Surgical castration performed to reduce male-associated problems results in pain and microbial infections in male animals. Therefore, immunocontraception, which is mediated by the animal's own antibodies against reproductive hormones, has been recommended as an alternative to surgical castration when considering the animal's welfare. In this study, a new immunocontraceptive vaccine composed of six tandem copies of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) fused to rat granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was developed, and its efficacy was evaluated in male rats. Three different doses (10, 50, and 100 μg) of recombinant GM-CSF-GnRH protein were injected three times at intervals of two weeks into male rats. The rats vaccinated with three doses of GM-CSF-GnRH produced a significantly higher level of antibodies against GnRH than that in the negative control rats. Severe atrophy of gonads was observed in rats vaccinated with three doses of GM-CSF-GnRH but not in the negative control rats. The results reveal that the new GnRH vaccine conjugated with rat GM-CSF induces efficient immunocontraception in male rats. This formulation of the immunocontraceptive vaccine would be applicable to both domestic and pet male animals.

A Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, coccus-shaped bacterium was isolated from a rabbit with keratoconjunctivitis. Colonies of the isolate were round, smooth, and exhibited hemolytic activity on 5% sheep blood agar. Scanning electron microscopy revealed 0.4 to 0.5 μm diameter oval cocci. Partial 16S rRNA gene (1446 bp) sequence analysis demonstrated the isolate had significant homology with the Moraxella cuniculi CCUG2154 strain isolated from a rabbit in Germany in 1973. Our isolate was designated as APQAB1701. Antibiotic susceptibility tests demonstrated that APQAB1701 was sensitive to 24 antibiotics; 3 of the antibiotics (nalidixic acid, spectinomycin, and colistin) had minimal inhibitory concentrations greater than or equal to 32μg/mL against the isolate.

Study purposes were to evaluate ultrasonographic characteristics of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and quantitate bladder tumor size in dogs. Heterogeneous mass, wall involvement, and broad-based attachment were significantly associated with TCC, but not prominently the trigone region. Mass size evaluation revealed a significant correlation between progressive disease (PD) in TCC patients with piroxicam therapy. Largest diameter of target lesion/ body weight (cm/kg) ratio showed a high mean value in PD. A value greater than 0.3 was associated with PD with 83% sensitivity and 66% specificity. The results suggest that ultrasonography can provide evidence for diagnosing and predicting a prognosis for TCC.

Wild raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) may play a role transmitting several pathogens to humans and pet animals. Information concerning the incidence of rabies, canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine adenovirus type 2 (CAdV-2), canine parainfluenza virus type 5 (CPIV-5), and canine herpesvirus (CHV) is needed in wild raccoon dogs. In total, 62 brain samples of raccoon dogs were examined for rabies virus (RABV) and CDV, and 49 lung samples were screened for CDV, CAdV-2, CPIV-5, and CHV. No RABV, CAdV-2, CPIV-5, or CHV was identified, but nine CDV antigens (8.1%, 9/111) were detected. Moreover, 174 serum samples from wild raccoon dogs were screened for antibodies against the five major viral pathogens. The overall serosurveillance against CDV, CPV, CAdV-2, CPIV-5, and CHV in wild raccoon dogs was 60.3%, 52.9%, 59.8%, 23.6%, and 10.3%, respectively. Comparisons of the sero-surveillance of the five pathogens showed that raccoon dogs of Gyeonggi province have slightly higher sero-positive rates against CDV, CPV, and CHV than those of Gangwon province. These results indicate high incidences of CDV, CPV, and CAdV-2 in wild raccoon dogs of two Korean provinces and a latent risk of pathogen transmission to companion and domestic animals.

Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium is highly contagious, and its infection may rapidly spread within pig populations of herd. According to the survey (1,191 pigs) from 2003 to 2012, 155 pigs (13.0%) were diagnosed as salmonellosis in Jeju. Major porcine salmonellosis cases (88.4%) were concentrated in 4- to 12-week-old weaned pigs, but 6 pigs (3.9%) under 4 weeks old were also diagnosed. Based on the histopathologic examinations, ulcerative enteritis (63.9%) in the large intestine and/or paratyphoid nodules formation (57.4%) in the liver were most prevalent lesions in porcine salmonellosis. Single infection of S. Typhimurium and mixed infection with more than 2 pathogens were detected in 38 (24.5%) and 117 (75.5%) in pigs, respectively. Co-infections of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and Porcine circovirus type 2 were very common in porcine salmonellosis in Jeju and detected in 84 (54.2%) and 59 (38.1%) pigs, respectively. Based on the serotyping tests using 41 bacterial isolates, S. Typhimurium and S. Rissen were confirmed in 39 (95.1%) and 2 (4.9%) cases, respectively.

