Prevalence and seasonal incidence of larval and adult cestode infections of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia

A study on the prevalence and seasonal incidence of cestode parasite infections of sheep and goats was carried out in eastern Ethiopia for 2 years (May 2003-April 2005). During this period, viscera including liver, lungs, heart, kidneys and the gastro-intestinal tract were collected from 655 sheep and 632 goats slaughtered at four abattoirs located in the towns of Haramaya, Harar, Dire Dawa and Jijiga. At the abattoirs the abdominal, thoracic and pelvic cavities as well as the muscle surfaces of all animals were visually examined for the presence of larval (cystic) stages of cestode parasites. The viscera were transported within 24 h to the parasitology laboratory of Haramaya University and were examined for larval and adult cestodes following standard procedures. The most prevalent metacestodes (larval cestodes) were Cysticercus ovis (Taenia ovis), Cysticercus tenuicollis (T. hydatigena) and hydatid cysts (Echinococcus granulosus). In sheep, the overall prevalence was 26% for C. ovis, 79% for C. tenuicollis, and 68% for hydatid cysts. Similarly, for goats, the corresponding prevalence was 22%, 53% and 65%, respectively. The difference between sheep and goats in prevalence of C. tenuicollis was significant. The high prevalence of hydatid cysts in both sheep and goats indicates that cystic echinococcosis/hydatidosis is a public health problem in these regions which requires implementation of control measures, including public health education, strict meat inspection and control of stray dogs. The results of the survey also implies that infections of small ruminants with these metacestodes are responsible for condemnation of substantial quantities of affected organs and muscles and therefore of direct economic importance. Intestinal infections with adult tapeworms of Moniezia expansa, Avitellina centripunctata and Stilesia globipunctata, and bile duct infections with Stilesia hepatica were also common in both sheep and goats. In sheep, the overall prevalence of these tapeworms were 61%, 20%, 24% and 39%, respectively. Similarly, the overall prevalence of these parasites in goats was 53%, 21%, 27% and 36%, respectively.     

成都麻羊乳上皮黏蛋白MUC1的遗传多态性研究

采用SDS-PAGE研究成都麻羊乳上皮黏蛋白MUC1的遗传多态性,并以金堂黑山羊、乐至黑山羊、自贡黑山羊、藏山羊作对照进行比较分析。结果表明:成都麻羊与对照山羊乳MUC1的多态性丰富,成都麻羊有7种基因型、5个等位基因优势基因为C、D、E,金堂黑山羊7种基因型、6个等位基因优势基因为B、C、D,乐至黑山羊6种基因型、6个等位基因优势基因为B、C、D,自贡黑山羊5种基因型、5个等位基因优势基因为A、C、D,藏山羊3种基因型、3个等位基因优势基因为C、D。乳MUC1的基因型、等位基因的分布品种间有差异;根据乳MUC1等位基因频率对供试山羊品种进行聚类分析,成都麻羊与金堂黑山羊的遗传距离最小(D=0.2507)先聚为一类,再依次与乐至黑山羊(D=0.2831)、自贡黑山羊(D=0.3721)、藏山羊(D=0.4752)聚为一大类,结果较好的反映了成都麻羊与对照山羊品种间的亲缘关系。     

一例山羊胰阔盘吸虫病的诊治

胰阔盘吸虫病主要由胰阔盘吸虫寄生于牛、羊等反刍动物的胰脏及胰管内,引起机体的胰腺坏死或胰管阻塞的一类疾病。动物感染此病后,主要表现出消瘦、贫血、水肿及消化功能障碍等一系列临床症状。在本次诊治过程中,通过临床症状与病理剖解相结合的方式确定该病病原为胰阔盘吸虫。我们采用吡喹酮+氯氰碘柳胺+安乃近+林可霉素等四种药物对羊群进行驱虫,该养殖场的病情得到基本控制。     

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia – a comprehensive review

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) is a serious disease of goats, occasionally sheep and wild ruminants, caused by Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capripneumoniae (Mccp). The disease is characterized by severe serofibrinous pleuropneumonia, very high morbidity (～100%), and mortality (80–100%). CCPP affects goats in more than 40 countries of the world thereby posing a serious threat to goat farming around the globe. The characteristic clinical signs of CCPP are severe respiratory distress associated with sero-mucoid nasal discharge, coughing, dyspnea, pyrexia, pleurodynia, and general malaise. In later stages, severe lobar fibrinous pleuropneumonia, profuse fluid accumulation in pleural cavity, severe congestion of lungs and adhesion formation is observed. Mycoplasmal antigen interactions with host immune system and its role in CCPP pathogenesis are not clearly understood. CCPP is not a zoonotic disease. Diagnosis has overcome cumbersome and lengthy conventional tests involving culture, isolation, and identification by advanced serological (LAT, cELISA) or gene-based amplification of DNA (PCR, RFLP, and hybridization) and sequencing. The latex agglutination test (LAT) is rapid, simple, and better test for field and real-time diagnosis applicable to whole blood or serum and is more sensitive than the CFT and easier than the cELISA. Moreover, the studies on antibiotic sensitivity and exploration of novel antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, macrolides) can help in better therapeutic management besides preventing menace of antibiotic resistance. Re-visiting conventional prophylactic measures focussing on developing novel strain-based or recombinant vaccines using specific antigens (capsular or cellular) should be the most important strategy for controlling the disease worldwide.     

