Babesiosis is an important tick-borne disease that affects a wide range of domestic and wild animals and occasionally humans in tropical and subtropical countries. So far, More than 100 different Babesia species have been identified in animals. Iran is one of the largest countries in the Middle East. The existence of two chains of mountains namely Zagros and Alborz has provided a number of climatic variations with different flora and fauna. These different climatic zones in Iran are potentially favorable for a large variety of tick vectors transmitting blood pathogen protozoa like Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in animals. In the last decade, many molecular studies have been performed to identify Babesia spp. and tick vectors in different parts of Iran.  This review article aims to provide useful information about the history, characters, geographical distribution, and prevalence of Babesia species and their related tick vectors in animals in Iran.

The developmental error of the first pair of pharyngeal arch processes would result in a group of malformations related to the oral cavity. These malformations can be listed as agnathia, micrognathia, brachygnathia, syngnathia, cleft palate, campylognathia, parrot beak, and strophocephalia. Campylognathia is an anomaly in which the lower or upper jaw deviated from the midline. Clinical examination of a newborn female Holstein Friesian calf showed mandibular deviation, inferior and superior cheek teeth deformation, and some other facial malformations. No similar case was detected in the history of the herd. Precise consideration of malformed animals and the extent of involvement of different structures indicates the pattern of malformation, the time of teratogenic effect, and the motive embryonic structures. In the present case, the involvement of derivatives of both maxillary and mandibular processes shows the responsibility of the first pharyngeal arch for mentioned abnormalities. In humans, different types of abnormal development of the first pharyngeal arch have been reported and so, have been classified under the “first visceral arch syndrome”. But according to the infrequency of reports, this classification has not been done in domestic animals.

Serotonin (5-HT) plays an underpinning role in appetite regulation and the opioid system has a role in the modulation of the ingestion behavior in birds. The current survey was aimed to evaluate the effect of opioid receptors on serotonin-induced hypophagia in neonatal broilers. During experiments, food-deprived chickens received intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection and thereafter, the cumulative food intake was measured after 30, 60, and 120 minutes. In experiment 1, to determine the effective dose of serotonin, the control solution and the various doses of serotonin (2.5, 5, and 10 μg) were administered to birds. In the second experiment, groups received not only the control solution, but also an effective dose of serotonin (10 µg), µ-opioid receptor antagonist (β_FNA, 5 µg), and a co-injection of β_FNA (5 µg) and serotonin (10 µg), respectively. The next experiments were similar to the second experiment, however, in place of β_FNA, the antagonist of κ- opioid receptor (nor_BNI, 5 µg), the δ- opioid receptor antagonist (NTI, 5 µg), and the agonist of µ opioid receptor (DAMGO, 62.25 pmol) were used in experiments 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The results showed a dose-dependent hypophagic impact of serotonin. This effect was attenuated by β_FNA; however, nor_BNI and NTI had no effect. Furthermore, the diminishing effect of serotonin on food consumption in chickens was strengthened following DAMGO administration (p < 0.05). According to the results, the hypophagic effect of serotonin is possibly mediated through µ opioid receptors in neonatal broilers.

Bacterial infections of the uterus are known to be an important cause of infertility in the mare. The objective of this study was to determine the species of bacteria isolated from the uterus of infertile Arabic mares, and investigate how identified bacteria are related to parity. A total of 18 Arabic mares with a history of long-term infertility were evaluated. The age range of mares was 4-23 years. For statistical analysis, logistic regression and Chi-square test were used by Proc Logistic of SAS. In this study, low-volume uterine flush and culture techniques were used. P. aeruginosa was the most prevalent bacterium isolated from 26.32% of mares as pure or in conjunction with E. coli, K. pneumoniae, or Citrobacter spp. Furthermore, 23.68% of bacterial infertility cases were related to E. coli. Pure growth of E. coli was observed only in one case. However, mixed growth with P. aeruginosa, S.zooepidemicus, and S. aureus was very prevalent. The present study revealed that the most prevalent bacteria isolated from chronic endometritis in Arabic mares were gram-negative bacteria (p < 0.05), while in some cases may be accompanied by gram-positive bacteria. C. albicans was isolated in only 8% of mares with chronic endometritis. Moreover, older age and higher parity number of the mares were not related to the presence of intrauterine fluid or the species of bacteria (p > 0.05). It can be concluded that the most prevalent bacteria isolated from infertile Arabic mares with chronic endometritis are gram-negative bacteria.

