Lymph nodes (Ln) are the preferred samples for virus isolation and detection. In the present study, carcass and visceral Ln of apparently healthy cattle were screened for the presence of bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV-1) and bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) antigens. A total of 198 Ln (114 carcasses Ln and 84 visceral Ln) were collected. Lymph node homogenates were assayed by agar gel precipitation test (AGPT), rapid Staphyloccocal protein A (SPA) agglutination test and Dot-ELISA. The overall results revealed that BHV-1 antigens were detected in 43.9%, 56.1% and in 68.4% of carcass Ln, and in 29.8%, 47.6% and 57.1% of visceral Ln collected from slaughtered cattle by AGPT, SPA agglutination test and Dot-ELISA respectively. On the other hand, BEFV antigens were detected in 5.3%, 38.6% and 52.6% of carcass Ln, and in 6%, 41.7% and 54.8 % of visceral Ln collected from slaughtered animals by AGPT, rapid SPA agglutination test and Dot-ELISA respectively. The results showed high percentage of positive samples with SPA agglutination test and Dot- ELISA in comparison to AGPT for both BHV-1 and BEF.

Nasopharyngeal swabs and pnuemonic lung autopsies collected from diseased or slaughtered sheep and goats suffering from respiratory manifestation were subjected to microbiological sreening. In addition, serum samples were collected from all animals were investigated. P. hemolytica was the most prevalent recovered bacterial isolates followed by S. aureus and E. coli. On the other hand, Aspergillus fumigatus was the most prevalent fungus. Aspergillus species and Candida albicans were also isolated. Most of the isolated bacterial strains were found sensitive to spectrama and chloramphenicol. Serodiagnosis of P. hemolytica by ELISA using the whole cell antigen gave positive results in 18.3 and 22.5% of diseased sheep and goats respectively and 52% and 42.1% of slaughtered pneumonic sheep and goats respectively. Also serodiagnosis of Aspergillus fumigatus by indirect haemagglutination test revealed positive results in18.3and 17.5% of diseased sheep and goats respectively and 24% and 21% in sera of slaughtered pneumonic sheep and goats respectively. Histopathological changes due to P. haemolytica and Aspergillus fumigatus were recorded.

A wild strain of Eimeria tenella was isolated and utilized for immunization studies. Its optimal sporulation was attained at room temperature 24-25 °C after 24-48 h. Two groups of chicks were immunized by dosing a graded dose of five oocysts/chick/day for 6 days followed by 50 oocysts/chick/day for 7 days. A third group was not immunized and served as a negative control. Immunized chicks gained mass at the same rate as unimmunized ones, but when challenged with 200 000 oocysts/chick, mass gains declined in the unimmunized group. The growth rate of immunized chicks was not affected by challenge (P > 0.05). Upon challenge, unimmunized chicks produced significantly more oocysts than immunized chicks (P < 0.005). Immunized chicks withstood a challenged with 200 000 oocysts/chick without developing any clinical signs whereas the unimmunized chicks developed typical clinical signs of coccidiosis. Unimmunized chicks had significantly more severe lesions in the caecum than any other group (P > 0.005) and also produced significantly more oocysts than any other group (P > 0.005).

Samples from medial retropharyngeal, superficial cervical and deep femoral lymph nodes of four camels were fixed in neutral buffered formalin and prepared for light and electron microscopic examination. The camel lymph nodes were formed of stroma and parenchyma. A dense collagenous capsule and trabeculae beside fine reticular framework represented the stroma. The parenchyma was formed of follicular and non-follicular forms of lymphoreticular tissue. The lymphoid follicles were mainly secondary in nature formed of germinal center and outer corona. Afferent and efferent lymph vessels were noticed at the same area of the capsule. Capsular, subcapsular, trabecular, peritrabecular and parenchymal lymph sinuses were noticed in camel lymph nodes.

Fifteen outbreaks with clinical picture and post- mortem lesions similar to that of rabbit haemorrhagic viral disease (RHVD) were investigated in vaccinated flocks during the period between February and July 2005 at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate. Twelve representative liver homogenate were positive in haemagglutination test (HA) using human type (O) washed RBCs, with titer more than 1/160. Detection of virus particles by electron microscopy, histopathological findings as well as pathogenicity test , confirmed that the outbreaks were RHVD. The possible role of field rats for the transmission and spread of RHVD among rabbitaries was studied. Cross reactivity and cross protection tests were conducted. These tests proved that the newly emerged RHVD isolates were not closely related to classical local vaccinal strain of RHVD and may be a variant strain.

During summer 2004, an outbreak of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) had been spread among cattle as well as buffaloes in Egypt. The most striking clinical signs in cattle were fever of short duration, depression, stiffness, lameness and sometime recumbency. Young calves, unfattened bulls and dry, lean non-pregnant cows showed only mild signs while fattened calves, mature heavy bulls and high-producing dairy cows and cows at the late stages of pregnancy were severely affected and signs persisted longer. Deaths and other complications accompanied the disease such as subcutaneous emphysema was not recorded in these outbreaks. In buffaloes, the clinical signs were mild and less severe compared with that of cattle. Serological examination of paired serum samples collected from the diseased animals using serum neutralization test revealed rising of the neutralizing antibody titers for BEF virus after 3 weeks from the onset of clinical signs. Blood picture and biochemical analysis of sera of 6 diseased animals, showed anemia represented by significant decrease in RBCS, PCV% and Hb content. The leukogram showed neutrophihia and lymphopenia with normal leukocytic count. There was rise in plasma fibrinogen with drop in calcium and phosphorus values. All of these parameters were more or less improved three weeks post-recovery. Good nursing care with early treatment with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (Phenylbutazone) or administration of calcium borogluconate of lame or recumbent animals lead to rapid and prompt recovery.

