Hepatopathy in a 4-Month-Old Holstein Calf After Transfusion With Plasma Containing Bovine Bosavirus.

We report on the identification of bovine bosavirus associated with a post-transfusion hepatopathy in a 4-month-old Holstein bull calf that was referred for enteritis and fever of unknown origin. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of post-transfusion blood and liver tissue from the calf, alongside NGS of plasma from the donor, identified a bovine bosavirus. This virus has been previously identified in bovine calf serum, calves with mucosal disease, and the blood of bison but was of uncertain clinical importance.

Freshwater Mussel Viromes Increase Rapidly in Diversity and Abundance When Hosts Are Released from Captivity into the Wild.

Freshwater mussels (order: Unionida) are highly imperiled globally and are increasingly the focus of captive propagation efforts to protect and restore wild populations. The Upper Tennessee River Basin (UTRB) in Virginia is a freshwater biodiversity hotspot hosting at least 45 of North America's ~300 species of freshwater mussels, including 21 threatened and endangered species listed under the U.S.

Five Species of Wild Freshwater Sport Fish in Wisconsin, USA, Reveal Highly Diverse Viromes.

Studies of marine fish have revealed distant relatives of viruses important to global fish and animal health, but few such studies exist for freshwater fish. To investigate whether freshwater fish also host such viruses, we characterized the viromes of five wild species of freshwater fish in Wisconsin, USA: bluegill (), brown trout (), lake sturgeon (), northern pike (), and walleye (). We analyzed 103 blood serum samples collected during a state-wide survey from 2016 to 2020 and used a metagenomic approach for virus detection to identify known and previously uncharacterized virus sequences.

Mussel mass mortality in the Clinch River, USA: metabolomics detects affected pathways and biomarkers of stress.

Biologists monitoring freshwater mussel (order Unionida) populations rely on behavioral, often subjective, signs to identify moribund ("sick") or stressed mussels, such as gaping valves and slow response to probing, and they lack clinical indicators to support a diagnosis. As part of a multi-year study to investigate causes of reoccurring mortality of pheasantshell ( synonym ) in the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, USA, we analyzed the hemolymph metabolome of a subset of mussels from the 2018 sampling period. Mussels at the mortality sites were diagnosed in the field as affected (case) or unaffected (control) based on behavioral and physical signs.

Viruses of Freshwater Mussels during Mass Mortality Events in Oregon and Washington, USA.

Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are globally imperiled, in part due to largely unexplained mass mortality events (MMEs). While recent studies have begun to investigate the possibility that mussel MMEs in the Eastern USA may be caused by infectious diseases, mussels in the Western USA have received relatively little attention in this regard. We conducted a two-year epidemiologic investigation of the role of viruses in ongoing MMEs of the Western pearlshell () and the Western ridged mussel () in the Chehalis River and Columbia River watersheds in the Western USA.

Freshwater Mussels Show Elevated Viral Richness and Intensity during a Mortality Event.

Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are among the world's most imperiled taxa, but the relationship between freshwater mussel mortality events and infectious disease is largely unstudied. We surveyed viromes of a widespread and abundant species (mucket, ; syn: ) experiencing a mortality event of unknown etiology in the Huron River, Michigan, in 2019-2020 and compared them to viromes from mucket in a healthy population in the St. Croix River, Wisconsin and a population from the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, where a mortality event was affecting the congeneric pheasantshell (; syn: ) population.

Viruses in sanctuary chimpanzees across Africa.

Infectious disease is a major concern for both wild and captive primate populations. Primate sanctuaries in Africa provide critical protection to thousands of wild-born, orphan primates confiscated from the bushmeat and pet trades. However, uncertainty about the infectious agents these individuals potentially harbor has important implications for their individual care and long-term conservation strategies.

Female reproduction and viral infection in a long-lived mammal.

