Veterinary Medicine and Science最新文献

Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp., affecting various animals and humans, leading to significant economic and public health impacts. Traditional diagnostic methods, mainly serological, often fail to detect seronegative carriers, which continue to spread the infection.

Objective: This review aims to highlight advancements in molecular diagnostics that address these limitations.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus was conducted, focusing on studies using seronegative, PCR, qPCR and biosensor-based techniques. Data extraction and meta-analyses were performed, evaluating pooled detection rates and heterogeneity.

Results: Through analysis of existing studies, we review key molecular techniques, including PCR, LAMP and biosensor-based assays, which offer high sensitivity and specificity by detecting bacterial DNA directly, thus overcoming the challenges of antibody-based tests. Meta-analysis of detection rates across different studies showed significant variability, with rates ranging from 0.96% to 100%, highlighting differences in sample types, animal species and regions. The pooled detection proportion from random-effects models was 35.08%, indicating that many seronegative animals still carry Brucella spp. A forest plot analysis further confirmed heterogeneity in detection, underlining the importance of using molecular diagnostics alongside serological tests to identify hidden carriers.

Conclusion: Innovations like nanoparticle-enhanced biosensors and CRISPR-Cas systems show promise for rapid, on-site diagnostics. The findings suggest that integrating molecular methods with traditional serology can improve surveillance and disease management. Future research should focus on developing portable, field-ready diagnostic devices and standardised protocols, along with exploring novel biomarkers to detect latent infections. A collaborative One Health approach, involving veterinary, public health and environmental sectors, is essential for comprehensive disease control and eradication efforts.

Background: Sheep's tail docking is a widespread practice, which is banned or critically discussed in some countries to improve animal welfare.

Objective: The aim was to determine the influence of breeding for short-tailedness (ST) or long-tailedness (LT) in sheep on the development of reproduction parameters and lamb performance.

Method: One hundred forty-nine ewes were mated with four rams according to tail length. Pregnancy and pregnancy loss rates were calculated. During pregnancy, the progesterone levels (P4) of the ewes were measured. The weight and length of the 254 lambs were recorded up to 14 weeks of life. Litter size, placenta weight, sex, stillbirths, vitality, morbidity and mortality of the lambs were also documented.

Results: No significant differences were found for P4 and placental weight for the two mating groups (ST and LT). Although the pregnancy rate for ST was slightly lower (75.71%) than for LT (87.34%), there was only a low significant difference (p = 0.07). The sex distribution was 61 (48.80%) male and 64 (51.20%) female lambs in the ST group and 67 (51.94%) male and 62 (48.06%) female lambs in the LT group. The twinning rate was not significantly different (ST 75.20%; LT 75.97%), and no significant difference was found in the average body length and vitality of the lambs. However, LT lambs showed better weight gains that were marginally significant (p = 0.09).

Conclusion: This study found no evidence that reproductive parameters or lamb performance were affected by selective breeding based on tail length.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a distressing health problem that can cause serious complications in aging men. Androgens are implicated in the causation of BPH. Portulaca oleracea (PO) is a natural product with diverse pharmacological effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of PO in a rat model of testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH and explore the underlying mechanisms. Thirty-five Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into the following equal groups (n = 7): normal control (NC) group, TP (3 mg/kg) group, finasteride (10 mg/kg) group, 25 and 50 mg/kg PO groups. At the end of the experiment, the body weights (BWs) of the rats were measured before they were euthanized to the establishment obtain serum and prostate weight (PW). TP-induced levels of androgen-related proteins in the prostate were also investigated. In the TP group, prostate size, BW, serum DHT level, prostate epithelial cell thickness and androgen-related protein level were higher than those in the NC group (p < 0.001). PO reversed TP-induced BPH in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01) and its effect was similar to that of finasteride. A similar effect of PO on the androgen-related protein level was also observed. We successfully established a TP-induced BPH rat model. This is the first study to demonstrate that inhibition of androgen-related proteins using PO can alleviate BPH.

Background: Parasites are a major concern for profitable poultry production worldwide as they impede the health, welfare and production performance of poultry.

Objectives: The present study was designed to detect the diversity of parasitic fauna and associated factors of gastrointestinal (GI) helminths and lice in indigenous chickens.

Methods: A total of 310 indigenous chickens were collected from different villages at Gauripur and Mymensingh Sadar, Mymensingh, and Bangladesh, and various parasites were identified.

