BACKGROUND: Ovine theileriosis is an important hemoprotozoal disease of sheep and goats in tropical and subtropical regions which causes high economic loss in the livestock industry. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was the differential detection of Theileria species in sheep using PCR method. METHODS: Two hundred blood samples of sheep were investigated in order to differentially diagnose Theileria species. DNA was extracted from blood samples and DNA samples were amplified using specific primers designed for 18S rRNA, TamS1 and TaSp genes. RESULTS: In this study, from 200 examined samples, 42 samples (21%) were infected by Theileria spp. and none of them were infected by Babesia spp. Moreover, from these 42 positive samples, 24 samples (57.1%) were only infected by T. ovis. 12 samples (28.5%) were only infected by T. lestoquardi, 2 samples (4.7%) were only infected by T. annulata and 4 samples (9.5%) were simultaneously infected by T. lestoquardi and T. ovis. The results of nucleotide sequencing showed that PCR product of 18S rRNA from T. lestoquardi has 99 and 95% similarity with T. annulata and T. ovis respectively. T. lestoquardi and T. annulata showed 86% similarity. Also TaSp gene of T. ovis in comparison with T. annulata and T. lestoquardi showed 96 and 86% similarity, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study could be shown that the two genes (TamS1 and TaSp) from examined three genes could be used for Theileria species specific diagnosis by PCR.

BACEKGROUND: Toxoplasmosisis one of the most important zoonotic diseases in Iran and the world. OBJCTIVES: Due to the high consumption of lamb meat and the high frequency of Toxoplasma infection in sheep in Iran, the aim of study was to determine frequency of Toxoplasma infection in the slaughtered sheep of Mashhad area. METHODS: In order to do this study, from summer 2015 to spring 2016, 25 blood and 25 heart muscle samples were seasonally collected from Torghabae slaughterhouse in Mashhad area. The samples were transferred to parasitology laboratory. First, the blood samples were centrifuged and the serum samples were isolated, then a portion of the heart muscles sample was taken for PCR examination. The sera and muscles samples were kept at -20 ºC in freezer until examination time. The sera samples were examined to detect antibody against T.gondii by ELISA method. DNA of heart muscle was extracted by commercial extraction kit and was examined to detect Toxoplasma DNA by nested –PCR. RESULTS: In the present study, of 100 sampled sheep, only 1 (1%) of the serum samples was seropositive, while 22 (22%) of the DNA samples were PCR positive. In this study, the highest frequency of Toxoplsma PCR-Positive was seen in spring and the lowest in summer in sheep. Also, the result of this study showed that the agreement between the molecular and EISA method was “fair”. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the high frequency of Toxoplasma infection in heart muscle of sheep, it seems that the risk of transmission of Toxoplasma infection from sheep meat is high.

BACKGROUND: During the last two decades, anthelmintic drugs have been increasingly applied against gastrointestinal parasites of sheep in Iran. OBJECTIVES: For this purpose, drug resistance to albendazole (Alb) and fenbendazole (Feb) in gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep of Saqez multiplicity was assessed. METHODS: In in-vivo experiment, a total number of 90 sheep in three groups (30 sheep/group) with EPG≤150 were examined for nematode resistance to Alb and Feb. They were treated with Alb and Feb or untreated (as a control group). RESULTS: There was significant difference between Alb and Feb treated groups and control group. The EPG in Alb, Feb and control groups was 59.8±1.93, 18.8±1.258 and 204.07±4.81, respectively. There was drug resistance against Alb in compassion with control group (R=71%). There was suspicion drug resistance for Feb in comparison with control group (R=90.66%). CONCLUSIONS: From the results of the present study, it was concluded that there was absolute and suspected drug resistance against Alb and Feb in sheep of Saqez municipality, Iran, respectively.

In this study multiplex PCR was used for typing of Clostridium perfringens isolates from soil, clinically healthy and diseased sheep. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from 41 out of 100 soil samples, 12 out of 100 clinically healthy sheep and 118 out of 200 sheep with enterotoxaemia signs. Genotyping of 41 isolates from soil indicated that 29 (70.73%) were type A, 3 (7.31%) were type B and 9 (21.95%) were type D. Of 12 isolates from clinically healthy sheep 6 (50%) were type A and 6(50%) were type D. Of 118 isolates from diseased sheep 42 (35.59%) were type A, 22 (18.64%) were type B and 54 (45.76%) were type D. This result indicates that Clostridium perfringens type A, B and D are the main types causing enterotoxaemia in sheep in Egypt and Clostridium perfringens type A must be included in any vaccine programme to ensure optimum protection.

A clear understanding of the pulmonary morphology of domestic animals is essential for the recognition and investigation of any anatomical variations. The right and left lungs of small ruminants and dog are separated into distinct lobes by inter lobar fissures. The right lung in these animals typically divides into 5 and 4 lobes, respectively. However, the left lung divides into 3 lobes. We report a case of congenital absence of the middle lobe of the right lung of a sheep and extra lobation in the left lungs of two dogs in Trinidad. This case report is of value to veterinary radiologists, pathologists, and veterinary public health inspectors during examination and investigation of the thoracic cavity of the sheep and dog.

