MYCOTOX and aflatoxicosis in quails

1. This study was to evaluate the toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) on growth performance of quail, and to determine the preventive efficacy of MYCOTOX (oxicinol, tymol, micronised yeast). 2. One hundred and eighty 1-d-old quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of both sexes were weighed and randomly divided into 4 experimental groups each with 5 replicates of 9 birds. 3. There were 4 dietary treatments: (1) control with 0 mg AF/kg diet and 0% MYCOTOX; (2) 0 mg AF/kg diet and 0.5% MYCOTOX; (3) 2.5 mg AF/kg diet and 0% MYCOTOX; (4) 2.5 mg AF/kg diet plus 0.5% MYCOTOX. The chicks were maintained on these treatments to 3 weeks of age. Quail consumed the diets and water ad libitum. 4. Body weight (BW) gains in groups receiving AF alone were the lowest at all periods. Feed intake was lowest in the group consuming the AF diet. The addition of MYCOTOX to the AF diet did not prevent or reduce the toxic effects of AF on feed intake at any time period. Feeding diets containing MYCOTOX alone did not change feed intake significantly. With the exception of the 1 to 7 d period, feed conversion of chicks fed the AF diet was similar to those of the other experimental groups. 5. Bursa of Fabricius weight decreased, whereas the relative weights of liver, kidney and spleen increased in quail consuming diets containing AF and AF plus MYCOTOX. Liver colour was normal in the control and MYCOTOX alone group, but was lighter in groups fed AF. 6. The results indicated that MYCOTOX was not effective in preventing the deleterious effects of AF.     

Identification and molecular characterization of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolated from camels (Camelus dromedarius) and camel milk in Kenya and Somalia

Seventeen Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains isolated from camels and camel milk in Kenya and Somalia were identified by their cultural characteristics, by biochemical and serological reactions with the help of commercial identification systems and by molecular studies using a multiplex PCR. The isolates were further characterized by a PCR-mediated detection of size polymorphisms in the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region and the virulence gene szp and by amplification of the virulence gene cne. These molecular analysis are potentially useful in identifying and characterizing S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus strains of this origin and could possibly be valuable in epidemiological investigations.     

A recombinant PvpA protein-based diagnostic prototype for rapid screening of chicken Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is the primary agent of chronic respiratory disease causing important economic losses in the poultry industry. Serological monitoring is essential to maintain mycoplasma-free breeder flocks and often complicated by the cross-reactions between different mycoplasma species. To overcome serological cross-reactions, a large fragment of the M. gallisepticum PvpA cytadhesin, species-specific surface-exposed protein, was produced in E. coli as a recombinant protein (rPvpA336) and used as a potential diagnostic antigen. The rPvpA336 protein possesses 336 mycoplasma-specific amino acids with relative molecular weight of 44 kDa. A deletion region of 37 amino acids was identified when compared to the wild-type PvpA protein. Immunoreactivity of the rPvpA336 protein has been demonstrated by Western blot analysis with M. gallisepticum-positive and -negative chicken sera. Furthermore, an enzymatic rapid immunofiltration assay (ERIFA) prototype based on the rPvpA336 protein has been developed and its species-specific detection capability has been demonstrated by using M. gallisepticum and/or M. synoviae-positive and -negative chicken sera. In addition to its species-specificity, the ERIFA prototype presents certain advantages such as rapidity, field-applicability and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, these advantages would make the prototype a species-specific rapid diagnostic tool of choice in the field and limited laboratory conditions for screening M. gallisepticum infections.     

Juniper oil improves oxidative stability and eggshell and albumin quality of quail eggs

1. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of juniper oil (JO) dietary supplementation on the laying performance, egg traits and egg malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations of quail.

2. A total of 400 female Pharaoh quails were equally divided into 4 groups containing 100 quails (5 replicates of 20 quails each). The study included a control treatment with no diet additives, and the treatments were as follows: (group 1) 100 mg JO/kg; (group 2) 200 mg JO/kg; (group 3) 300 mg JO/kg. The experiment was carried out for 60 d.

3. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences in body weight, egg weight, egg mass, egg shape index, yolk colour, egg production, feed consumption or feed efficiency.

4. The Haugh unit was increased in groups 2 and 3 compared to the control group. Dietary fortification with JO improved eggshell thickness and breaking strength compared to the control group. Furthermore, the damaged egg ratio was significantly decreased in group 3 compared to the control. The increasing concentration of JO (200 and 300 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in egg yolk MDA concentration after 15 and 30 d of storage at 20°C.

5. It was concluded that inclusion of JO in layer diets can improve egg quality characteristics in terms of Haugh unit, eggshell thickness and breaking strength. Moreover, supplementation of JO in the diets of quail may enhance the antioxidant status of eggs, and the most effective doses of JO were 200 and 300 mg/kg.     

Molecular identification,characterization and transmission of phytoplasmas associated with sesame phyllody in Turkey

Phyllody is a destructive disease of sesame in Turkey. The disease has been causing significant economic losses by stunting the plants and altering their floral parts into leafy structures with no capsule and hence no seeds in sesame fields of the country. This research was undertaken to examine symptomatology, etiology, taxonomy and transmission of two recently discovered phyllody phytoplasmas infecting sesame in Turkey. Direct and nested PCR amplifications of 16S rRNA gene with the phytoplasma-specific universal primers P1/P7 and R16F2n/R2, respectively were employed for identification of the phytoplasmas associated with sesame phyllody. Phytoplasma-specific PCR amplicons of 1.8 kb and 1.2 kb were amplified only from symptomatic sesame plants and insect vector samples. Sequencing of the PCR amplicons and computer simulated restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis allowed classification of the phytoplasmas with pigeon pea witches’-broom (16SrIX-C) and peanut witches’-broom (16SrII-D) groups. The sequence homology and phylogenetic analyses further confirmed this classification. Among the insects collected from the sesame fields, the leafhopper Orosius orientalis Matsumara (Syn: O. albicinctus Distant) was the only vector proven to transmit the sesame phyllody phytoplasmas from diseased to healthy sesame plants in transmission assays. The results demonstrated that the 16SrIX-C and 16SrII-D group phytoplasmas were the agent of sesame phyllody and O. orientalis was the vector insect of the disease in Turkey.     

Intrauterine iodine administration is superior to antibiotics for reconception after late-embryonic losses in dairy cows

This field study was conducted to compare conception and insemination efficiency responses to intrauterine polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine (PVP-I) and antibiotic (AB) treatments in dairy cows that experienced pregnancy loss. Data were collected from lactation cows with a history of pregnancy loss 27 to 70 days post-insemination (n = 97) during the 1st to 3rd lactation (days in milk = 196 ± 28). Cows were subjected to 1 of 3 treatments: i) 50 mL saline solution intrauterine infusion (S; n = 23); ii) 2% PVP-I (n = 42); or iii) 150 mg of amoxicillin trihydrate and 40 mg/mL gentamicin sulphate (n = 32). All cows followed the progesterone-based fixed-time insemination protocol. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test and 1-way analysis of variance. The PVP-I treatment (n = 25; 59.5%) was as effective as the AB treatment (n = 19; 59.4%), compared to the S treatment (n = 5; 21.7%) to achieve a new conception. The cows in group PVP-I conceived in a shorter time than those in group AB (46.0 ± 8.7 days versus 105.0 ± 10.0 days; P < 0.05) with a more efficient insemination to conception ratio (2.32 ± 0.43 versus 4.10 ± 0.32; P < 0.05). Data suggest that intrauterine PVP-I administration is superior to intrauterine AB administration in rescheduling reproductive protocol upon late embryonic and fetal losses.     

Efficacy of mepyramine maleate treatment in dogs with angioedema

Twenty-seven dogs with angioedema, were enrolled in this clinical study. The cases were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n=15) and untreated placebo control group (n=12). It was concluded that mepyramine maleate has the potential to be helpful for dogs with angioedema.     

