FMD virus type A/1/ Egypt 2006 was inactivated with 0.1 M of BEI (Binary ethylene imine) formed by cyclization of 2- Bromoethyl-amine hydrobromide (BEA) in 0.2 N NaoH at 37oC with PH 8.0 for 24 hours. The virus was complete inactivated after 15 hours post inactivation. No residual virus particles were detected when inoculated in tissue culture. The inactivation rates are linear with a regular loss of titer ranged from 0.5- 1.0 log10 / hour. Control sample of virus at 37oC without BEI showed only a loss of 1.0 log from the original infectivity titer after 24 hours. The sample of virus which kept at -20oC, without BEI, showed loss 0.3 log10 from its original infectivity titer after 24 hours. There is no change in the complement fixing antigen before and after inactivation process with BEI inactivator and in the CFT 7 dilution of antigen was stable (fixed) pre and post inactivation of virus. Also it was found that the inactivation rate of BEI was higher than the inactivation with pure Ethylenimine (EI) and formalin.

The objective of the current study was to present baseline data on the morphology and surface architecture of the oviduct in adult female Balady duck grossly and by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fifteen apparently healthy adult female Balady ducks were used which weighted (2-4 kg). Two birds were formalized while the other birds were used in the fresh state for dissection then careful evisceration of the oviduct. For SEM five of the latter were used immediately after immersion in saline. Our data anatomically revealed that infundibulum had funnel and tubular parts, magnum was highly convoluted pale white or creamy color, less convoluted isthmus, dilated uterus and S-shape spiral vagina. The inner wall of the duct contains longitudinal folds in the first four parts while the vagina showed transverse thick folds. color of the mucosa was reddish in infundibulum, magnum and isthmus while greenish brown in color in the uterus and whitish yellow in the vagina. SEM showed primary and secondary folds allover the oviduct which became more thicker in the uterus and carrying tertiary folds in the vagina.

This work was planned to investigate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from animal and human sources. Ten isolates of E. faecalis recovered from urinary tract infections in humans, as well as, ten isolates of E. faecalis were recovered from diarrheic dairy cattle studied for their antimicrobial sensitivity to 7 different antibacterial agents. Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern proved that most isolates were resistant to most of the tested antimicrobial agents. All isolates of human E. faecalis were 100 % resistant to rifamycin, gentamicin and penicillin G. Resistance to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and vancomycin was 80.0%, 90.0%, 90.0% and 70.0% respectively. However animal E. faecalis were completely (100%) resistant to penicillin G and ciprofloxacin. Resistance to gentamicin, amikacin, levofloxacin, rifamycin and vancomycin was 70.0%, 40.0%, 20.0%, 20.0% and 0.0% respectively. PCR was applied on MDR for detection of aminoglycosides resistance genes. All human E. faecalis isolates were negative for aph(2‖)-Ia, aph(2‖)-Ib, aph(2‖)-Ic and aph(2‖)-Id. 40.0% of isolates were proved to harbour aph(3‖)-IIIa and 10.0% (one isolate) harboured ant(4‖)-Ia. However all animal E. faecalis isolates were negative for aph (2‖)-Ib, aph(2‖)-Ic, aph(2‖)-Id. Two isolates (20.0%) harboured aph(2‖)-Ia and ant(4‖)-Ia and four isolates (40.0%) harboured aph(3‖)-IIIa. In conclusion, the increased antibiotic resistance of E. faecalis isolated from animal and human sources complicate treatment decisions and increase public health hazard.

