Baobab Index

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a major cause of economic losses in the global cattle industry. This study investigated the clinical involvement and genetic diversity of BVDV in clinically affected cattle from the Thrace region in Türkiye, a critical border area with the European Union. A total of 533 nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 26 farms exhibiting clinical respiratory disease or diarrhea and analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. Positive samples were further characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to determine viral genotypes and subgenotypes. BVDV RNA was detected in 9 out of 26 farms (34.6%), with an overall positivity rate of 17.8% (95/533). Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between PCR positivity and both sampling year (

The study aimed to determine the bacteriological and molecular profile of Fecal samples were collected from patients suspected of having cholera and admitted to health centers in four departments of the Republic of the Congo and sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for analysis. The samples were cultured, and the isolates obtained were subjected to serotyping and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Whole-genome sequencing was performed using the Illumina DNA Prep kit. Of the 57 samples analyzed, 15 were phenotypically positive for These results reveal the emergence of a virulent and multiresistant strain of

Invasive pulmonary fungal diseases (IPFD) continue to posing an increasing clinical and public health burden on immunocompromised populations. In many Asian settings, the diagnosis of IPFD faces substantial challenges driven by the high prevalence of comorbidities, including poorly controlled diabetes, tuberculosis (TB), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, considerable heterogeneity in local pathogens, and disparities in access to diagnostic resources. To address these unmet needs, experts from 18 countries collaboratively developed this consensus, which provides a diagnostic algorithm tailored to high-burden Asian settings based on existing international and regional guidelines. When clinical manifestations are atypical or diagnostic clues are limited, the algorithm prioritizes evaluation for common and regionally prevalent IPFD, followed by stepwise expansion to other potential fungal pathogens. In addition, this consensus outlines the regional accessibility of different diagnostic modalities across Asia. This consensus focuses exclusively on optimization of the diagnostic algorithm and does not provide specific recommendations regarding antifungal therapy. Notably, improved diagnosis of IPFD through this algorithm may contribute to better patient outcomes and strengthened public health strategies in high-burden regions.

Dog rabies remains a neglected tropical disease in many resource-limited endemic regions, including Unguja Island, Zanzibar. Classically, in such resource-limited settings, an underestimation of the impact of rabies, which directly correlates with insufficient diagnostic capabilities and surveillance efforts, leads to poor investment in effective rabies control. This study combined molecular epidemiology with retrospective analyses of surveillance data from 2016 to 2024 to better understand the transmission dynamics and assess the effectiveness and reliability of the rabies surveillance system on Unguja Island. Towards this goal, rabies RNA was extracted from used lateral flow devices for further molecular phylogenetic analyses of the partial nucleoprotein gene. From this analysis, we were able to conclude that the rabies lyssaviruses presently circulating on Unguja Island represent a distinct endemic cycle in comparison to rabies viruses from elsewhere in Tanzania. In addition, space-time analysis and the evaluation of testing rates identified high-risk rabies areas with particularly inadequate surveillance. These findings allow better understandings of the disease's impact, which will support improved surveillance and the implementation of targeted control strategies, and will pave the way for, hopefully, the elimination of dog rabies in the longer run.

Approximately 96% of rifampicin resistance/multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) cases in Rwanda result from direct transmission rather than acquired resistance. However, the nationwide spatial distribution and transmission dynamics of RR/MDR-TB remain poorly characterised. This study aims to analyse spatial patterns of RR/MDR-TB in Rwanda and explore relationships between spatial proximity and RR/MDR-TB strains' genetic relatedness. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 249 confirmed RR-TB cases across Rwanda from 2017 to 2024, using the known geolocations of patients' residences. Spatial and space-time clustering was assessed using Kulldorff's scan statistics. Demographic and socioeconomic determinants were evaluated using multivariable regression. For 201 cases with whole-genome sequencing data, we performed transmission analysis using a 5-SNP threshold to define recent transmission clusters and investigated spatial relationships within genetically related strains. Significant spatial clustering of RR/MDR-TB was identified in 21 sectors, mainly in Nyarugenge, southern Gasabo and western Kicukiro (relative risk: 10.06; p<0.001). Our multivariable analysis showed that population density is positively associated with case notification rates. Molecular analysis revealed 88.5% of cases belonged to genotype clusters defined using a 12-SNP threshold, with 73.6% forming clusters at a strict 5-SNP threshold. Spatial K-function analysis of the six major clusters revealed heterogeneous transmission patterns, characterised by both tightly clustered outbreaks and regional transmission networks that spanned administrative boundaries. Most clusters (5/6) extended beyond Kigali, indicating that transmission networks operate across administrative divides. RR/MDR-TB in Rwanda shows significant spatial clustering with transmission occurring through both localised and regional networks. Integrating genomic and spatial data reveals transmission patterns that extend beyond household contacts and administrative boundaries. These findings underscore the need to implement geographically targeted interventions that address community-level transmission to control RR/MDR-TB in Rwanda effectively.

We developed rMAP-Candida, a modular, Dockerized WDL/Cromwell workflow for paired-end rMAP-Candida generated reproducible species assignments, assembly-contiguity metrics, optional completeness summaries, antifungal-resistance marker outputs, species-aware phylogenomic summaries, pairwise SNP-distance tables, closest-neighbor summaries, and integrated HTML reports. In the Ugandan validation dataset, the workflow identified six principal species groups, dominated by rMAP-Candida provides a portable, reproducible, modular, and surveillance-oriented WDL/Cromwell workflow for

The giant forest hog (GFH;

We report the draft-genome sequence of