Despite many studies regarding tick ecology, limited information on long-term changes in tick populations exist. This study assessed the long-term population dynamics of the less frequently collected questing ixodid ticks in the Kruger National Park (KNP). From 1988 to 2002, monthly dragging of the vegetation was performed in three habitats (grassland, woodland and gully) at two sites in the KNP (Nhlowa Road, Landscape Zone 17, and Skukuza, Landscape Zone 4). Amblyomma marmoreum and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were collected as larvae most commonly. Most A. marmoreum larvae were collected at Skukuza and numbers peaked from March to July. More R. evertsi evertsi larvae were collected at Nhlowa Road and numbers peaked in summer and in winter, while at Skukuza there was a single peak in spring. Haemaphysalis elliptica, Rhipicephalus simus and Rhipicephalus turanicus were collected as adults most commonly. More Ha. elliptica and R. turanicus were collected at Nhlowa Road than at Skukuza, while R. simus numbers from the two sites were approximately equal. Ha. elliptica were collected most often between February and June, and R. simus and R. turanicus during February and March. All three species were collected more frequently in gullies than in grassland or woodland. Their numbers increased in 1994/1995 following an eruption of rodents, the preferred hosts of the immature stages. The different host-seeking strategies of ticks largely determine the development stage at which they are likely to be collected during vegetation dragging and reflect a complex interaction between ticks, their hosts and the environment.

A one year old male Great Dane dog weighing around 30 kgs, was presented to the Veterinary Clinics and Teaching Hospital (Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST, R.S. Pura –Jammu, India), with paraphimosis of eight-hour duration The penis was engorged and congested and there were several dark haemorrhagic areas. An edematous preputial band was constricting the penis, preventing its retraction in to sheath. After treatment, the inflammatory swelling subsided and animal was recovered uneventfully with no recurrence up to two months of follow-up.

Free-range rural chickens (FRCs) dominate the poultry industry in developing countries and chickens are exposed to multi-host infections, including Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The knowledge about the characteristics of NDV from FRCs is limited. This study investigated the persistence, spread and risks of NDV from FRCs. NDV isolates (n = 21) from unvaccinated FRCs in Tanzania were characterised by conventional intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) and sequence analysis of a partial region of the deduced fusion protein encompassing the cleavage site. Results showed that five isolates were screened as lentogenic, nine as mesogenic and six as velogenic. Phylogenetic analysis of the 21 isolates compared to reference sequences revealed three, four, nine and five isolates in genotypes 1, 2, 3c and 4a, respectively. Genotype 3c also included published sequences of Tanzanian isolates obtained from exotic birds and chicken isolates from Uganda. The analysis showed that NDV were persistently present among chicken populations and possibly spread through live chicken markets or migration of wild birds. Differences in amino acid sequences detected around the cleavage site separated the isolates in six types. However, cleavage site pattern could not fully differentiate mesogenic isolates from velogenic isolates.

The present investigation was carried out to study phosphatase and transferase enzymes leakage in the neat and extended Punganur bull semen before and after freezing with Tris and Biociphos-plus extenders. Among the bulls studied, the Alkaline Phosphatase (AKP) concentration in fresh semen was significantly different but Acid Phosphatase (ACP) was not significantly different and a positive correlation between the concentration of AKP and semen volume, individual motility, sperm concentration and total abnormalities were observed. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations were not significantly different and positively correlated with individual motility, sperm concentration, percentage of live sperms and acrosomal damage. Leakage of AKP, ACP, AST and ALT enzymes before freezing the semen of Punganur bulls was observed to be significantly higher in the semen extended with Biociphos-plus extender.

Several studies on ticks infesting small mammals, including elephant shrews, have been conducted in South Africa; however, these studies have included only a single four-toed elephant shrew and no hedgehogs. This study thus aimed to identify and quantify the ixodid ticks infesting four-toed elephant shrews and Southern African hedgehogs. Four-toed elephant shrews (Petrodromus tetradactylus) were trapped in dense shrub undergrowth in a nature reserve in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. They were separately housed, first in cages and later in glass terraria fitted with wire-mesh bases to allow detached ticks to fall through for collection. Southern African hedgehogs (Atelerix frontalis) were hand caught on a farm in the eastern region of the Northern Cape Province and all visible ticks were collected by means of tweezers while the animals were anaesthetised. The ticks from each animal were preserved separately in 70% ethanol for later identification and counting. The immature stages of five ixodid tick species were collected from the elephant shrews, of which Rhipicephalus muehlensi was the most common. It has not been recorded previously on any species of elephant shrew. Three ixodid tick species were collected from the hedgehogs. Large numbers of adult Haemaphysalis colesbergensis, which has not been encountered previously on hedgehogs, were collected from these animals. Four-toed elephant shrews are good hosts of the larvae and nymphs of R. muehlensi, and Southern African hedgehogs are good hosts of adult H. colesbergensis.

