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BackgroundBrucellosis, as a zoonotic disease, mainly occurs in horses by Brucella abortus, Brucella canis and Brucella suis. The disease in equines is often asymptomatic, but the clinical signs in horses are mostly characterized by... more
BackgroundBrucellosis, as a zoonotic disease, mainly occurs in horses by Brucella abortus, Brucella canis and Brucella suis. The disease in equines is often asymptomatic, but the clinical signs in horses are mostly characterized by bursitis, arthritis and tenosynovitis.ObjectivesThis study, thus, aimed to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis and its associated risk factors in the Arabian horses of Khuzestan province, South‐west Iran.MethodsTo that end, the blood samples randomly collected from 180 Arabian horses were analyzed for the presence of anti‐Brucella antibodies by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), serum agglutination test (SAT), 2‐mercaptoethanol test (2‐ME) and a commercial i‐ELISA kit.ResultsThe ROC curve analysis showed that the best cut‐off point for S/P values in i‐ELISA turned out to be 26.25%. The results showed that the overall seroprevalence of brucellosis based on parallel interpretation of the test results was 12.22% (Positive/Tested = 22/180). The prevalence of acute and chronic brucellosis was 8.3 and 3.9%, respectively. The seroprevalence of brucellosis with RBPT and i‐ELISA methods was 1.11% (2/180) and 7.22% (13/180), respectively. According to what SAT revealed, 9.44% (17/180) of sera had a titer of 40 or greater, and at 2‐ME, 7.22% of samples (13 out of 180 samples) depicted a titer of 40. The results of i‐ELISA, SAT and 2‐ME were significantly different from those of RBPT (p < 0.01); however, there was no significant difference between i‐ELISA, SAT and 2‐ME in findings (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe results of this study recommend that i‐ELISA be used for screening purposes of brucellosis in horses. The findings confirmed that Arabian horses are natural hosts for the Brucellae. It is, thus, necessary to adopt appropriate prevention and control programs by health authorities and horse owners so as to reduce the distribution and transmission of the infection in the regions where brucellosis is prevalent.
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Macrorhabdus ornithogaster is a microorganism that causes nonspecific and general clinical symptoms and to this day, diagnosis and also treatment have been yet hard. The present study was conducted to survey the prevalence of... more
Macrorhabdus ornithogaster is a microorganism that causes nonspecific and general clinical symptoms and to this day, diagnosis and also treatment have been yet hard. The present study was conducted to survey the prevalence of macrorhabdosis and to characterize M. ornithogaster phylogenetically in Psittaciformes suspected of macrorhabdosis from January 2018 to May 2019 in Ahvaz, Iran. For this purpose, fecal samples were collected from Psittaciformes with signs of the disease. Wet mounts were prepared from fecal samples and examined carefully using a light microscope. Samples from parrots with gastrointestinal symptoms of the disease were chosen for molecular diagnosis of the organism and DNA was extracted from these samples. For detection of M. ornithogaster, primer sets (BIG1, Sm4) and (AGY1, Sm4) which target the 18S rDNA gene were selected and Semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (Semi-nested PCR) was performed. The PCR method confirmed the presence of M. ornithogaster in 14.00% of the samples. Purified PCR products were sequenced for more accurate confirmation and according to the gene sequence all sequences were owned by M. ornithogaster. The results disclosed a 96.03 - 100% identity when compared to other sequences of M. ornithogaster which had previously been deposited in the GenBank® from Germany and the USA. The results of this study proved the circulation of M. ornithogaster between cockatiel, budgerigar and grey parrot. The prevalence of macrorhabdosis was higher in cockatiel compared to budgerigar and grey parrot. As far as the authors know, this was the first record of macrorhabdosis in African grey parrots.
