Animal Housing Research Articles

A Potential Anti-inflammatory Effect of Ertugliflozin in Animal Model

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) accounts for up to 60% of hospitalized patients in intensive care units and is a widespread diagnosis. Recent years have seen an increase in risk factors for it, including old age, chronic diabetes, and kidney disease (CKD). The definition of acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly known as acute renal failure, is a rapid decrease in the glomerular filtration rate. Nephrotoxicity is mainly caused by drugs and auto-immune-induced kidney injury, which is defined by immune cell infiltration in the tubulointerstitial. Interleukin-1B (IL-1B) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are signs of kidney inflammation. Objective: Evaluate the Anti-inflammatory effect of ertugliflozin. Materials & Methods: Thirty adult male albino rats were recruited. These rats were raised in an animal house with a special commercial diet and water. After ten days of acclimatization, the selected rats were separated at random into three groups. Each experimental group consisted of ten rats. This study ran from December 18, 2023, to January 1, 2024, and was carried out in the Animal House of the College of Medicine/University of Babylon. Serum samples were taken for measuring IL-1B and TNF-α. Result: The results demonstrated that ertugliflozin provides anti-inflammatory in the treated groups. The two parameters manifest it. Conclusion: The results emphasize that ertugliflozin has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Geospatial analysis of hydrogen production from biogas derived from residual biomass in the dairy cattle and porcine subsectors in Antioquia, Colombia

The specialized dairy cattle and porcine subsectors in the Region of Antioquia offer a sustainable and renewable energy source through anaerobic digestion of residual biomass. This process offers multiple advantages, including greenhouse gas emissions reduction, environmentally friendly fertilizer production, and the establishment of self-sustaining models for remote rural areas lacking access to traditional energy sources. Recent advancements in hydrogen production through methane conversion using biogas reforming technologies have garnered substantial attention as a viable fossil fuel alternative. The Colombian National Hydrogen Strategy, aimed at 2030, envisions an electrolysis capacity of 1–3 GW, requiring an estimated USD 5.5 billion investment in hydrogen production and demand projects, notably in mobility and refineries. This necessitates a specialized regulatory framework with incentives to drive lasting investments that align with decarbonization and reindustrialization objectives. This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of animal house boundary residual biomass sources to determine their biogas potential. Industrial livestock activities revealed substantial technical-energy potentials: 1,896 TJ/year for pig farming and 187 TJ/year for dairy cattle practices. The research’s primary objective was a geospatial analysis pinpointing hotspots for biogas production from residual biomass within the dairy cattle and porcine subsectors in the specific region of Antioquia, in Colombia. This research is of great interest as it contributes to the growing field of sustainable energy production. It highlights the potential of utilizing residual biomass to transform local energy landscapes in alignment with global sustainability imperatives.

‘The Sanctuary’ – developing a human-animal model to promote health in a supported residential aged care setting

Abstract Human-animal relationships are vital for many older persons. Finding ways to include animals in aged care settings can be part of reorienting aged care settings from a solely humancentric focus to a human-animal inclusive one for the 21st century. This case study project report describes the development of an animal inclusive model of care for a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) in a regional town in Australia. The model’s primary objective was to facilitate residents’ empowerment through safe engagements with animals as a source of health and wellbeing while incorporating best practise animal-care and husbandry. Exemplars used to inform the model included The Eden AlternativeTM and Care Farms. The Sanctuary model sought to cover several gaps identified in these approaches. These included clear policies and protocols regarding animal welfare, infrastructure needs (animal housing and designated human-animal interaction areas), staffing models, stakeholder engagement approaches (both within the RACF and the local community) and developing sustainable resourcing and financial frameworks. A vision to establish a refuge for both humans and animals was inherent in the design of the Sanctuary model, and to operationalize this vision, policies, resourcing plans and practical processes were formulated informed by multi-species ethical understandings. Regrettably, it was not possible to fully implement the model. However, this case study is presented with the aim of seeking to redress the noted 85% wastage of global health research; a wastage that includes human-animal research knowledge. Insights into opportunities and barriers and experiential knowledge are shared with the aim of facilitating future endeavours to implement parallel visions that embed human and animal inclusive models in residential aged care in the future.

