Evaluation of Aggregate Oral Fluid Sampling for Early Detection of African Swine Fever Virus Infection.

African swine fever (ASF) needs to be controlled, and prevention of the spread of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is dependent on enhanced surveillance and early disease detection. Commercial swine operations, especially in North America, Europe, and Asia, are characterized by comparatively large numbers of pigs, and sampling individual pigs, which represents the main strategy for current ASF surveillance, can be both costly and labor intensive. A study performed in Ghana was designed to estimate the diagnostic sensitivity of pen-based aggregate oral fluid testing for ASFV in infected pigs in a pen of 30 animals and to evaluate its utility as a tool to support surveillance of ASF in the US.

First Molecular Characterization of Sheep Pox Viruses in Northern Ghana, 2023.

Sheep pox (SP) is a contagious viral disease affecting sheep, characterized by fever, respiratory distress, hypogalactia, and skin lesions. In response to a series of outbreaks of pox-like lesions with morbidity (75%) and mortality (37%) rates among sheep in the Upper East Region of Ghana, nasal samples were obtained from affected sheep for diagnosis and characterization. The DNA extracted from these samples was tested using quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Intersectoral collaboration in zoonotic disease surveillance and response: A One Health study in the Greater Accra metropolitan area of Ghana.

The One Health (OH) approach is essential for preventing and managing zoonotic diseases through the promotion of intersectoral collaboration. Integrated surveillance systems enhance resource efficiency, support targeted interventions, and provide a comprehensive understanding of disease dynamics. However, operationalizing OH in resource-limited contexts encounters various obstacles due to systemic limitations.

Case Report: Molecular characterization of rabies virus transmitted from a dog to a bull in a livestock market in Ghana.

On the 24/09/2023, a video of a suspected rabid bull at a livestock market in Ghana was shared on social media and was seen by a local veterinary officer. This led to an on-site investigation by veterinary authorities on the 25/09/2023 which concluded that the bull had been bitten by a three-month old dog 4 days previously. The puppy, which was killed and buried after the bite, was subsequently exhumed, tested and confirmed positive for rabies.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Newcastle disease in guinea fowls in the Upper East region of Ghana.

Newcastle Disease (ND) is a major constraint to poultry production in sub-Saharan Africa. However, information on Newcastle disease in guinea fowls is scant in Ghana. This study seeks to detect circulating antibodies against ND and the risk factors for occurrence in guinea fowls in the Upper East region of Ghana.

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Dogs and Potential Implications to Human Health in Accra, Ghana.

Dogs provide security and companionship and enhance the psychological well-being of humans but also carry potential zoonotic pathogens posing a public health risk. This study was conducted to detect gastrointestinal parasites in dogs and determine their potential risk to human health. In all, 288 dog fecal samples were collected per rectum from a veterinary and community in Accra, Ghana.

A Blueprint for Care: Adapting and Implementing Standardized Triage in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.

BackgroundIn pediatric hematology and oncology (PHO), standardized care pathways are pivotal for high-quality and efficient patient care. The institutional acute care clinic identified a critical gap in standardized triage processes, which leads to variability in patient assessment and care. Recognizing the necessity for a streamlined approach, a structured, evidence-based triage pathway was developed to improve consistency and quality of care.

Western performance horses with fetlock lameness demonstrate radiographic evidence of chronic exercise remodelling.

Background: Pathological changes of the fetlock joint are well documented in Thoroughbreds, but little information is available describing the common radiographic findings in western performance horses with fetlock lameness.

Objectives: To describe radiographic findings in western performance horses with fetlock lameness. It was hypothesised that the degree of lameness would correlate with the severity of radiographic findings.

Meeting report: CEPI workshop on Rift Valley fever epidemiology and modeling to inform human vaccine development, Nairobi, 4-5 June 2024.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral disease that causes epidemics and epizootics among humans and livestock, resulting in substantial health and socioeconomic consequences. Currently, there are no RVF vaccines licensed for humans, but several candidates show promise in early-stage development. Existing gaps in RVF epidemiological data and challenges associated with predicting RVF outbreak risk complicate the planning of efficacy studies, making the pathway to licensure for promising candidates unclear.

Severity, distribution and postoperative therapy are not predictors of return to work in western performance horses with stifle chondromalacia.

Objective: (1) To evaluate the ability of western performance horses diagnosed with chondromalacia to return to performance; Specifically, the relationship between the grade of chondromalacia and the horses' ability to resume work; (2) To determine the impact of postoperative therapy on clinical outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: Horses (n = 34).

Serological Evidence of Potential Marburg Virus Circulation in Livestock and Dogs in Ghana.

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a zoonotic hemorrhagic disease with an estimated case fatality rate of up to 88%. Ghana recorded its first human MVD outbreak in June 2022 and although the outbreak was quickly brought under control, the transmission dynamics of the disease remained unclear. We assessed the presence of Marburg virus (MARV) antibodies in livestock and dogs and identified associated risk factors that increased the risk of these animals being exposed to MARV in five regions of Ghana.

