First report of seroprevalence and genetic characterization of avian orthoreovirus in Egypt

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Recently, the Egyptian broiler industry has experienced an increased incidence of avian reovirus (ARV) infections. However, to date, no studies have been...     

Comparative effectiveness of Sumaq and Neem extract cream,Eniloconazole and glycerine iodine on dermatophytosis in Arabian horses: a randomized clinical trial

Dermatophytosis is a contagious fungal disease among animal communities. The major concerns of dermatophytosis are cost of treatment, difficulty of control, and the public health consequences. The objective of the present study was to compare the clinical efficacy of Sumaq and Neem extract cream with that of traditional treatments, eniloconazole and glycerine iodine, on dermatophytosis in Arabian horses. For this purpose, 37 Arabian horses with dermatophytosis had been used. Fungal isolation and identification for each horse were carried out by standard microbiological procedures. Sumaq (Rhus coriaria Linn.) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) seed extracts were selected based on in vitro effectiveness. Horses were randomly allocated into four groups. The first group (n?=?8) was treated with glycerine iodine 10% daily for 7 days. The second group (n?=?10) was treated using eniloconazole 10% emulsified concentrate four times with 2 days interval. The third group (n?=?11) was treated with Neem seeds extract (20% cream) daily for 10 days, and the fourth group (n?=?8) was treated with Sumaq extract (5% cream) daily for 10 days. Clinical and mycological evaluations were assessed at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post-treatment. The Sumaq and eniloconazole were more effective on clinical index score after 7 days of treatment followed by Neem seed 20% cream. At 28 days post-treatment, a complete healing was obtained by Sumaq 5% cream and eniloconazole (median clinical sum score?=?zero) followed by Neem (median clinical sum score?=?1.5). Moreover, Dermatophytes spp. was isolated only from two horses, one from Neem group and the other from glycerin iodine group. The present results indicate that Sumaq 5% and Neem seed extract are effective alternative treatment for dermatophytosis in Arabian horses.

     

Preparation of new polymer nanocomposites based on poly(lactic acid)/fatty nitrogen compounds modified clay by a solution casting process

In this study, different organoclays (OMMTs) were prepared using various fatty nitrogen compounds (FNCs) and natural clay, sodium montmorillonite (MMT). The clay modification was carried out by stirring the clay particles in an aqueous solution of fatty amides (FA), fatty hydroxamic acids (FHA), and carbonyl difatty amides (CDFA). These OMMTs were then used for nanocomposites production to improve the property balance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by solution casting process. All sets of OMMTs and nanocomposites were characterized using various apparatuses. In the nanocomposites, where the clay surface is pretreated with FA, FHA and CDFA, the basal spacing of the clay increased to 2.94, 3.26 and 3.80 nm, respectively The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed the production of nanocomposites. PLA modified clay nanocomposites show higher thermal stability and significant improvement of mechanical properties in comparison with pure PLA.     

Polyacrylamide (PAM) effect on irrigation induced soil erosion and infiltration

Surface irrigation is the oldest and the most widely used method of irrigation. One disadvantage of surface irrigation is soil erosion. New technology employing water-soluble polymers may provide a technique that is effective and affordable to control soil erosion. Water-soluble anionic organic compound known as polyacrylamide polymer (PAM) is the most successful polymer in controlling soil erosion. This study investigated the effect of spraying PAM on the soil surface to control soil erosion and to increase soil infiltration on a Jordanian clay loam soil. Different PAM concentrations, namely 5, 10, and 20 mg/l in addition to the control (0 mg/l) were used in this study. The highest effect of PAM on the measured properties was attained at 20 mg/l. We noticed that PAM's efficiency was decreased with subsequent irrigations. The reduction in soil erosion was 72 and 47.6%, the reduction in runoff water turbidity was 83 and 35%, the increase in water advance time was 6 and 0.9% and the increase in soil infiltration was 36 and 20.8% for the first and fourth irrigation, respectively. PAM's efficiency in flocculating soil particles was studied in the lab where we noticed that its efficiency in sedimentation was increased as its concentration increased.     

Protection conferred by a vaccine derived from an inactivated Egyptian variant of infectious bronchitis virus: a challenge experiment

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The current study investigated the protective efficacy of a formalin-inactivated infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccine derived from the field strain...     

Mycobacterium marinum infection in fish and man: epidemiology,pathophysiology and management; a review

Mycobacterium marinum is an opportunistic pathogen inducing infection in fresh and marine water fish. This pathogen causes necrotizing granuloma like tuberculosis, morbidity and mortality in fish. The cell wall-associated lipid phthiocerol dimycocerosates, phenolic glycolipids and ESAT-6 secretion system 1 (ESX-1) are the conserved virulence determinant of the organism. Human infections with Mycobacterium marinum hypothetically are classified into four clinical categories (type I–type IV) and have been associated with the exposure of damaged skin to polluted water from fish pools or contacting objects contaminated with infected fish. Fish mycobacteriosis is clinically manifested and characterized in man by purple painless nodules, liable to develop into superficial crusting ulceration with scar formation. Early laboratory diagnosis of M. marinum including histopathology, culture and PCR is essential and critical as the clinical response to antibiotics requires months to be attained. The pathogenicity and virulence determinants of M. marinum need to be thoroughly and comprehensively investigated and understood. In spite of accumulating information on this pathogen, the different relevant data should be compared, connected and globally compiled. This article is reviewing the epidemiology, virulence factors, diagnosis and disease management in fish while casting light on the potential associated public health hazards.