When looking back into the history of botulism and contemplating the final understanding of the syndrome and the ultimate solutions, there are four facets that stand out clearly. The first is that much of the solution was guided by astute observations, curious travellers, committed veterinarians and particularly farmers themselves who were able to relate the occurrence of the condition to climatic and grazing conditions. Secondly, there was the identification of the osteophagia and pica syndrome which led to the feeding of bone-meal as a successful mitigating measure as well as the establishment that botulism was not due to a plant poisoning. Thirdly, the solution of the problem depended on the integration of experience and knowledge from diverse disciplines such as soil science, animal behaviour and husbandry, nutrition, botany and ultimately advanced bacteriology and the science of immunology. Finally it required the technical advancement to produce toxoids in large quantities and formulate effective aluminium hydroxide precipitated and oil emulsion vaccines.

South Africa is blessed with one of the richest floras in the world, which-not surprisingly-includes many poisonous plants. Theiler in the founding years believed that plants could be involved in the aetiologies of many of the then unexplained conditions of stock, such as gousiekte and geeldikkop. His subsequent investigations of plant poisonings largely laid the foundation for the future Sections of Toxicology at the Institute and the Faculty of Veterinary Science (UP). The history of research into plant poisonings over the last 100 years is briefly outlined. Some examples of sustained research on important plant poisonings, such as cardiac glycoside poisoning and gousiekte, are given to illustrate our approach to the subject and the progress that has been made. The collation and transfer of information and the impact of plant poisonings on the livestock industry is discussed and possible avenues of future research are investigated.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating haemorrhagic fever of pigs that causes up to 100 % mortality, for which there is no vaccine. It is caused by a unique DNA virus that is maintained in an ancient cycle between warthogs and argasid ticks, making it the only known DNA arbovirus. ASF has a high potential for transboundary spread, and has twice been transported from Africa to other continents- Europe and subsequently the Caribbean and Brazil (1957, 1959) and the Caucasus (2007). It is also a devastating constraint for pig production in Africa. Research at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute has made and is making important contributions to knowledge of this disease, focusing on the cycle in warthogs and tampans and transmission from that cycle to domestic pigs, resistance to its effects in domestic pigs, and the molecular genetic characterisation and epidemiology of the virus.

Objective--To describe the simple elimination kinetics of methyllycaconitine (MLA) and deltaline and evaluate the heart rate response in cattle following oral administration of larkspur. Animals--5 healthy Angus steers that were habituated to metabolism crates. Procedures--Tall larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi) in the early flowering stage was collected, dried, and ground. Each steer received a single dose of larkspur that was equivalent to 10.4 mg of MLA/kg and 11.0 mg of deltaline/kg via oral administration. Steers were housed in metabolism crates during a 96-hour period following larkspur administration; heart rate was monitored continuously, and blood samples were collected periodically for analysis of serum MLA and deltaline concentrations as well as assessment of pharmacokinetic parameters. Results--No overt clinical signs of poisoning developed in any steer during the experiment. Mean ± SE heart rate reached a maximum of 79.0 ± 5.0 beats/min at 17 hours after larkspur administration. Serum MLA concentration was correlated directly with heart rate. Mean times to maximal serum concentration of MLA and deltaline were 8.8 ± 1.2 hours and 5.0 ± 0.6 hours, respectively. Mean elimination half-life values for MLA and deltaline were 20.5 ± 4.1 hours and 8.2 ± 0.6 hours, respectively. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--Following larkspur administration in 5 healthy steers, maximum serum concentrations of MLA and deltaline were detected within 10 hours, and changes in serum MLA concentration and heart rate were correlated. Results indicated that cattle that have consumed larkspur will eliminate 99% of MLA and deltaline from serum within 144 hours.

