SCIENTIFIC-RESEARCH IRANIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL
Year:2010 | Volume:6 | Issue:3 (28)|Papers Count:13

One of the native cattle in Khuzestan province of Iran is Najdi breed that is characterized by a hump in the withers area. As there is no information available about blood electrolytes of this breed in Khuzestan province, this study was carried out to determine the blood electrolytes of Najdi cattle in hot and cold seasons with respect to age and sex. Therefore, blood electrolytes of 180 Najdi cattle in different age and sex groups were determind by conventional laboratory methods. Serum calcium and phosphorous in female animals were affected by season, so that serum calcium and phosphorous levels were higher significantly in summer and winter, respectively (P<0.05). Serum phosphorous concentrations of adult female animals were significantly lower than immature animals, but calcium was not affected by age, and also sex. They had no effects on serum calcium and phosphorous. The serum concentration of sodium was higher in summer only in immature animals. In summer, adult female animals had lower concentrations of sodium in comparison with immatures but, sodium was not affected by sex. The serum potassium levels of females, with more than 6 months of age, in summer were higher than winter season, but potassium was not affected by age and sex. The serum chloride concentrations of animals, with more than 6 months of age, in winter were higher than summer. Female animals with more than 6 months of age had higher concentrations of chloride. Female calves had higher serum chloride levels than males (P<0.05).

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anatomical region and sex factors on the histomorphometric structure of esophagus in Shahrekord native chickens. Twenty native chickens, (10 males and 10 females) were used. Histological sections from the crop and middle parts of cervical and thoracic regions of esosophagus showed that the thickness of the mucosal tunica was greater in thoracic part of esophagus than its cervical part and in cervical part of esophagus than crop significantly (P<0.05). The thickness of the submucosal tunica was also greater in thoracic part of esophagus than its cervical part and in cervical part of esophagus than crop but, differences were not significant (P>0.05). The number of mucosal glands were significantly greater in thoracic part of esophagus than its cervical part (P<0.05). The thickness of the muscular tunica was greater significantly in cervical part of esophagus than its thoracic part and in thoracic part of esophagus than crop (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between male and female with respect to the thickness of the histological layers in the all above mentioned regions.

Barbus grypus is one of the native and valuable fish of water closet basins of West and South West of Iran, especially in Khouzestan province. Recently, Iranian fisheries organization has added this fish to the polyculture system of cyprinids. Regards to the high admissibility of this fish among the people of these regions, its zoonotic parasites have especial importance for public health. In this study, 40 fish (Barbus grypus) which were alive or recently caught from Karkheh river, were transported on ice to the Department of aquatic animal health and diseases. Standard necropsy was carried out and the helminths of gastrointestinal tract and abdomen separated by sift number 100. Then, the separated parasitic samples were fixed in a solution containing 70% ethanol and 5% glycerin. The separated nematodes were studied under light microscope after clearation by lactophenol and mounted by Canada balsam. Then, their genus was identified using special references. Results show that the fishes were contaminated to the 3 zoonotic nematodes comprising: Anisakis sp. (10%), Capillaria sp. (5%), and Contracecum sp. (47.5%). The Anisakis sp. nematode was reported for the first time in Barbus grypus.

Dark cells of zona fasciculata and reticularis in adrenal cortex of sheep are very similar to apoptotic cells and it seems; they have been obtained from clear cells in that region. The main objective of this study was to differentiate the dark cells of adrenal cortex from apoptotic clear cells following experimental induction of apoptosis using dexamethasone in sheep. In this study, 16 healthy male Ghezel sheep with approximate age of 8-11 months were randomly divided equally into control and treatment groups. The treatment group was injected with dexamethasone, daily for 2 weeks at a dose of 0.4 mg/kg B.W., intramuscularly and the control group was treated with normal saline in the same manner. After 4 hours from the last injection, both experimental groups were euthanized and tissue specimens were collected from their adrenals and 5 mm thick microscopic sections were prepared through H& E staining and TUNEL method for apoptotic index. To ascertain the effects of dexamethasone on adrenal gland in the trial group, the proportion of cortical region to whole of the gland was assessed in both experimental groups. TUNEL positive cells were identified, counted and analyzed under the light microscope. Thin sections were also prepared for assessing by transmission electron microscope. Microscopically, thickness of adrenal cortex in treatment group was significantly lesser than control group (P<0.05). The mean number of apoptotic cells in this region relating to the treatment group which were dark-brown in appearance, was significantly more than those in the control group (P<0.05). In electron microscopy, TUNEL positive cells from treatment group had typical morphologic characteristics of apoptosis as severe nuclear shrinkage, clumping, deep condensation and segmentation of chromatin. However, dark cells of control group lacking those qualifications and they had only irregular and high electron dense nucleus. The findings of the present study revealed that the dark cells of zona fasciculata and reticularis in adrenal cortex of sheep are not the same apoptotic clear cells of adrenal cortex.

