Dermatophytosis is a common skin disease in cats and dogs caused by Microsporum and Trichophyton fungi. Species identification and knowledge of their antifungal susceptibility are therapeutically and epidemiologically important. This study assessed the prevalence of feline and canine dermatophytosis in Iran, identified the aetiological agents molecularly and tested their antifungal susceptibility. A total of 308 companion animals (134 dogs and 174 cats) with skin lesions were examined from March 2015 to March 2018. Hair and skin samples were examined by microscopy with 20% KOH and cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol. Fungal isolates were confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) r-DNA region. The antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes was tested by broth microdilution assay using standard drugs. Dermatophytes were found in 130 (42.2%) samples, 62 of them feline and 68 canine. Based on sequencing of all strains, M. canis (78.5%, P<0.05), M. gypseum (10.7%), and T. mentagrophytes (10.7%) were the dermatophytes isolated. The non-dermatophyte species Nannizziopsis vriesii was also isolated from two feline dermatomycosis cases. Dogs and cats younger than one year (61.5%) showed a statistically significantly higher prevalence of infection (P<0.05). Caspofungin produced the lowest geometric mean MIC at 0.0018 μg/mL, followed by ketoconazole, terbinafine, itraconazole, miconazole, griseofulvin, clotrimazole and fluconazole, in a 0.038–1.53 μg/mL range. This is the first molecular study to identify the causes of pet dermatophytosis in north-western Iran. ITS-PCR was shown to be a useful and reliable method for the identification of closely related species of dermatophytes in clinical and epidemiological settings. The lowest MIC of caspofungin indicated that this drug was the most potent in vitro.

Dermatophytosis is a common skin disease in cats and dogs caused by Microsporum and Trichophyton fungi. Species identification and knowledge of their antifungal susceptibility are therapeutically and epidemiologically important. This study assessed the prevalence of feline and canine dermatophytosis in Iran, identified the aetiological agents molecularly and tested their antifungal susceptibility.

The transfer of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from a contaminated environment into the food chain is a serious consumer safety problem. As part of the Polish National Surveillance Program of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in food of animal origin, a concentration of PCDD/Fs of 4.61 ± 0.75 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat was determined in a sample of free-range eggs, which exceeded the permitted limit of 2.5 pg WHO-TEQ/g. The aim of the study was to investigate the source of the egg contamination and the risk for the eggs’ consumers. Eggs, muscles, feed and soil from the place where backyard waste burning had been carried out in the past and ash from a household stove tipped onto the paddock were analysed using the isotope dilution technique with high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. The concentration in ash was low at 0.20 pg WHO-TEQ/g and the congener profile did not indicate the source of contamination. The dioxin content in soil from the backyard waste-burning site was 2.53 pg WHO-TEQ/g dry matter (d.m.) and the soil’s profile of PCDD/F congeners matched the profile of the contaminated eggs. By reason of the congener profile similarity, the investigation concluded, that the cause of the contamination was the backyard waste-burning site soil which the animals had access to. Frequent consumption of contaminated eggs from the analysed farm could pose a health risk due to chronic exposure, especially for vulnerable consumers.

The transfer of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from a contaminated environment into the food chain is a serious consumer safety problem. As part of the Polish National Surveillance Program of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in food of animal origin, a concentration of PCDD/Fs of 4.61 ± 0.75 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat was determined in a sample of free-range eggs, which exceeded the permitted limit of 2.5 pg WHO-TEQ/g. The aim of the study was to investigate the source of the egg contamination and the risk for the eggs’ consumers.

There is a balance between oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity and immune response. Their roles in physiological and behavioural mechanisms are important for the maintenance of the organism’s internal equilibrium. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effects of the exogenous alga Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis) in a stress-induced rat model, and to describe its possible mechanism of action. Thirty-six adult male Sprague Dawley rats were separated into four groups: control (C), stress (S), S. platensis (Sp), and S. platensis + stress (SpS). The rats in groups Sp and SpS were fed with 1,500 mg/kg b.w./day Spirulina platensis for 28 days. All rats were exposed to prolonged light phase conditions (18 h light : 6 h dark) for 14 days. The SpS and S groups were exposed to stress by being kept isolated and in a crowded environment. Blood samples were obtained by puncturing the heart on the 28th day. The effect of stress on serum corticosterone, oxidative stress markers (TOS, TAC, PON1, OSI) and immunological parameters (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-ɣ) were tested. Also, the brain, heart, intestines (duodenum, ileum, and colon), kidney, liver, spleen, and stomach of the rats were weighed. Serum corticosterone levels were higher in the S group than in the C group, and significantly lower in the SpS group than in the S group. Mean total antioxidant capacity were lower in the S group than in the C group, and Spirulina reversed this change. Although not significantly different, IL-2 was lower in the S group than in the C group. However, in the SpS group, IL-2 increased due to Spirulina platensis mitigating effects of stress. Male rats fed a diet with Spirulina platensis could experience significantly milder physiological changes during stress, although stress patterns may be different. Exogenous antioxidant supplements merit further investigation in animals and humans where the endogenous defence mechanism against stress may not be sufficient.