Serum samples from 474 domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) from Zimbabwe were tested for anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies using the indirect fluorescent antibody test. The results showed that T. gondii infection is widespread in Zimbabwean pigs. Seroprevalence was lowest in fattening pigs from large and small-scale commercial farms that practise good hygiene (19.75 % of 238) and highest in backyard scavenging pigs (35.71 % of 70). Only 11.7 % (11) of the 127 positive samples had titres of > 1:400 and nine (81.82 %) of these 11 originated from pigs reared under poor hygienic conditions. A prevalence of 3.51 % was found in the same group of fattening pigs using an indirect IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the single serum dilution of 1:400. The serosurvey shows the importance of modern intensive husbandry systems in reducing the prevalences of T. gondii infection in domestic pigs.

Two hundred and seventy-three elephant shrews, consisting of 193 Elephantulus myurus, 67 Elephantulus edwardii and 13 animals belonging to other species, were examined for ixodid ticks at 18 localities in South Africa and Namibia. The immature stages of Ixodes rubicundus, Rhipicentor nuttalli, Rhipicephalus warburtoni and a Rhipicephalus pravus-like tick were the most numerous of the 18 tick species recovered. Substantial numbers of immature Rhipicephalus arnoldi, Rhipicephalus distinctus and Rhipicephalus exophthalmos were also collected from elephant shrews at particular localities. Larvae of I. rubicundus were most numerous on E. myurus in Free State Province from April to July and nymphs from June to October. Larvae of R. nuttalli were most numerous on these animals during April, May, August and September, and nymphs in February and from April to August. The immature stages of R. warburton were collected from E. myurus only in Free State Province, and larvae were generally most numerous from December to August and nymphs from April to October.

During the period between January 1999 and December 2000, the distribution and seasonal patterns of amphistome infections in cattle in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas of Zimbabwe were determined through monthly coprological examination. Cattle faecal samples were collected from 12 and nine dipping sites in the highveld and lowveld communal grazing areas, respectively. Patterns of distribution and seasonal fluctuations of intermediate host-snail populations and the climatic factors influencing the distribution were also determined by sampling at monthly intervals for a period of 24 months (November 1998 to October 2000) in six dams and six streams in the highveld and in nine dams in the lowveld communal grazing areas. Each site was sampled for relative snail density and the vegetation cover and type, physical and chemical properties of water, and mean monthly rainfall and temperature were recorded. Aquatic vegetation and grass samples 0-1 m from the edges of the snail habitats were collected monthly to determine the presence or absence of amphistome metacercariae. Snails collected at the same time were individually checked for the emergence of larval stages of amphistomes. A total of 16 264 (calves 5 418, weaners 5 461 and adults 5 385) faecal samples were collected during the entire period of the study and 4 790 (29.5 %) of the samples were positive for amphistome eggs. For both regions the number of animals positive for amphistome eggs differed significantly between the 2 years, with the second year having a significantly higher prevalence (P < 0.01) than the first year. Significantly higher prevalences were found in the highveld compared to the lowveld (P < 0.001), for adult cattle than calves (P < 0.01), and in the wet over the dry season (P < 0.01). Faecal egg output peaked from October to March in both years of the study. Bulinus tropicus, Bulinus forskalii and Biomphalaria pfeifferi were recorded from the study sites. The main intermediate host for amphistomes was B. tropicus with a prevalence of infection of 8.5 %. However, amphistome cercariae were also recorded in Biom. Pfeifferi and B. forskalii. Amphistome cercariae were recorded from both the highveld and lowveld areas with peak prevalence during the post-rainy season (March to May). Metacercariae were found on herbage from the fringes of the snail habitats between February and August, with most of the metacercariae concentrated on herbage 0-1 m from the edges of the habitats. Based on the epidemiological findings a control programme was devised. From this study, large burdens of immature flukes could be expected in cattle during the dry months. Since adult cattle would be resistant to the pathogenic effects of the migrating immature amphistomes the target for control would be young animals being exposed to the infection for the first time. Therefore, the first anthelmintic treatment can be administered in calves in mid June when maximum migration of immature amphistomes starting 3-4 weeks after infection in the early dry season would be expected. A second treatment could be given in late July or early August to remove potentially dangerous burdens of immature flukes acquired later in the dry season. Where resources permit, another strategy would be to treat against the mature flukes in March or April in order to reduce the number of eggs deposited on pastures and the opportunity for infection of the intermediate host snails. To reduce cercarial shedding by the intermediate host snails molluscicides can also be applied during the peak transmission periods (April/May and August/September).

The objective was to develop a non-terminal, acute normovolaemic anaemia model in dogs that has minimal effects on patient well-being. Eleven normal Beagle dogs were used. About 20 % of the circulating blood volume was removed from the jugular vein 1-3 times per day over a 3-4 day period until a haematocrit (Ht) of 13-17 % was obtained. Normovolaemia was maintained by replacing the volume deficit of the red blood cells with Ringer's lactate and re-infusing the plasma. Full blood count and Ht were monitored twice daily. The 13-17 % Ht was reached within 3-4 days with the number of phlebotomies ranging from four to seven. The model was primarily developed to determine echocardiographic values as well as Doppler abdominal splanchnic blood flow parameters in anaemic dogs as part of a study that will compare these results to similar studies in babesiosis-induced anaemia. The model may also be useful in the evaluation of the pathophysiology of anaemia in dogs or as a model for anaemia in humans.