The diagnostic value of RT-PCR and hemi-nested RT-PCR (hnRT-PCR) was compared in brain samples of dogs presenting neurological signs compatible with canine distemper. Samples of central nervous system (CNS) were collected from 68 dogs and tested by direct immunofluorescence test (RFID) and, independent of the results, they were stored at -20°C for at least three years. They were submitted to the RT-PCR and hnRT-PCR techniques aiming to determine the gene responsible for the viral nucleoprotein decoding. Fifty-nine samples were positive for RIFD, 40 for RT-PCR (Kappa = 0.358) and 54 for hnRT-PCR (Kappa = 0.740). All nine RIFD negative samples were also negative for RT-PCR and hnRT-PCR. In spite of the storage duration and proper sample conditions, the estimated accordance between hnRT-PCR and RIFD demonstrated that hnRT-PCR technique can be applied in retrospective studies.

Entre outubro de 2001 e dezembro de 2004, o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento realizou um estudo visando conhecer a situação epidemiológica da brucelose bovina em 14 Unidades Federativas do Brasil. O trabalho incluiu um questionário epidemiológico com a intenção de avaliar possíveis fatores de risco para a doença nos rebanhos. O mesmo possibilitou a realização de uma análise descritiva da pecuária em diversas regiões. Os resultados demonstraram a alta heterogeneidade da cadeia produtiva e as desigualdades produtivas entre diversos atores da cadeia. De maneira geral, observou-se que a maior parte das propriedades cria extensivamente poucos animais, com baixo investimento em tecnologia, em especialização e intensificação dos manejos. Considerando a crescente participação brasileira no cenário da produção de alimentos, os resultados refletem uma perspectiva otimista acerca do potencial de crescimento da produção de carne e leite pelo país caso políticas voltadas para o incremento nos índices de produtividade dos pequenos produtores sejam instituídas. Tendo em vista a escassez de projetos desse tipo, reflete-se a respeito da necessidade de outros trabalhos com esse enfoque e da criação de um sistema integrado de informações sobre a sanidade, produtividade e característica das criações de bovinos, considerando que quanto maior for o conhecimento a respeito do ambiente sobre o qual as criações estão inseridas, mais efetivas serão as atitudes tomadas frente aos problemas encontrados no setor.

Os Staphylococcus, principais agentes causadores da mastite, quando em biofilmes, estão relacionados a uma série de mecanismos de resistência em diferentes tipos de infecções. O presente trabalho avaliou a susceptibilidade e resistência dos Staphylococcus aureus, isolados de casos de mastite bovina e do ambiente de ordenha, em condições de biofilme, frente a três antimicrobianos distintos em diferentes concentrações. Foram utilizadas trinta e duas estirpes de S. aureus testadas frente aos testes de inibição da concentração mínima de erradicação de biofilmes, utilizando cefalexina, amoxicilina e rifampicina, nas concentrações de 30 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL e 100 mg/mL, por doze horas de contato, e a eficiência dos testes avaliada pela contagem das unidades formadoras de colônias e pelo teste de microplacas. Os resultados revelaram que, entre os antimicrobianos testados, a cefalexina foi o que apresentou melhor eficiência nas três concentrações testadas, e a rifampicina e amoxacilina tiveram maior eficiência nas concentrações de 50 e 100 mg/ mL. Esses dados demonstram a importância sobre antibioticoterapia orientada associada com a correta higienização dos equipamentos de ordenha, evitando-se, assim, a formação de biofilmes, a adesão microbiana persistente em equipamentos, e a difusão dos microrganismos pelo canal ascendente dos tetos entre os animais do rebanho.

Melanomas are the most common oral malignancy in dogs. Cell proliferation and connexin expression has been shown to differ in canine melanotic and amelanotic oral melanomas. This study aimed to analyze the c-Kit protein expression in melanotic and amelanotic melanomas from canine buccal cavity. A total of 34 canine buccal melanomas (19 melanotic and 15 amelanotic).were collected. The amelanotic melanomas presented faster evolution and higher incidence of metastasis than melanotic tumors. A significantly higher number of c-Kit positive cells were observed in amelanotic neoplasms. In addition, the intensity of c-Kit immunolabeling was predominantly stronger in amelanotic melanomas. These results confirm a potential role for c-Kit in canine oral melanomas with clear differences in expression patterns between the two histological types of tumor, melanotic and amelanotic. This study highlights the importance of a detailed study of c-Kit mutations in canine oral melanomas to better understand the molecular mechanisms implicated in the development of this disease.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known carcinogens used in rodent experimental models. In this study, the carcinogen DMBA (7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene) was administered by gavage, diluted in corn oil, to female BALB / c mice at hebdomadary doses of 1 mg per animal for 1, 3, 6 or 9 weeks. Animals were weighed and monitored weekly until death. Remaining animals were euthanized at the age of 53 weeks. At necropsy, representative fragments of neoplasms were collected and routinely processed for histopathological analysis. Of all mice that received DMBA, 68.57% developed some type of tumor. Of the 70 mice treated with various doses of DMBA, 22 (31.43%) developed mammary tumors. The adenoacanthoma was the most commonly (18.75%) diagnosed histological type of breast cancer. Lung (15.71%), lymphoid tissue (11.43%), stomach (7.14%) and skin (2.86%) were also primary sites of tumor development. One third (33.33%) of the mice receiving 1 mg of DMBA developed lung cancer. Therefore, the administration of DMBA was shown to be an efficient model of carcinogenesis in mice, especially for the study of breast cancer, when using the highest dose, and lung, when using the lowest dose. Carcinogenesis models have been used for several purposes in cancer research. These results represent new facts for a classic carcinogenesis model.

