A disease characterized by papules, nodules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on teats and udder as well as drastic drop in milk production was seen among a cattle farm in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. A virus was isolated by inoculation of vesicle and scrap homogenate pool from infected cattle into the chorioallantoic membrane of specific pathogen free embryonated chicken eggs. The virus was identified by presence of pock lesions, intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies on the chorioallantoic membrane, polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry of the inoculated membrane. A novel pathogenicity model was developed via ear pinna inoculation of Swiss mice. The virus produced vesicular and ulcerative lesions at the site of inoculation in inoculated mice. The virus identity was confirmed by the presence of intracytoplasmic viral antigens by immunohistochemistry

The role of phospholipase D toxoid (PLD) vaccine in enhancing killing activity of macrophages was demonstrated in this study. Four groups of Balb/c mice were vaccinated with different forms of current vaccines against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C. pseudotuberculosis). The first group was vaccinated with purified recombinant mutated PLD protein adjuvated vaccine; the second with formalin inactivated whole cells of C. pseudotuberculosis adjuvated vaccine, the third group with combined bacterin-toxoid adjuvated vaccine and the fourth was given viable C. pseudotuberculosis cells. Mononuclear peritoneal cells from each vaccinated groups were collected and inoculated intraperitoneally into naïve recipient Balb/c mice that were subsequently challenged by equal number of live C. pseudotuberculosis cells. Killing activity of peritoneal macrophages collected from each recipient group of mice was assayed by cultivation of lysed macrophages on plates of count brain heart agar. It was reported that the highest killing activity of macrophages were those collected from mice vaccinated with recombinant PLD adjuvated vaccine that reaches 95% of phagocytosed C. pseudotuberculosis living bacteria; where those given viable C. pseudotuberculosis bacteria (80%); then combined vaccine (69.5%) and the least killing activity was performed by macrophages obtained from bacterin vaccinated animals

kills Brucella cells by causing lysis of the membrane, so the phenol-heat killed brucella antigen may lake specificity as a result of destruction the majority of proteins in the cell wall. Accordingly, attention was directed to produce antigen using binary ethylene imine as an inactivator. The produced antigen showed high specificity in detecting Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis-infected animals, but sensitivity was not affected in comparison with the standard Rose Bengal antigen. In Enzyme immunotransfer blot (EITB), phenol–heat killed brucella cells showed only 3 bands (37.375, 23.47 and 7.83 kDa) that denotes denaturation for at least 6 bands whereas binary inactivated brucella cells showed similarity with non-treated ones

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) was isolated, from naturally infected cattle that have a history of previous vaccination with live attenuated sheep pox virus (SPV) vaccine. The virus was isolated on chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) of specific pathogen free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) and identified by agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) and neutralization test using specific hyperimmune serum against LSDV and SPV. Characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies was detected in trypsenized cell of infected CAM stained with H&E. Laboratory studies for characterization of isolated LSDV revealed that it was stable at a wide range of pH, but it was inactivated by exposure to 56 0C for 15 minutes. Treatment of isolated LSDV with lipid solvents (20% ethyle ether and chloroform) reduced the virus titer 3.2 and 4.4 log respectively after 24 hrs at 4 0C .On cross neutralization test complete neutralization of isolated LSDV was obtained with both reference LSDV and SPV antisera. Cattle vaccinated with live attenuated SPV vaccine under experimental condition found to be protected against natural field infection with LSDV.

This study was carried out on 68 randomly collected chickens located at Ras Sedr Research Station, Desert Research Center, 68 serum samples were examined serologically by complement fixation test (CFT). Twenty out of 68 (29.91%) had antibodies against Chlamydophila psittaci . Ten blood samples of the serologically positive cases were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and showed positive results for Chlamydophila psittaci at 119 bp. Therefore PCR was found to be reliable, rapid, sensitive and specific technique for the detection Chlamydophila psittaci in birds. Serologically positive birds did not show any clinical symptoms of disease, but they were in contact with sheep and goat that showed previous abortion and were positive for C. abortus. It is recommended to avoid breeding of chickens with other animal species in the same yard because chickens become asymptomatic carrier with shedding of Chlamydophila psittaci in their feaces and respiratory discharges.

The urinary bladder of 15 clinically normal dogs was excised and the ureters were implanted into an isolated, vagotomized gastric segment derived from the fundic region of the stomach. The gastric segment was closed to form a neobladder. Continence was maintained with a "nipple valve" created at the tubularized end of isolated segment of stomach. Clinical, radiological, ultrasonographical, urine and blood analysis and histopathological examination were carried out for assessment of the technique. Eleven cases showed an apparently normal bladder function. Two cases suffered from renal hydronephrosis and other two suffered from incontinence. It was concluded that gastric neobladder urinary diversion is satisfactory for clinical use in dogs.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are responsible for the transmission of a large number of pathogens to livestock and wild animals. In this study the presence of the genus, using light traps based at four different sites within the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, was investigated during 2002-2004. In total, 37 species were recorded, including large numbers of Culicoides imicola Kieffer, 1913, which is responsible for the transmission of economically important arboviruses in South Africa, Europe, Middle and Far East. These results are discussed with reference to the wider Culicoides fauna in the Onderstepoort area of South Africa, their vector competence as well as biosecurity at the National Zoological Gardens.

The present work was conducted on 25 hearts of healthy donkeys of both sexes. Three methods were adopted to clarify the musculature of the ventricles; nitric acid method, acetic acid method and flour paste method. The ventricular myocardium was arranged into three layers: superficial, middle and deep. The superficial layer consists of eleven bundles arranged longitudinally from the base to the apex of the heart. Moreover, a thin subepicardial layer separated it from the epicardium. The middle layer on the right ventricle was horizontally oriented, while on the left ventricle it was represented by three bands; (A), (B) and (C). The deep layer on the right ventricle was formed of two bands (A) and (B) while on the left ventricle consisted of a single band (C), in addition to some fibers derived from the superficial layer. The intervrentricular septum was formed from fibers extended from the middle and deep layers. The papillary muscles were four in the right ventricle and two in the left one.

The objective of this study was to make an inventory of the ixodid tick species infesting wild animals in three western, semi-arid nature reserves in South Africa. To this end 22 animals in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 10 in the West Coast National Park and 16 in the Karoo National Park were examined. Fourteen tick species were recovered, of which Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus exoph thalmos and Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum were each present in two reserves and the remainder only in one. The distributions of two of the 14 tick species recovered, namely Rhipicephalus capensis and Rhipicephalus neumanni, are virtually confined to the western semi-arid regions of southern Africa. Hyalomma truncatum, R. capensis and R. glabroscutatum were the most numerous of the ticks recovered, and eland, Taurotragus oryx, were the most heavily infested with the former two species and gemsbok, Oryx gazella, and mountain reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula, with R. glabroscutatum.