and Pasteurella. These findings suggest that the canine oral microbiota demonstrates considerable resilience following mechanical disruption by dental cleaning. Future studies should focus on the importance of this microbial restructuring in the pathogenesis and clinical management of canine periodontitis and may inform the development of microbiota-targeted preventive or therapeutic strategies in veterinary dentistry. Full article

The sustained increase in bacterial resistance has driven the search for therapeutic alternatives that may help reduce antibiotic use, particularly in empirical treatments. In this context, topical ophthalmic antiseptics have emerged as effective and safe tools, suitable for both perioperative prophylaxis and the management of mild or superficial ocular diseases. Their broad spectrum of activity—encompassing bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa—together with the low likelihood of inducing resistance, establishes them as valuable partners in daily clinical practice. This article reviews the current evidence on the use of antiseptics in veterinary ophthalmology, focusing on their clinical applications, therapeutic benefits, and limitations. It also highlights the need for further studies to establish species-specific, disease-specific, and context-based protocols. Full article

Amblyomma hebraeum is a tick species of veterinary importance because it is a major vector of Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater disease. This species infests livestock in southern African regions and is a three-host species of veterinary importance. Maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) modeling was used to predict the potential distribution of A. hebraeum. The MaxEnt model performed better than random with an average test area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.94, and model predictions were significantly better than random, giving AUC ratios above the null expectations in the partial receiver operating characteristic (pROC) analyses (p < 0.001). A set of five variables was selected for the species from 19 bioclimatic variables based on correlation analysis. The study showed that the current distribution of A. hebraeum is estimated to occur across coastal regions of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa, Swaziland, southern Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe, and eastern Botswana. Temperature seasonality (Bio 4) had the highest effect on the distribution of this species. The environmentally suitable habitat for A. hebraeum increased with decreasing temperature seasonality (Bio 4). Transferring the models to future conditions showed a decrease in suitable habitats for this species under changing climate. These results have public health implications and can be used for making control planning decisions in areas suitable for this vector across its geographical distribution. Full article

Bovine babesiosis is a tick-borne disease that poses significant economic losses to global cattle production, and diverse vaccine platforms have been developed to combat it. This work critically evaluates global research on bovine babesiosis vaccines, integrating historical milestones with recent advances in antigen discovery and immunization approaches and assessing their protective efficacy through meta-analysis. Using comprehensive database searches, we identified 413 publications on bovine babesiosis vaccines, of which 168 met the inclusion criteria, spanning from 1960 to August 2025. Analysis revealed that B. bovis dominated the research output, followed by B. bigemina and B. divergens. Five key methodological approaches emerged: field trials, controlled experiments, immunogenicity assessments, in vitro assays, and in silico antigen analyses, with a notable shift toward immunogenicity and computational studies post-2000. Frequently studied antigens included RAP-1, MSA-2c, AMA-1, 11C5, and 12D3 (B. bovis); RAP-1 and GP45 (B. bigemina); and Bd37 (B. divergens). Geographically, research was concentrated in the United States, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, and France, which were identified as the top contributors in that order, primarily focusing on live and recombinant vaccines, with minimal African participation despite high cattle populations. Bibliometric analysis showed increasing publication output, with leading journals such as Veterinary Parasitology, Infection and Immunity, and Parasites & Vectors as the top three. Thematic evolution highlighted a transition from live vaccines to recombinant and multi-epitope strategies, with increasing emphasis on conserved antigens and novel platforms. However, more field evaluations are required to determine whether these new technologies can achieve protective efficacy comparable to that of live vaccines. This work underscores the need for sustained investment, intersectoral collaboration, and validation using standardized and comparable metrics in field trials to translate laboratory innovations into effective, safe, and globally accessible vaccines against bovine babesiosis. Full article

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a chronic zoonotic parasitic disease with a significant impact on public health in endemic regions. The liver is the most frequently affected organ, and ultrasound-based surveys are considered a reliable tool for detecting asymptomatic infections. As population-based data specifically addressing hepatic CE prevalence in Türkiye remain limited, we aimed to assess the prevalence of liver cystic echinococcosis in Türkiye using only ultrasound-based surveys. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, to estimate the prevalence of liver CE in Türkiye based exclusively on ultrasound-based field surveys. Electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus) were searched up to March 2026. Eligible studies included population-based human screening surveys reporting hepatic CE prevalence confirmed via ultrasonography. Data were extracted and descriptively pooled, with subgroup analyses performed according to age group (children vs. adults) and residential setting (urban vs. rural). The protocol was prospectively registered in the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY; registration Number: INPLASY202630029). Only human ultrasound-based screening studies including liver CE data were accepted; alveolar echinococcosis studies were excluded. Pooled prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model, and between-study heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic. Results: We analyzed the data of 23,154 people from 11 different provinces reported in 8 studies. The overall pooled liver CE prevalence was 0.31% (95% CI: 0.14–0.54), while it was 0.12% and 0.43% for urban and rural residents, respectively. Adults had higher prevalence of liver CE than children (0.43% vs. 0.16%). When separated by both living area and age, the prevalence rates were as follows: urban children 0.07%, urban adults 0.21%, rural children 0.29% and rural adults 0.60%. Conclusions: This is the first systematic review evaluating the prevalence of liver CE in Türkiye exclusively from ultrasound-based studies. While the overall prevalence of liver CE was 0.31%, adults living in rural areas presented a nearly two-fold higher rate (0.60%). Ultrasound-based screening provides a practical and effective approach for epidemiological surveillance. Targeted control strategies—including community-based screening, health education, and veterinary interventions—are essential to reduce transmission and disease burden, particularly in high-risk rural populations. Full article

