BACKGROUND: Agama agama lizards are the most populous species of lizard in developing countries of African including Nigeria. These lizards are insectivores; they feed on insects and other arthropods, which may predispose them to different gastrointestinal parasitic infections, some of which are of zoonotic importance. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards trapped in and around commercial poultry houses in Gombe State, Nigeria. METHODS: The study was carried out between the months of February and December, 2017. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 200 humanly euthanized Agama agama lizards from six Local Government Areas of Gombe State. Samples were examined microscopically for the presence of gastrointestinal parasites eggs or adult worms. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal parasites were detected in 154 (77.0%) Agama agama lizards examined, comprising of 58% gastrointestinal helminthes ova and 19% coccidian oocytes. Six species of helminthes were encountered viz: Strongyluris species (25.5%), Trichuris species (13.5%), Oxyuris species (8.0%), Ascaris species (5.5%), Heterakis species (4.0%) and Capillaria species (1.5%) all belonging to the class Nematoda. Two coccidian species comprised of Eimeria (1.5%) and Isospora species (1.5%) were also encountered. The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher in male (68.5%) compared to the female (45.7%) infected lizards. Coccidiosis was also higher (p> 0.05) in the male (19.4%) compared to the female (18.5%) infected lizards. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the rainy season compared to the dry season of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This study discovered helminthosis and coccidiosis in Agama agama lizards roaming in and around poultry pens in Gombe State. The occurrence of six helminthes and two coccidian species were recovered from infected Agama agama lizards, and prevalence rates of both parasites were significantly higher during the rainy season. Similar genus of gastrointestinal parasites detected in this study have been previously documented in man and domesticated birds. This suggests the association of Agama agama lizards in gastrointestinal parasites transmissions between susceptible hosts. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies involving molecular characterization and comparative studies of these gastrointestinal parasites in Agama agama lizards and domesticated birds should be carried out. It is also recommended that strict biosecurity should be maintained in and around commercial poultry houses to curb disease transmission by lizards or wild reptiles to birds.

BACKGROUND: Equine herpes virus-1 (EHV-1) is a major cause of economic loss in horse industry and is well recognized as a cause of abortion, respiratory disease, neurologic disorders and death of neonatal foals.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of EHV-1 in horses with clinical signs and/or history associated with this virus from four provinces of Iran (Golestan, Tehran, Khuzestan, West Azer- baijan) that have considerable horse population, followed by phylogenetic study of positive cases and compare them with herpes viruses in other parts of the world.METHODS: Blood samples and nasal swabs were taken from 150 horses from four aforementioned provinc- es. DNA of samples was extracted and used for detection in real-time PCR TaqMan assay. Finally, phyloge- netic trees were designed based on neighbor joining method.RESULTS: Out of 150 sampled horses, a total of 14 (9.33%) were found to be positive for EHV-1. The results indicated that positive cases of EHV-1 from this study were clustered to herpes virus cases in other parts of the world with a noticeable similarity.CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the presence of EHV-1 in these provinces of Iran, thus consideration should be given to preventive and control programs to prevent dissemination and outbreak of this virus.

BACKGROUND: Gastric ulcer is one of the most common diseases in racehorses. Colic, weight loss and poor performance are some of the clinical signs. The second and third larval stages of the bot fly Gasterophilus spp live in the stomach of the horse. This parasite is often found in large numbers of horses in all of the countries. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was assessment of gastric ulcer in the rural horse and relation with Gasterophilus spp. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study twenty rural horses were randomly selected for endoscopic finding for gastric ulcer. Gender, age, keeping situation, type of feed, history of colic, hair coat condition, deworming plan and presence of GasterophilussSpp. were recorded in a sheet. The horses were kept fasted for 12 hours before endoscopic examination by a VET3M OLYMPUS (Japan). Sedation was done by injection of Detomidine (Detomo Vet ® ceva-Spain) 0.1ml/100kg to look for presence of gastric ulcers with grading and Gasterophilus spp. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with 95% confidence interval and P RESULTS: Out of 20 horses, 13(65%) horses were mares and 7(35%) were males and Mean±2SE of age was 8.9±4. Endoscopic observation showed 9 (45%) of the horses suffered from gastric ulcer. All of the ulcers were in non-glandular part and near the margo plicatus. Overall, 4 (20%) head of the horses had Gasterophilus spp. and all of them were present in the horse with no deworming plan. Based on the results, there was no associ- ation between presence of Gasterophilus with occurrence of Gastric ulcer (P>0.05). Further study with high sample size is proposed. CONCLUSIONS: There was high frequency of gastric ulcer in non-glandular portion of stomach in rural horse and there was not any association between presence of Gasterophilus and gastric ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infection in poultry is one of the most important concerns in poultry. Virulence and pathogenicity of the SE isolates from Iran have not been well studied so far. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, three Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) isolates were compared with a standard SE strain (PT21) for virulence in one-day-old layer chicks. All of the isolates were supposed to be virulent because of carrying a large-sized virulence plasmid. METHODS: Fifty day-old layer chicks (LSL strain) were divided into five groups of 10 chicks and raised in separate cages until 14 days of age. All three SE isolates were cultured in brain-heart infusion (BHI) broth to reach a concentration of approximately 1010 CFU/ml. The challenged groups included three groups inoculated with three SE isolates (A20, S32, S34) and one group inoculated with SE PT21 as positive control. One group was raised as negative control without receiving any bacteria. Any mortality or morbidity observed in any group was recorded. Samples were taken from liver, jejunum and cecum at days 2, 4, 6, 9 and 14 days of age, cultured for SE isolation, colony counting and histopathological examinations. RESULTS: All challenged groups showed mild to severe diarrhea in all birds and some birds were listless especially in the first week. No signs were seen in the control group. Two mortalities occurred in challenged groups. Salmonella Enteritidis was detected in all samples until the end of experiment. The colony count showed less (100 to 1000 times less) SE in liver compared to that of cecal samples. Histopathological findings also were compatible with symptoms and bacteriological results. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that all three SE isolates were able to colonize in the digestive system of layer chicks leading to mortality or at least lower performance compared to healthy chicks

