BACKGROUND: Meat is one of society's most important nutritional needs, the price of which is higher than other food groups. In recent years, the use of meat products has increased due to human lifestyle changes. Fraud in meat products occurs for various reasons, including the economic value of meat. Therefore, it is crucial to use fast and accurate methods of identifying these frauds.OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the unauthorized tissue by a histological method as well as to determine the unauthorized species used in meat products of factories in Hamadan province.METHODS: In the summer of 2021, fifty samples were collected from active production units of the Hamedan province that were available in the Hamadan city market and transferred to the laboratory for histological laboratory and animal species determination by PCR test. For the histology test based on the national standard 6103, the samples were subjected to fixation, passage (dehydration, clearing, impregnation with molten paraffin), blocking, sectioning, and H&E staining. PCR method was used to determine the type of animal species used in the production of the collected samples.RESULTS: The results confirmed the presence of unauthorized tissues, including bone, cartilage (articular and respiratory cartilage), skin, and glandular organ in meat products. Also, PCR test results showed that chicken meat was found in 100% of the samples labeled with beef.CONCLUSIONS: The presence of illegal tissue and the use of chicken meat in products labeled as beef meat is evident in the sausages produced in Hamadan province.

BACKGROUND: Bovine Herpes Virus-1 (BHV-1) belongs to the  Alpha herpesviral family. The virus is the cause of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) and Bovine Abortion. In the initial infection, the virus proliferates excessively. Moreover, shedding the virus leads to conditions in the latent phase of the disease. Infectious Bovine Vulvovaginit (IPV ) is the genital form of the disease that represents a genital infection and transmits via pustules and mucopurulent secretions. Exposure to the virus in genital mucosa leads to IPV infection through mating or artificial insemination and the diseases that can be transmitted to healthy livestock by frozen sperm during artificial insemination.OBJECTIVES: Viral contamination of the semen is one of the routes to spread the disease among dairy cattle. Therefore, we investigated the presence of the virus in domestic and frozen imported semen consumed in industrial dairy cattle farms.METHODS: In the present study, 140 frozen straws were collected. After melting each straw, 200 µl of obtained semen was used for DNA extraction, which was done directly on the semen samples and via a Genome Extraction Kit. Subsequently, to ensure the accuracy of the extraction, the PCR technique was done using PRM-1 gene primer. Tracking the viral genome was done using the PCR technique and known primers.RESULTS: In total, one out of 140 samples was found to be virally contaminated, and IBR contamination was confirmed by repeating all the steps and determining the gene sequence.CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to further investigate the possibility that contamination can be transmitted via frozen semen, given that even one out of 140 samples is contaminated, and the importance of the disease.

BACKGROUND: Stenotic nares and malocclusion are common congenital disorders in the brachycephalic breeds of cats which cause respiratory and oral problems in these breeds, respectively.OBJECTIVES: In this study, the prevalence of two congenital disorders, stenotic nares, and malocclusion, the correlation among them in brachycephalic breeds of cats referred to several private veterinary clinics in Tehran were evaluated.METHODS: 90 brachycephalic cats were evaluated for stenotic nares, and malocclusion and indices was checked, then determined the prevalence percentage and correlation with the statistical data between stenotic nares and malocclusion in brachycephalic breeds of cats were referred to several private veterinary clinics in Tehran.RESULTS: Malocclusion was diagnosed in 35 cats (38.9 %), stenotic nares were detected in 31 cats (34.4 %), and two diseases were diagnosed in 17 cats (18.9 %) concurrently in 90 brachycephalic cats. According to a statistical test, the probabilities of identifying the second disease are 2.7 times higher if one of the two disorders is identified.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of stenotic nares and malocclusion in brachycephalic cats is very high and there is a significant correlation between two disorders so clinicians should have great attention in their clinical examination of these two disorders in these breeds.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cells play an essential role in the oxygen transport and the immune system. Moreover, hematologic parameters are an important clinical indicator of various diseases including anemia and metabolic syndrome.OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) based on gene-set enrichment analysis to identify the loci associated with hematological traits using 630K arrays.METHODS: For this purpose, the phenotype records included 498 genotyped Alpine Merino sheep were used for red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and RBC volume distribution width coefficient of variation (RWD_CV). Genome-wide association study was performed with hematological traits using TASSEL software. Using biomaRt2 R package R, SNP was assigned to genes. GO, KEGG, DAVID, and PANTHER databases were used to assign the genes to functional categories.RESULTS: 11 SNP markers on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, and 20 located in TRPC4, SPAT1, TMCC2 (RBC), KRT26, GPLD1, EPAS1 (HGB), RAC2, HSPD1, PDGFRA (HCT) and BBS1, HAG1, PIK3R3, STXBP5, FCER1G  (MCH, MHCH, RWD_CV) genes were identified. Based on the pathway analysis, 17 pathways from gene ontology and biological pathways were associated with hematological traits (P˂0.05). The pathways have important functions in the development and differential of red blood cells, hypoxia, adaptation process, environmental stress, and platelet activation.CONCLUSIONS: In total, this study supported previous results from the GWAS of hematological traits, and also revealed additional regions in the sheep genome associated with important traits, using these findings could be potentially useful for genetic selection in the breeding programs.

