Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a common viral disease of wild and captive psittacine birds characterized by symmetric feather loss and beak deformities. The causative agent, beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is a small, circular single-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Circovirus. BFDV can be detected by PCR or the use of haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays that detect antigen and antibodies respectively. Erythrocytes from a limited number of psittacine species of Australian origin can be used in these tests. In South Africa, the high cost of these birds makes them difficult to obtain for experimental purposes. Investigation into the use of erythrocytes from African Grey parrots and Brown-headed parrots yielded positive results showing the haemagglutinating activity of their erythrocytes with purified BFDV obtained from confirmed clinical cases of the disease. The HA activity was further confirmed by the demonstration of HI using BFDV antiserum from three different African Grey parrots previously exposed to the virus and not showing clinical signs of the disease.

Resistance to trypanocidal drugs has been detected in various African countries and is a serious impediment to the control of livestock trypanosomosis. To determine whether drug resistant trypanosome strains are present in the Zambézia Province of Mozambique a study was initiated. To assess the effect of the farming system and the drug-use regimen on the development of drug resistance, trypanosome isolates were collected from cattle from subsistence and commercial livestock production systems. The susceptibility of seven isolates against isometamidium chloride, diminazene aceturate and homidium chloride was tested in mice using a multiple-dose test. In four of the seven isolates high levels of drug resistance to diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride were detected. In most cases the observed levels of drug resistance correlated with the drug-use practices in the particular livestock production system.

The objective was to develop a non-terminal, acute normovolaemic anaemia model in dogs that has minimal effects on patient well-being. Eleven normal Beagle dogs were used. About 20 % of the circulating blood volume was removed from the jugular vein 1-3 times per day over a 3-4 day period until a haematocrit (Ht) of 13-17 % was obtained. Normovolaemia was maintained by replacing the volume deficit of the red blood cells with Ringer's lactate and re-infusing the plasma. Full blood count and Ht were monitored twice daily. The 13-17 % Ht was reached within 3-4 days with the number of phlebotomies ranging from four to seven. The model was primarily developed to determine echocardiographic values as well as Doppler abdominal splanchnic blood flow parameters in anaemic dogs as part of a study that will compare these results to similar studies in babesiosis-induced anaemia. The model may also be useful in the evaluation of the pathophysiology of anaemia in dogs or as a model for anaemia in humans.

A total of 100 fecal samples from goats were coprologically examined to investigate the main cause of diarrhea. Animals were divided according to the age into 3 groups (7-35 days, 35 days - 6month and over one year). The results revealed that Eimeria species was the most predominant parasite (70%), the parasitic gastroenteritis (28%) and Cryptosporidium species (21%). Ten species of Eimeria were identified from the infected animals, E. hirci, E. arloingi, E. intericata, E. ahsata , E. christenseni, E. marisca, E. crandalis, E. weybridegenesis, E. faurei and E. ovina. Three species of parasitic gastroenteritis (Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia species and Trichostrongylus species). Cryptosporidium oocysts were found common in young goats

Twelve Tuli weaner steers aged 1 year were randomly subdivided into three groups of four animals and infected with different doses of Calicophoron microbothrium metacercariae. Each animal in Group I received a low dose (LD) of 5 000 metacercariae, Group II a medium dose (MD) of 15 000 metacercariae, Group III a high dose (HD) of 25 000 metacercariae and one additional animal was kept as an uninfected control (C). After infection, one animal from each group was slaughtered on Day 28, 42, 56 and 84 post infection (pi) and samples from the ileum, jejunum, duodenum, abomasum and the rumen were collected for histopathological and cytological examination. On Day 28 pi, the gross pathological lesions observed in the duodenum of the LD and the MD animals were similar and comprised duodenal thickening, corrugation, hyperaemia, petechiation and ulceration. In the HD animal the duodenal lesions were similar but more severe. The abomasal folds were severely oedematous in the MD group and nearly occluded the abomasal lumen. Moderate oedema of the abomasal folds was also present in the LD and HD animals. The gross pathological lesions regressed in all the infected groups with increasing age of infection and had disappeared completely by Day 56 pi. On Day 28 pi the histopathological lesions in the duodenum and jejunum of the LD and MD groups were similar, comprising subtotal villous atrophy, hyperplasia of Brunner's glands and Peyer's patches and moderate infiltration of eosinophils, mast cells and a few globule leukocytes, basophils and lymphocytes in the lamina propria. The HD group had total villous atrophy, severe hyperplasia and cystic dilatation of Brunner's glands, which had expanded to cover the entire submucosa. On Day 42 pi the histopathological lesions were still present in the MD and the HD groups comprising subtotal villous atrophy and hyperplasia of Brunner's glands. Heavy infiltrations of eosinophils, moderate amounts of mast cells and a few basophils, globule leukocytes and lymphocytes were still present in the lamina propria of all three groups. On Day 56 pi, a few glands were still cystic in the MD and the HD groups. Moderate cell infiltrations were still present in the lamina propria of all the three groups and by Day 84 pi complete regeneration had occurred in all animals.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of infection by Cryptosporidium spp. in Beni-Suef Governorate. For this purpose, 305 fecal samples from animals (75 calves, 74 dairy cattle, 86 lambs and 70 sheep) and 177 human stool samples were collected from inhabitants and out patients of the university hospital in Beni-Suef who suffering from gastroenteritis mainly diarrhea. The samples were examined using Modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. An over all of animal cryptosporidiosis was 6.8%. Cryptosporidium oocysts could be detected in calves, dairy cattle, lambs and adult sheep at a rate of 12%, 2.75%, 6.97% and 0% respectively. Concerning humans Cryptosporidium oocysts could be detected at a rate of 14.56% and 2.7% in diarrheic individuals and apparently healthy ones. Infection rate in females (14.28%) was higher than in males (6%) and the children (1-10 years old) were highly susceptible to cryptosporidiosis than adults. Eighty-nine selected diarrheic feacal samples (79 from humans and 10 from calves) were selected and examined by cryptosporidium antigen capture ELISA beside their examination by Modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. No significant differences were found between the two techniques in terms of epidemiological study.

