The current investigation studied an outbreak of lumpy skin disease of cattle in Beni-Suef and Al-Fayium governorates from March up to September 2006. Epidemiological data over a total of 5500 cattle from all ages, breeds and sexes were investigated. Prevalence of lumpy skin antibodies was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that revealed high exposure rates; 57% and 51.42% in Beni-Suef and Al Fayium governorates respectively Virus isolation was conducted on chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of specific pathogen free embryonated chicken egg (SPF-ECE) and MDBK cell culture. The virus identity was confirmed by passive haemagglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the infected CAM and MDBK cell culture. Experimental infection of rabbits was successful, demonstrating their possible roles in the epidemiological process of the disease.

This study was conducted on 1178 lamed animals of equine species. Cases were classified according to the species, affected part of the foot, and nature of the affection. Hoof affections represented in about 722 animals with 61.3 % of total lame animals. The percentages of hoof affections were higher in forefeet than hind feet. The present study revealed that sandy cracks, toe- in and long toe were the predominant hoof wall affections. The corn was the highest sole affections followed by white line disease and the lowest percentages were flat foot and bruised sole. The highest affection percentage in frog was thrush followed by picked up nail and the lowest was in under run heel.

Ticks collected from domestic cats (Felis catus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus),caracals (Caracal caracal), African wild cats (Felis lybica), black-footed cats (Felis nigripes), a serval (Leptailurus serval), lions(Panthera leo), and leopards (Panthera pardus) were identified and counted. Thirteen species of ixodid ticks and one argasid tick were identified from domestic cats and 17 species of ixodid ticks from wild felids. The domestic cats and wild felids harboured 11 ixodid species in common. The adults of Haemaphysalis elliptica, the most abundant tick species infesting cats and wild felids, were most numerous on a domestic cat in late winter and in mid-summer, during 2 consecutive years. The recorded geographic distribution of the recently described Haemaphysalis colesbergensis, a parasite of cats and caracals, was extended by 2 new locality records in the Northern Cape Province,South Africa.

The present study was designed to determine the effect of the antioxidants; taurine, ascorbic acid '' AA '' and beta-mercaptoethanol '' β-ME '' separately or in combination, on reproductive performance of adult male rats suffering from cadmium chloride "CdCl2" - induced oxidative stress. A total of 180 mature male Albino rats were equally divided into 9 groups; the rats of the 1st were administered distilled water while those of the 2nd group were administered 1/100 LD50 of CdCl2. Rats of the remaining groups were administered 1/100 LD50 of CdCl2 followed 3 days later by 1 / 50 LD50 of either taurine, AA and β-ME or a combination of AA and taurine, AA or β-ME, taurine and β-ME as well as AA, taurine and β-ME, respectively for 2 successive months. The results revealed that application of CdCl2 for 8 successive weeks decreased pituitary and serum levels of gonadotropins (gametogenic hormone”FSH” and interstitial cell stimulating hormone “ICSH”) as well as serum testosterone “T” level, altered semen quality, and decreased serum level of total antioxidant capacity with increased serum malondialdhyde "MDA" level. On the other side, application of different antioxidants to CdCl2 –induced oxidative stress increased pituitary and serum levels of gonadotropins and serum level of T as well as improved semen quality, increased serum level of total antioxidant capacity and decreased serum level of MDA. In addition, the best improvement in male reproductive performance was achieved after administration of AA and taurine separately or in combination while the least improvement was obtained when β-ME was applied alone.

Twenty five isolates of IBV were isolated from 36 broiler and layer chicken farms collected from 13 governorates during 2 years started from January 2003. All the examined farms were vaccinated using the commercial live IB-H120 vaccine in addition to the IB-inactivated vaccine in the layer farm. The viruses were isolated and identified previously by chicken embryo, CEK cell culture inoculation. Isolates subjected to RT-PCR. Four isolates; three broiler farms and one from layer farm were genotyped using S1 partial gene sequencing. Typing of the four isolates using S1 partial gene sequencing, revealed that the isolated IBV strains showed homology to Asia, Europe, USA and Middle East strains.