BACKGROUND: Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma, also known as jaagsiekte, is a chronic, contagious, and transmissible lung cancer. It is prevalent in ovine spp while rarely occurring in caprine with long incubation period. The disease is mostly observed in older animals (over 2 years old).OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to determine the prevalence of the disease based on histopathological diagnosis and investigate its correlation with age and sex in the slaughtered local sheep in Garmsar (Semnan province).METHODS: Herein, the lungs of 9030 slaughtered sheep are morphopatthologically examined for the presence of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma.RESULTS: Based on the morphopathological examination, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma was observed in the lungs of 438  (4.87 %) out of 9030 sheep. That said, 250 indicated the classical form, as firm, white to grayish coalescing masses mostly in the cranio-ventral lobes; this form is associated with wet cut surface and frothy fluid in the airways. The remaining 188 sheep showed the atypical form, as small, clear demarcated nodules mostly in diaphragmatic lobes associated with dry cut surface and minor fluid in the airways. Almost similar histopathological changes were seen in the two forms. An acinar or papillary growth of neoplastic cells in the alveoli and polypoid proliferation of bronchiolar epithelium were observed in both forms. However, there were variable amounts of connective tissue, and infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the interstitial tissue of the affected alveoli and no metastatic lesion in the lymph nodes. The peribronchial and peribronchiolar lymphoid aggregates were consistent features in most of the cases studied.CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study, as the first report of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma in sheep from Garmsa county, revealed the higher prevalence of this disease compared to that reported in previous reports in the country. Moreover, according to the obtained results, atypical and classical forms represented different stages of a single disease spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Cheese is recognized as a source of foodborne illness worldwide.OBJECTIVES: In this study, the growth inhibition of Aspergillus flavus inoculated on Iranian white cheese was investigated using cold atmospheric plasma and Zataria multiflora essential oil individually and in combination along with their effect on the sensory properties of cheese .METHODS: Slices of cheese cut in the presence and absence of 100 ppm of Zataria multiflora essential oil were exposed to cold atmospheric plasma for 2 and 5 minutes and stored in a refrigerator for 60 days. Afterwards, they were incubated in 5 time intervals (days 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60) and each was evaluated over a period of 10 days at 25 °C.RESULTS: Based on the results, the plasma inhibitory effect had a pattern dependent on the plasma flow time and the increase in the flow time reduced the radial growth rate of mold. At all times of plasma flow, a significant inhibitory effect was observed on the mold growth compared to the control group (P<0.05). In terms of growth inhibition percentage, the lowest inhibition was detected in the presence of essential oil alone and the highest inhibitory property resulted from 5 minutes of plasma flow with essential oil. There was no difference between the sensory properties of plasma-treated cheese and the essential oil in combination with those of plasma-treated samples alone. The findings also showed that the addition of essential oil had no effect on the sensory properties of cheese.CONCLUSIONS: Gliding arc plasma has inhibitory effects on the growth of Aspergillus flavus mold in cheese without adverse sensory changes, but the conditions must be optimized for industrial applications.