Kisspeptin is a key component of reproduction that can directly affect food intake in mammals. There is evidence suggesting that melanocortin, GABA, corticotrophin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY), have a mediatory role in reward; however, how these substances interact with kisspeptin-induced by food intake in birds, remains to be identified. Accordingly, in this study,   a total of 10 experiments were carried out to investigate the interplay  between kisspeptin and these systems for the control of food intake in neonatal layer-type chickens. In the first experiment, chickens were intracerebroventricular (ICV) injected with saline and Metastin (Kisspeptin, 0.25, 50, and 1 nmol). In the second experiment, saline, Metastin (1 nmol), BIBP-3226 (NPY1 receptor antagonist, 1.25 nmol), and co-injection of Metastin + BIBP-3226 were injected. Experiments 3-10 were similar to experiment 1, except that chickens received BIIE 0246 (NPY2 receptor antagonist, 1.25 nmol), CGP71683A (NPY5 receptor antagonist, 50 μg), Picrotoxin (GABAA receptor antagonist, 1.25 nmol), CGP54626 (GABAB receptor antagonist, 21 µg), astressin-B (CRF1 / CRF2 receptor antagonist, 30 µg), Astressin2-B (CRF2 receptor antagonist, 30 µg), SHU9119 (MC3 / MC4 receptor antagonist, 0.5 nmol), and MCL0020 (MC3 / MC4 receptor antagonist, 0.5 nmol) instead of BIBP-3226. Food intake was subsequently assessed until 120 min after the injection. Based on the findings, Metastin (0.25, 50, and 1 nmol) significantly increased food intake in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). However, BIBP-3226 and Picrotoxin inhibited Metastin-induced hyperphagia in neonatal chickens (p < 0.05); Whereas, whereas BIIE 0246, CGP71683A, CGP54626, astressin-B, astressin2-B, SHU9119, and MCL0020 had no effect (p > 0.05). These results showed that the effect of kisspeptin on food intake might be mediated by NPY1 and GABAA receptors in layer-type chickens.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone with modulatory roles. The anti-inflammatory effect of this hormone has been reported on different animal tissues. Immediately after spinal cord injury (SCI), neuroinflammation causes neuropathic pain and locomotor impairments. We investigated the impacts of ABA as an anti-inflammatory substance on an acute SCI model. The weight-drop contusion injury model was applied for inducing SCI in rats. The solvent, ABA (10, 15 μg/rat, IT), and MP (30 mg/kg, IP) were administered after injury. For the evaluation of proinflammatory gene expression, a real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied for the two inflammation markers tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Moreover, the tail-flick and Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) tests were performed to determine the effects of ABA on the neuropathic pain and locomotor function in the chronic phase of injury, respectively. Our data showed that ABA reduced the gene expression of TNF-α and IL-1β in the spinal cord of injured rats. It also increased the latency response to nociceptive thermal stimuli and improved locomotor function. Our findings showed the anti-inflammatory impacts of ABA in improving neuropathic pain and locomotor functional recovery after SCI.