Brucellosis remains one of the most widespread zoonotic infections worldwide, causing serious veterinary, medical, and socio-economic consequences. The disease, caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, affects a wide range of domestic and wild animals as well as humans, with global incidence potentially reaching 1.6–2.1 million new cases annually. The most effective approach to combating brucellosis is specific prevention through vaccination. Therefore, we conducted this review to summarize data from existing studies on modern strategies for brucellosis vaccination, types of vaccine platforms, their efficacy, safety, and applicability in veterinary and human medicine. We searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify relevant scientific articles in English published from 1990 to 2025. The aim of this work is to conduct a systematic analysis of modern brucellosis vaccination strategies in livestock and humans, as well as to evaluate the prospects of new vaccine platforms. The review examines live attenuated, inactivated, subunit, vector, and DNA vaccines, as well as their immunological mechanisms of action, advantages, and limitations of application. This information allows for a better understanding of the mechanisms of protective immunity formation and challenges related to DIVA diagnostics (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals). The “One Health” concept demonstrated the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental factors, emphasizing the need for an interdisciplinary approach to brucellosis monitoring, prevention, and control. Vector vaccines based on influenza virus (Flu-BA), developed in Kazakhstan, have shown high promise, combining immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and a favorable safety profile. Promising directions remain mRNA vaccines, nanoparticles, CRISPR/Cas9 technologies, and mucosal vaccines. Full article

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in domestic dogs. Conventional therapeutic approaches, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, frequently fail to achieve sustained remission or stabilization. Oncolytic virotherapy, a rapidly advancing therapeutic modality in human oncology, is emerging as a novel strategy in veterinary medicine. This systematic review summarizes current knowledge on the application of oncolytic viruses (OVs) in canine cancer treatment, focusing on their mechanisms of action, safety profiles, and clinical efficacy. We evaluate diverse OV platforms, including myxoma virus, reovirus, vesicular stomatitis virus, canine adenoviruses, vaccinia virus, Sendai virus, and Newcastle disease virus, across preclinical and clinical studies in dogs with various malignancies. While several OVs have demonstrated favorable tolerability and modest antitumor activity, key challenges such as pre-existing immunity, optimization of dosing regimens, and rational combination strategies remain to be addressed. This review emphasizes the translational significance of canine studies for both veterinary and human oncology, underscoring the critical need for rigorously designed clinical trials to refine virotherapy protocols and expand therapeutic options for canine cancer patients. Full article

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the obligate intracellular parasite T. gondii, is one of the most prevalent parasitic infections worldwide, affecting approximately one-third of the global population. Despite decades of intensive research, no effective human vaccine exists. The only commercially available vaccine, Toxovax, is restricted to veterinary use in sheep and is unsuitable for human application due to safety concerns. Beyond summarizing the literature, this review offers a critical appraisal of why translation has stalled and where the field should focus next. Live-attenuated vaccines remain the most immunogenic in preclinical models but face significant translational barriers for human use. Key antigenic targets include surface antigens (SAG), dense granule antigens (GRA), rhoptry proteins (ROP), and microneme proteins (MIC). Protective immunity relies critically on Th1-type immune responses characterized by interferon-gamma production. Major obstacles include the parasite’s complex life cycle, strain diversity, and difficulty achieving sterile immunity. Subunit and mRNA-based platforms offer more favorable safety profiles and established clinical precedents, representing the most viable pathway toward a human vaccine. Recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and emerging mRNA vaccine platforms offer promising new directions. This review advances the field in three ways. (i) It prioritizes mRNA and adjuvanted subunit formulations targeting multistage conserved antigens as the most realistic near-term human candidates. (ii) It identifies the limited targeting of bradyzoite-stage biology as a principal, under-addressed gap. (iii) It argues that future development must be differentiated into three complementary One Health goals—prevention of congenital disease in humans, reduction in tissue-cyst burden in livestock, and interruption of environmental transmission by vaccinating cats. In practice, a veterinary-first deployment strategy is the most immediate and impactful pathway to reducing the human and zoonotic burden of toxoplasmosis. Full article

