This study was conducted to investigate the status of brucellosis in dairy cattle from five selected dairy farms in the Mohammadpur Beribadh area of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was carried out from October 2010 to March 2011 in which a total of 334 serum samples from cattle in five herds were screened by the Rose-Bengal plate-agglutination test (RBPT) and the positives were confirmed using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). A structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological information describing the animals. Overall, 4.20% of the animals were RBPT positive, while subsequent confirmatory tests with I-ELISA revealed that the overall animal-level prevalence derived from the samples was 1.20%. Additionally, the prevalence was relatively higher in females than in males. A significant association was found between abortion, age of the animals, and the occurrence of brucellosis (p 0.05). Considering the overall low prevalence of brucellosis in the selected farms in the present study, a brucellosis eradication program for dairy farms using a test-and-slaughter policy would be possible.

An adult female dog was presented for evaluation of mammary gland masses. Complete blood count and serum chemistry data were within normal limits. Fine-needle aspiration cytology of the mammary masses revealed clusters of malignant epithelial cells with clear cytoplasmic vacuoles. Based on histopathological findings, a diagnosis of lipid-rich mammary carcinoma was made. Approximately 5 weeks after surgical removal, the tumor recurred at the surgery site and metastasis to the tibia was detected. Due to the poor prognosis and deterioration of the condition, the dog was euthanized.

Antiviral effect of crude aqueous extracts of Neem leaves and Neem bark (Azadirachta indica) belonging to the family Meliaceae againstvelogenic Newcastle Disease virus was studied. Maximum non- toxic dose and determination of antiviral activity by in vitro and in vivo virus inhibition assay was carried out using embryonated SPF chicken eggs and SPF chickens. Different concentration content of the aqueous neem extract from branches of neem tree storing at 4°C reacted against velogenic ND virus was conducted. Determination of antiviral activity by in vivo assay in SPF chickens was compared to the group of untreated with Neem extract.

Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as theyresult in economic loss due to mortality, reduction in production efficiency and increment in drugs usage. This historical retrospective study was carried out to investigate the most significant blood protozoan diseases, their trends as well as the host range diagnosed by Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) from 1931 to 2010 among Malaysian domestic animals. Conventional techniques such as stained thin blood film, whole blood buffy coatexamination and direct wet smears were utilised for diagnosis from 1931 to 2010. Five most common significant blood protozoan diseases from the domestic animals were identified namely, theileriosis,leucocy tozoonosis, pla smod ia sis, babesiosis and trypanosomiasisrespectively. The setting up of a systematic laboratory service in VRI has enabled more cases of blood protozoan infections to be diagnosed and this has inadvertently led to better understanding and control of the diseases thereby improving the livelihood and reducing economic loss of local farmers.

The mycotoxin test data base (2005–2009) of the Veterinary PublicHealth Laboratory (VPHL), Department of Veterinary Services, Malaysia (DVS) showed that there was a significant increase (51%) of overall aflatoxin occurrences in various types of animal feed samples, especially those formulated from agricultural by-product, for the year 2008. A study was thus conducted to investigate if there could be some sources of mycotoxin contamination during theperiod of sample handling. Three different laboratory storage conditions were chosen for the study within a period of fourteendays i.e 4 °C, room temperature (in light) with mean relative humidity of 62.5%, and room temperature (in dark) with mean relative humidity of 55.7%. The observations showed that there were nosignificant differences in total aflatoxin, zearalenone, and fumonisin detections in all storage conditions as screened by the ELISA technique. However 11– 50% inconsistencies of the mycotoxinconcentrations detected were observed within the samples.

Blastocystis is considered to be a zoonoses and it is believed that animals such as chicken constitute large reservoirs for human infection via the faecal-oral route. Therefore, Blastocystis infection was surveyed in free-range chicken and cage reared chicken comprising broiler birds for consumption as well as jungle fowls andsilkie chicken kept for recreation. Fresh faecal samples collected were examined by wet smear preparation and were cultured in Jones medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. Out of 107 chickens, it was found that most of the free-range chicken was positive for Blastocystis sp. with a high prevalence rate of 80%–100% in village chicken, jungle fowl and white silkie chicken. However, the cage-reared chicken, consisting of broiler chicken had no infection. The vacuolar form was the most common Blastocystis cell form found in cultures, similar to B. hominis.These cells were usually spherical and vary greatly in size, ranging from 10 μm to 30 μm in diameter. Owing to the free ranging and scavenging habits, the likelihood of acquiring the infection fromthe environment contaminated with the faecal material of animals with Blastocystis is high in free-range chicken as compared to caged chicken.

Avian haemoparasites are known to exert negative pressures on theirhosts causing considerable pathology and mortalities. The present study reports on the prevalence of haemoprotozoa and microfilaria in various species of wild birds and domestic poultry in Selangor, Malaysia, and contributes to the database on the occurrence of thesepathogens among avifauna in the country. Giemsa-stained thin blood smears were screened from 728 birds representing five avian orders, namely Galliformes, Anseriformes, Phoenicopteriformes, Pelecaniformes and Gruiformes. The most common haemoparasite was Plasmodium, with a prevalence of 8.0%. The aquatic/wetland species of birds (Anseriformes and Gruiformes) were the most common hosts for this pathogen with high infection rates (31.8% – 50.0%). The prevalence of Plasmodium in domestic poultry was moderate (2.7%). Leucocytozoon sabrazesi and L. caulleryi were confined to the Galliformes with relatively low average infection rates of 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Haemoproteus was detected for the first time in domestic poultry and Red Jungle fowls in the country, with anaverage prevalence of 0.8%. Trypanosomes and microfilaria were only present in the village chickens and Red Jungle fowls, with high microfilaraemia rates (19.0%) in the latter. The current compilation will contribute to our understanding on avianhaemoparasite transmission in the country.

Brucellosis has been in South East Asia for many generations affecting both man and animals and responsible for massive economic losses. The threat to the economy and to public health from this zoonotic disease is so great to ignore. Over the years there have been many attempts to control and possibly eradicate this infection but these efforts have not fully yielded the desired results due to many factors mentioned in this paper. Eradication, though expensive,
actually saves a lot of economic resources when properly implemented. In this review, the past and current situation of
brucellosis in South East Asia is explored with particular reference to Malaysia and challenges to the full eradication of the infection are elucidated.