Acta veterinaria Hungarica最新文献

The purpose of this study was the molecular detection of Bartonella spp. in fleas and ticks parasitizing cats and dogs from 39 locations in Attica, Greece. One hundred and forty five ectoparasites (104 fleas and 41 ticks) from 92 cats and 53 dogs were investigated individually using PCRs targeting the 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer (ITS) and the citrate synthase (gltA) genetic loci. Bartonella spp. were detected in 14 out of 104 fleas (13.5%) and in none of the ticks examined. Consequent sequence analysis of the amplicons from the two loci identified 3 strains as Bartonella henselae, and 11 as Bartonella clarridgeiae. Οur study demonstrates the presence of B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae in Ctenocephalides felis fleas from cat and dog in Greece. We also report a novel ITS sequence for B. clarridgeiae. Considering that fleas could pose a risk for human bartonellosis from their infected hosts, further studies on the public health risk of Bartonella presence in animal ectoparasites are warranted.

Stray dogs are inevitably exposed to more infections than owned dogs living indoor. However, no studies have investigated whether the immune system gene expression differs between owned dogs kept in better care conditions and stray dogs living outside. To investigate this, blood samples were taken from 90 dogs (45 owned and 45 stray dogs) that were checked and confirmed as healthy. By using qPCR, the amples were analyzed for the expression of the perforin, granzyme A and granzyme B genes, which are associated with the activation of apoptotic pathways in the immune system. We found that the perforin and granzyme A gene expression levels were higher in stray dogs although the differences were not statistically significant. On the other hand, a 2.81 times higher and a notable difference (P < 0.001) was found in the expression level of granzyme B gene in stray dogs. These results indicate that the immune system in stray dogs might be more prepared for diseases than that of the owned dogs and the granzyme B gene plays a more dominant role in the immune response than granzyme A and perforin.

The information about the clinical features of Leishmania infantum infection in cats is scarce. In this study, we evaluated the serum protein electrophoresis of samples from 19 infected but apparently healthy cats. To detect L. infantum infection, two serological tests, i.e. western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as well as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on the blood samples were performed. Eventual infection by several selected bacterial and viral pathogens was also tested. All but one of the cats were found positive with WB. The WB-negative cat was positive by ELISA only. From the 18 WB-positive cats, only three were positive also by ELISA and eight with qPCR, including the only animal which was positive in all the three tests. No concomitant infections were detected in any of the cats. The main alteration of the proteinogram was characterised by an increase of the α-2 fraction. In the five cats with hypergammaglobulinaemia, the pattern detected was polyclonal. None of the cats were seropositive to any other pathogens tested. The presence of polyclonal gammopathy and elevation of the α-2 fraction could suggest the presence of active infection. In contrast, the only detection of an increase of the α-2 fraction alone with the presence of positive serological result could be associated by immune response activation against L. infantum.

Weather conditions greatly affect tick population densities and activity, on which depends the occurrence of tick-borne diseases (TBDs). During the spring months from 2017 to 2019, 1,357 specimens of Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected at 9 localities in the vicinity of Novi Sad (Serbia). The number of collected ticks varied considerably among the different sampling sites and years. Also, a statistically significant difference was found between months and observed number of ticks for each stadium. By statistical analysis of tick activity depending on microclimatic conditions, a positive and statistically significant relationship between temperature and the number of ticks for each life stage was established, but not for humidity. Dew had a statistically significant impact only on nymphs but not on adults. The infection rate of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was the highest in March (46.5-51.2%) and the lowest in May (32.9-34.8%). The highest prevalence was detected in males and the lowest in nymphs. Since there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between tick number and prevalence, the ability to provide weather-based predictions of the seasonal patterns of current tick activity is important for the risk assessment of TBDs such as Lyme borreliosis.

Myxobolus talievi Dogiel, 1957 was originally described from the eyes, skeletal muscles and body cavity of endemic cottoid fish from Lake Baikal. In the present study, we supply new information on the myxospore morphology and histopathology of M. talievi; furthermore, we complete the original species description by Dogiel and Bogolepova (1957) with 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data. Histopathological analysis showed that the plasmodium was encapsulated by a thin layer of connective tissue and located in the intermuscular connective tissue among muscle cells. No inflammation was observed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. talievi clustered with Myxobolus sp. 2 (NCBI Acc. No. U13830), an unidentified Myxobolus species from cottoid fish studied by Smothers et al. (1994), and located in the sister clade of Myxobolus spp. developing spores in the nerves of salmonids.