The present study was performed to assess the resistance profile to fluoroquinolone and to determine mutations in gyrA and parC genes of Escherichia coli in bovine coliform mastitis. Fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin (NOR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), enrofloxacin (NFX), levofloxacin (LEV), and ofloxacin (OFL) were tested against E. coli isolates, isolated from bovine mastitis (100 milk samples) by disk diffusion method. To determine the extent of gyrA and parC mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli, two isolates with the highest resistance to each fluoroquinolone were submitted for the amplification and sequencing of the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA and parC genes. The disk diffusion method indicated that E. coli isolates had the highest intermediate resistance to OFL (16.7%), followed by NFX and NOR (15%), while they had low resistance to CIP and LEV (3.33%). A few silent mutations in gyrA (in codons 91, 100, 111, 131, 132) and in parC (in codons 91, 157, 159) were detected in QRDRs, and mutations in nucleotides 65, 80, and 83 in gyrA, and 195, 209, 212 in parC were detected in the other isolate. These results showed an intermediate rate of resistance to fluoroquinolones in E. coli isolates from raw milk of cows with coliform mastitis

A lateral abdominal hernia is relatively a less common incidence resulting from abdominal wall defects in cows and heifers than other types of hernias. This is usually an acquired defect, and heifers at the farm and field levels can be affected by accidental trauma or as the sequelae of poorly handled abscesses or wounds in the abdominal region involving the rupture and tear of the regional muscular intersections. An affected heifer was clinically examined, and an oval-shaped swelling on the right lateral side of the abdomen and cranial to the stifle skinfold was detected with a palpable sac having the characteristics of a prominent ring and reducible herniated mass covered by subcutis and intact skin. Being diagnosed as a right lateral abdominal hernia, the case was further surgically treated by herniorrhaphy to reconstruct the abdominal wall defects. Postoperatively, the animal was provided with intensive care and supportive medications. There are several reports on ventrolateral and ventral abdominal hernias in small ruminants; however, case studies focusing on the clinical diagnosis-based treatment of right lateral abdominal hernia in large ruminants have rarely been reported.

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and mycological features of feline dermatophytosis in a population of cats with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Veterinary Teaching Hospital (northeast of Iran). Skin, hair, and nail samples from 122 clinically suspected cases of feline dermatophytosis were screened by direct microscopic examination. Of the 122 samples examined, 91 (74.59 %) were positive for fungal elements by direct microscopic examination, and 66 (54 %) were culture-positive for Microsporum canis. M. canis was the only dermatophyte species isolated from the cats. In the studied population, young cats (< 7 months) showed a statistically higher rate of M. canis infection than older animals (p < 0.001). The occurrence of dermatophytosis did not correlate with gender or the type of cats’ hair. The isolation rate of dermatophytes was relatively high in winter. However, the association between season and the dermatophyte inflation rate was not significant. The diagnostic value of microscopic examination proved to be high compared to fungal cultures as 64 of 66 samples that had positive M. canis culture were positive at microscopic examination. The agreement between culture and microscopic examination was moderate (k = 0.49). The information acquired in this study provides helpful insights into dermatophytoses in northern Iran highlighting the most important clinical and mycological features of skin mycoses in pet cats.

The present study is an attempt to assess the protective and immunity effects of  Allium sativum in Oncorhynchus mykiss to acute exposure to copper .55 rainbow trout fish with an average weight of 51.20 ± 3.73 g were subjected to various densities of copper (0.02, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.4 mg/l). Under stable conditions, the lethal concentration of copper was detected to be 0.40 mg/l. The treatments included a control with no Cu or garlic treatment (T1), feeding with garlic additive and Cu exposure (T2), and exposure to a lethal dose of Cu with no garlic additive (T3).  The blood sample was used to designate hematological indices  such as white blood cell (WBC) and red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HB) mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils percent and Immunological indices (glucose, total protein, lysozyme, IgM). The results indicated significant differences among the treatments when the concentration of copper was increased (p < 0.05). According to the results obtained, there were noteworthy differences in MCV, MCHC, and HCT amongst the treatments (p < 0.05). The histopathological results indicated that the main lesions were hyperplasia and necrosis of epithelial cells (in gill), enlargement of Bowman's capsule and tubular degeneration (in kidney), hepatocytes necrosis (in liver) in all the fish. Pathologic severity signs in sampled tissues were increased by increasing in concentration and exposure times of copper sulphate However, the results revealed that the use of garlic in dietary can be beneficial to increasing fish resistance to copper.