BACKGROUND: Colibacillosis, caused by different serotypes of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), is one of the important diseases in poultry industry. The isolate O78 is the most prevalent serotype of APEC in Iran. One of the APEC virulence factors, increased serum survival (iss) gene, is related to serum resistance. The usual form of colibacillosis in avian is extraintestinal, and serum resistance is applied one way by APEC to reach internal organs; hence, it appears that the control of colibacillosis in poultry regarding the deletion of iss and the construction of a serum sensitive APEC strain is beneficial. Additionally, the knowledge about APEC serum resistance could be extended using mutant strains. OBJECTIVES: The present study was an attempt to generate an iss mutant strain from native APEC-O78 strain |c|1378 and to study the level of serum resistance of native APEC-O78 strain c1378 in comparison with its mutant (APEC-O78 strain c1378|D|iss). METHODS: The lambda red recombinase system was utilized to delete iss gene in native APEC-O78 strain c1378. This strain was first transformed with the plasmid pkD46 to introduce the lambda red recombinase system and then the PCR product with sequence homology to the iss gene and a kanamycin resistance marker was transformed into the APEC-O78 strain c1378. Serum sensitivity of mutant and wild type strain was investigated by microtiter test. RESULTS: The generation of mutant was successful and the iss was replaced with kanamycin resistance cassette. Also, it was observed that the mutant was sensitive to serum. However, serum sensitivity of iss deleted mutant was not statistically different from its parents. CONCLUSIONS: Application of lambda red recombination could be a simple and useful technique for production of a precisely defined gene deletion. Also, there may be some genes that compensate the activity of iss gene.

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever, and ruminants being considered as the main source for human infection. Although the main route of infection in human is inhalation of contaminated aerosols, oral transmission by contaminated raw milk or unpasteurized dairy products is also a possible route of infection. Raw milk or dairy products produced from unpasteurized milk may contain virulent C. burnetii. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the contamination rate of milk and unpasteurized dairy products with C. burnetii. METHODS: Touch-down PCR was used to examine the presence of C. burnetii on 147 dairy product samples collected from local traditional and commercial markets in Mashhad-Khorasan Razavi province- Iran. RESULTS: 2 of 28 (7.14%) cheese samples, 2 of 26 (7.69%) yoghurt samples, 8 of 23 (34.78%) sheep milk samples, and 2 of 60  (3.33%) cow milk samples were found to be positive for C. burnetii DNA. However, 10 goat milk samples were found to be negative. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the clinically healthy dairy livestock and their dairy products are important sources of C. burnetii infection.

The Akhal-Teke is an ancient horse originat-ing from Asia where it was used by nomadic tribes and used as a warhorse. Lameness examinations require proper interpretation of clinical and radiographic findings. Therefore, understanding of normal radiographic findings of the foot is necessary. Although the radiographic appearance of the normal foot must be understood to recognize abnormalities ,there are no studies examining the normal hoof and digital soft tissues in Akhal-Teke horses. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study reported here was to determine a normal radiographic appearance and morpho-metry of the distal phalanx and its related soft tissue in mature Akhal-Teke racehorses without any clinical signs of lameness and foot problems. METHODS: Radiography of the distal phalanx and associated soft-tissue structures of the front feet of 10 healthy pure Akhal-Teke horses were performed to determine normal radiographic appearance and morphometry. Lateromedial radiographic views of each front distal phalanx were used to measure important distances, angles and ratios of the hoof wall. All the measurements from lateromedial radiographs were multiplied by the magnification correction factor to gain the actual distances. RESULTS: Mean ± SD thickness of the soft tissues dorsal to the middle aspect of distal phalanx was 18.3 ± 1.22 mm. There was not any significant difference between left and right digits for any radiographic determination. CONCLUSIONS: This study introduced S-Founder and CF-Founder as important criteria in evaluating laminitis and sinking of P3.

