Hookworms of dogs especially Ancylostoma caninum and A.ceylanicum are the predominant gastro intestinal parasites of zoonotic significance. These are soil transmitted helminths (STH) whose larvae dwell in the soil and are capable of penetrating the host skin and then establishing itself in the intestine causing gastro-enteritis  and  anaemia.  Both  A.caninum  and  A.ceylanicum  can  infect dogs and their zoonotic potential is different and speciation becomes a necessity especially since it is difficult to distinguish the species morphologically. The current study was envisaged for molecular speciation of the hookworms affecting dogs in Chennai. A total of 185 faecal samples were examined of which 58 (31.35%) were positive samples and these were subjected to molecular speciation. The primers targeting ITS-1 gene of the parasite were designed and it was found that A.caninum  was  the  predominant  species  prevalent  amongst  dogs  in  Chennai.

We determined that the protein profiles of 14 isolates from animals with hemorrhagic septicemia were relatively homogeneous and could be placed in 2 distinct groups on the basis of their country of origin. Such differences correlated with the serotypic properties of the individual isolates; hemorrhagic septicemia isolates of Asian and North American origin (Carter B) had a major protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 32 kDa, whereas those of African origins (Carter E) had a major protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 37 kDa. The possession of a major 32-kDa protein band appeared to be unique to Carter B isolates, suggesting that electrophoresis may be a useful nonserologic technique for the identification of organisms of this serotype. Other major bands with apparent molecular masses of 27, 45, and 47 kDa were shared by all strains, regardless of their serotype. The lipopolysaccharides were of low molecular mass and relatively uniform from 1 isolate to the next.

The hemagglutinin (HA) of six H5 influenza virus strains isolated from ducks in Japan and China in 1976 to 1996 were analyzed antigenically and genetically. Antigenic analysis using a panel of monoclonal antibodies revealed that the HA of H5 influenza viruses isolated from ducks are antigenically closely related to each other. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the isolates from ducks in Hokkaido were derived from an ancestor common with the highly pathogenic isolates from chickens and human