International Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health

International Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Vol. 3 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Pseudomonas infection in chickens

Fekadu Kebede

National Veterinary Institute, Debrezeit, Ethiopia. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 13 October, 2011

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeuroginosa is a motile, gram negative, oxidase positive bacteria, grows well on MacConkey agar media. It is a rod shaped bacteria occurring singly or in short chains, microscopically, margins of the colonies are having hook like projections. The organism is a strict aerobe, also grows readily on other common bacteriological media. The bacteria usually produces a water soluble green pigment composed of fluorescent and pyocyanin with a characteristics fruity odor. The organism is ubiquitous, often associated with soil, water and humid environment. In this case study, the organism was isolated from young chickens and dead embryos. The disease causes high mortality in newly hatched chickens and mass death of embryo at later stage. Our bacteriological results were consistence with the published literature. The experimental trial on different age groups has showed that the isolated causative agent (P. aeuroginosa) was found to be highly virulent to the young chickens (1 - 10 day old) and less pathogenic to chickens of 11 - 20 day old. The older chickens (>20 days) were found to be resistant to the infection. The agent more likely invades the host organism through wound and/or respiratory route. The organism was found to be resistant for the most common antibiotics, but it was found highly sensitive to Polymixin B and Amicacin which gave wide growth inhibition zone of 1.5 and 2 cm, respectively. Prevention of the Pseudomonas infection in the farm can be achieved by taking all the necessary bio-security measures.

Key words: Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, embryos, hook like projection colonies

International Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Vol. 3 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Seroepidemiological investigation of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotypes in cattle around Lake Mburo National Park in South-Western Uganda

Frank Norbert Mwiine^1,2*, Chrisostom Ayebazibwe², Soren Alexandersen^3,4, William Olaho-Mukani², A. R. Okurut Ademun² and Kirsten Tjornehoj³

¹Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University, Box 7062, Kampala-Uganda.

²Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, P. O. Box 513, Entebbe, Uganda.

³National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Lindholm, DK 4771, Kalvehave, Denmark.

⁴Current address: National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg MBR3E 3M4, Government of Canada.

Accepted 13 July, 2011

Abstract

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in cattle occur annually in Uganda. In this study the authors investigated antibodies against FMD virus (FMDV) in cattle in surrounding areas of Lake Mburo National Park in South-Western Uganda. Two hundred and eleven serum samples from 23 cattle herds were examined for the presence of antibodies against FMDV non-structural proteins and structural proteins using Ceditest^® FMDV-NS and Ceditest^® FMDV type O (Cedi Diagnostics BV, Lelystad, The Netherlands). Furthermore, serotype-specific antibodies against the seven serotypes of FMDV were determined using in-house serotype-specific Solid Phase Blocking ELISAs (SPBE). Of the sera tested, 42.7% (90/211) were positive in the ELISA for antibodies against non-structural proteins, while 75.4% (159/211) had antibodies against the structural proteins of FMDV serotype O. Titres of ≥ 1:160 of serotype-specific antibodies in SPBEs were identified in 61% (19/31), 33% (5/15), 6%7 (20/30), 37% (10/27) and 12% (4/33) of the investigated samples for serotypes O, A, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3, respectively. This study indicates that most of the FMD outbreaks in the cattle herds in the investigated area were probably caused by FMDV serotype O, A and/ or SAT-serotype(s). It also shows that the usage of non-purified, multivalent vaccines in Uganda obscures the serological diagnosis of FMDV outbreaks, and that the sampling strategy needs to be improved. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of isolation and characterization of FMD viruses responsible for outbreaks in the area.

Key words: Foot-and-mouth-disease, antibodies, cattle, Uganda.

International Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Vol. 2 (7), pp. 001-011, July, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Experimental studies on the effect of long-acting oxytetracycline treatment in the development of sequestra in contagious bovine pleuropneumonia-infected cattle

M. Niang^1,2*, A. Sery¹, M. Doucouré¹, M. Koné¹, M. N’Diaye³, W. Amanfu⁴ and F. Thiaucourt⁵

¹Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire, Km 8, Route de Koulikoro, B. P. 2295, Bamako, Mali.

²African Union, Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, Kenindia Business Park, Museum Hill, Westlands Rd, P. O. Box 30786-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

³PACE-Mali, B. P. E1459, Bamako, Mali.

⁴FAO-ECTAD (Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases) Unit, Regional Animal Health Center (RAHC), Africa Union Building, P. O. Box 30470, Nairobi, Kenya.

⁵CIRAD-Bios, TA30/G, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.

Accepted 20 March, 2011

Abstract

The effect of long-acting oxytetracycline treatment in the development of sequestra in contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP)-infected animals was determined. Thirty five clinically healthy zebu cattle, negative for CBPP antibodies (as tested by a competitive ELISA), were infected with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony variant - field isolate. All the animals were monitored for clinical signs of illness and regularly sampled for serological and bacteriological analysis. Nine animals were treated with long-acting tetracycline upon the first evidence of clinical signs of illness. The 26 remaining animals were left untreated and served as control animals. Post-mortem examinations were performed to assess the presence or absence of CBPP gross lesions. The experimentation lasted for 10 months during which, 13 animals (all untreated) died with acute lung lesions. When the 22 surviving animals (13 untreated and 9 treated) were slaughtered at the end of experimentation, chronic lesions were observed in all of them. Among the 13 untreated animals, 10 had visible lung sequestra and 3 had cicatrical lesions indicative of resolved lung lesions. Conversely, among the 9 treated animals, only 1 had a small lung sequestrum and the remaining 8 had pulmonary adhesions. The results presented demonstrate that, under the experimental conditions used, treatment with oxytetracycline did not result in significant sequestra formation in CBPP-infected animals. Full field validation is required in order to confirm these findings.

Key words: Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, antibiotherapy, oxytetracycline, Lung sequestra, experimental transmission, Mali.

Key words: Situs inversus, wistar albino rat.

International Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Vol. 2 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Serological survey of etiological agents associated with abortion in two Algerian dairy cattle breeding farms

A.  Dechicha^{1, 2}, S. Gharbi¹, S. Kebbal¹, G. Chatagnon³, D. Tainturier³, R. Ouzrout² and D. Guetarni¹*

¹Faculté des sciences agro-vétérinaires et biologiques, Université Saad Dahleb, Blida, Algérie.

²Institut des Sciences Vétérinaires, Centre Universitaire d’El Tarf, Algerie.

³Service de Pathologie de la Reproduction, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Nantes, France.

Accepted 18 December, 2010

Abstract

In Algeria, there is a lack of information about the frequency and etiology of abortions in breeding cattle. In order to improve this situation, we sent a questionnaire to veterinary practitioners, and followed it up with a serological survey on two dairy farms (A and B) that had reported abortions. The serological survey was undertaken to detect the main abortive agents with particular emphasis on Neospora caninum, a parasite presently classified as one of the most important abortive entities globally, but still ignored in our country. The results of the questionnaire showed that when an abortion occurs, no particular measure is taken by practitioners as a diagnosis of the causative agent is very difficult to achieve due to lack of resources. The serological survey showed an average positive rate of 0, 32.8, 37.5 and 50% respectively for brucellosis, neosporosis, candidiasis and bovine rhinotracheitis in both herds and a rate of 3.2, 9.6 and 29% respectively, for chlamydiasis, salmonellosis and Q fever in farm (B) alone. This preliminary study, therefore, indicates for the first time that neosporosis exists in some Algerian farms and may contribute, either individually or in association with other agents to abortions in breeding cattle.

Key words: Abortion, Algeria, breeding cattle, serology, Neospora caninum, livestock diseases.