Tendon in horse is the most important type of connective tissue which connects muscle to bone, constituting a vital component of the musculoskeletal system, by enabling movement. Tendons suffer from a wide range of disorders, which includes different types of mechanical injuries and degenerative diseases. The sample population was a deep digital flexure tendon (DDFT) at mid-metacarpal region of thirty adult horses examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Sex distribution was not taken into account. Changes in its structural organisation due to aging following tendon degeneration was unknown. The complex structures of tendon and its distinctive characteristics have been well demonstrated by SEM techniques. The tendon structure under SEM showed a dense, regular connective tissue arrangement thatreflects the mechanical requirement of this tissue. It is defined by thick regular bundles of longitudinal collagen fibres arrangedin a zig-zag conformation. All tendons examined from these horses had no history of deep digital flexure tendinitis and were allmacroscopically normal. The tendon showed a hierarchical structure, with collagen molecules forming fibrils (50 nm to 500 nm), which in turn comprise a fascicle (50 μm to 300 μm), and fascicles were aligned along the longitudinal axis of the tendon.

Malaysia has experienced four waves of H5N1 outbreak but no humandeaths were recorded which is in 2004, 2006, 2007 and latest outbreak in 2017 at Kelantan. The objective of this paper is tocollect, analyse and summarise the data of HPAI cases from the outbreak from 1 March to 22 June 2017. A total of 1,634 cases, 8,544 samples were received at the Registration Unit and Virology Section, Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Kota Bharu (RVLKB) for diagnosis and surveillance of H5N1 during this period. The samples received were pooled organs and intestines from post-mortem (41 cases) and cloaca swabs in tryptose phosphate buffer from surveillance (1,593 cases), which were sent to RVL, Kota Bharu and Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh, Perak (VRI). They were processed and diagnosed using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT qPCR) technique to detect and subtyping of the virus. Total positive cases for H5N1 were 53 out of 1,634 with 18 diagnostic cases and 35 surveillance cases. All positive cases during outbreak were detected from 43 locations from six districts of Kota Bharu, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Pasir Mas, Tumpat and Tanah Merah, with 19 locations in Kota Bharu which is thehighest affected by H5N1, seven locations in Bachok, four in Pasir Putih, six in PasirMas, six in Tumpat and one in Tanah Merah. Many factors could have led to the acute spread of the virus between the districts like chicken smuggling, legal and illegal poultry trade, migration of infected wild birds and others. Understanding the source of outbreak and how it spread is important to control, eradicate and prevent the spread of the disease as it is zoonotic and infects human.

Stray dogs are carriers of several zoonotic diseases such as leishmaniasis and canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) as a result of poor nutrition, low hygienic conditions and lack of veterinary care. Thus, the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) conducted a survey to determine the parasite pathogens such as blood protozoans, gastrointestinal parasites and ectoparasites in stray dogs with the collaboration of the Kuala Lumpur City Council Pest Control Unit. Skin, organ, faecal and blood samples were analysed and results indicate that Babesia canis, Babesia gibsoni, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis and microfilaria of Dirofilaria immittis are the common parasites species found in the blood and organ samples in 2014. The faecal floatation technique showed the presence ofhelminth ova such as Trichuris, Ancylostoma and Toxocara species. All skin samples were positive for Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. As strays are closely linked to human habitats such as market and housing areas, it is vital that stray population control is strategically implemented to safeguard these common zoonotic infections from spreading to humans.

TVT, also known as infectious sarcoma, venereal granuloma, transmissible lymphosarcoma or sticker tumour is a benign reticuloendothelial tumour that affects particularly mucosa of external genital organs and rarely internal genital organs in dogs of both genders. TVT is usually transmitted by coitus but also can be transmitted by licking, sniffing, biting,and scrabbling of the tumour affected area or through damaged skin of mucosa. Transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is usually observed in stray animals live in tropical and subtropical lands. The affected animals are usually within 9-13 months of age and with high sexual activity. Tumour is frequently located in posterior vagina and vestibulovaginal junction. The averagechromosome count of TVT cells is 59 (57- 64). TVT specific antibodies were found in blood samples of affected animalswhich suggest that they may have a role in natural regression mechanism. The primary objective of tumour treatment is total elimination by surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Controlling of the disease is very difficult because stray dogs are carriers.

An adult female Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor) at Wildlife Conservation Centre, Sungkai, Perak was found dead in the paddock after abortion. The dead foetus was found on the paddock the day before this incident. The workers at the conservation centre also reported that the doe was attacked few times prior to death by a bull of the same group. The paddock in the Sungkai Conservation Centre was under construction and it was suspected that the noise from heavy machiner y and animals being transferred into different paddocks caused further stress to the affected doe which led to abortion and death. Post-mortem lesions showed generalised congestion and haemorrhage of all vital organs including liver, heart, lungs, kidneys and spleen. Histopathology revealed all organs have evidence of generalised congestion. Cause of death in this case is failure of the body system due to generalised congestion of the vital organs due to stress factor.

