Table of Contents and Abstracts

Winter mortality of honey bee colonies represents a major source of economic loss for the beekeeping industry. The objectives of this prospective study were to estimate the incidence risk of winter colony mortality in southwestern Quebec, Canada and to evaluate and quantify the impact of the associated risk factors. A total of 242 colonies from 31 apiaries was selected for sampling in August 2017. The presence of Varroa destructor, Vairimorpha (Nosema) spp., Melissococcus plutonius, deformed wing virus (DWV), and viruses of the acute-Kashmir-Israeli complex (AKI complex) was investigated in each colony. Management practices of the various colonies were obtained from a questionnaire. The incidence risk of colony mortality during the winter of 2017–2018 was estimated to be 26.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 15.4 to 40.3]. In logistic regression modeling of winter mortality in colonies, an interaction was discovered between V. destructor and DWV; the detection of ≥ 1 V. destructor mites per 100 bees was associated with higher odds of mortality (3.46, 95% CI: 1.35 to 8.90) compared to colonies with < 1 mite per 100 bees, but only in DWV-positive colonies. There were more colony losses in apiaries from beekeepers owning 1 to 5 colonies than in apiaries from beekeepers owning over 100 colonies, which suggests that beekeeper experience and/or type of management are important contributors to winter colony mortality. Assuming a causal relationship, the results of this study suggest that up to 9% of all colony mortalities in the population could have been prevented by reducing the level of V. destructor to < 1 mite per 100 bees in all colonies.

The aim of this study was to investigate and characterize the microbiome in bile samples obtained from dogs with gallbladder mucocele (6), cats with suspected cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis (4), as well as from healthy dogs (6) and cats (4). Our goal was to compare the microbiome patterns with clinical findings and bacterial culture results in diseases of the gallbladder and to identify a potential microbial biomarker of diseased groups. The microbial taxa composition revealed that Proteobacteria were the most dominant phylum in healthy and diseased individuals in all groups. Individuals from six families including Burkholderiaceae, Phyllobacteriaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, Moraxellaceae, and Caulobacteraceae, constituted the core microbiome in the gallbladder of healthy dogs. A combination of LEfSe analysis and Taxa2ASV decomposer revealed that Pseudomonaceae and Ruminococcaceae exclusively occurred in the mucocele group. In conclusion, this study determined the core microbiome in the gallbladder of healthy dogs and the possible biomarkers (Pseudomonaceae and Ruminococcaceae) of gallbladder mucocele in dogs.

There is a knowledge gap regarding the effect of extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT) on the stress response and immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of equine umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells (CB-MSCs). The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of cellular oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and production of growth factors in CB-MSCs after treatment with ESWT. We hypothesized that CB-MSCs treated with ESWT will experience higher levels of cellular stress and increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors compared to untreated CB-MSCs.

Cases of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) in Canada are upon us again and with reports of infection in US dairy cattle and a dairy farmer in the United States, concern has been raised. Although panic isn’t helpful, this heightened level of concern is appropriate, given that reports of human infections with the H5N1 virus often indicate high mortality rates. These can range from 14 to 50%. The current devastating impact of the virus on the poultry industry, as well as its propensity to mutate are also reasons for concern. At the same time, HPAI provides an opportunity for the poultry and livestock industries to align and organize coherently for the management of all zoonotic diseases and other industry issues. To manage HPAI more effectively, it is essential to align all stakeholders under Outbreak Response Best Practices using a formal Quality Management System (QMS). The objective of this article is to describe this approach with examples drawn from management of the Walkerton waterborne disease crisis. We urge the veterinary profession to rise to the challenge of HPAI and use it as a context in which to align more coherently with national stakeholders for the prevention and management of all priority issues within the areas of Agri-food and Public Health.