The effect of fasting on the plasma disposition of triclabendazole following oral administration in goats

This study was designed to investigate the effect of feeding on the plasma disposition of triclabendazole (TCBZ) in goats following oral administration. A total of eight goats, aged 14–16 months and weighing 20–30 kg were used in this study. The animals were allocated into two groups (fasted and fed groups) of four animals each. The goats in fed group were fed ad libitum but the animals in fasted group were not fed 24 h before and 6 h after drug administration. Commercial oral drench formulation of TCBZ (Endex-K, 5%) was administered orally to animals in two groups at dose of 10 mg/kg bodyweight. Heparinized blood samples were collected between 1 and 192 h after treatment and the plasma samples were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for TCBZ, TCBZ sulphoxide (TCBZ–SO), and TCBZ sulphone (TCBZ–SO₂). Relatively very low concentration of TCBZ parent drug was detected between 2 and 48 h, but TCBZ–SO and TCBZ–SO₂ metabolites were present between 2 and 192 h in the plasma samples of fed and fasted animals. Fasting significantly enhanced the plasma concentration of TCBZ and its metabolites. The availability of TCBZ, TCBZ–SO and TCBZ–SO₂ in the plasma samples of fasted goats were markedly greater compared to those of fed goats. It was concluded that fasting decreases the digesta flow rate and prolongs the retention of the drug into the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in enhanced quantitative gastrointestinal absorption or systemic availability of TCBZ and its metabolites in fasted goats.     

Does dietary incorporation level of pea protein isolate influence the digestive system morphology in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)?

In the present study, fish meal (FM) was replaced by pea (Pisum sativum) protein (PP) in diet for Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at levels of 0% (PP0), 25% (PP25), 50% (PP50), 75% (PP75) and 100% (PP100), and the effect of dietary PP level on the digestive system tracts and liver was investigated by micromorphological and histopathological evaluations. Morphometric measurements (mm 100g fish⁻¹) of the liver width and stomach length in rainbow trout were found to be significantly larger (p <0.05) in fish with high-level pea protein as the main protein source (PP75, PP100) compared to the low-level PP replacement group (PP25). No significant differences were found in morphometric measurements for pyloric caecum and intestines among treatment groups, whereas the number of the caecum of fish fed the PP25 diets significantly increased over the control (PP0) (p<0.05). In the histological examination of the liver, mild hydropic and vacuolar degeneration was observed in all experimental groups except PP0 and PP25. The measurements of pyloric caecum fold height, enterocyte length and width of tunica muscularis of the high-level pea protein groups of PP75 and PP100 were significantly higher (p <0.05) compared to the control group. In conclusion, 25% substitution of PP can be suggested for FM in trout diets, because the findings of the present study provided evidence that the digestive system improved by increasing the number of pyloric caecum at this replacement level.     

Screening,selection and real-time qPCR validation for phytoplasma resistance in sesame (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamum indicum</Emphasis> L.)

Phyllody is one of the most destructive diseases of sesame and causes serious yield losses worldwide. The present research was conducted to identify phyllody resistant genotypes in sesame. A total of 542 sesame genotypes were screened for the disease resistance in the field using a disease incidence scale of 1–5 in the year 2012. Three hundred four genotypes showing high disease intensity were eliminated under artificially infected field conditions. In the year 2013, only 30 out of 238 accessions were determined as potential resistant genotypes based on the disease incidence scale. These selected genotypes were further evaluated for confirmation of the resistance in greenhouse conditions using the phytoplasma-infected vector insects under choice and no-choice conditions. Furthermore, real-time qPCR was employed for detection and quantification of phytoplasmas to select true resistant genotypes. The sesame accessions ACS38 and ACS102 were identified as resistant to the disease after evaluation in field, greenhouse and qPCR assays. This work is one of the most comprehensive studies to select genotypes resistant to the diseases caused by phytoplasmas.