Research Note: The structure and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes in animal house environment

In recent years, a series of public health issues caused by the spread of antibiotic resistance have been widely concerned. The indoor air of livestock and poultry houses is considered to be one of the main sources of environmental contamination of ARGs. This study characterized the micro-organisms and ARGs in the air particulate matter of chicken houses using metagenomics. The study successfully detected 761 different subtypes of resistance genes including aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, MLSB etc., 4 types of mobile genetic elements, and various pathogenic microorganisms from the aerosols in the chicken coop environment. The results showed that the abundance of ARGs in the air of the chicken coop was at a relatively high level, correlation network analysis showed that multiple types of ARGs could promote the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The use of targeted premixes in the feeding of replacement heifers

Making optimal conditions for feeding and housing of young animals ensures the correct and timely development of internal organs, including reproductive function, which has a positive impact on the realization of the high genetic potential of animals in adulthood. This can only be achieved by using balancing additives such as premixes developed on the basis of an actual analysis of feeding conditions. The purpose of this work was to study the feasibility of using premixes developed taking into account feeding characteristics (targeted) in the rations of replacement heifers up to 12 months of age. The experiment was carried out at the Staraya Chigla livestock complex of EkoNivaAgro-Severnoye LLC, geographically located in the Anninsky district of the Voronezh region from 2020 to 2023. The heifers were selected by using the analogue pair method and distributed into groups of 12 heads in each (control and experimental groups). It was established as a result of the studies that the use of a targeted premix contributed to the intensity of growth of young animals, which was confi rmed by an increase in the live weight of heifers by the end of the experiment by 5,04 %, an average daily gain by 5,74 %, and a relative gain by 1,91 %. Analysis of the reproductive function of heifers showed that the age of fi rst heat occurred 5,5 days earlier in animals of the experimental group, and the age of fi rst eff ective insemination was 18,09 days earlier. Fertility from the fi rst insemination was higher in heifers that were fed the targeted premix by 8,34 %. The insemination index was also better in the experimental group. Thus, the research has proven the feasibility of developing and using targeted premixes.

Effects of social housing on alcohol intake in mice depend on the non-social environment.

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to serious health problems. Mechanisms regulating the consumption of alcohol are insufficiently understood. Previous preclinical studies suggested that non-social environmental and social environmental complexities can regulate alcohol consumption in opposite directions. However, previous studies did not include all conditions and/or did not include female rodents. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effects of social versus single housing in standard versus non-standard housing conditions in male and female mice. Adult C57BL/6 J mice were housed in either standard shoebox cages or in automated Herdsman 2 (HM2) cages and exposed to a two-bottle choice procedure with 3% or 6% ethanol versus water for 5 days. The HM2 cages use radiotracking devices to measure the fluid consumption of individual mice in an undisturbed and automated manner. In both housing conditions, mice were housed either at one or at four per cage. In standard cages, group housing of animals decreased alcohol consumption and water consumption. In HM2 cages, group housing significantly increased ethanol preference and decreased water intake. There were no significant differences in these effects between male and female animals. These observations were similar for 3 and 6% ethanol solutions but were more pronounced for the latter. The effects of social environment on ethanol preference in HM2 cages were accompanied by an increase in the number of approaches to the ethanol solution and a decrease in the number of approaches to water. The differences in ethanol intake could not be explained by differences in locomotor or exploratory activity as socially housed mice showed fewer non-consummatory visits to the ethanol solutions than single-housed animals. In addition, we observed that significant changes in behaviors measuring the approach to the fluid were not always accompanied by significant changes in fluid consumption, and vice versa, suggesting that it is important to assess both measures of motivation to consume alcohol. Our results indicate that the direction of the effects of social environment on alcohol intake in mice depends on the non-social housing environment. Understanding mechanisms by which social and non-social housing conditions modulate alcohol intake could suggest approaches to counteract environmental factors enhancing hazardous alcohol consumption.

Anesthesia and Analgesia Recommended for Painful Procedures in Small Animals

The non-invasive but painful and invasive procedures are frequently performed in experimental animal studies, such as blood withdrawal, route of administration, and surgical procedures. Most of these procedures commonly conducted under anesthesia and/or analgesia and should be complied with the ethical requirements. However, pain is difficult to assess in animals, therefore, it is advisable to provide the analgesics pre-emptively or if painful condition is expected. Preanesthetic like tranquilizer is generally used to reduce the stress in animal and further it also aids in the smooth induction of anesthesia and recovery. In view of this, the objective is to demonstrate and discuss the guidelines of anesthesia and analgesia in small animals, especially mouse and rat with principal focus to ethical purview. These guidelines can be applicable to the animal house facility, pharmacology laboratory, and to a large extent for veterinary care.