During summer 2004, an outbreak of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) had been spread among cattle as well as buffaloes in Egypt. The most striking clinical signs in cattle were fever of short duration, depression, stiffness, lameness and sometime recumbency. Young calves, unfattened bulls and dry, lean non-pregnant cows showed only mild signs while fattened calves, mature heavy bulls and high-producing dairy cows and cows at the late stages of pregnancy were severely affected and signs persisted longer. Deaths and other complications accompanied the disease such as subcutaneous emphysema was not recorded in these outbreaks. In buffaloes, the clinical signs were mild and less severe compared with that of cattle. Serological examination of paired serum samples collected from the diseased animals using serum neutralization test revealed rising of the neutralizing antibody titers for BEF virus after 3 weeks from the onset of clinical signs. Blood picture and biochemical analysis of sera of 6 diseased animals, showed anemia represented by significant decrease in RBCS, PCV% and Hb content. The leukogram showed neutrophihia and lymphopenia with normal leukocytic count. There was rise in plasma fibrinogen with drop in calcium and phosphorus values. All of these parameters were more or less improved three weeks post-recovery. Good nursing care with early treatment with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (Phenylbutazone) or administration of calcium borogluconate of lame or recumbent animals lead to rapid and prompt recovery.

Serum samples from 474 domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) from Zimbabwe were tested for anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies using the indirect fluorescent antibody test. The results showed that T. gondii infection is widespread in Zimbabwean pigs. Seroprevalence was lowest in fattening pigs from large and small-scale commercial farms that practise good hygiene (19.75 % of 238) and highest in backyard scavenging pigs (35.71 % of 70). Only 11.7 % (11) of the 127 positive samples had titres of > 1:400 and nine (81.82 %) of these 11 originated from pigs reared under poor hygienic conditions. A prevalence of 3.51 % was found in the same group of fattening pigs using an indirect IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the single serum dilution of 1:400. The serosurvey shows the importance of modern intensive husbandry systems in reducing the prevalences of T. gondii infection in domestic pigs.

The efficacy of an amitraz / cypermethrin pour-on preparation (1 % w/v each) was tested against natural tick infestations of buffaloes, eland and blesbok in three separate trials. The eland were also treated with a 0.02 % abamectin (w/v) acaricidal pour-on preparation. The amitraz / cypermethrin pour-on was effective against Amblyomma hebraeum, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Hyalomma marginatum rufipes on the buffaloes. Both acaricides were effective against R. appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus in the eland. The amitraz / cypermethrin acaricide was effective against R. (Boophilus) decoloratus in the blesbok. Ticks can cause damage to the skins, secondary infections, abscesses, anaemia, loss of condition, tick toxicosis and act as vectors of infectious diseases. Introduction of hosts and / or ticks from endemic to non-endemic areas because of translocation of game, may lead to severe losses. The pouron acaricides tested were effective against natural tick infestations and should always be used according to the manufacturer's instructions and efficacy claims.

An investigation on certain bacterial contaminants of Mortadella produced by three Palestinian factories has been carried out. One sample (2units) was taken monthly (June/1999-may/2000) from each of three local factories (A, B&C). The lowest viable bacterial count recorded was 1x 103 CFU/g. in sample No. C1, while the highest count was 3x107 CFU/g. in sample No. B5. Some bacterial strains were isolated during the course of this study by using specific isolation media. They were identified and distributed as: Salmonella spp. (40%) (S. typhi, 6 strains, S. arizonae, 4 strains and S. infantis, 2 strains), Eschirichia spp. (50%) (E. coli, 8 strains and E. coli O157:H7, 7 strains), anaerobic Streptococcus parvulus (3.3%) (One strain) and Clostridum spp. (6.7%) (Cl. baratii, one strain and Cl. botulinum, 2 strains). Three samples (A1, C3 and B10) were mix contaminated; two pathogenic bacterial strains were isolated from each. All investigated samples were negative for Yersinia spp. and Campylobacter spp. The scientific and medical importance was discussed.