Fift y nine samples of feces were collected from broiler flocks farms located in Hama and Aleppo provinces of Syria, which suffered from diarrhea or respiratory problem or both. For the first time, this study confirmed the infection of the broiler flocks with Cryptosporidium in Syria with a rate of 8.4%. The infection has been demonstrated by detecting the Cryptosporidium oocysts in the fecal by using direct smear method and Formol-Ether concentration method, then stained by Kinyoun acid fast stain. The result of tests based on morphology and size of Cryptosporidium oocysts showed that the parasite is probably C. baileyi which ranged between (6 µm X 4 µm).

Morphologically,the testes of adult duck was suspended by mesorchium with the roof of the the abdominal cavity. The testes appear as elongated bean shaped and situated asymmetrically. The mean average of the testis was 1,48 cm in length, 0.47cm in width, and 1.54gm in weight. Histologically, each testis was covered by a connective tissue capsule.The stroma of the testis posses no mediastinum. Leydic cells were commonly found in groups within the connective tissue which filled the spaces between the seminiferous tubules. Germ cells and Sertoli cells constituent the main component of the seminiferous epithelium. There were type A-spermatogonia, type I-spermatogonia, and type B-spermatogonia. Type B-spermatogonia passes through proleptoten, leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, and diakineses. The primary spermatocytes give rise to secondary spermatocytes. These latter cells enter the second meiotic division to form the spermatids which undergo through thirteenth stages to form the sperms.

Food safety issues and potential health risks in avian tissues are one of the most serious environmental concerns, this paper carries out probabilistic risk analysis methods to quantify trace elements bioaccumulation in chicken liver, gizzard, and lung content to assess the range of exposures for the people who consume the contaminated chicken. The concentrations of Al (aluminum), Mn (manganese), Cu (copper), Co (cobalt), and Zn (zinc) were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), using the stock standard solution of heavy metals and blank sample. Results show the contents of elements in bird tissues samples were in the range of (18.68-62.24, 1.6-18.6, 0.12-0.61, 2.12-24.95, 35.10-93.85 µg/g for Al, Mn, Co, Cu, and Zn respectively. A risk assessment on human health beings due to consumption of chicken was performed using toxic reference benchmark, namely the reference dose (RfD). The hazard index (HI), sum of the hazard quotients calculated for all pollutants have shown that the risks of fowls consumption were generally low and are within safe limits.

The present study has been out to examine macroscopic structure of the primary bronchi and lung in Bee-eaters bird ( Merops orientalis) observed exist within the rib cage, the distal part of the trachea are divided into two primary bronchi (left and right) and the macroscopic appearance of the primary bronchi consists of a short tube extend caudally from syrinx to enter the proximal third of the visceral surface of the lungs through the hilus. The basic unit consisting of the primary bronchi are cartilaginous rings which takes - C - shape. The mean total length of left and right primary bronchi are (1.025 ± 0.15 cm) and (1.075 ± 0.14 cm); and the number of cartilaginous rings in left and right primary bronchi are ( 18.5 ± 0.50) and (18.5 ± 1.50). The lungs are small, pyramidal-shaped, unlobed, bright pink color, and surrounded by thin colorless membrane the pleura and the air sacs. The lung contains two surfaces (dorsal and ventral), two borders ( medial and lateral) and two extremities ( proximal and distal ). The mean total length, width and thickness of the right lung are (1.77 ± 0.17 cm), (0.95 ± 0.15 cm) and (0.4 ± 0.10 cm) while the mean total length, width and thickness of the left lung are (1.6 ± 0.15 cm ), ( 0.9 ± 0.14 cm ) and (0.37 ± 0.02 cm ).

In order to determine the genotoxic effects of diazinon and the role of chitosan to neutralize these effects, our study performed in (24) male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into four groups and treated for (60) days as following, group (A) treated with normal saline and served as control, group (B) treated with [(1/10LD50) 3.8mg/kg. bw] of diazinon, group (C) treated with [(1/10LD50) 3.8mg/kg. bw] of diazinon and fed on diet supplement containing (1gram/1kg ration) chitosan, group (D) fed on diet supplement containing (1gram/1kg ration) chitosan only. The genotoxic effect of diazinon was evaluated by using the micronucleus assay showed increasing of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes were (11.6%) in group B, while (7%) in group C . The chromosomal aberration showed increase of presence of chromosomal aberration in group B was (7.5±1.04), while in the group C showed mild elevation in (3.25±0.8). The polymorphism of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes showed highly incidence of both genes polymorphism in group B was (66.6%) while group C was (50%) . we concluded that diazinon is genotoxic pesticide and chitosan ameliorate it effects.