Tramadol is a synthetic, centrally acting opioid analgesic that has the best analgesic efficacy without excessive sedation and significant side effects in the postoperative pain relief in dogs. OBJECTIVES: In this study, hematological and biochemical changes due to short usage of tramadol were assessed in clinically healthy dogs. METHODS: For this purpose, eighteen male mongrel dogs aged 14 to 22 months were used in three equal groups. In the first and second groups respectively (2 and 5 mg/kg) intramuscular tramadol and in control group distillate water was given once a day for five consecutive days. Complete cell blood count (CBC) and biochemical evaluation were done to measure aspartate amino-transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinin (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, before the intervention (day 0) and on days 6 and 13, post-treatment. RESULTS: Thirteen days post treatment, Red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) count and ALT, AST, ALP, Cr, BUN and packed cell volume  (PCV) level was measured as 6.75±0.03, 3.86±0.13, 40.00±7.98, 43.67±8.62, 57.00±17.03, 0.90±0.27, 25.00±5.48 and 40.13±2.88 respect-ively which showed that short-term injection of even high doses of tramadol creates no significant change on hematological, liver, and kidney parameters in dogs. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that tramadol could be a safe postoperative analgesic for control of acute pain in dogs referred for routine surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: Linguatula serrata, a tongue worm, is anaberrant cosmopolitan parasite, which inhabits the caninerespiratory system (final host). The discharged eggs infect manyplant feeder, including ruminants and human being, that producevisceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis which is known asMarrara syndrome in man. OBJECTIVES:In the current study, theprevalence rate of infection with L. serrata nymphs inmesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of slaughteredgoats was investigated by cutting in MLNs and observing themin Isfahan Province, Iran. METHODS: The MLNs of 620slaughtered goats, including 197 females and 423 males, after thepreparation of the lymph nodes, were examined for L. serratanymphs by cutting them longitudinally and testing them by usinga dissecting microscope for L. serrata nymphs. Then, in thesuspected cases, the samples were digested by pepsin andhydrochloric acid and were examined for presence of L. serratanymphs. Goats were categorized into four age groups, including< 1.5 year, 1.5 to 2.5 years, 2.5 to 3.5 years, and > 3.5 years.RESULTS:The results showed that 54.35% of the examined goatswere infected with L. serrata. Sex had no significant effect on theprevalence rate of this parasite in goats. CONCLUSIONS: Ahighprevalence rate of infection in goats suggests a possible similarhigh rate of infection in other animals and man in the investigatedarea, which emphasizes undertaking strict control measures toreduce the risk of zoonotic outbreaks.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular system is a very importantorgan that plays a vital role in tissue function. In farm animals,the growth and high milk production depends on function ofcardiovascular system. OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular health inhigh and low-yielding dairy cows was investigated. METHODS:Fifty 4-year-old high- yielding Holstein dairy cows and fifty 4-year-old low- yielding Holstein dairy cows were used in thisstudy. Electrocardiogram was recorded by a base- apex lead, andblood samples were collected from the jugular vein for themeasurement of cardiac biomarkers (CK (Creatine Kinase), CKMB(Creatine Kinase-Myocardial Band), LDH (LactateDehydrogenase), and AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) andtroponin I). RESULTS: Cardiac dysrhythmias were detected morein low- yielding Holstein dairy cows (62%) compared to highyieldingHolstein dairy cows (46%). The cardiac dysrhythmiasthat were observed in low- yielding Holstein dairy cows includedsinus arrhythmia (34.7%), wandering pacemaker (22.45%),sinus bradycardia (18.37%), sinus tachycardia (10.20%), atrialpremature beat (2.04%), sinoatrial block (2.04%), atrialfibrillation (8.16%), and atrial tachycardia (2.04%). The cardiacdysrhythmias were observed in high- yielding Holstein dairycows, including sinus arrhythmia (86.95%) and wandering pacemaker (13.05%). Also, notched P wave was observed in highandlow- yielding Holstein dairy cows, 30% and 14%respectively. The amount of cardiac biomarkers in the lowyielding cows was significantly higher than that of the highyielding cows. Further more, there was not any detectablesignificant difference of serum concentration of total CK betweenthe high and low- yielding Holstein cows. CONCLUSIONS:Despite significant differences in cardiac biomarkers and basedon the normal range of cardiac biomarkers in both groups, theincrease in cardiac dysrhythmias in low- yielding Holstein dairycows may be metabolic and electrolyte disorders.

BACKGROUND: Disruption of testicular function and arrest ofspermatogenesis are the consequence of cryptorchidism inresponse to elevated temperature. OBJECTIVES:This investigationwas set to clarify the possible ghrelin efficacy in altering somesperm quality parameters upon experimentally-induced cryptorchidism.METHODS: Thirty male adult rats were scheduled for thestudy and were divided into three groups: group 1 was served ascontrol-saline (CS), group 2 was designed as cryptorchidism-saline(CrS), and group 3 was defined as cryptorchidism-ghrelin (CrG).After surgically inducing cryptorchidism in groups 2 and 3, theresearchers gave 10 nmol of ghrelin to CrG rats for 7 consecutivedays. Five animals in each group were equally killed on days 3 and7 after operation and their testes were taken for sperm evaluation.RESULTS: Testicular weight, sperm forward progressive motility(FPM), functional membrane integrity (assessed by HOS-test), andsperm concentration displayed slight changes after heating on day3. However, abdominal position of the testes for 7 days caused asignificant reduction in the percentages of HOS-positive cells(p<0.0001), FPM (p<0.0001), and sperm concentration (p<0.01).Although a 30% decrease occurred in the testicular weight at thispoint, however, this reduction was not statistically significant.Interestingly, HOS-test and FPM percentages were significantlyhigher in the ghrelin-exposed animals compared to the CrS groupon day 7 (p<0.05). However, ghrelin treatment had not considerableinfluence on sperm parameters by day 3. Moreover, spermconcentration and testicular weight did not exhibit any changeseither on day 3 or at day 7 upon ghrelin injection (p>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Indeed, this function of ghrelin could be attributedto its antioxidant properties and it may be implicated as a potentialagent in attenuation of impaired spermatogenesis after cryptorchidism.