Conventional or organic cattle farming? Trade-offs between crop yield, livestock capacity, organic premiums, and government payments

CONTEXTAn important question for farmers is whether to run their farm conventionally or organically. This choice can significantly affect the farm's financial performance and its impact on the environment. OBJECTIVEThe primary objective of this study is to compare the profitability of conventional and organic cattle systems and investigate how it is associated with individual farm characteristics, like forage production capacity, forage quality, milk quota, animal housing capacity, and their relative presences. METHODWe employ a whole farm optimization model, customized for Norwegian cattle farming. The primary goal of this model is to maximize the gross margin by optimizing decisions related to land usage and animal inventory while adhering to a set of constraints. We systematically solve more than 200,000 model instances, with varying farm characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results can be distilled to the following key points: If forage of good quality is readily available, but the livestock operation cannot be expanded due to animal housing and milk quota restrictions, organic may outcompete conventional farming. Otherwise, gross margin is maximized with conventional farming. These findings emphasize the crucial role of forage production capacity and quality in relation to available milk quota and infrastructure when considering the transition from conventional to organic farming. Extensive sensitivity analyses affirm the robustness of these conclusions. Regional regulatory factors, such as government farm payments, also play a significant role, and influence the optimal farming approach. Additionally, we show that increases in organic price premiums can markedly impact the competitiveness of organic farming, even in a system where government payments make out a significant part of the farm revenue. SIGNIFICANCEThe model can support farmers to make informed decisions about converting to organic or conventional farming. It can also be used by policymakers to determine the level of support required to make it worthwhile for different types of farms to convert. We also show that existing government payment schemes give rise to regional differences in the incentives for organic farming in Norway. To ensure equal incentives for organic farming across the country, the organic payments would have to be regionally adjusted, in line with the other already regionally dependent government payments. This insight may be of significant interest to policymakers and other stakeholders.

Assessing the Impact of Onion Juice on the Levels of Leutinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone in Female Mice Exposed to Transfluthrin Smoke

Assessing the Impact of Onion Juice on the Levels of Leutinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone in Female Mice Exposed to Transfluthrin Smoke

Novel Role of Irbesartan in Elevating Serum High Density Lipoprotein in Hypercholesterolemic Animal Model

Objective: To explore the HDL cholesterol-raising capacity of Irbesartan (an antihypertensive drug) in rabbit'sserum.Study Design: Laboratory-based experimental study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Animal House of the National Institute of Health(NIH) Islamabad, Pakistan from January 2023 to November 2023.Methods: This study was conducted on 18 rabbits divided into three groups with six rabbits in each. Leaving one group as a normal control, two out of three groups were made hypercholesterolemic by a high-cholesterol diet. Irbesartan was given to one of the hypercholesteremic groups for 30 days. Blood samples were taken for serum analysis of HDL cholesterol.Results: Results of blood serum levels of all three groups were compared and analyzed on three differentoccasions i.e., on day zero, day 120, and day 150 for HDL cholesterol. Their means were calculated using SPSSVersion 20. The irbesartan-treated group showed obvious elevation in serum HDL cholesterol in comparisonwith the hypercholesteremic control group.Conclusion: It is concluded that Irbesartan, an antihypertensive drug has an additional role of elevating serumhigh-density lipoproteins and can provide the supplementary benefit of improving the lipid profile inhypertension and Hypercholesterolemia. How to cite this: Shakir S, Chaudhry ZR, Atif M, Sadaf R, Chaudhry ER, Chaudhry SR. Novel Role of Irbesartan in Elevating Serum High Density Lipoprotein in Hypercholesterolemic Animal Model. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 199-203. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.536

Hepatoprotective Effect of Aqueous Neem Leaves Extract on Hepatocytes and Nuclear Diameter of Albino Wistar Rats Induced with Erythromycin Toxicity

Objective: To evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of Neem leaves extract on hepatocyte and nucleardiameters of Albino Wistar rats induced by erythromycin hepatotoxicity.Study Design: Laboratory-based Experimental study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Anatomy and Animal House ofBaqai Medical University (BMU) in Karachi, Pakistan from January 2019 to March 2019.Methods: A total of 80 Albino Wistar rats were divided equally into 4 groups. The control group was markedas Group A with no interventions. In Group B only erythromycin was administered. For Group C botherythromycin and aqueous Neem leave Extract were given and for Group D only aqueous neem leave wasgiven. Animals were sacrificed and the liver weight of Albino Wistar rats was measured.Results: It was observed that rats of experimental control group A noticed no significant change inhepatocytes13.19± 0.44μm and nuclear diameters 7.18±0. 28μm (Figure.1) as this group had no interventionreceived. In group B hepatocyte diameter markedly increased by 16.54±0.6μm and a decrease in nucleardiameter of 5.20±0.30μm (p<0.01) with loss of architecture, ballooning, and edematous changes (Figure.2, 3and 4) was observed as this group received only erythromycin while group C received both erythromycin andaqueous Neem leaf extract showed histological architecture disrupted to some extent and hepatocytes14.49±80μm and nuclear diameter 6.13±0.17μm were started to improve its normal sizes (Figure.5). Group Dobserved no significant changes in hepatocytes 13.0±0.52μm and nuclear diameters 7.14±0.30μm as thisgroup only received aqueous neem leave extract (Figure.6).Conclusion: According to the current study, Erythromycin exerts oxidative stress and Changes in hepatocytesand nuclear diameters were noticeably improved by aqueous neem leaf extract, which is a powerfulantioxidant. How to cite this: Jamshed N, Raza I, Razzaq M, Jamshed N, Rasheed A, Faisal L. Hepatoprotective Effect of Aqueous Neem Leaves Extract on Hepatocytes and Nuclear Diameter of Albino Wistar Rats Induced with Erythromycin Toxicity. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 228-236. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.572