Ijara district in Kenya was one of the hotspots of Rift Valley fever (RVF) during the 2006/2007 outbreak, which led to human and animal deaths causing major economic losses. The main constraint for the control and prevention of RVF is inadequate knowledge of the risk factors for its occurrence and maintenance. This study was aimed at understanding the perceived risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara to enable the development of improved community-based disease surveillance, prediction, control and prevention. A cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2012 to June 2013. Thirty-one key informant interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders to determine the local pastoralists’ understanding of risk factors and risk pathways of RVF in cattle in Ijara district. All the key informants perceived the presence of high numbers of mosquitoes and large numbers of cattle to be the most important risk factors contributing to the occurrence of RVF in cattle in Ijara. Key informants classified high rainfall as the most important (12/31) to an important (19/31) risk factor. The main risk pathways were infected mosquitoes that bite cattle whilst grazing and at watering points as well as close contact between domestic animals and wildlife. The likelihood of contamination of the environment as a result of poor handling of carcasses and aborted foetuses during RVF outbreaks was not considered an important pathway. There is therefore a need to conduct regular participatory community awareness sessions on handling of animal carcasses in terms of preparedness, prevention and control of any possible RVF epizootics. Additionally, monitoring of environmental conditions to detect enhanced rainfall and flooding should be prioritised for preparedness.

With the extensive use of antibiotics in livestock production, surveillance revealed an increase in Salmonella resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials in veterinary and public health. This serious threat to health care is further exacerbated by the limited epidemiological information about the common zoonotic agent, Salmonella enteritidis, required to determine antibiotic therapy. The aim was to characterise the antimicrobial resistance patterns of S. enteritidis isolates across different timelines (1972–2005) with accompanying genetic changes being investigated. Thirty-seven stored S. enteritidis isolates were collected from the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Harare, with antimicrobial susceptibility determined against eight antibiotics. Plasmids were isolated to analyse any genetic variation. An overall significant increase in resistance (p < 0.05) to nalidixic acid (0% – 10%), ampicillin (14.3% – 50%), tetracycline (14.3% – 30%) and erythromycin (71.4% – 100%) was observed across the timeline. However, the highest rates of susceptibility were maintained for gentamicin, sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim, kanamycin and chloramphenicol. We report an increase in multidrug resistance (MDR) of 14.2% – 50% with an increase in resistotypes and plasmid profiles across the timeline. Eleven plasmid profiles were obtained in the 37 isolates studied with a minority of isolates (21.6%, 8/37) harbouring a 54 kb plasmid, commonly serovar-specific. A concerning increase in antimicrobial resistance to commonly administered drugs was observed across the timeline. The surge in MDR is of great concern and implies the need for consistent antimicrobial stewardship. No correlation was observed between the plasmid and antibiotic profiles.

Advocacy for neglected zoonotic diseases (ADVANZ) is a One Health Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZDs) project, funded by the European Commission through its 7th framework programme. The initiative aims at persuading decision makers and empowering stakeholders at local, regional, and international levels towards a coordinated fight against NZDs. ADVANZ is establishing an African platform to share experiences in the prevention and control of NZDs. The platform will compile and package existing knowledge or data on NZDs and generate evidence-based algorithms for improving surveillance and control with the ultimate aim of eliminating and eradicating these diseases. The platform will serve as a forum for African and international stakeholders, as well as existing One Health and NZD networks and harness and consolidate their efforts in the control and prevention of NZDs. The platform had its first meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa in March 2013.

African swine fever (ASF) is an economically significant haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs. It is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)arbovirus. Argasid ticks of the genus Ornithodoros, which are widely distributed throughout southern Africa, play a primary role in virus maintenance and spread within the endemic sylvatic cycle. The ASF status of Swaziland is unknown, but this land-locked country is surrounded by ASF-positive countries, has a burgeoning pig industry and sylvatic cycle hosts present within its borders. In this first assessment of ASF status, warthog burrows in seven nature reserves and game management areas in Swaziland were investigated for tick and virus presence. Tick infestation rates of between 33.3% – 88.8% were recovered for the four Ornithodoros-infested reserves. A total of 562 ticks were screened for virus genome presence using a duplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) that targets the C-terminal end of the p72 gene of the ASFV and confirms DNA integrity through amplification of the 16S rRNA tick host gene. All samples were negative for virus genome presence and positive for the tick genome target. Nucleotide sequencing of the latter confirmed that Ornithodoros ticks from Swaziland are identical to those from the Kruger National Park in South Africa across the gene region characterised. Whilst this first evaluation of ASF presence in Swaziland indicates that the virus does not appear to be present in the key virus vector, the presence of sylvatic cycle hosts, together with the country’s proximity to ASF-affected countries calls for expanded investigations and regular monitoring of the ASF status of Swaziland.