BACKGROUND: Microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria is an area that has rapidly expanded over the recent years. It is one of the new methods of improving probiotics stability, through which the biological agents are protected with an enclosed coating to release the active agents within the coating at a controlled rate in time and under special conditions.OBJECTIVES: The present study the aims to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum microencapsulation with chitosan/alginate microparticles on the oxidative response of Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus).METHODS: Herein, 240 pieces of Nile tilapia, with an average weight of 15.56±0.02 g, were randomly divided into four groups as follows: group1 or control with a diet without probiotics, groups 2, 3, and 4 respectively with a diet containing 108 Log CFU/g of unencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum, a diet containing microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum, and with feed containing alginate with chitosan without the presence of bacteria. They were fed for 60 days at the rate of 2 % of body weight twice a day.RESULTS: The activity level of oxidative enzymes, biochemical factors, and liver enzymes of the Nile tilapia fish were investigated. The findings revealed that oxidative enzymes, biochemical factors, and liver enzymes were positively affected in the groups with microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum (P<0.05). The three enzymes of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase were higher in the micro-encapsulated probiotic group compared to the two groups of probiotics and alginate with chitosan without the presence of bacteria, and all the three groups performed better compared to the control (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Microencapsulation of probiotics maximizes the efficiency of probiotics in reducing oxidative stress.

In bovine tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis, cattle are known as the main host, and sheep are relatively resistant. Sheep become infected only when there is very close contact between cattle and sheep or when the mycobacterium is abundant in the environment. In the present study, a case of generalized tuberculosis was reported in the sheep of the Sanandaj slaughterhouse.The examined animal carcass was transferred from the slaughterhouse to the University of Kurdistan microbiology laboratory and was dissected under complete health safety conditions. In the carcass examination, necropsy lesions (generalized tubercular granulomas) were visible in different organs and mediastinal lymph nodes, bronchioles, mesentery, and liver portal system. These lesions were seen in the lymph nodes of different body parts, including the lung, liver, digestive system, reproductive system, bladder, and different muscles, including the peritoneal muscle, diaphragm muscle, and abdominal muscles.Diagnostic tests included clinical observations, Ziehl-Neelsen staining for Mycobacterium bacteria, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular technique. In Ziehl-Neelsen staining, Mycobacterium acid-fast bacilli were seen in red color on the pale blue background of the slide. Also, the product of 499 base pairs was amplified in the specific PCR reaction, which confirmed Mycobacterium bovis.The present report shows that Mycobacterium bovis strains present in the region can be transmitted to sheep and cause disease with severe clinical symptoms. This report is critical, particularly for mixed cattle and sheep farming. Since cattle and sheep are kept together in many breeding farms in Kurdistan province, special attention was paid to the possibility of transmission of bovine tuberculosis to sheep and humans.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat for both human and veterinary medicine. Increasing evidence suggests that animals are important sources of AMR to humans; however, most of these studies focus on production animals. In order to determine the pattern of AMR in pets, mainly in dogs in Africa, a meta-analysis was performed with AMR studies conducted in African countries and published between January 2000 and January 2021 in four databases: Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Cab abstract and Google Scholar. Seven bacterial strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (SNC) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were included in this study. A total of 18 out of 234 indexed articles met the study criteria. The results revealed that multiple bacteria were resistant to various commonly used antibiotics including enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, amoxicillin, clavulanic acid, cotrimoxazole, streptomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Concerning multidrug resistance, E. coli strains came first with the highest prevalence of 98%, followed by P. aeroginosa (92%) and Salmonella spp. (53%). In contrast, the overall prevalence of multidrug resistance was low for S. aureus (18%) and S. pseudintermedius (25%). It is therefore urgent to find, as soon as possible, alternatives to replace these antibiotics, which have become ineffective in controlling these bacteria in dogs in Africa. Moreover, further metagenomic studies are needed to describe the full resistome and mobilome in dogs regardless of the bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains are a major cause of diarrheal diseases in both developed and developing countries. Healthy asymptomatic animals may be reservoirs of zoonotic DEC, which may enter the food chain via the weak points in hygiene practices AIM: We investigated the prevalence of DEC along the pig production continuum from farm-to-fork. METHODS: A total of 417 samples were collected from specific points along the pig production system, that is, farm, transport, abattoir and food. E. coli was isolated and enumerated using Colilert. Ten isolates from each Quanti-tray were selected randomly and phenotypically identified using eosin methylene blue agar selective media. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the species and to classify them into the various diarrheagenic pathotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined against a panel of 20 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and EUCAST guideline. RESULTS: The final sample size consisted of 1044 isolates, of which 45.40% (474/1044) were DEC and 73% (762/1044) were multidrug-resistant. Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) was the most predominant DEC at all the sampling sites. CONCLUSION: The presence of DEC in food animal production environments and food of animal origin could serve as reservoirs for transmitting these bacteria to humans, especially in occupationally exposed workers and via food. Adherence to good hygienic practices along the pig production continuum is essential for mitigating the risk of transmission and infection, and ensuring food safety.