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Background: Linguatula serrata is a causative agent of visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis in humans and animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the immune response of dogs experimentally infected by L. serrata with... more
Background: Linguatula serrata is a causative agent of visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis in humans and animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the immune response of dogs experimentally infected by L. serrata with ELISA. Methods: Five puppies were infected by inserting the L. serrata nymphs in their nasal cavities (infected group) in the Department of Parasitology of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, during 2018-2019. Three animals were kept as the non-infected control group. Blood samples were collected from the animals for seven months at approximately monthly intervals for serum preparation. Nasal samples were taken weekly from the fourth month. ELISA was designed and performed on 64 sera (24 negatives, and 40 positives) using somatic (S), and excretory-secretory (ES) antigens. Results: Overall, 100% of the animals were infected with the parasite. Based on the results of ELISA, the ES antigen (sensitivity 95% and specificity 92%) was more preferred than the S antigen (sensitivity 95% and specificity 85%). Female parasites had significant effects on the immune response. There was a significant correlation between the clinical symptoms and the presence of female parasites (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed a practical method for dogs' experimental infection. ELISA method is suitable for the detection of infection at different stages of development, especially before the maturation stage of the parasite. In this regard, the ES antigen of the parasite was more immunogenic. Therefore, ELISA can be used as a serological method in the early detection and epidemiological studies of infection with L. serrata in dogs.
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Antibody based methods have numerous advantages compared to other detection methods. However, heavy metals cannot stimulate the immune antibody response; it is the main obstacle for preparation of the antibodies that used in... more
Antibody based methods have numerous advantages compared to other detection methods. However, heavy metals cannot stimulate the immune antibody response; it is the main obstacle for preparation of the antibodies that used in detection methods of the metals. The production of the immunogenic Pb complexes by using cost benefit linkers of EDTA and DTPA were investigated in this study.BSA molecules were functionalized using EDTA and DTPA linkers in various BSA/linker ratio, pH, incubation times and buffers. The complexes were formed after addition of the Pb to the [BSA-linker]. Different concentrations of the glutaraldehyde were mixed with the formed complexes and shaken at room temperature for 12 hours. The prepared conjugates were dialyzed in phosphate buffer saline for 72 hours. Stimulation of the mice antibody responses against the prepared [Pb-linker-BSA] complex were evaluated using ELISA. In optimized condition, the DTPA linker coupled Pb to each BSA molecules 2 times higher than EDTA. The optimum pH was 9.6 in EDTA binding to BSA; also, EDTA molarity was 25 times higher than Pb molarity in [PbEDTA-BSA] complexes.These conditions for DTPA conjugation to Pb and BSA are pH 7.4-9.6 and 9.6 respectively. Also, optimum molarity of DTPA was 4 times higher than Pb in [Pb-DTPABSA] complexes. Also, the higher antibody responses against Pb were stimulated by immunization with an antigenic complex that has more solubility and Pb coupled to each albumin molecules. In conclusion, in optimized conditions, DTPA more efficient than EDTA for synthesizes of the immunogenic Pb complex.
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Fasciolosis is a disease caused by liver fluck of the genus of Fasciola. Diagnosis of fasciolosis has been challenging for a long period due to low sensitivity of the coprological diagnostic method. In this study, an in-house Dot-ELISA... more
Fasciolosis is a disease caused by liver fluck of the genus of Fasciola. Diagnosis of fasciolosis has been challenging for a long period due to low sensitivity of the coprological diagnostic method. In this study, an in-house Dot-ELISA method; using excretion-secretory (ES Ag) and Crude (Cr Ag) antigens of Fasciola was described for diagnosis of fasciolosis in cattle. For this purpose, the sera specimens of slaughtered cattle were taken and examined for Fasciola infection. Sera from two groups of cattle, one infected with Fasciola (n = 60) and the other non-infected with Fasciola (n = 60), were used in the Dot- ELISA test. All sera were tested and evaluated. Except specificity, other parameters such as, sensitivity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of Dot- ELISA with ES Ag were better than those of Dot- ELISA with Cr Ag. In conclusion, excretory-secretory antigen dependent Dot-ELISA can be used as a reliable sero-diagnostic test for Fasciola infection in cattle.