Results: Out of 310 indigenous semi-scavenging chickens, 281 were infected with one or more species of helminths with an overall prevalence of 90.6%. The identified species of helminths were Ascaridia galli (60.6%), Heterakis gallinarum (29.0%) and Cheilospirura hamulosa (14.2%), Catatropis verrucosa (7.7%), Echinostoma revolutum (7.4%), Raillietina spp. (76.5%) and Hymenolepis spp. (5.8%). The prevalence of lice infestations was 74.2%, and identified species were Menopon gallinae (72.6%), Goniodes gigas (11.6%) and Lipeurus caponis (10.3%). Co-infections with helminths were 65.8% and with lice were 19.4% in chickens. Univariate analysis was performed to measure the association between predictor variables and parasitic infections by considering several biotic and abiotic variables, including age, sex, flock size, farming nature, use of anthelmintic/insecticides and socio-economic status of owners. No significant (p < 0.05) variation was found in helminth infections but large flock size (87.0%) and mixed farming nature (81.2%) were significantly associated with lice infestations in chickens.

Conclusions: Awareness related to the management system of chickens rearing need to be increased for formulating control strategy against parasitic infections in indigenous chickens in Bangladesh.

Toxoplasmosis is a significant food-borne protozoal disease in humans and animals. The study aimed to find out Toxoplasma seropositivity in sheep, estimate epidemiological risk factors and assess haemato-biochemical parameter changes. Blood samples were collected from 276 indigenous sheep in five districts surrounding Sulaymaniyah Province in the northern region of Iraq. Toxoplasmosis was determined by detecting anti-Toxoplasma antibodies by ELISA. The impact of various risk factors on seropositivity was evaluated. Haematological and serum biochemical changes from naturally infected sheep were analysed using commercial kits. The overall seroprevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies among the studied population was 41.67%. Sharazoor district had a higher prevalence rate of 46.15% than Bakrajo, with the lowest frequency rate of 38.18%. Ewes with an abortion history had a higher risk for seropositivity of about 47.4% (OR = 1.4, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6). Sampling season and herd size are other risk factors, with higher seropositivity at 42.5% (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8-1.4) during the dry season and among small flocks ≤ 100 animals/farm at 43.6% (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.7-1.4). Toxoplasma prevalence was correlated with animals' ages; a higher seropositivity of 43.3% was found among older sheep (OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-1.2). Seropositive sheep had significantly higher total leukocyte, lymphocyte and granulocyte counts but significantly lower haemoglobin, haematocrit and total erythrocyte counts. The serum levels of total protein and albumin were significantly reduced, with increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations. Also, AST enzyme activity represents a higher value in positive sheep with toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma infection among the ovine population is common. Its impact on livestock productivity should not be neglected. A potential risk for humans through infected sheep could be a hazardous source for public health.

Prediction of body weight (BW) using biometric measurements is an important tool especially for animal welfare and automatic phenotyping tools that needs mathematical models. In this study, it was aimed to predict the BW using body length (BL), chest girth (CG) and width of the waist (WW) for rabbits of the maternal form of Hyla NG. The standard rabbit-raising practices were applied for the animals. A highly efficient gradient-boosting decision tree (LightGBM), eXtreme gradient-boosting (XGBoost) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were evaluated and compared to the prediction of BW. The coefficient of determination, root mean square error and mean absolute error values were used as comparison criteria. The results showed that LightGBM, XGBoost and SVM algorithms were well fit for the BW using the biometric measures with over 95% accuracy for both train and test sets. The BL was determined as the most explanatory variable on body weight.

Background: Chemotherapy drugs may lead to hepatic injury, which is considered one of the limitations of these drugs.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of quercetin (QUE) on M1/M2 macrophage polarization and hepatoprotective effect in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced liver toxicity.

Methods: Twenty-four mice were divided into four groups (Control, QUE, CTX, CTX + QUE). The CTX and CTX + QUE groups received 200 mg/kg CTX. The animals in the QUE and CTX + QUE groups received 50 mg/kg QUE. All animals were sacrificed, and serum and liver samples were used for laboratory analyses.

Results: Examinations indicated that CTX exposure led to disruption of liver functions and morphological degenerations. Tissue pro-apoptotic Bax and caspase 3, pro-inflammatory TNF-α and IL-1β, transcription factor NF-κB, and M1 macrophage polarization marker CD86 were upregulated significant (p < 0.05) in this group. In addition, CTX exposure led to significantly (p < 0.05) upregulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA ratio and DNA fragmentations. The PCNA-positive hepatic cell ratio and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression are remarkably suppressed (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analyses are also indicated that M2 macrophage polarization marker CD163 is slightly but remarkably (p < 0.05) downregulated in the CTX group compared to the Control and QUE groups. The morphological and biochemical disruptions were alleviated in QUE-treated animals in the CTX + QUE group. Liver function test results, apoptosis, inflammatory, transcription factor NF-κB, regeneration/proliferation, and apoptotic index results in this group were similar (p > 0.05) to the control and QUE groups. The M1 cell surface marker expression of CD86 is significantly (p < 0.05) downregulated, and M2 macrophage polarization marker expression of CD163 is upregulated significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the CTX group.