This study was aimed to test the effect of adding bovine serum albumin (BSA) to Tris-fructose-egg yolk diluent to increase the ram sperm storage period at 5ºC. Semen samples from six mature Awassi rams used in this study. Semen samples were diluted by Tris-glucose-egg yolk. Diluted semen sample was divided into two parts. The first part BSA was added 10 mg ml-1 and the second part considered as a control group without any addition. The diluted semen samples were cooled and preserved at 5oC for 5 days. Cooled diluted semen samples were examined for individual motility, percent of live sperm, sperm abnormalities and acrosomal defects every 24 h until 5 days. Results of the present study showed an increased viability of spermatozoa diluted in the Tris diluent containing BSA stored at 5oC for 120 h of preservation compared with the control group. Spermatozoa motility and viability declined gradually in BSA Tris containing diluent when preserved at 5oC from 0 h to 120 h to 54.0±0.9% and 59.0±0.9 %, respectively compared to control of Tris diluent without BSA which was declined markedly to 35.9±1.9 %, 40.9±1.8 %, respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that supplementation with BSA of ram semen diluents during semen preservation at 5oC, may exert beneficial effects on the quality of the Awassi ram semen.

Gonapodasmius epinepheli, a didymozoid trematode, was found in orange spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides, Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822), in Khark Island coastal area in Persian Gulf, Iran. The Gonapodasmius epinepheli encysted on gills in primary lamellae. Histopathological serial sections revealed that larvae were mainly embedded under the gill epithelium and eggs of the parasite were disseminated in some organs such as gill epithelium and uterus lumen. Pathological changes and host response were primary reduction and destruction of secondary lamellae. Various stages of the life cycle of this parasite were discussed in this study.

In this study, cecal ligation and puncture were performed in 75 Sprgue-Dawley rats. Peritoneal lavage was performed using 10 ml of povidone-iodine as 1% concentration in group A, while the same volume of 50% of honey diluted in distilled water was used in group B. Group C was used as a control. The overall mortality was 32% in group A (8/25), 12% in group B (3/25) and 60% in group C (15/25). Tissue toxicity was found to outweigh bactericidal effects. Honey was tested for its broad-spectrum antibacterial activity without adverse effects. So, we concluded that honey might be used as a peritoneal lavage solution with no side effects.

This study investigated the prevalence, risk factors and species composition of ticks, fleas and lice infesting dogs and cats in and around Hawassa in southern Ethiopia. In total, 200 dogs and 100 cats were examined from November 2008 to April 2009. Of the dogs and cats examined, 99.5% and 91.5%, respectively, were infested with one or more species of ticks, fleas or lice. The overall prevalence was higher in dogs than in cats. A total of six different species of ectoparasites were collected and identified from dogs, but only three species from cats. Ctenocephalides felis was the predominant species amongst the animals, with a prevalence of 82.9% on dogs and 67% on cats. Other prevalent species on dogs included Ctenocephalides canis (73.8%), Heterodoxus spiniger (4%), nymphs of Amblyomma spp. (3.5%), Pulex irritans (2.5%) and Haemaphysalis leachi (0.5%). C. canis (18%) and P. irritans (6%) were also found on cats. More female than male fleas and lice were observed. The study revealed that the prevalence of fleas, ticks and lice on dogs was not significantly different between male and female animals or between young and adult dogs. However, the prevalence of these ectoparasites was significantly higher in female than in male and in adult than in young cats. The study showed that the prevalence of ectoparasites on both dogs and cats was significantly higher on animals with flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) than those without FAD, and on animals with lesions on their skin compared with those without lesions.

Animal urine contains different non-polar volatile compounds, which are known to stimulate their sexual behavior. These compounds collectively termed as pheromones that remain bound to some urinary proteins, which help in their signaling. The objective of this experiment was to identify the urinary volatile compounds before and after protease treatment in bull and in various reproductive stages of female buffaloes, viz. estrus, diestrus and pregnancy, by chemical extraction followed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Buffalo bull urine showed different compounds in TLC upon protease treatment, where as no change in retention time values were observed for female buffalo urine upon protease treatment. It was found that buffalo bull urine contains protein bound non-polar compounds, which can be set free upon protease treatment and detected by TLC.