A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the level ofawareness of selected dairy farmers to herd health program (HHP) and compliance in the Program LadangAngkat (PLA). The study also determined the association between farmers’ awareness and compliance in promoting herd health. An open-ended questionnaire was randomlyadministered to five dairy cattle farms within Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as representative dairy farms enlisted into the PLA of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The mean herd size of the farms was 102.20±20.80, with a range of 30-160 heads of dairy cattle, having an average mean number of milking cows at 29.40±11.22. There was a higher (p<0.05) mean herd health awareness level (72.86±5.78%) among the farmers once compared with the mean compliance level (61.2 ± 4.1%) for 10 out of the 14 HHP components; with the lowest compliances being disease monitoring programme(33.20%) and biosecurity (39.9%). There was a significant (p<0.05), direct, weak positive correlation (r = 0.245; p = 0.042) between farmers’ awareness and farmers’ compliance to the 14 components of the HHP. This study highlights an appreciable level of awareness among dairy farmers in the PLA, with a relatively low compliancelevels to the HHP components.

Colibacillosis is a disease caused by avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and is one of the principle cause of morbidity and mortality in poultry worldwide which is represented by a complex syndrome characterized by multiple organ lesions. This study was carried out to determine phylogenetic grouping and virulenceassociated genes contained by E. coli isolates which is related in causing disease in chicken. E. coli isolates obtained from clinical cases of Veterinary ResearchInstitute were re-identified by conventional methods. Phylogenetic grouping of the isolates was determined by triplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the presence of eight virulence genes were identified by multiplex PCR. A total of 125 E. coli isolates were subjected toanalysis of phylogenetic background and virulence associated genes profiling. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that most of the E. coli isolated from chicken in this study belonged to group B1 (36.0%),group D (28.0%), group A (27.2%) and group B2 (8.8%). Multiplex PCR analysis demonstrated that 96 (78.6%) of the E. coli isolates harbored at least one virulencegene, while 29 (23.3%) did not contain any virulence genes tested. The most prevalent virulence genes identified were iss (51.2%), followed by iucD (36.0%),tsh (32.8%), vat (16.0%), astA (13.6%), irp2 (11.2%), papC (9.6%) and the least is cva/cvi gene (0%). None of the isolates harbored more than four virulence genes.Each of phylogenetic groups presented with different combinations of virulence genes, with no specific combinations of virulence genes found to correlate withE. coli phylogroups. None of the E. coli isolates harbored more than four virulence genes, suggesting that E. coli isolates from chicken in this study appear to bederived from commensal strains and may relate to environmental predispose factors especially stress factors in the host to establish infection.

This study was conductedon raw cow’s milk collected in seven statesof Malaysia to investigate the compositionof minerals and trace elements in the milk.Raw cow’s milk samples were collectedfrom Kedah, Perak, Johor, Melaka,Pahang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilanfrom January to November 2015. ICPMStechnique combined with microwavedigestion were applied to determine theconcentration of five major minerals (Na,Mg, K, Ca and P) and eleven trace elements(Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr, Mo,Baand Pb) in the milk samples. The resultof analysis showed relatively constantcomposition of minerals and trace elementsin the samples but some variations wereobserved in certain states. Application ofprincipal component analysis (PCA) in thecomposition data showed different clusterexists between the states of Selangor andNegeri Sembilan as well as Kedah andNegeri Sembilan. There is no significantdifference observed in the compositionsof minerals and trace elements betweenother states. The compositions of mineralsand trace elements in raw cow’s milk inMalaysia are comparable with reports fromother research. Further studies can be doneto investigate the source of nutrient, foodor environmental condition that producedthe amounts of minerals and trace elementsin the milk.

A total of 2803 bloodsamples from ruminant livestock werereceived for diagnosis for parasiticinfections from 2011 to 2015. Theruminant samples were from small holderand commercial farms from the states ofNegeri Sembilan, Melaka, Selangor andthe Federal Territory. The results indicatethe presence of theileriosis, anaplasmosis,babesiosis and trypanosomiasis in theseanimals. The most common parasiteidentified annually is theileriosis in cattle.This information is vital for disease controlstrategies as most blood protozoa causemorbidity and is transmitted by vectorssuch as ticks.

Fascioliasis is an importantparasitic disease caused by the liver flukeFasciola gigantica in Malaysia. Theinfestation of liver fluke in ruminants;cattle, sheep, goats and buffaloes can resultin economic losses to the country mainlydue to the drop in livestock production,reduction in growth rate, condemnationof liver, reduction in draught power andhigh usage of anthelmintics. This paperdescribes a case of liver fluke infestationin a two year old male buffalo that waseventually slaughtered. The buffalowas reported to be emaciated and wasreared in an oil palm plantation for useas draught power in buffalo-drawn cartsloaded with oil palm bunches; alongwith 18 other buffaloes of various ages.Previously, there were two cases of buffalodeaths from the same herd. The organand faecal samples were sent to KuantanRegional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL)for diagnostic work up. The receivedsamples were then sent to parasitology,histopathology and bacteriology sectionsfor laboratory analysis and confirmationon the pathogens. The bacteriology resultshowed Escherichia coli isolated in allinternal organs. Presence of adult flukes(Fasciola gigantica) were observed inthe bile duct of the liver through grossexamination and also histopathologicalevaluation and supported by the positiveresult of Fasciola ova via sedimentationtest conducted from the faecal sample, thusjustifying the final diagnosis as severe liverfluke infestation leading to emaciation andsimultaneously having colibacillosis.