The present study aimed to clarify the light and electron microscopic structure of the prostate gland of mature (one-humped camels) during different seasons of the year. Glands of seventy-two mature healthy animals (5-7 years old) were collected from the Cairo slaughter house during one year, (6 samples each month) and prepared to be studied microscopically by the light and electron microscope. The prostate gland was found to be consisted of an external dorsal part dorsal to the neck of the bladder and an internal part situated in the submucosa of the prostatic urethra. During active season (winter and spring), the corpus prostate was enveloped by a thick fibromuscular capsule which sent septa, to divide the gland into lobules. The parenchyma formed of compound tubuloalveolar adenomeres. The alveoli and tubules were lined by high columnar cells and few basal ones. The acini appeared at different stages of secretory activity (synthesis, storage, secretion and exhaustion). Ultrastructurally, the acinar cells contained well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER), numerous mitochondria and a variable number of secretory granules. The duct system began as central collecting sinuses lined by simple columnar secretory epithelium. The pars interna occurred in the submucosa of the prostatic urethra enveloped by a thick fibro-muscular band. The branched tubuloalveolar parenchyma contained adenomeres lined with simple cuboidal epithelium. During the inactive season (summer and autumn), the stroma showed a marked proliferation of the fibromuscular tissue on the expense of the parenchymatous tissue. The adenomeres became very small or even rudimentary with narrow lumina devoid of secretory materials. Marked reduction in the cytoplasmic organelles with a total absence of the secretory granules was also pronounced.

In a trial for comparison between the efficiency of single fowl pox (FP) vaccination and the efficiency of each combined FP and Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) vaccination and simultaneous vaccination with FP and Reo and with FP and Chicken anemia virus (CAV) vaccines our conclusion was that there is no antagonistic reaction between FP virus strain and each AE, Reo and CA viruses strains. In addition, humoral immune response against AE virus strain in case of combined AE+FP vaccination is markedly potent than that in case of single AE vaccination, more over the value of average EID50 of AE virus strain in several batches of combined AE+FP vaccines is significantly higher at P > 0.05 than that in several batches of single AE vaccines. On the other hand, immune response against FP virus strain and Reo virus strain in case of simultaneous vaccination with FP and Reo vaccines is higher than that in case of single FP vaccination and single Reo vaccination. Consequently, it is advisable to use combined live attenuated AE+FP vaccine instead of vaccination with single FP and AE separately. Also, application of simultaneous vaccination with FP and Reo vaccines is advisable as it is proved to be more beneficial than vaccination with each vaccine separately specially in case of that FP vaccine of low potency.

The present study concerned with Listeria monocytogenes which were isolated from apparently healthy buffaloes, buffaloes suffered from abortion, bedding and silage, which were collected from different localities. From the total examined samples (375), (300 samples from apparently healthy buffaloes, bedding and silage, also 75 samples from buffaloes suffered from abortion , bedding and silage) the prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 11(14.7%), isolates from buffaloes suffered from abortion, bedding and silage. All isolates were motile at room temperature, also exhibited positive CAMP test and exhibited narrow zone of β-hemolysis. Serological identification of isolates revealed 6(54.5%) were serotype 4 while 5(45.5%) were untyped. There were differences in isolates susceptibilities to different anti-microbial agents. L. monocytogenes had 100% sensitivity to Ampicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline and ceftiofur sodium. Virulence of isolates was assayed by I/P inoculation of 109 CFU in mice, all inoculated mice died within 1-5 days. PCR assay for L. monocytogenes isolates revealed positive amplification of 827 bp fragment of act A gene.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of Rocky Mountain elk in North America. Recent studies suggest that tissue and blood mineral levels may be valuable in assessing TSE infection in sheep and cattle. The objectives of this study were to examine baseline levels of copper, manganese, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and molybdenum in the brains of Rocky Mountain elk with differing prion genotypes and to assess the association of mineral levels with CWD infection. Elk with leucine at prion position 132 had significantly lower magnesium levels than elk with 2 copies of methionine. Chronic wasting disease-positive elk had significantly lower magnesium than control elk. The incorporation of manganese levels in addition to magnesium significantly refined explanatory ability, even though manganese alone was not significantly associated with CWD. This study demonstrated that mineral analysis may provide an additional disease correlate for assessing CWD risk, particularly in conjunction with genotype.

A trematode species belonging to the genus Prosthogonimus (family: Prosthogonimidae) was collected in August, 2004 from the bursa of Fabricius of a single Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis, caught in Chuncheon, Korea. Five specimens were collected in total and fluke morphology was examined under using a light microscope. The average parasite size was 5.6 × 3.2 mm (length × width; based on 4 specimens). The genital pore was located on the anterior right margin of the oral sucker. The cirrus sac was strongly sinuous and extended beyond the intestinal bifurcation to the ventral sucker. The prepharynx was extremely short and the pharynx was small. The vitellaria consisted of 6 follicle bunches and extended from the ventral sucker to the posterior of the testes. Finally, the uterus filled the body cavity posterior to the testes. In addition, there were no heavy slings occurred anterior to the testes. Based on these morphological characteristics, the parasites were identified as P. cuneatus. The discovery of P. cuneatus within a Little Grebe constitutes a new host identification and a new geographical record. This is the first reported case of Prosthogonimus infection within wild birds in Korea.