The aims of this study were twofold: to assess the welfare of two hybrids of laying hens in conventional cages and to investigate the effects of tier’s level on the integument condition and fearfulness. Two commercial hybrids, white Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and brown Lohmann Traditional (LT) at about 18 weeks of age were used in the current study and were housed at three hens / cage. No birds were beak-trimmed. External appearance of the body (scoring of plumage condition and skin injuries at body parts and comb), heterophil-lymphocyte (H-L) ratios and duration of tonic immobility (TI) were used as indicators of well-being. LSL birds showed better plumage condition and low H-L ratios than LT birds while no significant difference was recorded in TI test between the two hybrids. Hens housed in the top tier showed worse feather condition and more wounds than birds in middle and bottom tiers whereas for fear levels, no significant difference was revealed for hens from different tiers of cages. These results suggest that the welfare of LSL birds was relatively good compared to LT. Therefore, conventional cages can be used by the hens to a large extent if birds are properly selected to be specifically adapted to cages.

This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence, molecular characterization and pathogenicity of field infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) isolates. Nine isolates of IBDV were isolated from 13 naturally infected broiler flocks. Detection of IBDV antigen was carried out by agar gel precipitation test (AGPT), followed by virus isolation in specific pathogen free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) and finally molecularly characterized and identified using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The obtained nine strains of IBDV by RT-PCR were further classified by using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique into (4) classical, (3) variant and (2) very virulent (vv) IBDV serotype (I). The pathogenicity of the isolated IBDV strains was detected by three passages in SPF ECEs and by experimental infection of one hundred 14 days old maternally immune layer chicks. The results showed that the mortality rate of the embryos was increased by increase the number of passages till the third passage where it reached 100% for all IBDV strains and the embryos showed typical lesions of IBDV. Chicks inoculated with variant IBDV strains showed morbidity rates of 60-80 %, without mortalities. Sacrificed birds showed atrophied bursae and thymus glands and enlarged thickened proventriculus. Groups infected with classical IBDV strains showed morbidity rates 40- 60,% with mortality 0-20%. The detectable lesions were muscular hemorrhages with variable bursal lesions. Inoculated chicks with vvIBDV strains showed 50-70% morbidity and mortality of rate was 30% with lesions of muscular hemorrhages, severe nephrosis with ureates in the ureters, hemorrhagic bursitis and pin point hemorrhages on the proventricular glands. Control negative non-infected group showed neither clinical signs nor mortalities along the observation period. The histopathological effect (lesion score) of IBDV strains on the bursa, spleen and thymus glands confirmed the previously mentioned results and revealed that the highest severity (score) for these organs were induced by vv IBDV strains.

No abstract available.

Fungal diseases of poultry have become problematic as bacterial and viral diseases. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of fungal agents in broiler chickens and their environment. The prevalence of fungal isolation from broiler chickens was 21.6% including 12.8% moulds and 8.8% yeast while the prevalence of fungal isolation from the environment was 46.8% including 25.5% moulds and 21.3% yeast. Aspergillus species was the most prevalent moulds while C. albicans was the most prevalent yeast recovered from broiler chickens and their environment.

Genus Artemisia occurs as a hardy plant and has a wide range of culinary and medicinal features. In this study, we aimed to describe the melanin inhibitory activity of one Artemisia species, i.e., Artemisia capillaris Thunb. Ethanol extracts of fermented Artemisia capillaris (Art.EtOH.FT) and non-fermented Artemisia capillaris (Art.EtOH.CT) were tested for their ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity and melanin pigmentation. Both extracts showed dose-dependent inhibition against alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone−stimulated melanin formation and tyrosinase activity, without cytotoxicity. At 100 ㎍/mL, both extracts showed greater inhibition than kojic acid, the positive control. Protein expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) at the transcriptional level were determined by using real-time and semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To complete the mechanistic study, presences of upstream elements of MITF, the phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), and phosphorylated−mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-MEK) were confirmed by using western blot analysis. Expressions of p-TYR, p-TRP-1 and p-TRP2, downstream factors for p-ERK and p-MITF, were translationally inhibited by both extracts. Art.EtOH.FT induced more potent effects than Art.EtOH.CT, especially signal transduction effects. In summary, Artemisia capillaris extracts appear to act as potent hypopigmentation agents.