The present study investigated the distribution of nerves in the ovary of the emu. The neuronal markers, protein gene product 9.5, neurofilament protein and neuron specific enolase demonstrated the constituents of the extrinsic and intrinsic ovarian neural systems. The extrinsic neural system was composed of ganglia in the ovarian stalk, as well as nerve bundles, which were distributed throughout the ovary. Isolated neuronal cell bodies, in the medulla and cortex, formed the intrinsic neural system. An interesting finding of the study was the presence of nerve bundles, circumscribed by lymphocytes, in the ovarian stalk. The findings of the study indicate that the distribution of nerve fibres and neuronal cell bodies in the emu ovary is similar, but not identical to that of the domestic fowl and ostrich.

The study is the result of analyzing 16 895 blood smears of cattle collected at 180 sites in the provinces of Manica, Sofala, Zambézia and Tete in Mozambique. Of the blood smears 73.9 % were from Manica, 11.8 % from Tete, 8.5 % from Sofala and 5.8 % from Zambézia; 75.6 % of these were collected from smallholder cattle. Infections with trypanosomes were highest in smallholder cattle from Sofala Province with 36.8 % of the 872 blood smears examined positive for trypanosomes, and lowest in cattle of commercial farmers in Manica Province with only 6.2 % of 2 252 blood smears being positive. Trypanosoma congolense was the predominant species, followed by Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma brucei sensu lato. Trypanosoma brucei, which also infects humans, was more frequent in the districts of Buzi, Mutarara and Morrumbala with 15.1 %, 10.5 % and 9.8 % of all examined cattle in 2005 being infected with it, respectively. The results show a significant increase in the infection rate with trypanosomes compared with results obtained in previous years by the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Manica Province and by the Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme in Zambézia, Tete and Sofala provinces.

In 2000 and 2001 Orange River levels were higher than normal: associated serious outbreaks of blackfly had a substantial detrimental impact on the local economy. The poor control was attributed to the suspected development of larval resistance to temephos. A long-term solution to blackfly control, through the identification of a suitable replacement to temephos for use during high flow conditions, was proposed. This study, however, failed to identify or register a suitable larvicide for use during high flow conditions. Although permethrin was highly effective against blackfly larvae, it was rejected because of its detrimental impacts on non-target fauna. Various formulations of locally produced dry Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (B.t.i.) were tested, but these were ineffective against blackflies. The study also confirmed that resistance to temephos has developed among Simulium chutteri in the middle and lower Orange River. The feasibility of "reversing" the resistance to temephos through the use of the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was investigated, but the results were not favourable. Furthermore, PBO was highly toxic to blackflies and non-target organisms, and was not recommended for further testing. This means that B.t.i. currently remains the only symptomatic measure of treatment currently applied. Although resistance to B.t.i. has not been reported for blackflies elsewhere in South Africa, there is a need to remain vigilant and to implement an operational strategy that minimizes the risks of resistance developing.

The helminths of 15 Helmeted Guineafowls were collected in the north of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 11 cestode, ten nematode and a single acanthocephalan species were present. Species richness ranged from 8 to 16 species per host, and nine core and nine secondary species accounted for 40.9% of the component parasite community. The remaining 18.2% comprised satellite species. Core species represented 91% of all the worms present. Individual intensities ranged from 66 to 2 724 per host and overdispersion was pronounced. There were no significant differences regarding the abundance and species richness between male and female hosts. The number of component species and overall abundance did not differ significantly between juvenile and adult hosts, but Cyrnea parroti was significantly more abundant, and the prevalence of Hadjelia truncata was higher in young birds than in adults. In contrast, Gongylonema congolense and Porogynia paronai were absent in juveniles, but had a prevalence of 60% and 70%, respectively, in adults. Pairwise Spearman's rank correlation yielded one positive and 10 negative significant species correlations. A single trematode, Dicrocoelium macrostomum, was collected from five of nine guineafowls, but was not included in the helminth community study.

The potential economic benefits of combining tactical anthelmintic treatment for gastrointestinal nematodes and nutritional supplementation with urea-molasses blocks were examined in Boer goats raised under extensive grazing conditions in the summer rainfall area of South Africa. Eight groups of nine goats were monitored over a 12-month period from 1 October 2002 to 9 October 2003. Ad libitum nutritional supplementation with urea-molasses blocks was provided when the goats were housed at night, during the summer (wet season -December 2002 to February 2003), and / or the winter (dry season -June 2003 to August 2003). All the goats were treated symptomatically for Haemonchus contortus infection when deemed necessary by clinical examination of the conjunctiva for anaemia using the FAMACHA© system. Half the groups were tactically treated for gastrointestinal nematodes in mid-summer (28 January 2003). Under the symptomatic treatment, climatic and extensive grazing conditions encountered during the trial, feed supplementation in the winter dry season had the greatest economic benefit and is therefore recommended. Tactical anthelmintic treatment afforded no additional advantage, but the nematode challenge was lo