To evaluate economic effects and health and performance of the general cattle population after exposure to cattle persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in a feedlot. 21,743 high-risk calves from the southeastern United States. PI status was determined by use of an antigen-capture ELISA (ACE) and confirmed by use of a second ACE, reverse transcriptase-PCR assay of sera, immunohistochemical analysis, and virus isolation from sera. Groups with various amounts of exposure to BVDV PI cattle were used. After being placed in the feedlot, identified PI cattle were removed from 1 section, but PI cattle remained in another section of the feedlot. Exposure groups for cattle lots arriving without PI animals were determined by spatial association to cattle lots, with PI animals remaining or removed from the lot. 15,348 cattle maintained their exposure group. Performance outcomes improved slightly among the 5 exposure groups as the risk for exposure to BVDV PI cattle decreased. Health outcomes had an association with exposure risk that depended on the exposure group. Comparing cattle lots with direct exposure with those without direct exposure revealed significant improvements in all performance outcomes and in first relapse percentage and mortality percentage in the health outcomes. Economic analysis revealed that fatalities accounted for losses of $5.26/animal and performance losses were $88.26/animal. This study provided evidence that exposure of the general population of feedlot cattle to BVDV PI animals resulted in substantial costs attributable to negative effects on performance and increased fatalities.

A total of one hundred samples of marketed fish farm; 25each of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Mugil cephalus, Carp (Silver) and fry; were collected from different localities at Al- Behera and Kafr El-Shakh Provinces. The samples were examined for detection of testosterone hormone by Thin Layer chromatography (TLC) as well as it was quantitatively assayed by Radio-Immuno-Assay (RIA). The obtained result revealed that the testosterone residues were detected in flesh of farm fish of Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotocus) and Carp (Silver), each constituting 24% and 4 %; respectively but it could be failed to detect in each of Mugil cephalus and fry. The hormonal residues of testosterone was ranged from 3.25 to 34.9 ng/g with mean value 4.22±1.1 ng/g in positive samples of Tilapia, while only one sample of Carp showed 22.0 ng/g, Mugil cephalus and Fry showed no detectable level of hormonal residues. The public health significance of detectable levels was discussed as well as the recommendations to avoid health hazards from such fish were mentioned.

The present study was designed to investigate the sedative anaesthetic activity of a combination of Xylazine (X), Fentanyl (F) and Ketamine (K) in local domestic pigeons. Twelve pigeons of either sex were used. The combination of (X) and (K) were administered as pre-medication to induce sedation. Fiften minutes, after (X+F) administration, (K) was injected. All drugs were injected into the pectoral muscles. The anaesthetic effect of these drugs was reversed by injection of Yohambine (Y) and Naloxone (N) combination subcutaneously. The sedative and anesthetic activity of the (X+F-K) combination and, alterations in heart rate (RR), Respiratory rate (RR) and cloacal temperature (CT) were investigated at 10 minute before (X+F) injection, 10 and 15 minute after (X+F) administration, 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 minutes, after (K) injection and at 1, 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 60 minutes after (Y+N) injection. The HR, RR and CT of pigeon decreased within 10 minute after (X+F) injection and remained lower until its improvement after (Y-N) injection. The drugs combination used in this study produced a satisfactory general anaesthesia in ten of the twelve pigeons. The (Y-N) combination was an effective reverse that provide safe recovery from this anaesthetic protocol in pigeons.

The isolate of Alternaria alternata that isolated from soil produced extracellularsecondary metabolites (Mycotoxin) of carbohydrate with reducing nature which hadinhibitory effect against Gm positive & Gm negative standard and pathogenic bacteria insolid media. Three types of media Malt Extract Agar (MEA), Potato Dextrose Agar(PDA) and Potato Carrot Agar (PCA) can be using as solid or liquid media for productionthis mycotoxin. The mycotoxin extracted from free cell supernatant by simple extractionmethod using ethanol 90%. The cytotoxicity of extracted mycotoxin against human bloodcells (RBCs) was (25) ppm. The acute toxicity of extracted toxin as determined by LD50of laboratory mice was 150 mg/kg.

It was found that 0.1gm of para-aminophenyl mercuric acetate PAPMA dissolved in 10ml of distilled water added in to,Muller-Hinton agar, inhibited the growth of four standard strains bacteria [E.coli ATCC25922, S.aureus ATCC 25923, P.aeruginosa ATCC27853 and S.aureus NCTC6571] and four clinical strains bacteria positive and negative to gram stain [Klebsiella sp.,from blood isolate , E.coli, from stool isolate, Staphylococcus sp., from blood isolate, and Proteus sp.,from urine isolate]. Higher concentrations of PAPMA solution in to the medium inhibited growth of bacteria under study more strongly. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and cytotoxicity of PAPMA were studied against human blood and it was found that it has no hemolytic in RBCs for human in 1– 5µg/ml. The acute toxicity LD50 of PAPMA was studied and it was about 11.3mg/Kg.