FZD5在山羊妊娠早期的表达及激素调控

实验旨在研究雌性山羊早期妊娠和发情周期中 Frizzled-5(FZD5)蛋白在子宫中的表达,以及类固醇激素对 FZD5 的表达调控。选取发情周期、早期妊娠及雌激素(50 μg/mL)与孕酮(50 ng/mL)处理山羊的子宫组织,采用免疫组织化学染色、荧光定量 PCR和 Western blot检测 FZD5在山羊子宫中的表达规律。结果表明:FZD5 蛋白在山羊妊娠早期的子宫腔上皮和腺上皮中表达;FZD5 mRNA 和蛋白在胚胎与子宫的黏附前(D6)和黏附中(D16)表达较高,在黏附后(D19)和胎盘形成早期(D25)呈下降趋势;孕酮处理导致FZD5表达降低,表明山羊子宫中孕酮下调 FZD5的表达。研究提示FZD5可能在山羊胚胎着床过程中发挥作用。     

川中黑山羊改良建昌黑山羊的效果观察

本试验以会东县川中黑山羊(金堂型)与建昌黑山羊的杂交群体为研究对象,测定其生长发育、繁殖性能相关数据,并以建昌黑山羊为对照组进行比较分析。结果显示:与建昌黑山羊群体相比,杂交后代母羊的繁殖性能有所提高,产羔率达到160.71%,羔羊成活率达到93.8%;成年公、母羊的体高分别提高了24.34%、11.11%,体长分别提高了18.47%、15.13%,体重分别提高了74.1%和42.64%。表明用川中黑山羊改良建昌黑山羊是适合会东地区的一个肉羊杂交模式。     

In vitro antimycoplasmal activity of six Jordanian medicinal plants against three Mycoplasma species

The in vitro effect of six Jordanian traditional medicine plant methanolic extracts were tested against 32 isolates of Mycoplasma species; Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides LC (6), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum (8) and M. putrefaciens (18), all isolated from either nasal swabs or milk, from sheep and goats in different regions in Jordan. All Mycoplasma species showed susceptibility to Artemisia herba-alba and Artemisia arborescens with MIC ranges from 3.125–12.5 mg/ml. Allium sativum and Punica grantum showed limited activity against some Mycoplasma isolates. Olea europea and Citrullus colocynthis showed no in vitro activity against any of the Mycoplasma species tested. Artemisia herba-alba and Artemisia arborescens may therefore be useful for the treatment of mycoplasma infections. The authors are British Civil Servants and as such their work is subject to British Crown Copyright. This means the exclusive copyright for the article cannot be transferred.     

CpG-ODN enhances mammary gland defense during mastitis induced by Escherichia coli infection in goats

Seven healthy native goats in early lactation, weighing 30–40 kg, were used in this study. The right mammary gland of the seven does were infused with CpG-ODN at a dosage of 100 μg kg⁻¹ body weight on the day 5 postpartum (PP). The left glands were used as controls and infused with sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). On day 8 PP, the same dosage of CpG-ODN or PBS was again infused. On day 9 PP, the mammary glands (both right and left) of the seven does were infused with 6 × 10⁶ colony-forming units (CFU) Escherichia coli and, at 0, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h postinfection (PI), milk samples were collected from all glands. Goats were euthanized at 72 h PI and the mammary tissue harvested. Infusion with 6 × 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ E. coli induced acute mastitis. Histopathological evaluations showed that polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were still present in alveoli at 72 h PI, but PMNs in the CpG-ODN-treated glands has disappeared. Bacteria counts in milk peaked at 16 h PI and CpG-ODN induced a significant decrease in viable bacteria from 16 h PI until the end of the experiment. This study showed that CpG-ODN promoted the expression of its specific receptor (TLR-9 mRNA) in mammary tissue, stimulated IL-6 production, reduced bacteria counts in milk, attenuated the impact of inflammation mediators on cells and significantly shortened the inflammation course. These results suggest that the CpG-ODN improved mammary gland defense and, thereby, had a beneficial effects against mastitis caused by E. coli infection in goats.     

内毒素诱导的山羊红细胞膜和肝线粒体膜Ca2+-ATP酶活性的改变及654-2的保护作用

 通过静脉注射的方法研究了大肠杆菌内毒素(ET)对山羊红细胞膜和肝粒体膜损伤的膜Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性的变化及654-2(山莨菪碱)的保护效应。结果表明,ET处理组(ⅱ组)在1h,3h红细胞膜Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性高于对照组(iv组)(p<0.05),5h有下降趋势且持续到9h.12h开始回升并低于iv组(p<0.01,p<0.05).654-2处理组(ⅲ组),Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性除在9h、12h与iv组,在3h与ⅱ组差异不显着(p>0.05)外,均高于iv组和ⅱ组(p<0.01,p<0.05).在肝线粒体中,ⅱ组Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性在5h、12h均低于iv组和ⅱ组(p<0.05,p<0.01),ⅲ组Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性均高于iv组,但12h与iv组差异不显着(p>0.05).结果提示,ET具有诱导膜Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性先激活后顿抑的效应,而654-2有明显保护膜Ca²⁺-ATP酶活性的作用。     

山羊A-B导联心电图初探

探索了山羊心电图新的导联方法,结果表明Ａ－Ｂ导联的Ｐ波、ＱＲＳ波群及Ｔ波均比较稳定,波形振幅大,便于分析,为描记山羊心电图的最理想导联。