There is a balance between oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity and immune response. Their roles in physiological and behavioural mechanisms are important for the maintenance of the organism’s internal equilibrium. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effects of the exogenous alga Spirulina platensis (Arthrospira platensis) in a stress-induced rat model, and to describe its possible mechanism of action.

Marine biotoxins are toxic substances that may cause illness and death in marine organisms and humans. This article disseminates the results of a 4-year study on the occurrence of marine biotoxins in raw bivalve molluscs purchased from Polish suppliers. A total of 256 samples of 8 different molluscs species were analysed for the presence of biotoxins using the ELISA method for paralytic shellfish poison, diarrhoetic shellfish poison, and amnaesic shellfish poison. The permitted limits of marine biotoxin content were not exceeded in any of the analysed samples and the majority of them were free from these compounds. The results of the study indicate that the tested raw bivalve molluscs available in Poland were safe for consumers.

Marine biotoxins are toxic substances that may cause illness and death in marine organisms and humans. This article disseminates the results of a 4-year study on the occurrence of marine biotoxins in raw bivalve molluscs purchased from Polish suppliers.

H7N9 avian influenza has broken out in Chinese poultry 10 times since 2013 and impacted the industry severely. Although the epidemic is currently under control, there is still a latent threat. Epidemiological surveillance data for non-human H7N9 avian influenza from April 2013 to April 2020 were used to analyse the regional distribution and spatial correlations of positivity rates in different months and years and before and after comprehensive immunisation. In addition, positivity rate monitoring data were disaggregated into a low-frequency and a high-frequency trend sequence by wavelet packet decomposition (WPD). The particle swarm optimisation algorithm was adopted to optimise the least squares support-vector machine (LS-SVM) model parameters to predict the low-frequency trend sequence, and the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to predict the high-frequency one. Ultimately, an LS-SVM-ARIMA combined model based on WPD was constructed. The virus positivity rate was the highest in late spring and early summer, and overall it fell significantly after comprehensive immunisation. Except for the year 2015 and the single month of December from 2013 to 2020, there was no significant spatiotemporal clustering in cumulative non-human H7N9 avian influenza virus detections. Compared with the ARIMA and LS-SVM models, the LS-SVM-ARIMA combined model based on WPD had the highest prediction accuracy. The mean absolute and root mean square errors were 2.4% and 2.0%, respectively. Low error measures prove the validity of this new prediction method and the combined model could be used for inference of future H7N9 avian influenza virus cases. Live poultry markets should be closed in late spring and early summer, and comprehensive H7N9 immunisation continued.

H7N9 avian influenza has broken out in Chinese poultry 10 times since 2013 and impacted the industry severely. Although the epidemic is currently under control, there is still a latent threat.

Foot rot in small ruminants is highly contagious, causes severe lameness, and impairs fertility and wool and meat production. It is usually treated with parenteral antibiotics, with attendant antibiotic resistance risk, and with bactericidal footbaths, potentially harmful to humans and the environment. An alternative treatment in sheep is proposed based on repeated topical ozonated ointment application. Its effectiveness and safety were evaluated by estimation of acute-phase response, biochemical indicators of organic damage, and antioxidant/oxidant balance (AOB). The study was conducted on ten sheep with Egerton scale 2–3 lesions. Ozone application was repeated every day for seven days. Blood was drawn first (T0) after foot cleaning and before ozonation, then (T1) seven days after the first ozone application, and finally (T2) four days after the last application. High clinical effectiveness was observed, with total recovery by 28 days from the start of treatment. A significant increase in antiradical activity was noted on the basis of a 2,2ʹ-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay from 1.16 ± 0.04 μmolTe/mL at T0 to 1.23 ± 0.03 μmolTe/mL at T1, with a slight decrease in oxidative stress. Calculated on the basis of antiradical capacity, AOB was higher at T1 (130 ± 19%) and decreased to 110 ± 16% at T2. Calculated on the basis of reducing power, it was 169 ± 22% at T1 and 131 ± 17% at T2. These results indicated that the AOB is efficient enough to prevent oxidative organ injury and the applied doses of ozone are safe for animals.