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Chlamydiae are obligate generally Gram-negative intracellular parasites with bacterial characteristics, including a cell wall, DNA, and RNA. They have a worldwide distribution in different animal species. Chlamydia felis (C. felis) is an... more
Chlamydiae are obligate generally Gram-negative intracellular parasites with bacterial characteristics, including a cell wall, DNA, and RNA. They have a worldwide distribution in different animal species. Chlamydia felis (C. felis) is an important agent with zoonotic susceptibility often isolated from cats with chronic conjunctivitis. The aim of the present survey aimed to determine the molecular occurrence of C. felis in cats in Ahvaz, Iran. In this regard, a total of 152 cats (126 households and 26 feral) were included in the current study. After recording their history information, two swabs were taken from the oropharyngeal cavity and eye conjunctiva of the investigated cats. The extraction of DNA was followed by PCR targeting the pmp gene of C. Felis. In the next step, the positive samples were sequenced based on the Gene Bank. Out of 152 samples, 35 (23.03%) were positive using polymerase chain reaction technique (95% CI: 16.30-29.70). Regarding infection with Chlamydiosis, the obtained results showed a significant difference between cats suffering from ocular or respiratory diseases (44.64%; 25 out of 56) and the healthy ones (10.42%; 10 out of 96; P=0.01). The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in cats younger than 1 year (34.12%; 29 out of 85), compared to those older than 1 year (8.96%; 6 out of 67; P=0.02). No significant difference was noted in terms of gender (25.45% in males and 21.65% in females), breed (23.81% in DSH and 19.23% in Persian), and lifestyle (22.22% companions [28 out of 126] and 26.92% ferals [7 out of 26]; P>0.05). It can be concluded that a significant number of cats are infected with C. felis in Ahvaz. The use of molecular tests, such as PCR, has revolutionized the diagnosis of chlamydial infections.
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Background and objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major causes of bovine mastitis, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates are more attentive and if not treated... more
Background and objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major causes of bovine mastitis, which can be transmitted from animals to humans. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates are more attentive and if not treated promptly, they can cause death. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of methicillin resistance and frequency of selected virulence factors of S. aureus isolates with bovine mastitis milk origin in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran. Materials and methods: During a two-year period (2014-2015), 75 S. aureus isolates were recovered from referred clinical and sub-clinical bovine mastitis milk samples. The isolates were phenotypically investigated for resistance to cefoxitin by Kirby-Bauer method. DNA were analyzed by PCR for mecA and selected genes that encode the virulence factors. Results: According to the results, the spa, ebpS, fnb, bbp, clfA, clfB, and cna genes were detected in 98.7, 97.3, 97.3, 86.7, 84, 84 and 65.3% of the isolates, respectively. Among the 75 isolates, only one (1.3%) isolate was methicillin-resistant. Totally, 39 isolates (50.7%) had all of these virulence factors except mecA. The results showed that 96% of the isolates had at least the fnb, ebpS and spa genes, signifying the noteworthy role of these genes in the pathogenesis of S. aureus bovine intra-mammary infection in this area. Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of mecA was relatively low, possibly indicating that cows do not play a significant role in community-acquired MRSA infection in this area. According to the results, studied virulence factors were somewhat prevalent, bearing in mind the probable risk of transmission of these isolates from cows to humans, especially those that are in close contact with infected cattle. The data presented here can be used for the introduction of a protective vaccine against this infection.
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... HOSSEIN HAMIDINEJAT, SAAD GORANINEJAD1, MASOUD GHORBANPOOR, LILY NABAVI, AND FARSHAD AKBARNEJAD2 Department of Pathobiology, 1Department of Clinical Sciences,2 Graduated Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid... more
... HOSSEIN HAMIDINEJAT, SAAD GORANINEJAD1, MASOUD GHORBANPOOR, LILY NABAVI, AND FARSHAD AKBARNEJAD2 Department of Pathobiology, 1Department of Clinical Sciences,2 Graduated Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran ...