BACKGROUND:Cystitis and pyelonephnitis in ruminants mostoften result from ascending urinary tract infection (UTI).OBJECTIVES: Investigating the prevalence of urine infection andits relationship with histopathological findings of bladder andkidney. METHODS: This study was carried out on 353 slaughteredbuffalos (143 female and 210 male) at Ahvaz abattoir, southwest ofIran. After slaughter, urinary samples were taken directly frombladder by sterile syringe. The bladder and kidney were inspectedand samples from them were taken for histophatological study. Allof the urine samples were incubated for isolation of bacteria onblood agar and MacConkey. Biochemical characterizations of theisolates were performed according to Bergey's manual of systemicbacteriology. Histopathological samples were taken fromrepresentative parts of each bladder and kidney and were stainedwith haematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: Out of the 353 urinesamples, 19 (5.38%) were positive. The percentages of infectedcattle in female and male were 6.3% and 4.8%, respectively. Thesebacteria were isolated: E.coli (21%), Staphylococcus spp. (31.6%),Streptococcus spp. (15.8%), Proteus spp. (15.8%), Klebciella spp.(5.3%), Yercinia spp. (5.3%), and Actinimyces and Pasteurelle spp.(5.3%). In histopathological examination, 51(14.4%) and 5 (1.4%)of the buffalos had chronic cystitis and pyelonephritis, respectively.Bacteria were isolated only in 3 cases of chronic cystitis and 2 casesof pyelonephritis. Statistical analysis showed there was norelationship between isolation of bacteria from urine with cystitisand pyelonephritis. CONCLUSIONS:Some cases of chronic cystitisare not able to isolate of bacteria from urine and for causingpyelonephritis they need predisposing factors which caused urineretention.

BACKGROUND: Canine Distemper (CD) is a lethal systemicdisease affecting a wide variety of terrestrial carnivores.OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to survey epidemiologicaland molecular characteristics of the canine distemper virus(CDV) strains circulating in Iran. METHODS: In this study, 19CDV-suspected unvaccinated dogs from Northeast and center ofIran were analyzed for presence of CDV nucleoprotein (NP) geneusing Nested-PCR during 2008- 2011. Different biological samplesof 14 dogs were positive. RESULTS: The phylogenetic analysisbased on partial NP gene sequences indicated the presence of twomajor clusters that are clearly different from vaccine strains in Iran.One cluster belongs to the European group and the other one to theArctic group. CONCLUTIONS: Due to a lack of phylogeneticanalysis on CDV in countries bordering Iran, except Turkey, theancestor of Iranian sequences specially Iranian Arctic sequencescould not be definitely identified. This study is the first report onphylogenetic analysis of CDV from domestic dogs in Iran.

BACKGROUND:Avian intestinal spirochetosis (AIS) is causedby spiral-shaped Gram-negative Brachyspira spp. in poultry. It isknown as a cause of diarrhea, low egg production, and increasedoccurrence of dirty eggs in layer hens. OBJECTIVES: In this study,the presence of some Brachyspira spp. was investigated in layinghens. METHODS: A total of 100 cloacal swab samples wereindividually collected from 20 laying hen flocks showing fecal eggstaining in northeast of Iran. RESULTS: Using culture andmorphologic examination, 41 samples (41%) from 20 flocks werepositive; however, by using genus-specific PCR, only 37 (37%)samples were confirmed as Brachyspira spp. Using speciesspecificprimers, single colonization was identified in 18 samplesassociated with B. pilosicoli (48.6%), while single colonizationwith B. intermedia was found in only two samples (5.4%).Simultaneous colonization by B. intermedia and B. murdochii wasdetected in 3 samples (8.1%). B. pilosicoli was the most prevalentspecies in concurrent colonization in 11 cases (29.7%). Finally, cocolonizationby B. intermedia and B. innocens was identified in 3samples (8.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showedthe colonization of different species of Brachyspira withdominance of B. pilosicoli in layer hens.