Conclusions: This study indicates that QUE has the potential to downregulate CTX-induced hepatic injury and regulate M1/M2 macrophage polarization to the M2 side, which indirectly demonstrates activation of anti-inflammatory signalling and tissue repair.

Background: The process of maturing ovine oocyte in vitro has not yet been raised with acceptable results.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the γ-oryzanol effect as a supplement of maturation media on the development of ovine oocytes to blastocyst.

Methods: Aspirated from ovine ovaries, morphologically normal cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured in media supplemented with or without 5 µM γ-oryzanol. Matured oocytes were divided into two parts: one evaluated for their nuclear maturation, the level of GSH and ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the pattern of transcription in oocytes and respective cumulus cells (CCs), and another subjected to fertilisation and culture to assess the development of oocytes to the blastocyst.

Results: γ-Oryzanol improved the proportion of cleaved embryos and total blastocysts in the treated group, which was linked to improved MMP, higher levels of intracellular GSH and lower levels of ROS. A lower proportion of MI and GVBD was recorded for treated oocytes in comparison with control, although the proportion of MII oocytes was not different between groups. The treated oocytes and CCs showed downregulation of genes related to apoptosis (BAX and CASP-9) and upregulation of genes related to antioxidative status (NRF2, CAT and SOD). In conclusion, our results demonstrated the improved developmental outcome of supplemented oocytes so that the antioxidant response and higher enzymatic activity were maintained, and the generation of ROS was turned off; therefore, a novel alternative for counteracting oxidative stress in ovine oocytes undergoing maturation was offered by γ-oryzanol through an antioxidative pathway.

Background: The optimal amount of vitamin D required for the proper functioning of the immune system differs from the amount necessary for bone homeostasis. Furthermore, vitamin D metabolism varies among horses. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of information regarding reference values for vitamin D in horses, particularly in the Turkmen breed. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)Vit D) in Turkmen, Thoroughbred and mixed Turkmen × Thoroughbred horses and to explore the effects of various factors on it and its relationship with serum biochemical variables and signalment data.

Methods: For the measurement of 25(OH)Vit D, 90 healthy horses (min age: 6 months; max age: 10 years) that were stable in the north of Iran (37°17' N, 55°18' E) were selected for clinical examination and complete blood biochemistry analysis. The horses were categorised into different groups based on sex, season (spring, n = 45; autumn, n = 45), breed (Turkmen, Thoroughbred and mixed Turkmen × Thoroughbred), age (< 2 years, 2-8 years and > 8 years) and skin colour. Sampling was performed only once from each horse.

Results: In this study, the median serum concentration of 25(OH)Vit D in the sampled horses was 17.42 ng/mL (IQR: 9.82-30.85). The serum 25(OH)Vit D concentration was significantly lower in autumn (median: 15.83 ng/mL and IQR: 8.67-54.68) than in spring (median: 18.02 ng/mL and IQR: 13.77-27.54) and was also lower in Turkmen horses (median: 15.83 ng/mL and IQR: 11.63-23.12) than in mixed breed horses (median: 17.72 ng/mL and IQR: 8.94-51.67) (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, the season had a significant effect on the serum 25(OH)Vit D concentration, and this difference was also observed between Turkmen horses and mixed-bred horses (p ≤ 0.05). It is unclear whether the time of sun exposure or vitamin D content of diet causes the seasonal difference of 25(OH)Vit D concentration.

Ram sperm are more vulnerable to freezing than those of most other farm animals. During sperm freezing, the cell membrane loses some of its cholesterol, which regulates signalling mechanisms and prevents premature capacitation. Resveratrol (RES) increases the fluidity of the cell membrane, which becomes peroxidized during freezing and reduces free radicals. In this study, the effectiveness of RES, cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) and their combinations in ram sperm cryopreservation were investigated. The collected semen was divided into two equal volumes: One was diluted with tris-citric acid-glucose medium (TCG) containing CLC, whereas the other was diluted with a CLC-free TCG solution. After examining motility, both groups were further divided into two equal volumes, forming the following working groups: control (no RES, no CLC); RES (20 µg/mL); CLC (2 mg CLC/120 × 10⁶ sperm); and RES + CLC (RES 20 µg/mL + 2 mg CLC/120 × 10⁶ sperm). These groups were diluted with media containing their respective additives. Post-thawing, the samples were analysed for motility, acrosome and membrane integrity, membrane functionality, mitochondrial activity, capacitation status, oxidative stress and DNA integrity. CLC preserved sperm total motility, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity and decreased the rate of early capacitation (p < 0.05). RES had no significant effect on sperm quality before freezing and post-thawing (p > 0.05). However, RES + CLC increased mitochondrial activity post-thawing (p < 0.05). In conclusion, CLC minimized sperm membrane damage caused by cryopreservation in ram sperm. RES alone was ineffective, and the combination of RES and CLC did not yield a positive synergistic effect on ram spermatological parameters.