Acta veterinaria Hungarica最新文献

This study aimed to identify yeast species in healthy Anatolian buffaloes and those with subclinical mastitis on smallholder farms using the Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method and assess antifungal resistance. Milk samples from 390 udder lobes of 100 buffaloes were tested and California Mastitis Test (CMT) results showed 265 negative, 102 suspicious and 23 CMT ≥+1 lobes. A total of 76 yeast isolates (19.5%) were obtained through classical culture methods. MALDI-TOF MS identified seven genera, with the most common species being Pichia kudriavzevii (54%), Kluyveromyces marxianus (21%) and Nakaseomyces glabrata (10.5%). Antifungal resistance was determined by the disk diffusion method, showing the highest resistance to caspofungin (69.7%), followed by fluconazole (65.8%) and ketoconazole (31.6%). This study highlights the presence of diverse yeast species in buffalo milk, emphasizing the importance of understanding their role in mastitis and antifungal resistance for animal and public health. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the identification of different yeast species isolated from Anatolian buffaloes in smallholder dairy farms in Turkey.

In this pilot study, the genetic diversity of protozoan parasites was analysed according to their different transmission routes (life cycle strategies), focusing on those species which were recently discovered or molecularly analysed for the first time in Hungary or its geographical region. The results showed that among four apicomplexan parasites (Babesia gibsoni, Cytauxzoon europaeus, Sarcocystis morae and Hepatozoon felis) the latter had the highest genetic diversity as reflected by its 18S rRNA gene sequences showing high (1.75%) maximum intraspecific pairwise distance, and also, based on its phylogenetic clustering. This is probably related to the long evolutionary history of H. felis, the absence of its intravascular division and other life cycle characteristics precluding direct transmission between hosts. On the other hand, among non-apicomplexan protozoa (Trichomonas gallinae, Pentatrichomonas hominis, Tritrichomonas foetus and Acanthamoeba castellanii), the latter proved to have the highest genetic diversity (7.73%), most likely due to its long evolutionary history, lateral gene transfer, homologous recombination and the absence of direct host-to-host dispersal. Transmission mode had a significant impact on the genetic diversity among protozoan parasites, depending on life cycle strategies and consequent frequency/chance of sexual reproduction vs binary fission. In particular, the absence of direct transmission between hosts is a common trait of H. felis and A. castellanii, contributing to their high genetic diversity.

This study aimed to investigate whether the power Doppler ultrasonography can distinguish between singleton and twin pregnancies on day 50 by determining placentome vascularization in Kıvırcık ewes. A total of 67 ewes were enrolled for the study. Pregnancy was confirmed on day 23 at 51 of 67 sheep that were synchronized. The groups were formed based on the presence of single (Group S; n = 25 ewes) or twin (Group T; n = 26 ewes) foetuses. Placentome diameters on day 50 were not different between the groups (P > 0.05). Placentome blood flow area and the mean, minimum and maximum amount of coloured pixels were unrelated to groups. However, the relationship between the parameters that reflect the placentome vascularity in Group S was statistically detectable. The mean amount of coloured pixels in Group S tended to be moderately correlated with the mean amount of coloured pixels in Group T. There was a positive correlation in the mean, maximum, and area of the coloured pixels in twin pregnancies. In conclusion, power flow Doppler ultrasonography can be used to determine placentome blood perfusion but the number of offspring on day 50 could not be determined by placentome vascularity.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in cattle that poses risks to public health and has economic consequences. The shadow of prion protein encoded by the shadow of prion protein (SPRN) gene affects prion disease progression. A 12-base-pair indel polymorphism in the SPRN gene has been implicated in BSE susceptibility in Polish cattle. Building upon our previous research, we aimed to investigate the SPRN gene polymorphisms in Jeju black cattle - a Korean native breed with distinct genetic features and compared them with those in Hanwoo and Korean Holstein. Our findings reveal that the Jeju black cattle SPRN gene, with only two synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms, has lower genetic diversity than that in Hanwoo and Korean Holstein. Moreover, we contrasted the distribution of c.199_210delGCCGCGGCGGGG (67_70delAAAG) polymorphisms in the SPRN gene between BSE-infected Polish cattle and Korean cattle to assess BSE susceptibility. The results suggest that Jeju black and Korean Holstein demonstrate a higher genetic potential for BSE resistance compared to the Hanwoo breed. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first report of the SPRN gene in Jeju black cattle, along with a comparative analysis of SPRN gene polymorphisms across three Korean cattle breeds.