For energetically limited organisms, life-history theory predicts trade-offs between reproductive effort and somatic maintenance. This is especially true of female mammals, for whom reproduction presents multifarious energetic and physiological demands. Here, we examine longitudinal changes in the gut virome (viral community) with respect to reproductive status in wild mature female chimpanzees Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii from two communities, Kanyawara and Ngogo, in Kibale National Park, Uganda.

Viruses of Atlantic Bonefish () in Florida and the Caribbean show geographic patterns consistent with population declines.

Unlabelled: Atlantic Bonefish () are economically important due to their popularity with recreational anglers. In the State of Florida, USA, bonefish population numbers declined by approximately 60% between the 1990s and 2015. Habitat loss, water quality impairment, chemical inputs, and other anthropogenic factors have been implicated as causes, but the role of pathogens has been largely overlooked, especially with respect to viruses.

Bat Flies of the Family (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important "Bat-Associated" Viruses.

Bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: and ) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we found méjal virus (; ), Amate virus (: ), and two unclassified viruses of invertebrates.

A multi-omic investigation of male lower urinary tract symptoms: Potential role for JC virus.

Male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) comprise a common syndrome of aging that negatively impacts quality of life. The etiology of LUTS is multifactorial, involving benign prostatic hyperplasia, smooth muscle and neurologic dysfunction, inflammation, sexually transmitted infections, fibrosis, and potentially dysbiosis, but this aspect remains poorly explored. We investigated whether the presence of infectious agents in urine might be associated with LUTS by combining next-generation DNA sequencing for virus discovery, microbiome analysis for characterization of bacterial communities, and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics.

A Sarcina bacterium linked to lethal disease in sanctuary chimpanzees in Sierra Leone.

Human and animal infections with bacteria of the genus Sarcina (family Clostridiaceae) are associated with gastric dilation and emphysematous gastritis. However, the potential roles of sarcinae as commensals or pathogens remain unclear. Here, we investigate a lethal disease of unknown etiology that affects sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Sierra Leone.

Mass mortality in freshwater mussels (Actinonaias pectorosa) in the Clinch River, USA, linked to a novel densovirus.

Freshwater mussels (order Unionida) are among the world's most biodiverse but imperiled taxa. Recent unionid mass mortality events around the world threaten ecosystem services such as water filtration, nutrient cycling, habitat stabilization, and food web enhancement, but causes have remained elusive. To examine potential infectious causes of these declines, we studied mussels in Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee, USA, where the endemic and once-predominant pheasantshell (Actinonaias pectorosa) has suffered precipitous declines since approximately 2016.

Multidecade Mortality and a Homolog of Hepatitis C Virus in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), the National Bird of the USA.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) once experienced near-extinction but has since rebounded. For decades, bald eagles near the Wisconsin River, USA, have experienced a lethal syndrome with characteristic clinical and pathological features but unknown etiology. Here, we describe a novel hepacivirus-like virus (Flaviviridae: Hepacivirus) identified during an investigation of Wisconsin River eagle syndrome (WRES).

Morphometric and genetic variation in 8 breeds of Ethiopian camels (Camelus dromedarius).

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) are a domesticated and closely guarded economic staple of indigenous people located throughout Ethiopian territorial states. Seventeen morphometric variables were examined to determine intraspecific variation among 8 pastoralist-designated breeds of camels. Additionally, DNA sequences from mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene and genotyping of 6 nuclear microsatellite loci were examined to assess genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of Ethiopian camels.

Pelvic floor exercises for erectile dysfunction.

Objective: To examine the role of pelvic floor exercises as a way of restoring erectile function in men with erectile dysfunction.

Patients And Methods: In all, 55 men aged > 20 years who had experienced erectile dysfunction for > or = 6 months were recruited for a randomized controlled study with a cross-over arm. The men were treated with either pelvic floor muscle exercises (taught by a physiotherapist) with biofeedback and lifestyle changes (intervention group) or they were advised on lifestyle changes only (control group).