BACKGROUND: Neurotransmitters (NTS) are endogenous chemicals secreted from neural terminals into the synaptic cleft of the chemical neurons in order to affect their receptors. NTS play vital physiological role as stimulatory, inhibitory or modulatory compounds. OBJECTIVES: This review was aimed to summarize the roles of the most important NTS which regulate food intake in the avian species. RESULTS: Over 40 neurotransmitters are known as regulatory agents that control ingestion behavior in mammals and birds. Acetylcholine (Ach), epinephrine (EP), norepinephrine (NEP), histamine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), glycine, serotonin and glutamate have been identified as the mediatory agents about regulation of feeding behavior in birds. Based on the molecular weight and the type of efficacy, NTS have been categorized into the two main groups including “the small molecular weight fast-effective NTS and the large molecular wieght slow-effective neuropeptides. Various physiological functions have been presented for NTS and it seems many other unknown effects and even possible interactions among them are still questionable. Appetite control, mediatory role of ingestion behavior and regulation of food intake have recently been highlighted among various roles of NTS in chicken. CONCLUSIONS: Food intake regulation is a complex physiologic process that is under the control of the central and environmental signals. Considering of the involvement of feeding behavior in other major physiological processes such as the growth, immunity and production, it is necessary to realize the role of different mediators which are affecting and modulating food intake in avian species.

BACKGROUND: In dogs, Achilles tendon rupture is an important clinical issue. Treatment of the ruptured tendon remains a controversial problem. However, surgical intervention, by the using of different biological scaffolds, has been recognized as the most effective approach for the repair of such cases. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of platelets-plasma rich protein (PRP) and autogenous peritoneal scaffold to improve the healing process of ruptured Achilles tendon in dogs. METHODS: Eighteen healthy dogs of the local breed were randomly allocated into three equal groups. Achilles tendon of the hind limbs were prepared aseptically and transected transversely. In the control group, the tendon was reconstructed with the traditional suture using modified Kessler techniques. In the peritoneal scaffold group, a combination of traditional suture and the autogenous peritoneal scaffold was used to augment the defected tendon. In the peritoneal scaffold with the PRP group, the induced rupture was treated as similar to the peritoneal scaffold group and supported by a topical application of PRP. In addition to the gross observation, the healing process was evaluated with histopathological and sonographic investigations at 15, 30, and 60 days post-operative. RESULTS: By comparison with control, the utilizing of autologous peritoneum scaffold augmented with PRP revealed a valuable impact on Achilles tendon healing. This impact was manifested by improved fibroblastic proliferation, reduced adhesion, and improved mechanical function of the tendon. Also, the sonographic examination of the fibrosis site demonstrated the presence of hyperechoic spots. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that utilizing both the peritoneal scaffold augmented and PRP along with the traditional suture revealed remarkable optimistic effects on healing of the ruptured Achilles tendon in dogs.