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Introduction: Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most well-known hepatocarcinogens in humans. Contamination of raw materials, used in the production of sausages and burgers, with aflatoxin producing molds can lead to increased level of... more
Introduction: Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most well-known hepatocarcinogens in humans. Contamination of raw materials, used in the production of sausages and burgers, with aflatoxin producing molds can lead to increased level of aflatoxin in the final products and can impose hazards to human health. Unfortunately, aflatoxin is resistant to heating and freezing processes, etc. and can remain in these products untile consumption. Methods: During a six-month period, 45 sausage and 53 burger samples from valid brands across the country were randomly purchased from the stores. The samples were analyzed for AFB1 by ELISA technique. Meanwhile, the number of molds was calculated and aflatoxin producing molds were identified by direct and slide culture methods. Results: The findings showed that 2 susage samples (4.9%) and 3 burger samples (6.3%) were contaminated with >1 ng/g aflatoxin. Moreover, 4 burger samples (8.9%) contaminated with mold included aspergillus flavus, aspergillus niger, mucor, and penicillium while, none of the susage samples showed mold contamination. Conclusion: The Iranian meat products had a relative aflatoxin B1 contamination during the study period, but the contamination rate was low and in allowable range. Standard hygienic preparation and packaging of meat products molds is recommended to reduce fungal contamination, especially aflatoxin-producing molds. y showed that 30µg/kg/min of intravenous propofol caused reduced the incidence of post spinal headache in young women undergone elective cesarean section. � Supportive interventions must be considered as an indispensable part of care for children with cancer.
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Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in turkeys may result in immunosuppression, and inability of turkeys to resist nonpathogenic or less pathogenic organisms. A total number of 120 day-old commercial male turkeys were purchased and... more
Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) in turkeys may result in immunosuppression, and inability of turkeys to resist nonpathogenic or less pathogenic organisms. A total number of 120 day-old commercial male turkeys were purchased and blood samples were collected from 20 day-old turkeys, remaining 100 were divided into four equal groups and kept in separated rooms. Groups 1 and 2 were infected with 104 CID50 of IBDV via intra-bursal route on day 1; Groups 1 and 3 were each infected with 106 EID50 of AIV (H9N2) via the oculo-nasal routes on day 30. All groups were vaccinated against Newcastle disease vaccine (NDV). Detection of avian influenza virus H9N2 in trachea and cloaca swabs and in the tissues, was confirmed by Real-time polymerase chain reaction. Anti- NDV-AIV and anti-IBD titers were measured using HI and ELISA tests, respectively. The present study showed that infectious bursal disease changed the pathogenesis of (AIV) H9N2 by affecting AI virus replication and resulted in an increase shedding due to prolonged duration of sever clinical signs. The extent of shedding and virus replication need further study.
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Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical infectious diseases in the world. The emergence of drug resistance and toxicity and the high cost of the available drugs with a lack of new anti-leishmanial drugs highlight the need to... more
Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical infectious diseases in the world. The emergence of drug resistance and toxicity and the high cost of the available drugs with a lack of new anti-leishmanial drugs highlight the need to search for newer therapies with anti-leishmanial activities. Due to the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) immunomodulatory capacity, they have been applied in a wide variety of disorders. In this study, the potential effects of adipose-derived MSC (AD-MSCs) therapy and its combination with glucantime were evaluated in a murine model of cutaneous leishmaniasis induced by L. major. The results showed that AD-MSCs improved wound healing and decreased parasite burden. The real-time PCR results obtained from mice treated with AD-MSCs showed that IL-12 and TNF-α genes were upregulated. IL-10, arginase, and FOXP3 genes were downregulated whereas no differences in expression of the IL-4 gene were found. Overall, it seems that AD-MSCs therapy enhances Th1 immune response in L. major infected BALB/c mice. Unexpectedly, our results showed that the association of glucantime to AD-MSCs treatments did not lead to an increment in the anti-leishmanial activity.