Foot rot in small ruminants is highly contagious, causes severe lameness, and impairs fertility and wool and meat production. It is usually treated with parenteral antibiotics, with attendant antibiotic resistance risk, and with bactericidal footbaths, potentially harmful to humans and the environment. An alternative treatment in sheep is proposed based on repeated topical ozonated ointment application. Its effectiveness and safety were evaluated by estimation of acute-phase response, biochemical indicators of organic damage, and antioxidant/oxidant balance (AOB).

Masitinib mesylate, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the c-KIT receptor, is used for the treatment of mast cell tumours in dogs. Masitinib has previously been investigated in various cancers; however, its potential anticancer effect in canine mammary tumours (CMTs) is unknown. In the present paper, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of masitinib in CMT cells and its possible mechanisms of action. The effect of masitinib on the proliferation of CMT-U27 and CMT-U309 cells was assessed by MTT assay and DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometric analysis was used to measure the effect of masitinib on apoptosis and the cell cycle. Additionally, vascular endothelial growth factor levels (VEGF) were measured, and the proliferation marker Ki-67 was visualised in immunocytochemical stainings in CMT cells. Treatment with masitinib inhibited the proliferation of CMT cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Maximal apoptotic activity and DNA fragmentation were observed at approximately IC₅₀ of masitinib in both cell lines. In addition, cell cycle distribution was altered and VEGF levels and Ki-67 proliferation indices were decreased in masitinib-treated cells in comparison with control cells. In this study, masitinib suppressed cell proliferation concomitantly via induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by decreasing VEGF levels and the Ki-67 proliferation index in CMT-U27 and CMT-U309 cells in vitro, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic tool in the clinical setting of mammary cancer treatment in dogs.

Masitinib mesylate, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the c-KIT receptor, is used for the treatment of mast cell tumours in dogs. Masitinib has previously been investigated in various cancers; however, its potential anticancer effect in canine mammary tumours (CMTs) is unknown. In the present paper, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of masitinib in CMT cells and its possible mechanisms of action.

Ovine interferon-tau (oIFN-τ) is a newly discovered type I interferon. This study used biochemical techniques to transform the oIFN-τ gene into Escherichia coli to obtain the mass and soluble expression of the recombinant protein. First, total RNA was extracted from fresh sheep embryonic tissues with TRIzol reagent and then used as a template to reverse transcribe and amplify the mature oIFN-τ gene with RT-PCR. The amplified product was next digested with the HindIII and XhoI restriction enzymes and inserted into the pET-32a(+) vector to construct the prokaryotic expression plasmid. The corrected in-frame recombinant plasmid, pET-32a(+)-oIFN-τ, was transformed into E. coli Rosetta (DE3) competent cells. After induction with isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), the recombinant protein was detected in bacteria. Finally, the bacteria were lysed by sonication, and the recombinant protein was purified by nickel affinity chromatography and DEAE anion exchange chromatography. The protein was confirmed to be oIFN-τ, which mainly existed in the soluble lysate fraction, as proven by SDS-PAGE and Western blot assays. Purified IFN-τ exists mostly in a soluble form, and its anti-vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) activity reached 7.08×10(6)IU/mL.

Ovine interferon-tau (oIFN-τ) is a newly discovered type I interferon. This study used biochemical techniques to transform the oIFN-τ gene into Escherichia coli to obtain the mass and soluble expression of the recombinant protein.

Histamine is one of the most important and toxic biogenic amines which may be present in food and may cause food poisoning in humans when contained at a high level. It is produced during bacterial decarboxylation of histidine in fish muscles. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of histamine in fish and fish products available in Poland during 2014–2018.

Histamine is one of the most important and toxic biogenic amines which may be present in food and may cause food poisoning in humans when contained at a high level. It is produced during bacterial decarboxylation of histidine in fish muscles. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of histamine in fish and fish products available in Poland during 2014–2018. A total of 421 samples of raw (248), smoked (107), canned (50), and marinated fish (16) were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Histamine was detected in 14.1% samples of raw fish, 29% of smoked fish, 22% of canned fish and 93.8% of marinated fish in concentrations ranging from 3.4 to 156.4 mg/kg. Content of this amine above 100 mg/kg was found in four samples: raw Atlantic salmon, smoked European sprat and two samples of marinated Atlantic herring. The study showed that fish and fish products on the Polish market generally meet the food safety criteria for histamine and are safe for consumers.