Survey of brucellosis in goats and sheep in the yemen arab republic: Comparison of tests forBrucella melitensis infection in sheep

Summary Sera from 538 Yemeni goats and 690 Yemeni sheep were screened for brucellosis by the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and reactors confirmed by the complement fixation test (CFT) and the serum agglutination test (SAT). The prevalence among goats was 0·4% and among sheep 0·6%. The prevalence among 183 imported goats and sheep was 4·4%. The sensitivity and specificity of three seřological tests available for the diagnosis of brucellosis—CFT, RBPT and SAT—were compared using ovine sera obtained throughout an outbreak of abortion due toBrucella melitensis. The RBPT and the SAT were relatively insensitive compared with the CFT (71 and 44% respectively) and the RBPT was as specific as the SAT when suspicious sera were included. The results suggests that the SAT adds little information when used with other tests and the RBPT has limited applications as a screening test for ovine brucellosis.

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Resumen Se examinaron 538 sueros de cabras Yemeni y 690 de ovejas Yemeni, para detectar brucelosis, mediante la prueba Rose de Bengala (RB) confirmando los reactores con la prueba de fijación del complemento (FC) y de seroaglutinación (SA). La prevalencia en cabras fue de 0.4% y en ovejas de 0.6%. La prevalencia dentro de 183 cabras y ovejas importadas fue de 4.4%. La sensibilidad y especificidad de las tres pruebas serológicas utilizadas, se comparó usando suero ovino obtenido en un brote confirmado de brucelosis porBrucella melitensis. Las pruebas de (RB) y (SA) fueron relativamente insensibles comparadas con la de (FC) (71% y 44% respectivamente), y la de (RB) fue tan específica como la de (SA). Los resultados sugieren que, la prueba de (SA) a?ade poca información cuando se utiliza con otras pruebas, y que la de (RB) tiene aplicación limitada para un diagnóstico de población para brucelosis ovina.

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Résumé Des sérums provenant de 538 chèvres et 690 moutons du Yemen on été analysés pour le dépistage de la brucellose par le test des lames au Rose Bengale (TLRB) et les réactions positives ont été confirmées par le test de la fixation du complément (FC) et le test d'agglutination du sérum (TAS). Le taux de fréquence chez les chèvres était de 0,4 p. 100 et chez les moutons de 0,6 p. 100 Le taux de chez 183 ovins et caprins importés étai de 4,4 p. 100 La sensibilité et la spécificité des trois tests sérologiques utilisés dans le diagnostic de la brucellose—TLRB, FC et TAS—ont été comparés sur des sérums ovins obtenus tout au long d'une épidémie d'avortements dus àBrucella melitensis. Le test au Rose Bengale et le test d'agglutination du sérum se sont montrés relativement peu sensibles comparés à la fixation du complément (7 et 44 p. 100 respectivement) et la spécificité du test au Rose Bengale était égale à celle du test de l'agglutination du sérum lorsque des sérums douteux étaient inclus. D'après les résultats, le TAS, utilisé conjointement avec les autres tests apporte peu d'informations supplémentaires et le TLRB a des applications limitées en tant que test de dépistage de la brucellose ovine.

     

Infectious cDNA clones of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and their potential as vaccine vectors

Full-length infectious cDNA clones have recently become available for both European and North American genotypes of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and it is now possible to alter the PRRSV genome and create genetically defined mutant viruses. Among many possible applications of the PRRSV infectious cDNA clones, development of genetically modified vaccines is of particular interest. Using infectious clones, the PRRSV genome has been manipulated by changing individual amino acids, deleting coding regions, inserting foreign sequences, and generating arterivirus chimeras. The limited available data suggest that all structural proteins of PRRSV are essential for replication of the virus, and that PRRSV infectivity is relatively intolerant of subtle changes within the structural proteins. The major tasks in PRRSV research are to identify virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms, and to understand the structure-function relationships of individual viral proteins. Utilizing these infectious clones as tools, a new generation of safe and efficacious PRRS vaccines may be constructed.     

