Soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2), a member of the interleukin-1 receptor family, is a novel biomarker of mechanical stress that is measurable in serum. It has been shown in humans and animals to be physiologically related to cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and ventricular dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate sST2 levels in cats with cardiomyopathy. In addition, serum sST2 and other cardiac biomarker levels were compared. Twenty-four client-owned cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) were investigated. The cats included in the study were divided into four groups (I, II, III, and IV) according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) classification. Class B1 cats were included in group I (n=7), class B2 cats were included in group II (n=6), class C cats were included in group III (n=6), and healthy control-group cats in group IV (n=5). Measurement of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), sST2 levels, and echocardiographic examinations were performed in all groups, and correlations were investigated. We observed positive correlations among sST2 levels and CK-MB and LA diameter (p=0.05). There was no correlation between sST2, NT-proBNP, Troponin I, Troponin T, AST, and LDH levels. We confirmed positive correlations between NT-proBNP levels and LA diameter (p

Campylobacteriosis is an emerging zoonotic enteric disease that poses a threat to both human health and animal productivity. Poultry is known as the primary reservoir of Campylobacter, and 90% of human Campylobacteriosis is caused by Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. This is complicated by the worldwide emergence of Campylobacter strains that are resistant to commonly used antimicrobial compounds. In this study, we determined the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Campylobacter coli isolated from cloacal swabs collected from broilers and layers in Mwanza and Arusha, Tanzania. We collected 402 cloacal swabs from broilers and layers. Then, samples were enriched into Bolton Broth supplemented with 5% laked horse blood. Campylobacter was isolated and confirmed by PCR. Antibiogram was done by disk diffusion method using six antibiotics i.e., ampicillin, nalidixic acid, gentamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. Of the 402 samples, 31 (7.71%) were confirmed to be Campylobacter coli by PCR. In Mwanza, the overall prevalence was 6.5% (6% and 7% in broilers and layers, respectively), while in Arusha, the overall prevalence was 8.9% (10.8% and 7% in broilers and layers, respectively). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 80.6%, 16.1%, 9.7%, 9.7%, 6.5%, and 3.2% were resistant to ampicillin, nalidixic acid, erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin, respectively. The rate of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to at least one antimicrobial was 100%. Eight out of thirty-one (12.9%) isolates were multi-drug-resistant to four different antimicrobial compounds, each with different patterns. Wise use of existing antimicrobials is necessary to curb the increasing trend of AMR strains.

The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) creates a serious public health concern due to its ability to colonize and infect humans and animals. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility pattern of S. aureus and MRSA isolated from bovine raw milk in the Njombe region, Tanzania. A total of 470 samples, including 389 raw milk samples collected at farm level, 57 raw milk samples from bulk milk-can at collection centers, and 24 swab samples from bulk milk cans. The samples were cultured on mannitol salt agar, presumptive colonies were sub-cultured onto blood agar for the isolation of S. aureus which was subsequently preliminarily confirmed using microbiological and biochemical tests. Further, confirmation of isolates was done using conventional PCR targeting gltB gene for S. aureus and mecA gene for MRSA which was later sequenced. Isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility by using the disc agar diffusion method. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in the study was 22.6% (106/470), with 2.9% (14/470) being MRSA. Both S. aureus and MRSA showed high resistance to penicillin (74%, 8.5%) and ampicillin (78%, 11.3%), respectively. A total of 81 (77%) isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 14 isolates (13.2%) showed multidrug-resistant (MDR); with frequent antibiotic resistance patterns being to cefoxitin, penicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. In conclusion, the prevalence and the MDR patterns exhibited by S. aureus and MRSA observed in this study provide baseline data for planning mitigation measures to safeguard public health.

In the present study, a hepatic mass measured 9×11×5 cm in the right hepatic lobe was detected incidentally in a less than two years old male Somali goat during routine meat inspection at the Central Muscat Municipality Slaughterhouse, Oman. Gross and microscopic examination revealed a hepatocellular adenoma, a rare finding in goats.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) have been gaining acceptance in agriculture applications as alternatives to incandescent light sources. Daylength intensity and spectral wavelength are important in poultry production and also, in some cases, serve as the only mean of light in some facilities. Therefore, Large White turkey hens of the same strain were reared to market weights using two different housing facilities in combination with different LED light treatments. Each treatment within the environmentally controlled facility (ECF) consisted of four replicate rooms, 16 rooms total in the facility. LED bulbs consisted of 5,000 Kelvin (K) or 2,700K LED in conjunction with a high or low foot-candle (FC) intensity level. Daylength was fixed at 14L:10D. Additionally, birds were reared in a natural curtain-sided facility (6 replicate pens) with exposure to natural light with a 75W incandescent bulb to maintain daylength consistency with the ECF. Performance parameters were measured at 0, 5th, 9th, and 12th week (wk) of age. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and right eye measurements were taken at the 5th and 9th wk of age. Feather coverage was assessed at the 9th and 12th wk old as indicators of bird wellbeing. Novelty interactions for visual or nutritional items were recorded at 7th wk old. Spectral output within the same Kelvin temperature was significantly altered during dimming to achieve intensity levels. There were mixed performance results; however, cumulatively, birds reared under LED lighting, regardless of LED type or intensity level, had consistently increased body weight. Bird wellbeing was altered under 5,000K LED in combination with 2 FC as measured by a significant elongation of the anterior-posterior distance. However, the same effect was not measured in the 5,000K, 10 FC treatment, or in the 2,700K treatments, regardless of FC measurement. There were no differences among treatments for T3, feather coverage, or latency to approach or interact with novel items. When LED lights are used in environmentally controlled facilities, coupled with novelty interactions, birds maintained and excelled in performance parameters when compared to birds reared with natural light and ventilation conditions.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with a high prevalence in humans and farm animals in Turkey. However, data on the genetic diversity of Brucella spp. circulating in Turkey and parts of the Mediterranean region are limited. In the present study, the genetic diversity of 50 B. melitensis isolates from seven regions of Turkey was investigated using multi-locus variable number tandem repeats analysis (MLVA-16). The profiles were compared with 163 B. melitensis isolates recovered from the Mediterranean basin. B. melitensis strains from Turkey contain 46 different genotypes and consist of two main clusters. B. melitensis isolates from Turkey were closely related to isolates from Greece and some Portuguese strains. The same genotypes isolated from different sites show the spread between sites. Therefore, uncontrolled animal movements and the trade of imported animals can be important factors for the spread of brucellosis. The endemic occurrence of B. melitensis in the Mediterranean basin is a result of socio-historical links between Mediterranean countries. Turkish strains belong to the Eastern Mediterranean line. Eradicating brucellosis in countries of the Mediterranean basin with high prevalence is a demanding need to reduce trade barriers and, more importantly, prevent human suffering