Rodents (Mammalia: Rodentia) are among the ubiquitous hosts of Giardia duodenalis, as they can harbour at least six assemblages of this species, including the zoonotic assemblages A and B. However, studies targeting a broad spectrum of rodents and rabbits sampled in the same region are scarce, even in Europe. During this study, 164 samples were collected from five rodent species and rabbits in five locations in Hungary, to examine the presence of G. duodenalis with traditional parasitological and molecular methods. Parasitological analysis revealed the presence of cysts in 58.3% of asymptomatic Norway rats and 27.6% of chinchillas. Three degus were also found Giardia-infected (prevalence: 16.7%) using flotation technique. With PCR targeting three genetic markers, 3.2% of the samples showed positivity, whereas a rate of 21.9% prevalence was detected with flotation. The PCR products of five samples could be DNA sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequences of the beta-giardin gene revealed the presence of assemblages B and G in rats. In addition, assemblage E was detected in a beaver, while assemblage B was present in a chinchilla. The results show that synanthropic rodent species have different epidemiological roles in the study region, depending on the prevalence of shedding Giardia cysts or harbouring zoonotic variants of G. duodenalis. Moreover, our findings confirm that pet rodents may pose a risk for zoonotic Giardia-transmission.

Light is one of the factors affecting physiological functions in living things. In the present study, reproductive functions of male rats exposed to different wavelengths of light were evaluated. For this purpose, a total of 56 male Sprague Dawley rats were used in 7 groups (n = 8 per group). Rats were exposed to light spectrum with different wavelengths for 63 days. It was observed that malondialdehyde levels were lower in the orange (2.77 ± 0.16 nmol*mL-1), red (4.27 ± 0.17 nmol*mL-1), yellow (5.14 ± 0.15 nmol*mL-1) and green (5.56 ± 0.40 nmol*mL-1) coloured light group compared to the other groups [purple (7.07 ± 0.96 nmol*mL-1), blue (7.52 ± 0.89 nmol*mL-1), white (8.59 ± 1.20 nmol*mL-1)] (P < 0.001). The lowest glutathione levels were observed in purple (86.82 ± 1.63 nmol mL-1), blue (101.25 ± 3.61 nmol*mL-1), yellow (105.44 ± 1.70 nmol*mL-1) and green (108.11 ± 0.51 nmol*mL-1) coloured groups, respectively. The lowest sperm motility percentage was found in blue (29.16 ± 11.40), purple (56.25 ± 3.36), green (62.50 ± 4.91) and white (69.58 ± 5.51) coloured light groups compared to the other groups (P < 0.001). Epididymal sperm density decreased significantly in rats exposed to purple, orange and blue light (P < 0.001). The abnormal sperm ratio was higher in the blue and white light group compared to the other groups (P < 0.001). Histological examinations showed that tubulus seminiferus contortus diameter and germinal cell thickness decreased significantly in the purple light treatment (P < 0.001). As a summary, the application of purple and blue light has negative effects on the reproductive function in rats.

Histopathological alterations caused by Thaparocleidus vistulensis (Siwak, 1932) on the European catfish Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758 were investigated by histopathology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pathological effects of T. vistulensis on the gills of the European catfish were mainly related to the attachment sites of the parasite to its host, but damage also affected adjacent structures. The primary attachment relies on the anchors at the opisthaptor which commonly adheres both superficially and deeply, into the basal region between adjacent secondary lamellae. At the attachment sites, the haptoral disc of the parasites formed deep concave cup-like depressions on the surface of the gill lamellae. Deep anchor penetration occasionally distorted the extracellular cartilaginous matrix and induced a marked proliferation of epithelial tissue. Epithelial hyperplasia leading to lamellar fusion and subsequent extravasated erythrocytes in the gill lamellae was also observed. The damage caused by the parasites also led to the fusion of lamellae at the tips of the heavily infected gill filaments, forming club-like structures. Epithelial eosinophilic granular cells were frequently observed at the attachment sites. The pathological changes caused by this monopisthocotylan parasite frame the need to implement effective management strategies for controlling T. vistulensis infections in farmed European catfish populations.

