Align-ju SCIENCE SHORTS
Amino acid and vitamin content of feline weight-loss diets
USER-ALT Caitlin Grant and others, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Maintaining an adequate intake of essential amino acids and vitamins is an important consideration when feeding obese cats a diet intended to facilitate weight loss. Specially formulated veterinary diets will ensure that cats receive appropriate nutrition when total food intake is reduced. The authors compared the nutrient intake of cats given such a diet with those receiving an over-the-counter low-calorie diet or a commercial maintenance diet. They found that while the veterinary formulated diets provided intakes for most dietary components that met US National Research Council recommendations, this was not so for the commercial weight-loss or maintenance diets tested. Those diets failed to provide recommended quantities of crude protein, tryptophan, phenylalanine plus tyrosine, and choline. The authors recommend that owners give properly formulated veterinary diets to cats undergoing weight-management treatment to avoid nutritional deficiencies.
American Journal of Veterinary Research https:// doi. org / 10.2460 / ajvr. 25.05.0156
Targeted infection control prevents bacterial contamination
USER-ALT Chavin Leelapsawas and others, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Carbapenems are a group of antimicrobials that are usually restricted in use, to ensure their continued efficacy against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. These drugs are not licensed for use in small animal patients but are used off label. Carbapenem-resistant bacteria have emerged that can spread rapidly through the veterinary hospital environment. The authors report a study into the value of a targeted infection control programme in preventing contamination with carbapenemase-producing bacteria in high-risk areas within a large veterinary hospital. Used over a 4-month period, the strategy involved improving environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures, reinforcing hand hygiene practices and encouraging appropriate use of personal protective equipment. This reduced environmental contamination with carbapenemase-producing strains and also reduced levels of intestinal colonisation in hospitalised patients.
Research in Veterinary Science https:// doi. org / 10.1016 / j. rvsc. 2026.106120
Biosecurity measures in preventing human infection with H5N1 influenza
USER-ALT Harry Whitlow and others, University of Bristol, UK
Outbreaks of the highly pathogenic A( H5N1) strain of avian influenza virus led to the culling of 48 million chickens and other domesticated bird species across Europe in 2021 – 22. The risk of human infection is considered low, but public health professionals remain concerned about the dangers of viral evolution or co-infection with human influenza strains. The authors carried out a survey of the attitudes and knowledge of 225 UK residents potentially at risk of exposure to the avian virus and their implementation of biosecurity measures to prevent infection. Their findings suggest that those individuals with work-related contact with large flocks of birds generally comply with essential procedures such as handwashing and footwear dips. But these measures were mainly carried out to prevent transmission between birds, not to protect human health. Further studies will aim to analyse the risk to hobby poultry keepers and others in contact with smaller numbers of birds.
Zoonoses and Public Health https:// doi. org / 10.1111 / zph. 70034
Volume 41( 3) • June 2026
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