Heart failure (HF) has traditionally been regarded as a primary myocardial disorder in veterinary medicine. However, accumulating evidence suggests that HF represents a systemic syndrome characterized by dynamic multiorgan interactions. In human cardiovascular research, cardiorenal and cardiointestinal paradigms have reshaped disease conceptualization, yet comparable integrative frameworks remain underdeveloped in veterinary cardiology. Naturally occurring canine HF—particularly myxomatous mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy—offers a clinically relevant translational platform in which systemic remodeling unfolds within an intact physiological lifespan. This review proposes a systems-based perspective that integrates spontaneous canine HF with controlled in vivo experimental models. We outline four main pathways of interaction: (1) the heart–gut axis, wherein reduced perfusion can influence inflammation and disruption of the intestinal barrier; (2) the heart–bone axis, wherein endocrine factors like osteoprotegerin and osteocrin can impact remodeling of the cardiovascular system; (3) the heart–vascular endothelium axis, wherein inflammatory signaling and dysfunction of the vascular endothelium are hallmarks; and (4) the neurocardiac axis, which reflects an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. Emerging regenerative and organelle-based strategies—including mesenchymal stem cell therapy and mitochondrial transplantation—are discussed within this multiorgan framework. Rather than focusing solely on cardiac contractility, these approaches may function as systemic inflammatory modulators, and endothelial, metabolic, and autonomic pathways. Canine HF can be better understood as a multiorgan network condition; reframing it in this way can help researchers in the field of translational cardiology create more comprehensive diagnostic and treatment plans. Full article

Neonatal puppies and kittens face a critical period after birth, during which their health depends heavily on the microorganisms they acquire from their mothers and environment. These microorganisms, known as the gut microbiota, help newborns develop their immune systems, digest nutrients, and protect against disease. This review explores how these microorganisms are transferred from the mother to her offspring before, during, and after birth, including the process of delivery, nursing, and maternal care. It also examines how factors such as birth type, hygiene, feeding, and maternal health can influence the development of these microbial communities. When this process is disrupted, it may lead to health problems such as infections, diarrhea, and immune disorders. Understanding how and when these microbes are passed to newborns, and how to support this process, is essential to improving survival rates and long-term health in puppies and kittens. Full article

Blood is a key component of organisms, serving numerous functions, including metabolism, innate and humoral responses, and hemostasis. Variations in hematological parameters can indicate the presence of infectious and non-infectious diseases, chronic stress, and other pathological or physiological conditions. Complete blood count testing is common in human and veterinary medicine and, when combined with clinical examination, contributes to disease diagnosis and prognosis and the monitoring of therapeutic progression. Nevertheless, hematological analysis is not routinely performed in sheep due to the lack of case-specific reference intervals, complicating the interpretation of the results. Indeed, hematological parameters may be affected by various non-pathological (environmental, genetic, physiological) and pathological factors, and they require further understanding and relevant adjustments to be universally applicable. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to summarize the existing literature and describe how various pathological and non-pathological factors affect hematological parameters in sheep, thereby supporting their incorporation into health management practices. Full article

Neonatal meningitis-associated Escherichia coli (NMEC) is a formidable pathogen in veterinary medicine. The emergence of atypical, multidrug-resistant (MDR) variants complicates disease control. An Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain was isolated from the brain tissue of a deceased calf with acute meningitis. Comprehensive characterizations were performed, including whole-genome sequencing (WGS), multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), murine pathogenicity assays, and RT-qPCR evaluation of neuroinflammatory cytokines. Results: The isolate (O18ab:H14) was identified as a capsule-deficient NMEC strain belonging to phylogroup A and sequence type ST1434. WGS showed that the genome size of this strain is 5.1 Mb, containing 73 strictly defined antimicrobial resistance genes and 202 virulence factors. These may be involved in the compensatory mechanism for capsule deficiency, and further functional verification is required. Phenotypically, it exhibited a robust MDR profile. In the murine model, the strain demonstrated high lethality, and induced severe multi-organ lesions characteristic of both meningitis and systemic sepsis. While intraperitoneal injection bypasses natural colonization routes, the brain-specific bacterial persistence and neuronal pathology imply neurotropic potential. Furthermore, RT-qPCR confirmed a severe neuroinflammatory response, marked by the significant upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the infected brains. This study characterizes a novel, highly virulent, and MDR capsule-deficient NMEC/SEPEC hybrid strain. The findings emphasize the urgent need for continuous genomic surveillance of atypical E. coli pathotypes in livestock. Full article