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Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the main causes of gastrointestinal diseases in humans even in industrialized countries affecting public health. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the occurrence and antibiotic resistance of... more
Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the main causes of gastrointestinal diseases in humans even in industrialized countries affecting public health. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the occurrence and antibiotic resistance of C. jejuni and C. coli in chicken meat, beef, mutton and water buffalo meat slaughtered in Ahvaz city, Iran. A total of 380 samples including chicken meat from industrial abattoirs (n = 150), chicken meat from traditional abattoirs (n = 50), fresh packed chicken meat from local markets (n = 30) and beef, mutton and water buffalo meat from industrial abattoirs (50 samples for each meat) in Ahvaz,were collected and tested for the presence of Campylobacter spp. The procedure was one-step enrichment in Preston enrichment broth followed by plating on supplemented blood agar for 24 hr under microaerophilic conditions at 42 ˚C. Suspected colonies were tested by polymerase chain reaction assay and susceptibility of the confirmed isolates to various antibiotics was investigated by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Overall, 32 samples (8.40%) were contaminated with Campylobacter spp. Mutton was the most contaminated meat (24%), while fresh packed chicken meat were not contaminated. Among the 32 isolates, 40.60%, 34.40%, 21.90%, and 15.60% were resistant to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, and streptomycin, respectively. Moreover, a high number of multi-antibiotic resistant Campylobacter spp. was determined. Since foods of animal origin are the most sources of Campylobacter infection, the presence of resistant strains to antibiotics is a potential risk to public health.
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Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infectious disease of worldwide distribution. The infection is caused by various serovars of Leptospira interrogans sensu lato. Although the squirrels and hamsters are considered to be the reservoir or... more
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infectious disease of worldwide distribution. The infection is caused by various serovars of Leptospira interrogans sensu lato. Although the squirrels and hamsters are considered to be the reservoir or maintenance host of Leptospira, but little is known about the status of leptospirosis in these animals. This survey was conducted to evaluate the seroprevalence of Leptospiral infection in squirrels and hamsters in Ahvaz district, SouthWest of Iran. Blood samples were taken from 35 squirrels and 35 hamsters. Sera were screened for antibodies against serovars of L. canicola, L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. grippotyphosa, L. ballum, L. hardjo, L. pomona, L. australis and L. tarassovi using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). From a total of 35 squirrels, three cases (8.57%) were serologically positive for the serovars of L. grippotyphosa (2.86%), L. pomona (2.86%) and complex of L. hardjo + L. canicola + L. grippotyphosa + L. pomona (2.86%). Positive results were detectable at serum dilutions of 1:100 to 1:400. Seroprevalence did not show a significant difference for age and sex in the studied squirrel (p > 0.05). From a total of 35 hamsters, six cases (17.14%) were serologically positive. The predominant titers were directed against serovars of L. grippotyphosa (5.71%), L. grippotyphosa + L. pomona (2.86%), L. pomona (2.86%), L. icterohaemorrhagiae (2.86%) and L. canicola (2.86%). The positive results had 1:100 serum dilutions. Prevalence was significantly higher in adult hamsters above one year compared to hamsters less than one year (p 0.05). This survey indicated that serovars of L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona were predominant. The results provide useful information on the seroprevalence of leptospirosis in squirrels and hamsters of Ahvaz district.
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... in broiler chickens Ramezan Ali Jafari & Masood Ghorbanpoor & Meysam Makkei ... doi:10.1002/ptr.2650010406 Jafari RA, Razi Jalali M, Kiani R (2010) Effect of fresh dietary garlic powder on some of the serum biochemical... more
... in broiler chickens Ramezan Ali Jafari & Masood Ghorbanpoor & Meysam Makkei ... doi:10.1002/ptr.2650010406 Jafari RA, Razi Jalali M, Kiani R (2010) Effect of fresh dietary garlic powder on some of the serum biochemical parameters in broiler chicks. Comp Clin Pathol. ...
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ABSTRACT The comparative effects of Freund's and Aloe vera gel as adjuvants on the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α genes were studied in vaccinated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with Aeromonas hydrophila bacterin. Fishes were... more
ABSTRACT The comparative effects of Freund's and Aloe vera gel as adjuvants on the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α genes were studied in vaccinated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with Aeromonas hydrophila bacterin. Fishes were intraperitoneally immunized with A. hydrophila bacterin in combination with Aloe vera gel or Freund's and also without any adjuvant. At day 28 after immunization, all groups were challenged by lethal dose of A. hydrophila (107 cells/fish). Changes in the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α genes were evaluated in anterior kidney before challenge and 12, 24, 72 and 7 days postchallenge using quantitative real-time PCR. Higher expression levels of both genes were observed in all vaccinated groups compared with non-immunized group. Fishes which received Aloe vera gel showed higher expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in relation to animals which vaccinated with or without Freund's adjuvant. We concluded that Aloe vera gel in compared with Freund's adjuvant had a more stimulatory effect on the expression of immune-related genes in vaccinated common carp and it can use as a novel adjuvant in aquaculture.