Objective: To identify associations between the occurrence of sacrocaudal fusion and the potential morphology of certain hind limb bones in actively racing greyhounds.

Methods: The calcaneus, talus and patella from each hind limb were collected from 94 male and 77 female mature greyhound cadavers and grouped into four groups; right or left bones from greyhounds with a standard or fused sacrum. The measurements were recorded for the following parameters: body mass of the greyhound, mass, length, and width of the right and left calcanei, tali and patellae.

Results: A fused sacrum (4 sacral vertebrae) was present in 41% of specimens. The right and left calcanei, tali and patellae in greyhounds with a standard or fused sacrum were anatomically similar. Overall, left to right asymmetry was found, in the width of calcaneus (P < 0.01) and the talus (P < 0.05) and the length of calcaneus (P < 0.001) all these being larger in bones from the left hind limbs. Comparing bones from dogs with a fused or unfused sacrum showed that the right calcaneus length (P < 0.05) was significantly less than the left in those greyhounds with standard sacrum; the right calcaneus width was significantly less (P < 0.01) than the left in those with a fused sacrum. There were no significant differences in the means of measurements of bones between greyhounds with a standard and those with a fused sacrum except for the mass of the right (95% CI 0.22 to 1.10, P < 0.01) and left (95% CI 0.18 to 1.04, P < 0.01) calcaneus which were heavier in greyhounds with a fused sacrum than those with a standard sacrum.

Conclusion: In a population of greyhounds that race on anticlockwise tracks, the left calcaneus was wider and longer than the right and the left talus was wider. This asymmetry was more significant in dogs with sacrocaudal fusion and those dogs had more massive calcanei than dogs with standard sacrums, suggesting a difference in the way these bones were loaded in dogs with sacrocaudal fusion compared to dogs with the standard sacral anatomy.

Oral nerve blocks are an indispensable technique for pre-emptive pain management in various veterinary procedures, including tooth extractions. Local anaesthetic drugs are considered the safest and the most effective agents to inhibit oral pain. Recently, tramadol was used as an adjuvant to local anaesthetics to increase the duration of analgesia. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of maxillary nerve block induced by lidocaine or lidocaine-tramadol on perioperative pain in dogs undergoing upper fourth premolar extraction. A randomized blinded clinical study was conducted over five months involving sixteen animals divided into two groups, Group L (8 animals, Group Lidocaine) and Group LT (8 animals, Group Lidocaine-Tramadol). Both drugs provided effective pain control during and after surgical intervention, but lidocaine-tramadol resulted in longer analgesia than lidocaine alone. These findings suggest that the maxillary nerve block with lidocaine-tramadol can ensure adequate and prolonged pain control in dogs undergoing dental extraction. Although these are preliminary results, tramadol showed promising effects as a potential drug to use during oral surgery in association to local anaesthetics.

The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a granulosa cell-derived hormone that has been associated with female fertility and reflects the population of growing follicles. This study aimed to evaluate the average concentration of AMH in Lipizzaner mares, as well as to determine the relationship between AMH concentration and follicle number and size. We also investigated the relationship between the age of mares and their AMH levels. The possible effect of seasonality of AMH levels was also assessed. Twenty-three mares between 6 and 24 years of age were included in the experiment. Mares were divided into two groups: Group 1 included mares aged 6 - 15 years (n = 11), while Group 2 included individuals older than 15 years of age (n = 12). Venous blood was collected and ovarian activity was monitored parallelly by transrectal ultrasonography. Serum AMH concentrations varied widely between the two different groups. AMH concentrations were significantly lower in old mares than in younger animals. A positive relationship was detected between AMH concentration and the number of medium-sized follicles (P = 0.022), large follicles (P = 0.016) and the total follicle count (P = 0.026). No seasonal effect was detected.