Donkeys (Equus asinus) face a global crisis. The health, welfare, and even survival of donkeys are being compromised as the demand for their skins increases. It is driven by the production of ejiao, a traditional Chinese remedy believed by some to have medicinal properties. It is estimated that the ejiao industry currently requires approximately 4.8 million donkey skins per year. Since there is no productive chain for donkey skin production outside of China, the activity is extractive and has resulted in the decimation of donkeys. Gestation is 12 months in donkeys, increasing the risk of extinction if such practices are not controlled. In this scenario, the donkeys are collected (purchased for low prices, stolen, and collected from the side of the roads) and are then often transported for long distances, usually without water, food, or rest. The trade, in Brazil, poses significant biosecurity risks, particularly because examinations are rarely conducted and therefore infectious diseases, such as glanders and infectious anemia, remain undetected. Furthermore, in chronic stress situations, the immune system is suppressed, increasing the biosecurity risk, especially because donkeys are a silent carrier of diseases. Rarely there is traceability with animals from different origins being put together in “fake farms”, before being delivered to slaughterhouses. The opportunistic strategy of collecting animals, or buying for low prices, keeping them without access to food and veterinary assistance, is what makes this trade profitable. Our experience in donkey welfare and the global skin trade suggest that it will be enormously challenging and cost-prohibitive to run a trade at the standards required to be considered humane, sustainable, and safe. Although donkeys are being blamed for the involvement in road accidents, it is not an ethical solution to maintain this trade as an alternative. Moreover, the ecological role of donkeys in native ecosystems has not been elucidated, and some studies indicate they could even have a positive effect. Regardless of the future the donkeys will have; we must guarantee a life with the least dignity to the animals under our responsibility.

Introduction of an animal viral disease, especially a notifiable disease, into an importing country or region free from the disease may lead to serious epidemiological consequences and economic losses. Trade in live animals is historically considered one of the most important risk pathways. To estimate the magnitude of such risk, the likelihood of a virus’ entry into a country and the consequences of this event should be jointly evaluated. Depending on data availability, the urgency of the problem and the detail level of the objectives, a risk assessment may be conducted in a qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative way. The purpose of this review was firstly to provide a brief description of each step of the risk analysis process, with particular emphasis on the risk assessment component, and subsequently to supply examples of different approaches to the assessment of the risk of the introduction of selected animal viral diseases. Based on the reviewed models, the overall likelihood of introduction of particular diseases was generally estimated as low. The output risk value was strongly dependent on the duration of the silent phase of the epidemic in the country of origin. Other parameters with some bearing upon the risk derived from the epidemiological situation in the country of origin and the biosecurity or mitigation measures implemented in the country of destination. The investigated models are universal tools for conducting assessment of the risk of introduction of various animal diseases to any country. Their application may lead to timely implementation of appropriate measures for the prevention of the spread of a disease to another country or region.

Introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) into a country and its further spread may have a devastating impact on the poultry industry and lead to serious economic consequences. Various risk factors may increase the probability of HPAI outbreak occurrence but their relative influence is often difficult to determine. The study evaluates how the densities of selected poultry species and proximity to the areas inhabited by wild birds impacted HPAI outbreak occurrence during the recently reported epidemics in Poland. The analysis was developed using these risk factors in the locations of affected and randomly chosen unaffected commercial farms. Generalised linear and non-linear models, specifically logistic regression, classification tree and random forest, were used to indicate the most relevant risk factors, to quantify their association with HPAI outbreak occurrence, and to develop a map depicting spatial risk distribution. The most important risk factors comprised the densities of turkeys, geese and ducks. The abundance of these species of poultry in an area increased the probability of HPAI occurrence, and their farming intensity in several areas of central, western, eastern and northern Poland put these areas at the highest risk. The results may improve the targeting of active surveillance, strengthen biosecurity in the areas at risk and contribute to early detection of HPAI in outbreak reoccurrences.

Objective: Avian influenza is a zoonotic disease with a pandemic potential that can infect avian and mammalian species, including humans. Studies aimed at investigating avian influenza virus (AIV) status in asymptomatic chickens and their shedding are uncommon in Bangladesh. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the distribution of AIV subtypes in asymptomatic commercial chicken flocks and to identify the possible risk factors associated with this infection in two selected sub-districts of Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A total of 582 oropharyngeal swabs were collected from 23 chicken farms during 2019 and evaluated for the presence of AIV and its subtypes by real-time reverse transcription PCR assays. Risk factors associated with AIV infection were analyzed from questionnaire data. Results: Overall, AIV prevalence was 7.73% (n = 45) with 7.39% and 7.92% in Dhamrai and Gazipur Sadar sub-districts, respectively. In AIV-positive samples, the prevalence of A/H5N1, A/H5N2, A/ H9N1, and A/H9N2 was 31.11%, 28.89%, 6.67%, and 8.89%, respectively. None of the samples were positive for N6 and N8. The odds ratio (OR) of AIV infection was 1.15 in broiler versus layer and 2 in Sonali versus layer chickens. The OR was 1.95 for medium versus small, 2.6 for large versus small flock size, 1.5 for moderate versus good biosecurity, and 2.92 for poor versus good biosecurity practicing farms. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that A/H5N1, A/H5N2, A/H9N1, and A/H9N2 are circu¬lating in asymptomatic chickens of selected areas. Strict farm biosecurity practices and avoiding higher flock density are recommended to prevent AIV spread in the study. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2021; 8(1.000): 51-57]

Newcastle disease (ND) is an economically important, contagious poultry viral disease reported across the globe. No recent reports on ND circulating in Malaysia. Therefore, the aim of the study is to characterize 16 Newcastle disease viruses (NDVs) isolated from chickens in Malaysia in the year of 2019. All isolates were genotypically analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers specific to the viral fusion (F) protein gene. Analysis of the F protein cleavage site’s deduced amino acid sequences revealed that from the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates, three of them were virulent with two different motifs of 112RRQKRF117 and 12RRRKRF117 while other isolates were avirulent. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that three isolates were grouped in genotype VII, five in genotype I while eight in genotype II. All genotype VII isolates were clustered under sub-genotype VII.2 (VIIh and VIIi) which is the same strain causing previous outbreaks in Malaysia. Therefore, findings in this study demonstrated that there is no new introduction of NDV genotypes in Malaysia. However, farms should implement biosecurity measures at strict level as well as executing continuous monitoring and surveillance of the disease as these implementations would help them to conduct proper preventive measures and control of panzootic viruses in future.