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Considering the many advantages of oral vaccines in aquaculture, several studies have been conducted in this area recently. In this study, immunization and protective power of the oral vaccine of Yersinia ruckeri encapsulated with... more
Considering the many advantages of oral vaccines in aquaculture, several studies have been conducted in this area recently. In this study, immunization and protective power of the oral vaccine of Yersinia ruckeri encapsulated with Alginate-Chitosan micro/nanoparticles were evaluated in rainbow trout. For this purpose, 720 juvenile rainbow trout (9 ± 1.8 g) were divided into 8 groups in three replications (30 fish each) as follows: Groups A, B and C, were immunized with Yersinia ruckeri lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS+Formalin Killed Cells (FKC) and FKC alone, groups D, E, and F were immunized with encapsulated LPS, LPS+FKC and FKC, respectively. The G and H groups considered as encapsulated and non-encapsulated control, respectively. Micro/nanoencapsulation with alginate-chitosan was performed by internal emulsification method and vaccination were conductrd in the first and third weeks via oral route. Sampling was performed on days 0, 30, and 60 of experiment. Anti Y. ruckeri antibody titer in serum, intestine and skin mucus were measured via ELISA method. Non-specific immune response including: serum lysozyme, complement, bactericidal and respiratory burst activity, serum protein and globulin level, as well as white blood cell count were compared among the groups. The expression of IgT gene in the intestine and TCR gene in the anterior kidney were also investigated. At the end of the study, the fish were challenged with Y. ruckeri through immerssion and intraperitoneal routs and the relative survival rate was evaluated. Result showed that the antibody level in serum, skin and intestine was significantly higher in group E and F than control groups (P < 0.05), meanwhile serum, skin and intestine antibody level in all vaccinated groups were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in day 30 and 60 compare to zero day. Non-specific immunity factors including: serum lysozyme, complement, and respiratory burst activity as well as WBC, protein and Globulin level were significantly higher in E and F groups not only in day 30 but also in day 60 of experiment (P < 0.05). Cumulative mortality following injection and bath challenge were significantly (P = 0.004) lower (35%-45%) in groups E and F compare to control group (80%). The IgT and TCR gene expression in groups D, E and F were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than control group. Highest upregulation of IgT and TCR gene expression in vaccinated groups were seen at day 30 and 60 respectively which were significantly (P < 0.001) higher than day zero. Generally, it can be concluded that nano/micronanoencapsulation of Y. ruckeri FKC+LPS with chitosan-alginate, not only increases protective efficacy of oral vaccine, but improves specific and non-specific immune responses in rainbow trout.
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This study was designed to determine the effect of garlic powder on humoral immune response of broilers against NDV (Newcastle Disease Virus) vaccine. Two hundred and forty, two-day-old, Ross chicks were randomly assigned into 4 groups of... more
This study was designed to determine the effect of garlic powder on humoral immune response of broilers against NDV (Newcastle Disease Virus) vaccine. Two hundred and forty, two-day-old, Ross chicks were randomly assigned into 4 groups of 60 birds each. Chicks in groups 1 and 2 were given control mash diet during the experiment (6 week), but those in groups 3 and 4 were fed on control diet supplemented with 1 and 3% garlic powder, respectively. All groups except number 1 were vaccinated by eye-drop with B1 strain (Pestikal, Croatia) at 9 and 18 days of age. Ten blood samples were taken from each group on days 0, 14, 24 and 34 after first vaccination. The serum antibody level against NDV was measured by both HI and ELISA tests. The EDTA-mixed blood samples were examined for total and differential leukocyte count. The results showed that antibody titers in vaccinated chicks were significantly more than in non-vaccinated chicks (p &amp;amp;lt; 0.05), but not influenced by the diet (p &amp;amp;gt; 0.05). A significant increase of total leukocyte and percentage of lymphocytes was observed in vaccinated chicks 14 days after vaccination, but there were no difference (p &amp;amp;gt; 0.05) among vaccinated groups. It is concluded that inclusion of garlic powder to the diet of broilers don&amp;amp;#39;t have any beneficial effect on humoral immune response to live NDV vaccine.