Historically, the use of antibiotics was not well regulated in veterinary medicine. The emergence of antibiotic resistance (ABR) in pathogenic bacteria in human and veterinary medicine has driven the need for greater antibiotic stewardship. The preservation of certain antibiotic classes for use exclusively in humans, especially in cases of multidrug resistance, has highlighted the need for veterinarians to reduce its use and redefine dosage regimens of antibiotics to ensure efficacy and guard against the development of ABR pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the lowest concentration of an antibiotic drug that will prevent the growth of a bacterium, is recognised as a method to assist in antibiotic dosage determination. Minimum inhibitory concentrations sometimes fail to deal with first-step mutants in bacterial populations; therefore dosing regimens based solely on MIC can lead to the development of ABR. The mutant prevention concentration (MPC) is the minimum inhibitory antibiotic concentration of the most resistant first-step mutant. Mutant prevention concentration determination as a complementary and sometimes preferable alternative to MIC determination for veterinarians when managing bacterial pathogens. The results of this study focused on livestock pathogens and antibiotics used to treat them, which had a MIC value of 0.25 µg/mL for enrofloxacin against all 27 isolates of Salmonella typhimurium. The MPC values were 0.50 µg/mL, with the exception of five isolates that had MPC values of 4.00 µg/mL. The MPC test yielded 65.52% (18 isolates) Salmonella isolates with florfenicol MICs in the sensitive range, while 11 isolates were in the resistant range. Seventeen isolates (58.62%) of Pasteurella multocida had MIC values in the susceptible range and 41.38% (12 isolates) had an intermediate MIC value. Mutant prevention concentration determinations as done in this study is effective for the antibiotic treatment of bacterial infections and minimising the development of resistance. The MPC method can be used to better control to prevent the development of antibiotic drug resistance used in animals.

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.

Aflatoxins are potent hepatotoxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by toxigenic fungi. The present study investigated the protective effect of methanolic leaf extracts of Monanthotaxis caffra (MLEMC) against aflatoxin B1-induced toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 animals each. Five groups were administered orally for seven days with three different concentrations of MLEMC (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg), curcumin (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (25% propylene glycol). The following day, these groups were administered 1 mg/kg b.w. of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The experiment was terminated three days after administration of AFB1. Group 6 represented untreated healthy control. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine and liver histopathology were evaluated. Methanolic leaf extracts of M. caffra decreased the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine in the sera of rats as compared with the AFB1 intoxicated group. Co-administration of MLEMC improved the histological characteristics of the hepatocytes in contrast to the AFB1 treated group, which had mild to severe hepatocellular injuries including bile duct proliferation, bile duct hyperplasia, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and fibrosis. Extracts of M. caffra were beneficial in mitigating the hepatotoxic effects of AFB1 in rats by reducing the levels of liver enzymes and preventing hepatic injury.

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that remains endemic in large parts of southern Africa because of its persistence in wildlife and domestic dog vectors. The black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) is primarily the wildlife vector responsible for rabies outbreaks in northern parts of South Africa. Two trials were carried out to investigate antibody responses to the oral rabies vaccine Raboral V-RG® in black-backed jackals under captive and free-ranging conditions. In captive jackals 10/12 (83%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 52% – 98%), seroconverted after single oral vaccination. Nine captive jackals had protective antibody titres ( 0.5 IU/mL) at 4 weeks (median: 2.1 IU/mL; inter quartile range [IQR]: 0.6–5.7) and 10 jackals had at 12 weeks (median: 3.5 IU/mL; IQR: 1.5–8.3) and three maintained antibody titres for up to 48 weeks (median: 3.4 IU/mL; IQR: 2.0–6.3). Four sites were baited with Raboral V-RG® vaccine for wild jackals, using fishmeal polymer and chicken heads. Baits were distributed by hand or from vehicle at three sites in north-eastern South Africa, with an average baiting density of 4.4 baits/km2 and at one site in central South Africa, at 0.12 baits/km2. This resulted in protective antibody titres in 3/11 jackals (27%; 95% Cl: 6–61) trapped between 3 and 12 months after baiting in north-eastern South Africa, compared with 4/7 jackals (57%; 95% Cl: 18–90) trapped after 3–18 months in central South Africa. This study shows the potential utility of oral rabies vaccination for the control of wildlife-associated rabies in north-eastern and central South Africa, but extensive studies with wider distribution of bait are needed to assess its potential impact on rabies control in wild jackals.