Viral and bacterial diseases in livestock in Mongolia

This review focuses on the status of infectious diseases that are serious for animal health and have adverse economic effects in Mongolia. Data presented here are limited due to the lack of published or other easily available documents. Foot-and-mouth disease continues to cause substantial economic losses as exemplified by the outbreak of infection with serotype O PanAsia lineage virus. In the case of the 2001 outbreak, a 65% reduction in export revenues was recorded. In order to ascertain the free status of Mongolia from rinderpest, sero-epidemiological surveillance has been carried out since 2001. In 2004, Mongolia was certified free from rinderpest by Office International des Epizooties (OIE). A sharp rise in both animal and human brucellosis incidence has become a serious problem. Rabies and anthrax remain endemic with occasional human cases. Other prevailing infectious diseases are contagious pustular dermatitis, contagious agalactia, enterotoxemia and pasteurellosis. The current programs for the control of infectious diseases in livestock in Mongolia lack a definite policy that would enable rapid implementation. A large-scale surveillance of infectious diseases in animals and management of appropriate preventive measures are urgently required in Mongolia.     

Aedes vexans and Culex pipiens as the potential vectors of Dirofilaria immitis in Central Turkey

This study was carried out to investigate the potential vectors and relative mosquito infection rates of Dirofilaria immitis throughout two mosquito seasons (2008-2009) in Kayseri province where is located in Central Anatolian part of Turkey. For this aim, totally 1198 genomic DNA pools, extracted and grouped according to the species and collection site (1-17 specimens/pool) from 6153 mosquito specimens, were examined by PCR using species-specific primers for D. immitis. The captured mosquitoes from 46 focuses were survived under in vitro conditions for 7 days to allow the development of larval stages of D. immitis. DNA extraction was performed individually to both thorax-head and abdomens in order to determine infective and infected mosquito specimens, respectively. The most abundant mosquito species in the study area was determined as Ae. vexans (51.7%) and this was followed by Cx. pipiens (42.1%), Cx. theileri (3.1%), Cs. annulata (1.5%), An. maculipennis (1.0%) and Cx. hortensis (0.6%). The PCR results indicated that 9/312 and 12/312 pools from Ae. vexans abdomens and thorax-heads were positive for filarial DNAs, respectively where as 3/241 pools of each abdomens and thorax-heads from Cx. pipiens were positive for D. immitis DNAs. The minimum infection rates (MIRs) for Ae. vexans and Cx. pipiens were calculated as 0.41 and 0.12, respectively. Although D. immitis DNA's were found in both pools from Ae. vexans and Cx. pipiens, the calculated MIRs provide evidence that Ae. vexans could be the main potential vector of D. immitis in Kayseri.     

Tick saliva induces regulatory dendritic cells: MAP-kinases and Toll-like receptor-2 expression as potential targets

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are bloodsucking ectoparasitic arthropods of human and veterinary medical importance. Tick saliva has been shown to contain a wide range of bioactive molecules with vasodilatory, antihemostatic, and immunomodulatory activities. We have previously demonstrated that saliva from Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks inhibits the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) stimulated with LPS. Here we examined the mechanism of this immune subversion, evaluating the effect of tick saliva on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 signalling pathway in bone marrow-derived DCs. We demonstrated that R. sanguineus tick saliva impairs maturation of DCs stimulated with LPS, a TLR-4 ligand, leading to increased production of interleukin (IL)-10 and reduced synthesis of IL-12p70 and TNF-α. The immunomodulatory effect of the tick saliva on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by DCs stimulated with LPS was associated with the observation that tick saliva inhibits the activation of the ERK 1/2 and p38 MAP kinases. These effects were independent of the expression of TLR-4 on the surface of DCs. Additionally, saliva-treated DCs also presented a similar pattern of cytokine modulation in response to other TLR ligands. Since the recent literature reports that several parasites evade immune responses through TLR-2-mediated production of IL-10, we evaluated the effect of tick saliva on the percentage of TLR-2⁺ DCs stimulated with the TLR-2 ligand lipoteicoic acid (LTA). The data showed that the population of DCs expressing TLR-2 was significantly increased in DCs treated with LTA plus saliva. In addition, tick saliva alone increased the expression of TLR-2 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Our data suggest that tick saliva induces regulatory DCs, which secrete IL-10 and low levels of IL-12 and TNF-α when stimulated by TLR ligands. Such regulatory DCs are associated with expression of TLR-2 and inhibition of ERK and p38, which promotes the production of IL-10 and thus down-modulates the host's immune response, possibly favouring susceptibility to tick infestations.     

