The productivity of domestic animals and the safety of food products derived from them are jeopardised by mycotoxins in animal feed. To control them, feed additives are used, which limit the absorption of mycotoxins in the gastrointestinal tract of animals by binding to them. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new in vitro model in experiments on the binding of mycotoxins from buffers and contaminated feed and to confirm the effect of a single sorbent or mixture in binding them.

Curcuma longa is a well-known medicinal plant with various health benefits. This study was designed to evaluate the administration of Indonesian C. longa maceration for its effect on promoting growth and development of the ovary and uterus before mating in female albino rats.

Herpesviruses are common agents in animals of the aquatic environment. They infect many species of fish but only lead to disease in one or two species. Nevertheless, infected fish without clinical symptoms can actively transfer infectious agents to disease-susceptible species. The aim of the study was to identify and prove the natural presence of different herpesviruses. Material and Methods Koi, Nile tilapia, grass carp, goldfish and crucian carp were infected with a herpesvirus isolate 99% identical to goldfish herpesvirus (GHV) or cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) obtained from crucian carp. Before and after infection, samples were collected non-lethally at different time points from all five fish species to identify and evaluate the replication of viruses naturally infecting the fish as well as the CyHV-2 experimentally infecting them. Gill swabs and separated leukocytes were subjected to PCR and the results compared. Results These samples yielded DNA of koi herpesvirus (KHV, also referred to as CyHV-3), GHV and a new herpesvirus. While Asian-lineage CyHV-3 DNA was detected in samples from crucian carp and goldfish, CyHV-2 DNA was found in samples from koi and tilapia. A new, hitherto unknown herpesvirus was identified in samples from grass carp, and was confirmed by nested PCR and sequence analysis. The survival rates were 5% for grass carp, 30% for tilapia, 55% for crucian carp, 70% for koi and 100% for goldfish at 20 days post infection. Evolutionary analyses were conducted and five clusters were visible: CyHV-1 (carp pox virus), CyHV-2 with sequences from koi and tilapia, CyHV-3 with sequences from crucian carp and goldfish, probable CyHV-4 from sichel and a newly discovered herpesvirus – CyHV-5 – from grass carp. Conclusion The results obtained with the molecular tools as well as from the animal experiment demonstrated the pluripotency of aquatic herpesviruses to infect different fish species with and without visible clinical signs or mortality.

Introduction Carp oedema virus (CEV) is a relatively understudied poxvirus. It exhibits an affinity for gill and skin epithelial cells. Investigations were conducted into selected aspects of CEV biology, with a focus on determining cell and tissue tropism of CEV, acquiring gene sequences and updating CEV tests in fish tissues. Material and Methods A total of 238 common carp tissue samples from nine aquaculture farms were analysed. The study evaluated the efficacy of intermediate detection of CEV by real-time PCR and in situ hybridisation. The genes encoding protein P4a were sequenced, analysed and aligned in a phylogenetic tree using a molecular evolution model. Results In situ hybridisation revealed the necessity to validate the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science protocols for sampling for CEV detection and to use the tissues for which the virus has the highest tropism, namely the skin and kidneys, rather than solely the gills. The level of genetic variability was determined, and it was shown that CEV mutates systematically. The creation of two distinct phylogenetic clades confirms certain strains’ description as Polish isolates. Conclusion Determining the localisation of CEV genetic material in organs and tissues is pivotal for shaping the World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines. The utility of molecular diagnostics has been demonstrated in the skin and kidney of carp, in addition to the gills, impelling their inclusion in diagnostic protocols. The clusters identified in the phylogenetic tree offer valuable insights for developing the current PCR primers. The prevalence of CEV infection in aquaculture, juxtaposed with its notably lower detection in wild fish, underscores the significance of mandatory molecular diagnostic testing for CEV in carp farming.

How bacterial infections of the reproductive tract cause infertility and the correlation between the health status of female dogs and the presence of Mycoplasma canis (M. canis) in the vagina are still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the M. canis population in the vagina of breeding bitches and to correlate this microbial population with some fertility outcomes.

The objective of this bovine peripheral blood study was a comparative assessment of the phagocytic activity of neutrophils and monocytes and of the intracellular killing capacity of neutrophils from cows given no probiotic and from cows which were administered a probiotic consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Rhodopseudomonas palustris. These activity types were compared during different lactation periods.

This study aimed to evaluate biomarkers of oxidative stress (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, aldehyde and ketone derivatives of oxidatively modified proteins and total antioxidant capacity), the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase), that of lysosomal enzymes (alanyl aminopeptidase, leucyl aminopeptidase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase and acid phosphatase) and changes in biochemical parameters (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, de Ritis ratio, lactate dehydrogenase activity, lactate and pyruvate levels and their ratio) in the liver tissue of fish that were vaccinated against enteric redmouth disease and challenged with its causative agent, the bacterium Yersinia ruckeri.

Ticks are obligate blood-feeding arthropods that cause significant economic losses in domestic animal husbandry and threaten public health. However, information about soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) and tick-borne pathogens in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China is scarce.

Patagonian maras, rodents endemic to South America, are classified as a near-threatened species. Various factors affect their health including parasitic diseases. The aim of this study was to perform morphometric, molecular and phylogenetic characterisation of one such parasitic disease agent, the nematode Graphidioides affinis, specimens of which were found in captive Patagonian maras.