The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentration of these acute phase proteins(Serum amyloid A, Milk amyloid A and serum Haptoglobin) and alteration in hematological values in some inflammatory diseases in dairy cattle. Fifty-six Holstein dairy cows with some inflammatory diseases were used in this study including: subclinical mastitis, hematological infections (Theileriosis and Anaplasmosis), metritis, pneumonia and displacement abomasums (n= 8 each). Clinically healthy cows were selected as control group (n= 8). Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of both groups. One sample of pooled milk from both groups was taken after the milk samples gathered from four quarters of each cow were mixed. There were significant differences in mean concentrations of serum and Milk amyloid A between clinically healthy cows and diseased cows and also, between abomasal displacement and other infectious diseases (P<0.05). There were also significant differences in Haptoglobin concentrations between cattle suffering from subclinical mastitis, theileriosis and pneumonia compared to those with anaplasmosis, abomasal displacement and metritis (P<0.05).Our results indicated the application of serum Haptoglobin, Serum amyloid A and Milk amyloid Ameasurements as indicators of inflammatory diseases in dairy cattle. In conclusion, the current report shows Haptoglobin, Serum amyloid A, and Milk amyloid A measurements could be successfully applied in cattle as valuable indicators of inflammatory diseases.

Micronemes are secretory organelles of the invasive stages of apicomplexan parasites and contain proteins that are important for parasite motility and host cell invasion. Even though coccidiosis is a complex disease that can be caused by any combination of mainly seven species, most of the molecular researches concerning characterization of host and parasite genes and proteins have been limited to Eimeria tenella. The present study describes isolation and purification of Eimeria necatrix oocysts that can be used for an inexpensive and simple total RNA extraction method to partial sequence determination of a cDNA encoding microneme 5 protein. Using the extracted total RNA as template and oligo(dT) as primer, cDNA was synthesized. In order to amplify cDNA encoding the micronem 5 protein (EnMIC- 5), RT-PCR was applied with the specific primers based on the known EST sequence.Following amplification, the unique and thick 758 bp fragment was seen. Domain analysis of EnMIC-5 revealed that the sequence contains the conserved domain of PAN/APPLE superfamily between amino acid resides 130 to 201. This domain has strong similarity to the adhesive plasma pre-kallikrein. Despite sequence similarity of EnMIC-5 with those sequences in database, differences may represent some allelic polymorphism.

Acute yew (Taxus baccata) intoxication was induced in 7 adult sheep by oral administration of the plant materials at the dose of 2.5g/kg body weight. Blood samples for hematology and serum biochemistry were collected before and after the induced intoxication.Electrocardiography was performed using a base-apex lead. Intoxicated animals displayed lethargy, depression, bradycardia and varying intensity of heart sounds. The ECGs of intoxicated sheep showed a variety of arrhythmias and abnormalities including multifocal ventricular tachycardia, idioventricular and idiojunctinal rhythm and QRS and T widening. Four sheep died within 4-16 hours after yew administration. Significant increase of white blood cells, total neutrophil counts and serum sodium concentration were observed. Post mortem examination and histological evaluation were done with special regards on tissue changes of the myocardium and conduction system. There were hyperemia, focal hemorrhage and multifocal nonsuppurative interstitial myocarditis with mild focal cardiac muscle cell degeneration and necrosis in the affected hearts which appeared more prominent in the right atrium. Histopathological examination of cardiac conduction system also revealed moderate to severe interstitial edema with inflammation of the SA-node, AV-node, the bundle branches and His-bundle in all cases which was most severe in the AV-node and the His-bundle. Oral administration of dried leaves of T. baccata, at the dose of 2.5g/kg can induce acute toxicity, manifested clinically by a variety of cardiac arrhythmia and myocardial lesions including special conduction system in pathology.

The possible existence of equine piroplasmosis was investigated in the province of Quezon, Philippines. Blood samples of 269 horses from selected municipalities of Quezon Province were gathered. Parasitological test namely blood parasite examination was employed and the test yielded negative results for the presence of the parasite. Similarly, polymerase chain reaction assay was performed using Babesia genus-specific primers. PCR assay also resulted to all samples being negative for the disease. The negative results are suggestive of a variety of causes specifically; low parasite concentration during sample collection, localization of the parasite in the endothelium, latent stage of infection, acquired immunity, drug intervention and true negative or complete absence of parasite in the blood. The abovementioned reasons are either characterized by very low parasitemia, no parasitemia or eventually complete disappearance of the parasites in the blood, all of which subsequently confounds the observance of the parasite.

The Council Directive 2000/75/EC lays down controlling rules and measures to contrast and to eradicate bluetongue disease, including rules on the establishment of protection and surveillance zones and the use of vaccines against bluetongue. In the past years, only sporadic incursions of certain serotypes of the bluetongue virus were recorded in EU. However, after the adoption of the Directive, and particularly after the introduction into the Union of bluetongue viruses serotypes 1 and 8 in the years 2006-2007,the infection has become more widespread in EU, with the potential of becoming endemic in certain areas. The rules of vaccination against bluetongue laid down in Directive 2000/75/EC are based on the experience of the use of so-called “modified live vaccines”, or “live attenuated vaccines” that were the only available vaccines when the Directive was adopted. The use of those vaccines may lead to an undesired local circulation of the vaccine virus, also in unvaccinated animals. In recent years inactivated vaccines against bluetongue, which does not pose a risk for unvaccinated animals, have been introduced. The widespread use of these vaccines, during a vaccination campaign, led to a significant improvement in the disease situation. It’s now widely accepted that vaccination with inactivated vaccines is the preferred tool for the control of bluetongue and prevention of this clinical disease in EU. In order to ensure the better control of the bluetongue virus spread, the Authors underline the necessity to amend the current rules on vaccination to take account of recent technological developments in vaccine production.