四川省家畜包虫病流行病学调查报告

了解当前四川省家畜包虫病流行状况,为国家防治包虫病行动计划和省包虫病综合防控工程规划的启动和实施提供基础数据。通过眼观、触摸、刀切囊肿的方法检查定点屠宰场牛、羊的肝、肺包虫病感染情况,采用细粒棘球绦虫犬粪抗原抗体夹心ELISA检查犬感染情况,采用问卷、实地走访、座谈等方式进行基线调查。若尔盖、理塘和色达3个县的牛包虫病平均感染率、羊包虫病平均感染率、犬感染细粒棘球绦虫平均感染率分别为21.27%(67/315)、29.52%(62/210)、14.57%(44/302);随机调查12个村,464个人中有12人曾患包虫病(2.59%)。"包虫病传播途径、动物能否传播给人、家犬如何驱虫、病畜内脏如何处理"4项包虫病常识的单项认知率分别为33.33%、44.17%、34.17%、38.33%。包虫病在我省部分疫区流行广泛,危害严重,犬细粒棘球绦虫的感染率和牛、羊的包虫病感染率之间存在一定的相关性。通过采取加大财政专项投入,加强传染源的控制,加强家畜防治和屠宰监督管理,加大宣传教育力度等综合防控措施才能有效地防控包虫病。     

Investigations into the epidemiology of bovine petechial fever in Kenya and the potential of trombiculid mites as vectors

Summary The epidemiology of bovine petechial fever is investigated with particular reference to the localised distribution of outbreaks and to the hypothesis, by analogy with scrub typhus, that trombiculid mites are the vector and rodents are the reservoir. It is concluded that the distribution of the disease is not strictly limited to any one particular type of habitat and that trombiculids and rodents are no more likely to be vectors and reservoirs than the previously suspected wild ruminants and ticks.

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Résumé L'épidémiologie de cette affection a été étudiée avec une particulière attention quant à la localisation de ses apparitions et dans l'hypothèse, que par analogie avec le typhus des broussailles, les acariens trombiculidés pouvaient en être les vecteurs et des rongeurs, le réservoir. Il en a été conclu que la répartition de la maladie n'est strictement limitée a aucun type d'habitat particulier et que tant trombiculidés et rongeurs n'étaient vraisemblablement pas plus spécialement vecteurs et réservoirs de la maladie que ne le sont les ruminants sauvages et les tiques déjà suspectés à ce titre.

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Sumario Se investiga la epidemiología de la fiebre petequial bovina con referencia especial a la distribución localizada de brotes y la hipótesis, por analogía con el tifo de los matorrales, de que àcaros trombiculides son los vectores y los roedores el reservorio. Se concluye, que la distribución de la enfermedad no está estrictamente limitada a un tipo particular de ambiente y que los trombiculides y roedores no son más importantes como vectores o reservorios que los sospechados anteriormente, tales como rumiantes salvajes y garrpatas.

     

桑叶作畜禽饲料的应用研究

本文综述了桑叶的资源分布、营养价值、调制工艺,以及作畜禽饲料的应用研究进展,为使用桑叶科学配制畜禽日粮提供依据。     

谈畜禽寄生虫病的科学防控

寄生虫病对畜禽的危害是严重的,该病可导致畜禽急性发病大批死亡,在畜禽体内隐性感染造成畜禽生产缓慢,饲料报酬降低,还可引起畜禽流产、繁殖障碍。新的研究发现,寄生虫严重寄生时,能导致畜禽免疫力下降,造成免疫抑制或免疫失败,因此,防控寄生虫病已成为提高畜牧业经济效益,保障畜牧业健康发展的一个关键环节。另外,感染畜禽的寄生虫中,