Influenza viruses initiate infection by binding of the viral hemagglutinin to the cellular sialic acid residues. The precision-cut lung slice, as a valuable cultural tool of differentiated respiratory epithelial cells, is characterized by its ability to be viable for at least six days in-vitro, mimic in-vivo original cells and simply monitored by an inverted microscope. The aims of the study were to analyse the distribution of different sialic acid types in bronchus and parabronchial tissues of Turkey Precision Lung Slices (TPCLS), investigate the infection susceptibility of TPCLS by avian influenza (H9N2 and H7N7) and swine influenza (H3N2) viruses and evaluate the infection expression of TPCLS by different influenza viruses in correlation to the cellular sialic acids distribution after infection. The lectin stains and monoclonal antibodies prepared against nucleoprotein of influenza virus were used for analysing sialic acids distributions and viral antigen detection of TPCLS by immunoflourescent technique. The viral infective particles released from infected TPCLS by different avian and swine influenza viruses were titrated at different time intervals after infection. Both α2,3-linked and α2,6-linked sialic acids were expressed in the bronchus of TPCLS, while only α2,6-linked sialic acid was expressed in the parabronchial tissues. The indirect immunoflourescent technique showed variation of infection susceptibility of TPCLS parts by avian and swine influenza viruses. Infection was expressed in the bronchial epithelium by H9N2, H7N7 and H3N2, while in the parabronchial tissue by H9N2 and H3N2. Titration of the released infective viruses in the supernatant of infected TPCLS revealed that H9N2 could replicate faster than the other influenza viruses. TPCLS is a promising in-vitro model for viral infection study of turkey.

Sarcoptes scabiei var canis infest different dog breeds and human. Three hundred ninety five dogs were clinically and parasitologically examined for the detection of Sarcoptes scabiei var canis. Twenty four infested dogs were classified into three groups (8 dogs per group), each group was treated separately with ivermectin oral tablets (Ivactin®) or selamectin pour on(Revolution®) or doramectin injection (Dectomax®). The prevalence of Sarcoptes scabiei var canis in totally examined dogs was 6.08%. The prevalence was highest in German Shepherd dogs and lowest in St. Bernard dogs. Three acaricides have the same successful treatment rate (100%) at the fourth weeks post treatment. It could be concluded that ivermectin tablets is the cheapest and easiest to administer and more preferable to be used for treatment of Sarcoptes scabiei var canis infested dogs.

The present study was carried out on 16 animals (12 cattle and 4 buffaloes) suffering from complete cervical esophageal obstruction. The animals were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Assiut University, Egypt. Diagnosis of the cases was achieved through clinical signs, external palpation of the foreign body and survey radiography. Standing position esophagotomy was performed for treatment of the cases. Follow up revealed recovery of all cases without any postoperative complications.

The present study was undertaken to compare serum and salivary biochemical constituents during lactation and dry period in dairy cows. Also, the present study evaluated for the first time the salivary biochemical constituents in dairy cows. The study was carried out using 45 healthy multiparous Holstein cows maintained in dairy farms located in Morioka city (Iwate prefecture, Japan). Cows were classified into groups based on the month of lactation. Serum, saliva and milk samples were collected and analyzed. Data were statistically analyzed and the variation in serum and salivary biochemical constituents during lactation and dry period were discussed. From the present study, it could be concluded that the 1st month of lactation has the highest levels for serum free fatty acids (FFA), β- Hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA) and aceto Acetic acid (ACAC). The dry period has the highest serum glucose level and the lowest serum FFA, BHBA and aspartate aminotransferase levels. Both serum and salivary FFA showed the highest value during the 1st month of lactation. Saliva contains a high level of gamma glutamyl transferase. The level of ammonia in saliva is higher than its serum level during all months of lactation and dry period. Most of the biochemical constituents in saliva change in different way from serum during lactation and dry period. Milk protein/fat ratio of 0.7 may be not indicative for subclinical ketosis.

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae (probiotic) with different protein levels on duck performance, carcass traits and blood parameters. A total number of 40 two weeks old Molar ducklings randomly distributed into 4 equal groups.The first group was fed on control diet (16% CP) without any feed additives, while groups 2, 3 and 4 (T2, T3 and T4) were fed on basal diets containing 16, 14 and 12% CP respectively and supplemented with probiotic. Additives was probiotic, thepax (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), at 0.1% of the grower-finisher diet. The results showed that, birds fed on 16% protein diet supplemented with probiotic recorded significantly the best live body weight, body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion compared with other treatments. There were no significant differences in hot carcass percentage, eviscerated percentage, dressing percentage and relative percentage of internal organs (gizzard, heart, liver and spleen), total protein and triglycerides, between different experimental groups. While there were significant (P<0.05) differences in serum albumin, globulin, cholesterol and uric acid between control group and other treatments. The relative economic feed efficiency was the highest in birds fed 16%protein diets supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae compared with other treated groups. It could be concluded that, dietary inclusion of 0.1% S.cerevisiae in 16% protein diet improved body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio and carcass traits.