A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method (qPCR) was developed and tested for the detection of Taylorella equigenitalis. It was shown to have an analytical sensitivity of 5 colony-forming units (CFU) of T. equigenitalis when applied to the testing of culture swabs that mimicked field samples, and a high analytical specificity in not reacting to 8 other commensal bacterial species associated with horses. As designed, it could also differentiate specifically between T. equigenitalis and T. asinigenitalis. The qPCR was compared to standard culture in a study that included 45 swab samples from 6 horses (1 stallion, 5 mares) naturally infected with T. equigenitalis in Canada, 39 swab samples from 5 naturally infected stallions in Germany, and 311 swab samples from 87 culture negative horses in Canada. When the comparison was conducted on an individual sample swab basis, the qPCR had a statistical sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 96.4%, respectively, and 100% and 99.1% when the comparison was conducted on a sample set basis. A comparison was also made on 203 sample swabs from the 5 German stallions taken over a span of 4 to 9 mo following antibiotic treatment. The qPCR was found to be highly sensitive and at least as good as culture in detecting the presence of T. equigenitalis in post-treatment samples. The work demonstrates that the qPCR assay described here can potentially be used to detect the presence of T. equigenitalis directly from submitted sample swabs taken from infected horses and also for determining T. equigenitalis freedom following treatment.

A primary fibroblast cells from embryos of brown quail Coturnixypsilophora has been established and partially characterized. The cells were maintained in Modified Eagle’s medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The cells were able to grow at temperatures between 35°C and 38°C with optimum temperature of 37°C. The growth rate of primary quail fibroblast cells increased as the FBS proportion increased from 5% to 20% at 37°C with optimum growth at the concentrations of 10% or 15% FBS. The cells showed no microbial contamination throughout the period of experiment and the total chromosome number of a diploid cell was 78, according to karyotyping and chromosome analysis. The susceptibility of quail primary cells for avian viruses was investigated in this study after inoculation with ND and IB viruses. Both viruses showed a satisfactory CPE development and the infectivity were assayed by virus titration (TCID50). This suggests that the quail primary cells can be used for isolation of various avian viruses with further steps of infectivity confirmation in the future.

The aim of this study was to investigate the bacteria found in different parts of the genital system in cows and the susceptibility to different types of antibiotics. The genital systems of sixteen cows were collected from Al-Hilla, Iraq slaughterhouse. Isolation and identification of bacteria were made for each part of the genital system and antibiotic susceptibility tests was conducted to the isolated bacteria. The results of this study indicated that there were several types of bacteria present in the genital systems of cows. Different species of bacteria were isolated from the samples including, Escherichia coli (28.97)%, Klebsiella spp. (16.82)%, Salmonella spp. (14.95)%, Proteus spp. (13.08)%, Staphylococcus aureus (11.21)%, Staphylococcus epidermidis (8.41)% and Streptococcus spp. (6.54)%. In vitro susceptibility towards different types of antibiotic indicated high susceptibility of Escherichia coli to antibiotic group impenem and ciprofloxacin, while Klebsiella spp. was found to be most susceptible to ciprofloxacin and amikacin. Both Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. showed resistance to piperacillin and tetracycline. It was concluded that Escherichia coli was the most predominant bacteria in genital system of cows and were most susceptible to antibiotic impenem and ciprofloxacin.

The characteristic thin skin of the scrotal sac in a rabbit was tornresulting in traumatic exposure of the right testicle. Bilateral orchiectomy through an open scrotal approach was performed undergeneral anaesthesia. The rabbit was premedicated with Acepromazine (0.5 mg/kg, 0.15 ml) and Flunixin meglumine (1 mg/kg, 0.03 ml,) intra-muscularly. Isoflurane was used for induction at 5% with O2flow rate at 0.7 L/min and maintenance Isoflurane, 1.5% - 3%, O2 flow rate = 0.7 L/min) of general anaesthesia. Both right and left testicles were removed and the hemiscrotal incision was closed with 4-0 Vicryl, horizontal mattress suture pattern. Post-operative treatments with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agents wereinstituted and the client was advised about how to safely manage aggressive behaviour of rabbits towards each other. The surgicalsite healed without complication and the neutered rabbit recovered fully within 14 days.