BACKGROUND: Hip Dysplasia is a frequent orthopedic disease that is characterized by early joint sublux- ation. The DARthroplasty technique is a two-part process that involves applying bone graft to increase the femoral head coverage with a low morbidity rate and the long term is known results. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to investigate the radiographic and clinical changes after transplanting the rib allograft impregnated with PRP and MSCs in the treatment of hip dysplasia in a dog. The current study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of modified DARthroplasty. METHODS:12 dogs were selected, all of them operated by the modified induced hip dysplasia. Afterward, an approximately 25 mm segment rib was harvested and transplanted at slot approximately 7 mm broad and 12.5 mm high, close craniodorsally to the joint capsule origin, and secured with a 2 mm cortical bone screw in each recipient dog. PRP and MSCs were injected into the gap around allograft. Subsequently, they were divided into 3 subgroups of 4 dogs in each group, control, PRP, and MSCs. 6 months after the surgery, all dogs were subjected to clinical and radiographic evaluations. RESULTS:Clinically, all dogs showed no sign of orthopedic disorder which was determined by Ortolani sign, and no muscle atrophy and pain were elicited in the hip joint. One dog showed a slight lameness degree about two weeks and one case had seroma but was immediately treated by aspiration and pressure bandage. Upon ra- diographic examination, no dislocation of the rib allograft could be detected. Bone proliferation was observed. Dogs in all groups showed NA and PC increase with MSCs (5.25 ± 0.3 and 22.5 ± 0.81), PRP group (6.5 ± 0.43 and 20.5 ± 0.12) and control group (6.5 ± 0.35 and 19 ± 1.23) at six months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that rib bone allograft with PRP and MSCs can be quite effective on joint congruency and stability in symptomatic dogs due to hip dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is one of the most principal contagious diseases with a significant role in multifactorial respiratory diseases in the poultry industry. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate and detect NDVs in multicausal respiratory diseases. METHODS: A total of 180 tracheal swabs were collected from 20 commercial broiler flocks during 2014- 2015. Three tracheal swabs from each flock were pooled. Sixty samples were amplified in PCR by specified primers for fusion gene that flanked cleavage site. Twelve samples were purified and sequenced by a two-way direction method. Based on the amino acids and nucleotide similarities in the part of the F gene, the phyloge- netic analysis of the fusion genes was generated. RESULTS: Based on PCR detection, 26 of 60 (43%) samples and 12 of 20 (60 %) flocks were positive for NDV. Sequence analysis of 12 positive samples revealed that 5 viruses (41.66 %) belonged to the velogenic strains (genotype II, subgenotype VIId) and 7 viruses (58.33 %) were included in the lentogenic pathotypes. Based on the nucleotide similarities, it is concluded that some of the lentogenic pathotypes have 100% close- ness to B1 and Lasota strains. Likewise, the 5 virulent ND virus strains of this study show 100% homogeneity to some previously identified velogenic isolates. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of ND viruses were detected in broiler flocks with respiratory com- plexes. Among these detected viruses, it is concluded that the lentogenic isolates and vaccinal strains can be effective in exacerbating respiratory problems.

BACKGROUND:Due to the large proportion of iodine present in milk and dairy products, they have been one of the important sources of nutritional iodine in several countries. Information about variation in milk iodine concentration in Iran is limited. OBJECTIVES:The present study was conducted to determine the iodine concentration in Iranian milk and dairy milk products. METHODS: In the first step, 10 commercial dairy farms (five located in tropical and other located in cold region) were included in the study. In the second step, the iodine concentration of six samples of different milk products from the retail market was determined by Sandell-Kolthoff (acid-digestion) reaction. RESULTS: The average iodine concentration of milk samples from cold region was significantly lower (50.7 ± 24.3 %) than the iodine concentration of milk samples from the tropical region (P<0.05). Sterilized milk (282.0 ± 111.0 µg/l) had higher and raw milk (224.3 ± 116.9 µg/l) had lower iodine concentration  (P<0.05). There was no effect of milk fat class (whole and semi-skimmed) on milk iodine concentration (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on Iranian dairy product intake, raw, pasteurized and sterilized milk provides on average, 74.6, 84.6, 96.0 µg of iodine, approximately 29.8, 33.8, 37.6 % of the adult recommended dietary allowance for this nutrient, respectively.

BACKGROUND: A limited number of studies have investigated the inclusion of amino acids in calf starter. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to evaluate different levels of crude protein in starter and supplement- ing some protected amino acids on efficiency, health status and blood metabolites of dairy calves and to com- pare it with unprotected amino acids. METHODS: Forty-eight 3-day-old Holstein calves were randomly allocated to four treatments in a complete- ly randomized design. Dietary treatments were (1) 18% Crude Protein starter without Amino Acid, (2) 18% Crude Protein with 0.0340% protected lysine and 0.016% protected methionine, (3) 18% Crude Protein starter with 0.215% un-protected lysine and 0.012% un-protected methionine, (4) 22% Crude Protein without Amino Acid. All calves received the same amount of whole milk, weaned on day 56; the study was finished on day 70. RESULTS: Calves in treatment 4 had the greatest starter intake, weaning weight and final weight (P<0.05) but their feed efficiency was not different among treatments. There were no significant differences in Immu- noglobulin G, total protein and Lysine and Methionine concentration in blood (P>0.05). Health score (eye, ear, nose and respiratory score), was not different among treatments but the fecal score revealed a significant difference (P<0.05). Starter diet with 22% Crude Protein resulted in higher serum urea concentration (P< 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study indicate that, the performance of calves received protected or un-protected amino acid in starter was not different. Also, higher Crude Protein levels in diet did not lead to a better gain to feed ratio.