The macroscopic features of the venous drainage of the reproductive system of the male ostrich were studied in six pre-pubertal and three sexually mature and active birds. Each testis was drained by one to four testicular veins. The right testicular veins drained the right testis and epididymis and its appendix to the caudal vena cava and to the right common iliac vein, whereas the left testicular veins drained the left testis and epididymis and its appendix exclusively to the left common iliac vein. A number of variations in the drainage pattern based on the point of entry and number of testicular veins were observed. The cranial aspect of the testis was also linked to the caudal vena cava or common iliac vein via the adrenal veins. The cranial, middle and caudal segments of the ductus deferens (and ureter) were drained by the cranial, middle and caudal ureterodeferential veins respectively, to the caudal testicular veins, the caudal renal veins and pudendal / caudal part of the internal iliac veins. In some specimens, the caudal ureterodeferential veins also drained into the caudal mesenteric vein. The surface of the phallus was drained by tributaries of the pudendal vein. The basic pattern of venous drainage of the reproductive organs of the male ostrich was generally similar to that described for the domestic fowl. However, important differences, including the partial fusion of the caudal renal veins, drainage of the cranial aspect of the testes via the adrenal veins, drainage of the caudal ureterodeferential veins into the caudal mesenteric vein and the presence of veins draining the surface of the phallus, were observed. Although significant, these differences may simply reflect variations in the normal pattern of venous drainage of the reproductive tract of birds which could be verified by studying more specimens and more species.

The prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in the north-eastern Free State Province of South Africa was determined by examination of thin and thick Giemsa-stained blood smears, IFAT and PCR. No parasites were detected by microscopy from any blood samples collected at five study sites, Qwaqwa, Kestell, Harrismith, Vrede and Warden. Of the tested serum samples, 28/29 (96.5%), 20/21 (95.2%) nd 42/42( 100%) were positive by IFAT for T. equi infections in Harrismith, Kestell and Qwaqwa, respectively, and 5/29 (17.2%), 13/21 (61.9%) and 30/42 (71.4%) were sero-positive for B. caballi infections in Harrismith, Kestell and Qwaqwa, respectively A. ll DNA samples from the study sites were negative for B. caballi infections by PCR, but five samples, two from each of Kestell and Warden and one from Vrede, were PCR positive for T. equi infections. The high prevalence of antibodies against T. equi and B. caballiin the sampled horses indicates that the animals had been exposed to T. equi and B. caballi infections but the absence of parasitaemia and very low number of positive PCR samples, however, imply that T. equi and B. caballie are endemically stable in the north-eastern Free State Province.

Four stocks of Ehrlichiar uminantium (Welgevonden, Ball3, Nonile and Blaauwkrans), the causative agent of heartwater in domestic ruminants, were isolated into lxodes capularis (lDE8) tick cells using the leukocyte fraction of the blood of infected sheep. Organisms of two of the E. ruminantrum stocks (Welgevonden and Blaauwkrans) propagated in IDEB cells were also successfully used to infect bovine endothelial cells. All stocks were successfully propagated in IDEB cells using Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium nutrient mixture Ham F-12c ontaining 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS). The technique should be included in any attempt to isolate uncharacterized E. ruminantium stocks.

During parasitological field surveys of freshwater fish, sebekiid and subtriquetrid pentastome larvae were recovered from the body cavity or swim bladder of several fish species from various localities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa. Sebekia wedli was recovered from the body cavity of Marcusenius macrolepidotus (Mormyridae) from Flag Boshielo Dam, Limpopo Province, and Alofia sp. and Subtriquetra rileyi were found in the swim bladder of Oreochromis mossambicus (Cichlidae) from the Phalaborwa Barrage, Limpopo Province. The latter species was also collected from the swim bladder of O. mossambicus in dams in the Phalaborwa region and the Ga-Selati River, Limpopo Province. A single specimen of Sebekia okavangoensis was present in the body cavity of Clarias gariepinus (Clariidae) in a dam on a sugarcane farm in the Komatipoort region, Mpumalanga Province. Pentastomid infections in the Mormyridae and Clariidae represent new host records.

Freshwater snails are known to serve as first intermediate hosts for various parasitic diseases such as schistosomosis and fasciolosis. Snails were collected on several occasions in the proximity of Pretoria, South Africa and their cercarial sheddings were studied. This article describes three different types of cercariae shed by the freshwater snail, Lymnaea natalensis, viz. a fork-tailed cercaria of a Trichobilharzia sp., an avian parasite belonging to the family Schistosomatidae, an echinostomatid cercaria of the family Echinostomatidae, also avian parasites and a xiphidiocercaria of the family Plagiorchiidae which parasitise avians and amphibians. The morphology of these cercariae was studied by light and scanning electron microscopy.