The cause of coccidiosis is a protozoan parasite belongs to genus of Eimeria which multiply in the intestinal tract. The parasites damage the internal tissues and caused interruption of feeding and digestion processes, malfunction of nutrient absorption, dehydration, intestinal bleeding and increase susceptibility to other disease agents. Review of literatures indicates that no study has been done on the identification Eimeria nacatrix and Eimeria tenella by oocyst measurement and PCR methods. The aim of this study was the identification of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix in feces of the backyard hens by amplification of ITS-1 gene using PCR and also, identification of species by oocyst measurement methods. Fifty feces samples from suspected backyard hen have been collected randomly. Two samples from each hen has been taken. One sample for routine oocyst measurement and the other sample for ‍‍PCR method. Samples, were quickly transmitted to parasitology laboratory in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ahvaz and oocysts separated by floating method. By using optical microscope, the shape and size of oocysts were identified. The results of this study indicated that the contamination rate for E. tenella in PCR and measurement test was 48% and 34%, respectively and for E. necatrix was 6% in PCR and10% in oocyst measurement test. Both species of Eimeria can produce acute coccidiosis in backyard hens and these can be regarded as a potential source of contamination in poultry farm industry. It was concluded that PCR is better method compare to routine oocyct measurement test for identification of Eimeria species. The rate of Eimeria tenella infection was higher than Eimeria necatrix. Therefore, the backyard hens may play important roles in epidemiology and spread contamination of E. necatrix and E. tenella in poultry farm industry. Rate of correlation between two methods for E. tenella and E.necatrix were 0.24 and 0.47, respectively.

Bacteria have developed multiple mechanisms in order to obtain iron from the host. Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida produces catechol type siderophore under iron-starvation conditions. In a previous study, the siderophore biosynthesis genes were identified. The objective of this study was the characterization of an outermembrane siderophore receptor named FstA. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of this gene regulated by iron concentration. In order to characterize the nature of this gene, in frame deleted fstA gene mutant strain was constructed and the growth of mutant strain was compared with parental strain in iron-restricted conditions. In frame deleted fstA gene mutant strain was unable to grow under iron-limiting conditions in comparison with parental strain. fstA gene encoding siderophore receptor, expresses only in iron-limited conditions and this gene is necessary to iron transport mediated siderophore in this bacterial pathogens.

The common domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) are migratory game birds. They found in all parts of the world. There is a little investigation about helminth parasites of domestic pigeons. The aim of the present study was to show the prevalence and variety of natural helminth infestation of gastrointestinal tract in domestic pigeons kept in pigeon-houses around Tabriz-Iran. Seventy adult domestic pigeons, with a history of avian tubercle-like lesions on the joints, were collected and necropsied over a period of 13 months (May 2006-June 2007). Digestive system of each pigeon from esophagus to cloaca and its contents were examined. Small intestine was the only infected organ. The worms were collected, counted and identified. Small intestine was the only organ that was infected. The percentage of pigeons infected with at least one helminth species was 65.625% (37.5% nematode and 28.125% cestode). Mixed infections occurred in only 11 individuals (34.375% of infected birds). Six intestinal helminth species which were identified including, Ascaridia columbae, Capillaria obsignata, Raillietina (sp.), Raillietina magninumida, Raillietina echinobothrida, Raillietina tetragona. In this study, 44/45% of the pigeons were overally infected. The highest and lowest infection rate were that of Ascaridia columbae and Capillaria obsignata, respectively. The prevalence and variety of helminth parasitism noted in the present study is similar with other studies in North zone temperate as Turkey and east Europe. It is most likely reflected of climate similarity and proximity of these areas to western North of Iran.