The objective of the present experience was to study the effects of metoclopramide and tramadol on epidural analgesia induced by lidocaine in rabbits.Fifteen healthy New Zealand White rabbits weighting 3-3.5 kg of both genders were used.Animals were divided randomly into three groups. Three different combinations of drugs were injected into the epidural space to induce epidural analgesia in the following order: group A2% lidocaine (1.5 ml), group B the combination of 2% lidocaine (1.5 ml) and metoclopramide (0.5 ml) and group C, the combination of 2% lidocaine (1.5 ml) and tramadol (0.2 ml). The procedure was repeated 48 hours and a week after the first injection. The onset time of analgesia (OT), duration of flaccid paresis (DFP) and duration of analgesia (DA) was determined in all treatments. There was no complication in the induction of epidural analgesia.Statistical analysis showed thatmean of OT in group C (15.7±4.2 sec), was significantly lower in comparison to group A (68.6±15.5 sec) and group B (45.8±17.1 sec)(p=0.004). Mean DFP was significantly higher in group C (35.9±10.5 min) in comparison to group A (18.3±5.2 min) and group B (29.2±11.5 min)( p =0.001). Mean of DA was significantly higher in group B (39.1±16.2 min) compared to group A (23.6±5.5 min)(p=0.018) and also in group C (48.9±10.7 min) compared to group A (p =0.00). But there was no significant difference between means of DA in group B and C (p =0.05).The present study indicates that addition ofmetoclopramide and tramadol to lidocaine is effective in prolongation of epidural analgesia in rabbit.

This study was aimed at the evaluation of the influence of storage under various conditions on the relative concentrations of major protein fractions and their proportion in bovine serum. Blood samples were taken from six dairy cattle of a low-land black spotted breed and its crossbreeds. The separated blood serum was fractioned into aliquots. One aliquot was analysed immediately after the separation without storage. The second aliquot was stored at 4 °C for 1 day, the remaining aliquots were kept frozen at -18 °C for 2, 7, and 21 days, and then analysed. Blood serum was analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis for the major protein fractions – albumin (%), alpha-globulins (%), beta-globulins (%), and gammaglobulins (%). Over time, the relative concentrations of albumin in bovine serum showed a tendency of significant decrease during the storage at -18 °C (p

A young Fisher's lovebird (Agapornis fischeri), showed clinical symptoms with general weakness, diarrhea, ruffled feathers and unilateral extrarhinoectasia and died finally. Gross necropsy revealed marked edema, congestion and hemorrhage on the distal part of the gizzard and proximal part of the duodenum. On microscopic examination, a large number of oval budding yeast-like fungi were observed in a stained smear sample from the gizzard and duodenum by the Giemsa method. Histopathologically, there was epithetlial necrosis in the proventriculus and gizzard and inflammation of the proximal intestine. The pseudohyphae and budding yeast-like organisms were most numerous on the surface and extended deep into the submucosa and muscularis layer. Severe hemorrhage, vasculitis with invasion of fungal organisms into the vessels' wall associated with infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed. The disease was diagnosed as candidiasis in the middle part of digestive tract.

A 3-month-old male German shepherd dog was referred with depression, vomition, hemorrhagic diarrhea, abdominal pain, anorexia and dehydration. The affected dog did not have any history of vaccination. Despite treatment, the animal died within 2 days after the onset of clinical signs. Gross examination of tissues showed hemorrhages (ecchymoses) in the mucosa of the digestive tract. The liver was congested and slightly enlarged. The gall bladder wall was edematous. The spleen and lymph nodes were also edematous and congested. Light microscopic examination of tissues showed numerous large, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies within the hepatcytes and endothelial cells adjacent to the necrotic regions. A large area of hepatic necrosis, severe congestion of sinusoids accompanied by a mild mixed infiltration of inflammatory cells, were evident particularly in the periportal region. Fecal sample was examined for differential diagnosis of other viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases. Based on histopathological findings, Infectious canine Hepatitis (ICH) was suspected as the cause of death.

Although some venoms and their isolated compounds have been shown to have antibacterial properties, most have not been investigated for such activity. Echis carinatus is one of the most venomous snakes in the world and has an effective haematotoxic venom that destroys endothelial cells and causes haemorrhagia. In this study, the antibacterial activity of Iranian snake Echis carinatus venom against six different bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7), were investigated. Crude venom (100µg/ml) and different standard antibiotic disks as positive controls were tested by the gel diffusion method. Since the results showed that Echis carinatus venom has a significant antibacterial effect against S. aureus and MRSA, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were also determined for these two susceptible bacteria: this was 80µg ml-1 against both strains. Also, the results determined that Echis carinatus venom dose not have a noticeable effect on other tested bacteria.