Seroprevalence of Q fever ( in sheep in the Kwahu West municipality, Eastern Region, Ghana.

Query fever, also known as Q fever, is a zoonotic disease caused by . It is a cause of abortion in livestock and presents as a febrile illness in humans. A correlation between the incidence of the disease in humans and abortion in goats and sheep farms has been reported in countries such as the Netherlands and Australia.

Blood flow restriction training does not negatively alter the mechanical strength or histomorphology of uninjured equine superficial digital flexor tendons.

Background: Low load exercise training with blood flow restriction (BFR) has become increasingly used by human physical therapists to prescribe controlled exercise following orthopaedic injury; its effects on the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), however, are unknown.

Objective: To investigate outcomes of pressure specific BFR walking exercise on uninjured equine SDFT biomechanics and histomorphology.

Study Design: Controlled in vivo experiment.

Substantial variability exists in the interpretation of survey radiographs among equine veterinarians.

Background: Radiographs are a common diagnostic tool utilised during pre-purchase examinations, yet differences surround their interpretation among equine veterinarians.

Objectives: (1) To determine veterinarians' subjective impressions of a spectrum of radiographic abnormalities regarding suitability for purchase; (2) To determine how veterinarians' years in practice, primary discipline or board certification status influence their subjective impression of radiographic abnormalities, and (3) To determine how horses' discipline, current level of work (working at intended level vs. future prospect) and buyer intent (sell vs.

CritCom: assessment of quality of interdisciplinary communication around deterioration in pediatric oncologic patients.

Background: High-quality clinical care requires excellent interdisciplinary communication, especially during emergencies, and no tools exist to evaluate communication in critical care. We describe the development of a pragmatic tool focusing on interdisciplinary communication during patient deterioration (CritCom).

Methods: The preliminary CritCom tool was developed after a literature review and consultation with a multidisciplinary panel of global experts in communication, pediatric oncology, and critical care to review the domains and establish content validity iteratively.

Evidence of Rift Valley Fever Virus Circulation in Livestock and Herders in Southern Ghana.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a re-emerging zoonotic disease of domestic ruminants and humans. While neighbouring countries have reported outbreaks of RVF, Ghana has not yet identified any cases. The aim of this study was to determine whether RVF virus (RVFV) was circulating in livestock and herders in the southern part of Ghana, to estimate its seroprevalence, and to identify associated risk factors.

A new measure for multi-professional medical team communication: design and methodology for multilingual measurement development.

Background: As implementation science in global health continues to evolve, there is a need for valid and reliable measures that consider diverse linguistic and cultural contexts. A standardized, reproducible process for multilingual measure development may improve accessibility and validity by participants in global health settings. To address this need, we propose a rigorous methodology for multilingual measurement development.

The Spread of Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus Lineage IV in West Africa.

Monitoring the transboundary spread of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus is an essential part of the global efforts towards the eradication of PPR by 2030. There is growing evidence that Lineage IV is becoming the predominant viral lineage, replacing Lineage I and II in West Africa. As part of a regional investigation, samples collected in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Ghana were screened for the presence of PPRV.

Fast, non-eccentrically loaded exercise worsens tendinopathic healing responses in a murine model.

Objective: To advance the understanding of how alterations in exercise speed and grade (flat vs 17° incline or decline) affect the quality of tendon healing, and to determine if a biomarker relationship exists between serum levels of a ColX breakdown product (CXM) and animals exposed to treadmill running protocols.

Animals: 35 male mice (C57BL/6J), 8 weeks of age.

Procedures: Mice were preconditioned on a treadmill for 14 days.

Multicenter Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance among Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Bloodstream Infections in Ghana.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Gram-negative bacteria-causing bloodstream infections (BSIs), such as and non-typhoidal (NTS), is a major public health concern. Nonetheless, AMR surveillance remains scarce in sub-Saharan Africa, where BSI treatment is largely empirical. The aim of the study was to determine the distribution and AMR patterns of BSI-causing NTS, , and other Gram-negative bacteria in Ghana.

Equine blood flow restriction training: Safety validation.

Background: Blood flow restriction (BFR) has become a key rehabilitative tool for human orthopaedic conditions. With modernised technology and evolution of clinical application, patient-specific delivery of occlusion percentages is now considered the standard of care in human patients due to improved therapeutic outcomes and minimised safety risks. Safety validation and limb occlusion pressure (LOP) data for horses, however, are lacking.

Equine shock wave therapy - where are we now?

Over the past three decades, electrohydraulic extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) as a treatment modality for equine orthopaedic disorders has sparked exponential interest among practitioners, but its clinical applications are quickly evolving and a current review highlighting modernised equine clinical use is lacking. The objective of this review is to summarise the most current ESWT technology, evidence for its use, proposed mechanisms of action and clinical applications in horses while also highlighting the areas requiring further investigation. The three ways to generate a shock wave are through electrohydraulic, electromagnetic or piezoelectric mechanisms, but over the last decade, electrohydraulic systems have predominated due to the ability to focus and control a therapeutic waveform.