In this study four different concumed food, influent water and fish muscles were examined for measuring lead and iron in summer and autumn seasons.Sampling were done twice along each season and from four rainbow trout farms in Chaharmahal-va-bakhtiary provinces.The amounts of iron and lead were 60.6±4.4 and 2.5±0.2 mg/l for all water samples and 563.4±183.8 and 3.3±1.1 mg/kg for all samples of food and also the amounts of these two metals in all fish muscle samples of different farms were 8.7 ± 3.9 and 0.3 ±0.1 mg/kg, respectively.There was no significant level difference between food, fish muscles and different water based on the mentioned amounts from the two metals (p<0.05) but, generally there was a correlation between the amount of these two metals in food and the fish fed by same food.According to FAO’s standards, the amount of these metals in water, food and the fish muscles were less than maximum proposed pemitted amounts. Therefore, these sources would not threaten the consumers such as human by any kind of danger.

Coccidiosis is one of the important diseases in poultry industry caused by protozoan parasites from genus Eimeria, which induce a lot of economic loses annually. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of diaverdin Plus sulfaquinoxaline on the performance of broiler chicks in experimental coccidiosis. Two hundred and Twenty five broiler chicks were divided randomly into three equal groups. Each group contained three replicate of 25 chicks and raised on litter in similar condition. The groups 1 and 2 were infected orally at 25 days of age with a mixture of Eimeria necatrix, E. mivati, E. acervulina and E. maxima. Group 3 was kept as non-infected control group. After appearing of clinical signs of coccidiosis and increasing of oocyst number in fecal samples, namely 5 day post infection, chickens in group were treated with sulfaquinoxaline Plus diaverdin. The results revealed that drug medication showed decreasing and removing of clinical signs, and feed convertion ratio (FCR) in infected chickens.

The thyroglossal cyst is a common abnormality in human but, it is very rare anomaly in domestic animals, and there are only a few reports in horse and cat. Moreover, there is not any report of thyroglossal cyst in sheep. During routine dissection, after doing midsagital section on the head of three sheeps, 1-3 cysts within or under body and root of tongue were observed. Some of these cysts showed 2 ducts anterioly and posteriorly toward the oral cavity. For study of histological structures of cysts, routine tissue processing was carried out. They were stained by H& E method and studied by light microscope. Histological observations showed that the wall of the cysts were lined by a layer of simple squamuse cells that surrounded by striated muscle fibers of tongue. Finally, on the basis of tongue and thyroid gland development and the position of cysts, and also in the absence of any pathological signs within or around lingual tissue, these lingual cysts recognized as thyroglossal cyst. This report is the first report of incidence of thyroglossal cyst in the sheep.

Ultrasonography may be used for diagnosis of pelvic injuries, especially in the fractures as an alternative to the invasive and difficult technique of pelvic radiography in horse. A castrated horse with the history of one year lameness in the right hind limb, trauma and the presence of previous skin wound in the right coxae was referred. Lameness was mostly evident in gallop. Lameness was not completely removed with analgesic drugs. Nerve block examination revealed the pain in right pelvic region. Ultrasonography of right pelvic bones was achieved by using 2-5 MHZ convex probe, and ultrasonograms of the bony structures were obtained. Discontinuity in the normal echogenic surface of the caudal and lateral iliac wing, close to the iliac body was observed while a 7 mm gap was evident. Hypoechoic area within the muscle around the discontinuity was seen which could be due to hematoma. Ultrasonographic findings were the typical signs of iliac wing fracture. This is the first report of pelvic bone fracture diagnosis using Ultrasonography in Iran. Radiography may be used whenever Ultrasonography can not detect the bone lesions.