The study aimed to investigate the presence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in pneumonic lung tissues from clinically apparently healthy sheep and goats and further demonstrating its prevalence in Gezira state, central Sudan. During March 2019, 99 pneumonic lung samples were collected from apparently healthy sheep (80) and goats (19) from Al-Hasaheisa slaughterhouse located in Al-Hasaheisa locality, Gezira state. Using the haemagglutination (HA) test for the detection of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) antigen, an overall antigenic prevalence of 86.9% was demonstrated in sheep and goats lung tissue homogenate. Of note, the prevalence of PPRV is higher in goats (100%) compared to sheep (83.7%). In this study, the reported increasing prevalence of PPR in central Sudan might be because of insufficient vaccination of animals. The findings of the present study indicated the widespread of PPR amongst sheep and goats in Al-Hasaheisa, Gezira state. Detection of PPRV antigen in the pneumonic lung samples is an indication of exposure of these animals to PPRV or presence of PPR viral infection and demonstrates the role of PPR as the cause of pneumonia in small ruminants. In fact, the circulation of the virus in clinically apparently healthy animals poses a threat for other in-contact susceptible animals and could play a significant role in the spread of the disease.

Sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (ovine pulmonary adenomatosis, OPA, Jaagsiekte) is a chronic contagious bronchoalveolar carcinoma caused by the Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus. Since effective treatment and a vaccination procedure are not currently possible, control and eradication of the disease is difficult. It leads to serious economic losses around the world, therefore studies are currently underway in order to design control and eradication programmes. In this study, levels and changes in selected tumour markers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, and alphafetoprotein (AFP)-3) and their diagnostic significance were investigated. A total of 30 sheep were used. Clinical examinations were performed and blood samples were obtained before slaughter from all animals with presumed OPA. Blood samples with positive OPA results by macroscopic and histopathological examination were included in the study as the experimental group and numbered 20. Sheep totalling 10 had negative OPA results and provided control samples. CEA levels were similar in both groups, and the differences were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). CA 125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, and AFP-3 levels were higher in the OPA group than the control group and with statistical significance (P < 0.05). In all OPA animals, CA 125 levels were higher than 1 U/mL. serum CAs and AFP levels increase significantly in adenomatous sheep. These tumour markers are thought to facilitate the diagnosis of OPA.

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a rare, under-explored lethal viral infection of cattle with gammaherpesvirus aetiological agents. Most often, the disease occurs on farms where cattle and sheep are kept together. However, other trigger mechanisms and environmental factors contribute. This study investigates the causation of MCF. An outbreak of MCF occurred in June - August 2017 in Kharchev village in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. In this paper, we provide epidemiological (sanitary status of pastures, watering places, and premises) and weather data during the outbreak, and descriptions of the clinical signs and post-mortem changes in cattle. The virus was detected and isolated from pathological material samples and identified by molecular methods. Extreme weather conditions, mixed-herd cattle and sheep farming, and unsatisfactory feed quality contributed to the outbreak. A virus related to herpesvirus OvHV2 was isolated and typed (MCF/Irkutsk/2017). Phylogenetic analysis showed its close genetic relationship to isolates from cattle and sheep in Germany, USA, and the Netherlands. Sporadic outbreaks of MCF caused by biotic and abiotic factors together are typical for the Russian Federation, and the Irkutsk outbreak epitomised this. Temperature anomalies caused pasture depletion, resulting in feed and water deficiency for grazing animals and dehydration and acidosis. Heat stress in animals ultimately led to the occurrence of MCF in the herd.

Cysticercosis caused by the larval stage of Taenia hydatigena is economically the most important endemic parasitic disease in Iraq. Few data are available relating to the genetic divergence of this helminth. This study aimed to molecularly characterise Cysticercus tenuicollis isolates from sheep in Sulaymaniyah province, Iraq. DNA extraction and amplification of specimens of C. tenuicollis from 46 sheep were conducted by PCR for the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. The 19 amplicons were subjected to purification and partial sequencing. Five 12S rRNA nucleotide sequence haplotypes were found. The pairwise nucleotide difference between haplotypes of 12S rRNA gene ranged from 0.2% to 0.7%. Four out of the five haplotypes of C. tenuicollis contained one to two base mutations and were discovered in Iraq for the first time, and this may be a unique mutation globally which has not been recorded previously. Three newly recorded haplotypes contained only one single mutation, and the other one contained two mutations. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all isolated strains were closely related to Iranian sheep isolates. Four new strains of T. hydatigena were discovered for the first time in the study area.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals, the occurrence of which increases markedly during and after heavy rainfall and flooding. The aim of this study was to determine the serological prevalence of leptospiral infection in livestock after a voluminous flood in 10 districts of the Malaysian state of Kelantan. In December 2014, Kelantan was hit by an extensive flood. A total of 1,728 serum samples were collected from livestock from the state, comprised of 1,024 from cattle, 366 from goats and 338 from sheep, and they were tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Altogether, 203 (11.75%; 203/1728; 95% CI: 10.20%–13.30%) of the tested sera were found to be positive serologically. Cattle had the highest prevalence of 14.16% (145/1024), while goats and sheep had 11.20% (41/366) and 5.03% (17/338) respectively. The most frequent serovars detected were Hardjo-bovis (3.70%; 64/1728), Hebdomadis (2.08%; 36/1728) and Pomona (1.04%; 18/1728). There was a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between livestock that were exposed to the flood and seropositivity. This study showed that flood is a risk factor that can play a role in the epidemiology of leptospiral infection in livestock.