The present study describes the use of electrochemiluminescenceimmunoassay (ECL) with the specific human kit for measuring plasma testosterone and progesterone in ovine. This study wascarried out on 16 mixed age animals of the local breed. They were divided into two groups of both sexes, namely Male-1 Group,Male-2 Group, Female-1 Group and Female-2 Group. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein into tubes containing EDTAand centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 20 min. Plasma was rapidly separated and stored at -20° C until assayed. The reproducibilityinter- and intra-assay of the P4- and T-ECL is satisfactory (2.11-7.3 %). The accuracy (93-102 %) and the test of parallelism were largely acceptable. No cross-reaction was observed with the different hormones including PMSG,hCG, progesterone,testosterone, oxytocin and PGF2α when concentrations of 10 UI/ml and 10-3 UI/ml were used. T concentrations were higher in Male-1 Group than in Male2 Group (1.67 ± 1.15 and 0.38 ± 0.45 ng/ml, respectively). The female-1 Group showed very high P4 concentrations (15.17 ± 4.91 ng/ ml) compared to the Female-2 Group (0.08 ± 0.04 ng/ml). The results obtained clearly show that human ECL system can be used to measure progesterone and testosterone in plasma ovine

Zoonotic parasitic gastroenteritis has been well-known as a serious limitation to humans as well as livestock productivityin terms of man-power, pathology and fiscal losses, as human infection with these helminths from cattle can resultfrom consumption of meat containing the infective stage of the worm. This study therefore investigates the presence ofzoonotic helminth infections among cattle in Minna metropolis, and scientific basis for their potential transmission to humanpopulation. A total of 184 diarrhoeic faecal samples from cattle were collected from September 2014 to June 2015 in Minna,Niger state and processed using the direct faecal microscopic examination techniques. The obtained results showed that a total of 81 (44%) samples were positive including Ascaris sp, Fasciola gigantica, Trichuris sp. and Taenia sp. with infection rates of 22.3%, 12%, 2.2% and 0.5% respectively, and mixed infections of Fasciola gigantic with Ascaris sp. (4.3%) , and Ascaris sp. with Trichuris sp. (2.7%). Poor human hygiene, inadequate livestock husbandry managements and restriction of animals to residential areas are the major factors responsible for the high prevalence of zoonotic helminths and geo-helminths in the study area. Therefore veterinarians, animal handlers and livestock owners should practice personal hygienic and safe management practices for animal rearing and treatments.

A rare case is presented of a 58-year-old woman who developed ahepatic-bronchopleural fistula following a hydatid hepatic cyst complication. The hepatic-bronchopleural fistula was diagnosed when patient complained of severe repetitive attacks of productive cough of brown yellow to dark colour sputum biliptysis (bile in cough) with vomiting associated with night sweating and fever, for the past one month. She also complained of right side chest and abdominal pain for the past 3 years. This paper describes a unique case of hepatic-bronchopleural fistula caused by hydatid disease, emphasising the clinical feature and its surgical management. Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infection dueto the damage caused by Echinococcus granulosus. E. granulosus, also called the hydatid worm, hyper tape-worm or dog tapeworm, is a cyclophyllid cestode that parasitises the small intestine of canids as an adult, but which has important intermediate hosts such as livestock and humans, where it causes cystic echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease. It is hoped thatthis case report will add to the meagre case management reports of hepaticbronchopleural fistula in literature.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is caused by influenza virus A from the family Orthomyxoviridae. It is a severe, systemic disease with high mortality in avians. The mortality can be as high as 100% in a few days. On 28 February 2017, HPAI virus of H5N1 subtype was confirmed in village chickens at Kampung Pulau Tebu, Batu 5, Tunjong Kota Bharu, Kelantan. It wasthe second outbreak of HPAI in Kelantan after the first reported case at Tumpat Kelantan on 17 August 2004. Most of the dead poultry showed similar clinical signs of sudden death with high mortality, cyanosis and oedema of head, comb, wattle and snood as well as red discolouration of shanks and feet. Post-mortem was performed on dead poultry and there were generalised haemorrhages of all internal organs, congested mesenteric blood vessels andpinpoint haemorrhages on proventriculus. Histopathological examination revealed generalised pulmonary haemorrhages with moderate interstitial pneumonia, generalised hepatic haemorrhages and hepatitis with multifocal area of hepatic necrosis, generalised haemorrhagic myocarditis and generalised haemorrhagicnephritis. Confirmation test was performed using RT-PCR and viral isolation at Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh. 36 foci wereaffected involving five districts (Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Bachok, Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah) causing depopulation of 56,953 poultryand 17,531 eggs. Surveillance and control measures were taken by Department of Veterinary Services to contain the disease from spreading to other areas.

Septicaemic pasteurellosis is a fatal, sometimes epidemic, bacterial disease of domestic and wild animals including deer, bison, elk, and pronghorn antelope caused by Pasteurella multocida. This is the case report of septicaemic pasteurellosisin a captive sambar deer. The carcass was sent from Royal Endurance Stable, Bachok, Kelantan to the Kota Bharu RegionalVeterinary Laboratory for post-mortem. Gross examination of organs was followed by collection of specimens from lung, kidney,liver, spleen and heart for histopathology and bacterial examination. Pooled organ samples with rumen content were collected and sent to the nearest Chemistry Department for investigation. For histology, the liver, lung, spleen, kidney, and heart specimens were fixed in 10% neutral formalin, and routinely embedded in paraffin. Fivemicrometer sections were stained with H&E. Other tests such as worm and ectoparasiteidentification were conducted to identify the parasites. Post-mortem lesions revealed generalised haemorrhage in the organs.Pasteurella multocida serogroup B and E. coli were isolated from multiple tissues of the animal. Histological examination alsorevealed severe congestion and haemorhage of multiple tissues with infiltration of the inflammatory cells. The most likely mode of transmission of these bacteria is through an infected wound and into the bloodstream, thereby causing severe septicemia and death to the animal.