The aim of the present study was to determine asprosin levels in cows, the relationship of this hormone with postpartum disorders and β-hydroxybutyric acid, and also the potential of asprosin to be a marker for postpartum diseases. The study was designed as a two-stage trial. In the first stage, blood asprosin and β-hydroxybutyric acid levels of 20 healthy Simmental cows aged 3-4 years were measured at the time of calving, and on days 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 postpartum. In the second stage, 200 cows were divided into two groups: (1) healthy (n = 100) and (2) diseased (placental retention, hypocalcaemia, metritis, lameness, abomasal displacement, mastitis; n = 100); asprosin and β-hydroxybutyric acid concentrations of the blood were assessed on day 15 postpartum. In conclusion, the asprosin level was found to be at measurable levels in cows, and a negative correlation with β-hydroxybutyric acid was found. According to these findings, the data obtained from this study could be used for the prevention, control and treatment of some postpartum disorders associated with ketosis and for developing novel hypotheses concerning the actions of this hormone. It was concluded that further studies are required to reveal the associations between asprosin and postpartum disorders.

In this study, the prevalence of Avian orthoavulavirus-1 (AOAV-1) (also commonly known as Newcastle disease virus) was investigated in caged birds kept in bird markets in the Lahore district of Pakistan. A total of 354 swab samples were obtained from 14 different species of clinically healthy birds. The overall virus prevalence was 12.7% in 9 out of the 14 species. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete fusion protein (F) gene showed that 23 isolates from different avian species belonged to sub-genotype VII.2 while three isolates of pigeon origin clustered with sub-genotype XXI.1.2. The VII.2 viruses isolated had a high nucleotide identity to viruses repeatedly isolated from poultry in Pakistan from 2011 to 2018. To date, sub-genotype XXI.1.2 viruses have only been identified in Pakistan. These findings suggest that the Newcastle disease (ND) outbreaks occurring in Pakistan involve multiple hosts and environments. The study emphasises the importance of continuing to monitor multiple avian species for the presence of AOAV-1s and implementing effective ND control strategies.

The aim of this study was to describe the histological effects of two high postnatal doses of the potent third-generation GnRH antagonist, acyline in the domestic cat testicle. Secondly, the physical, endocrine, and steroidogenic findings of this pharmaceutical protocol are also reported. Twelve postnatal littermate male kittens were administered acyline in a dose of 2.2 mg/100 g SC weekly for 2 weeks (ACY; n = 6), or placebo (PL; n = 6). All the animals were followed up until puberty when they were castrated. Serial faecal samples were collected until the age of 10 weeks for testosterone (T) measurement. The kittens achieved puberty without either age (236.5 ± 19.7 vs. 221.7 ± 23.7 days) or body weight (3.05 ± 0.15 vs. 2.78 ± 0.28 kg, P > 0.05) differences between ACY and PL, respectively. Acyline suppressed faecal T concentrations for 3 weeks (P < 0.01). From the fourth week on, both groups had low concentrations up to the end of the follow-up period (P > 0.05). Histological assessment of the testes showed that ACY cats presented a reduced height of the epithelium (P < 0.01) due to the diminished number of germinal cells accompanied by an enlarged luminal area (P < 0.01) with cellular debris (P < 0.01). The immunostaining of P450c17 also appeared partially diminished in ACY testes.

To better understand the epizootiology of caprine paratuberculosis in the North of Portugal, a cross-sectional study was conducted from 2014 to 2015. The seroprevalence and risk factors for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) seropositivity were evaluated. Antibodies against Map were determined by a commercial ELISA. In 936 sera tested from 56 goat herds, 120 (12.8%, 95% CI: 10.8-15.1%) goats and 34 (60.7%, 95% CI: 47.6-72.4%) herds were positive. Risk factors for seropositivity were investigated by logistic regression models. The odds of Map seropositivity were found to be higher for animals with clinical signs, OR = 5.1 (95% CI: 2.7-9.6%), animals belonging to herds with previous wasting disease, OR = 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1-4.8%), and accumulation of manure in the herd, OR = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.7-5.7%). The potential risk factors identified in this study support the current recommendations for the control of paratuberculosis in these and other animals.