Babesia canis vogeli,Ehrlichia canis,and Anaplasma platys infection in a dog

A 12‐month‐old male neutered mixed breed dog was presented with a history of diarrhea, lethargy, emaciation, polydypsia, and sniffling. Physical examination findings included pale mucous membranes, increased heart and respiratory rates, and normal rectal temperature (38°C). Hematologic abnormalities included anemia and thrombocytopenia. Biochemical abnormalities included hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated ALP and ALT activities. A SNAP 4Dx test result was positive for Ehrlichia canis. Babesia canis vogeli organisms were found in the peripheral blood films, while morulae of E canis were not seen. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction testing confirmed the presence of both B c vogeli and E canis organisms, and also was positive for Anaplasma platys infection. The dog recovered following treatment with doxycycline and imidocarb dipropionate, with normal hematology and biochemical profiles.     

Straw return increases crop grain yields and K-use efficiency under a maize-rice cropping system

Straw return is an effective way to improve crop grain yield and potassium(K)use efficiency by increasing soil K content.However,the effects of straw return on soil K supplying capacity,replacement of K fertilizer,and K-use efficiency under maize(Zea mays L.)–rice(Oryza sativa L.)cropping systems are little studied.A two-year field experiment was conducted to determine the physiological determinants of K-use efficiency under straw return with four K fertilization rates.Sr33(straw returned plus 33%of K fertilizer applied)and Sr67(straw returned plus 67%of K fertilizer applied)increased annual crop yields by 1.5%and 3.2%and increased agronomic K-use efficiency by respectively 2.9 and 1.3-fold on average in the two years,compared with the conventional practice S0K100(no straw returned plus normal amounts of K fertilizer applied).The Sr33 and Sr67 treatments resulted in significantly greater equilibrium K concentration ratios(CR0 K)and specifically exchangeable K(KX)values according to quantity/intensity(Q/I)relationship analyses,indicating improvement of the potential soil K supply capacity.However,the Sr67 better maintained the soil exchangeable K level and K balance.The results suggested that K released from maize and rice straw can replace about half of chemical K fertilizer,depending on the available K content in maize–rice cropping system production.     

A comparison of the energy availability for chickens of ground and whole grain samples of two wheat varieties

1. The objective of this study was to examine whether the energy availabilities of two wheat samples, which differed in endosperm hardness, were changed when they were fed ground or as whole grains to chickens. Wheat samples of a variety Haven (hard endosperm) and a variety Riband (soft endosperm), both harvested in 1993 from the same growing site, were used in the experiment.

2. True metabolisable energy (TME_n) was measured in a flock of 24 adult cockerels and the mean of all the samples was 14.68 MJ/kg dry matter (DM). The TME_n of ground wheat was 0.306 MJ/kg DM greater (P< 0.05) than whole grain. There was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in TME_n between the Riband and Haven wheat samples and there were no (P> 0.05) variety X wheat form interactions.

3. The apparent metabolisable energy (AME_n) of the wheat samples was determined with 96 broiler chickens from 19 to 27 d of age. Different amounts of either whole or ground wheat samples were added to a basal diet. Extrapolation of the regression lines indicated AME_n concentrations (MJ/kg DM) of ground Haven 14.33, whole Haven 14.28, ground Riband 14.33 and whole Riband 14.51. There was no evidence (P> 0.05) that whole grain wheat had a different AME_n than ground wheat.

4. A feeding trial used 192 broiler chickens in 48 cages from 24 to 42 d of age. They were fed on a broiler grower diet either mixed with ground wheat before pelleting or with the pelleted grower diet loosely mixed with the whole wheat. There were no differences (P> 0.05) between the 2 wheat varieties or the diet form in growth rates or food conversion ratios. The growth rates of the broilers given a conventional grower and finisher dietary regimen tended (P> 0.05) to be slightly greater than the broilers given the wheat‐diluted diets.     