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Salmonellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases. Antimicrobial therapy is an important tool in reducing both the incidence and mortality associated with Salmonella infections, but the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in... more
Salmonellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases. Antimicrobial therapy is an important tool in reducing both the incidence and mortality associated with Salmonella infections, but the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in poultry farms can lead to the emergence of resistance and inefficacy of antimicrobials. Moreover, transmission of the resistant strains to humans through food chain could be a menace to public health. This study was conducted to determine serogroup and antibiotic resistancepatterns of Salmonella isolates recovered from 25 broiler chicken farms in Ahvaz. All isolates were examined for serogroup using commercial antiserum, and for resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics in poultry (enrofloxacin, florfenicol, fosfomycin, lincospectin, sultrim and doxycycline) and humans (gentamicin, amoxiclav, ciprofloxacin, cefalexin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone) by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The Salmonella isolates belonged to serogroups B (two isolates), C (three isolates) and D (45 isolates). Out of 50 isolates, 24 (48%) were resistant to one or more antibiotics. All isolates were sensitive to florfenicol, sultrim, cephalexin and ceftriaxone. The highest and lowest rates of resistance were observed against lincospectin (36%) and amoxiclav (2%), respectively. The high prevalence of resistant salmonellae among broilers indicates that the administration of antimicrobial drugs has to be made with more caution. Conflict of interest: None declared
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Cryptococcus neoformans, the main pathogen in immunocompromised patients, is a ubiquitous free-living fungus that can be isolated from avian excreta, soils, and plant material. This study was carried out to determine the infection rate of... more
Cryptococcus neoformans, the main pathogen in immunocompromised patients, is a ubiquitous free-living fungus that can be isolated from avian excreta, soils, and plant material. This study was carried out to determine the infection rate of pigeon lofts, Passeriformes, and Psittaciformes in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province in Iran and to determine varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans). The 80 samples were collected from pigeon lofts. Also, 163 feces of captive birds (Passeriformes and Psittaciformes) which kept in Ahvaz pet shops, and the 70 cloacal swabs of pet birds (Passeriformes and psittaciformes) referring to the department of avian medicine (the faculty of veterinary medicine of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz) were analyzed. The samples were directly inoculated on niger seed agar (NSA) and also enriched in brain heart infusion broth and then inoculated on NSA. Dark brown colonies suspected to C. neoformans subcultured on saborouds dextrose agar and pure cultures subjected to molecular (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) diagnosis. For detection of C. neoformans, primer sets that targeting the CNLAC1 gene were selected and nested PCR was conducted. For identification of C. neoformans varieties, a primer set targeting the STR1 gene was selected. For more accurate confirmation, the purified PCR products of some isolates were also sequenced, and based on the gene sequences, all of the isolates belonged to C. neoformans variety grubii (var. grubii)(serotype A). Totally 16 out of 80 pigeon samples (20%) were contaminated with C. neoformans. The results in pigeons disclosed a 98.64% identity when compared with other strains of C. neoformans (CN1525, T4, and T1) which were previously deposited in GenBank from Italy and Thailand. Also, 21 out of 233 samples from Psittaciformes (9.01%) were contaminated with C. neoformans. The results in Psittaciformes disclosed a 99.7% identity when compared with other strains of C. neoformans (TIMM1313, IFM5882, CN1525, etc.) which were previously deposited in GenBank from Japan and Italy, etc. In the present study, the samples belonging to the passerine order were free of C. neoformans infection. According to the results, C. neoformans is prevalent in pigeon flocks and pet birds including Psittaciformes in the Ahvaz area, and should be considered by pigeon and captive bird breeders, veterinarians, and public health organizations in Ahvaz. The cryptococcus species isolated from captive birds and pigeons could be potential pathogens in humans.