Effect of a probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum TN8 strain on trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid‐induced colitis in rats

This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of an oral treatment by a newly isolated probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum TN8 strain on trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)‐induced colitis in Wistar rats. Thus, 18 rats were divided into three groups (n = 6 per group): group 1 (control) – rats not receiving TNBS application; group 2 – rats receiving an intrarectal TNBS infusion (100 mg/kg TNBS dissolved in ethanol); and group 3 – rats treated with intragastrical TN8 strain once per day (for 5 days before TNBS induction). The performance and the effects of the probiotic treatment were evaluated using a series of histological, biophysical and biochemical analyses. The results have shown that the treatment with the L. plantarum TN8 strain improves the body weight and reduces the diarrhoea, colonic mucosal inflammation and colon shortening. TN8‐treated rats showed a significant decrease in the total cholesterol content from 1.86 (for group 2) to 1.32 mmol/l and in triglyceride (TG) content from 2.09 (for group 2) to 1.23 mmol/l. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol contents increased from 0.95 to 1.02 mmol/l. The histological studies have confirmed that the architecture of the liver and kidney tissues of the TN8‐treated rats were found to be improved. Overall, the results suggest that the L. plantarum TN8 presents promising perspectives for the development of safe and cost‐effective agents for the prevention or alleviation of several intestinal pathologies.     

Antimicrobial resistance pattern of Salmonella serotypes isolated from apparently healthy slaughtered camels (Camelus dromedarius) in eastern Ethiopia

A total of 714 samples consisting of faeces, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, spleen, abdominal and diaphragmatic muscles (each 119) were collected from November 2001 to April 2002 from apparently healthy slaughtered camels (Camelus dromedarius) in eastern Ethiopia. One hundred sixteen (16.2%) Salmonella strains belonging to 16 different serovars were isolated. All Salmonella strains isolated were examined for antimicrobial resistance to 17 selected antimicrobials. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined by the microdilution broth test. Fifty-two (44.8%) of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials. Thirty-nine of the 52 (75%) resistant Salmonella serovars exhibited multiple resistance to up to eight different antimicrobials. Among the serovars tested, S. Typhimurium, S. Heidelberg, S. Braenderup and S. Hadar displayed multiple resistance mainly to streptomycin (35.3%), spectinomycin (28.4%), sulfamethoxazole (25.0%), ampicillin (24.1%), trimethoprim (22.4%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (18.9%), tetracycline (12.9%) and colistin (11.2%). All Salmonella strains tested were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, gentamicin, kanamycin and neomycin. The present study showed the importance of camels as a potential source of single and multiple resistant Salmonella strains to different antimicrobials that are also used in the public health sector for the treatment of different bacterial diseases in Ethiopia.     

Physico-chemical characteristics and total quality of date palm varieties grown in the southern of Tunisia

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a palm extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. The chemical composition and the water content of ten Tunisian date varieties were determined. For all analysis, the Deglet Nour variety was taken as reference. Compositional analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in reducing sugars (26 to 51%) than Deglet Nour which was rich in sucrose (54%). The relative results of the moisture content showed that the littoral varieties were classified as soft dates. The vitamin C analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in this compound (24 to 46 mg/100 g) than Deglet Nour (1.12 mg/100 g). The mineral analysis showed that the littoral dates were relatively rich in potassium (283 to 733 mg/100 g) and presented a weak content in sodium (0.06 to 0.09 mg/100 g).     

Toxical effect of Peganum harmala L. leaves on the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis Boisd and its parasitoids Microplitis rufiventris Kok

The leaf extract and its fractions of Peganum harmala L. have shown pronounced mortal effect, decreased percent pupation and adult emergence of the cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis Boisd. The third instar larvae fed for two days on treated leaves were more susceptible to plant extract and its ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. The active lowest concentration (5%) of the leaf fractions of P. harmala showed significant effect on the percentage of emerged adult parasitoids, Microplitis rufiventris Kok. GC/MS analysis showed the major constituent in ethyl acetate fraction was (23S) ethylcholest-5-en-3 beta-ol (28.04%) while those of chloroform fraction were hydroxyfuranocoumarin (Bergaptol) (15.68%), piperidinone (12.08%), thymol (11.82%), phosphoric acid, tributyl ester (9.80%) and trimethyl-nonenol (9.66%). The medicinal plant P. harmala could be carefully applied in integrated pest management due to its strong effect on cotton leaf worm pest.