Influence of Dietary Zinc Supplementation on Serum Minerals (Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus) and Liver Enzyme Level (ALP, ALT, GGT) in Layer Chicken

The Indian industry is presently focussed in production of eggs that have higher or enriched levels of certain nutrients. These eggs are capable of safeguarding the health of consumers. Designer eggs have high market demand because of the consumers’ willingness to purchase designer eggs due to its’ nutritional qualities additional to regular eggs. Considering these facts the current study was planned to produce zinc enriched eggs by supplementing laying hens’ diet with required levels of zinc. The present study was conducted at the Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, for 12 weeks. A total of 28 week old thirty two laying hens, belonging to crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) housed in the animal house attached to the department were used in the experiment. The treatments of this study included a control diet (according to BIS, 2007) fed group and zinc-supplemented group. Each of the experimental treatments had four replicates with four birds with all standard managemental conditions. The functional liver status of birds was not altered due to zinc supplementation, since the present study neither caused any toxicity nor imparted any negative effect on the production performance. Highly significant effect was observed on serum concentration of zinc and calcium. However, the phosphorus levels of treated birds were not significantly different from the control group.

Animal Scientism: Making Biology Experimental in Republican China

This essay follows animals from the animal house through the laboratory to their representation as abstracted knowledge circulating the world to trace the emergence of experimental biology in Republican China. Experimental biology was promoted and institutionalized by the Chinese Physiological Society, which British-Chinese experimental physiologist Robert Lim established in 1926, at a time when descriptive taxonomy and morphology were dominant. Proponents argued that experimental research on live animals was more advanced than the collection and observation of specimens, and that experimentation, rather than description, now undergirded international science. In championing experimentalism, they were not only trying to shift the focus of Chinese biology from description to experiment, but also revising the scientism by then entrenched in Republican China. They put forth a scientism of experiment: cultivating experimental biology would help China catch up more quickly to imperial powers. Animals, as the material basis for experimental biology, came to signify the science that they produced; the Buddhist-aligned Chinese Animal Protection Society, established in 1932, chose not to protest animal experimentation in part due to the association between animals and modern experimentalism. In Republican China, animals were thus material and cultural objects that made and embodied a new scientism of experiment.

Noise as an Extrinsic Variable in the Animal Research Facility.

Animal research facilities are noisy environments. The high air change rates required in animal housing spaces tend to create higher noise levels from the heating and cooling systems. Housing rooms are typically constructed of hard wall material that is easily cleaned but simultaneously highly reverberant, meaning that the sound cannot be controlled/attenuated so the sounds that are generated bounce around the room uncontrolled. (Soft, sound-absorbing surfaces generally cannot be used in animal facilities because they collect microbes; various wall surface features and sound control panel options are available, although rarely used.) In addition, many of our husbandry tasks such as cage changing, animal health checks, cleaning, and transporting animals produce high levels of noise. Finally, much of the equipment we have increasingly employed in animal housing spaces, such as ventilated caging motors, biosafety, or procedure cabinets, can generate high levels of background noise, including ultrasound. These and many additional factors conspire to create an acoustic environment that is neither naturalistic nor conducive to a stress-free environment. The acoustic variability both within and between institutions can serve as an enormous confounder for research studies and a threat to our ability to reproduce studies over time and between research laboratories. By gaining a better appreciation for the acoustic variables, paired with transparency in reporting the levels, we might be able to gain a better understanding of their impacts and thereby gain some level of control over such acoustic variables in the animal housing space. The result of this could improve both animal welfare and study reproducibility, helping to address our 3Rs goals of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement in the animal biomedical research enterprise.

The Economic Impacts of Farm Animal Housing Restrictions: The Mandatory Group Housing for Sows in South Korea

Beginning January 1, 2030, South Korea will mandate group housing for sows in the domestic hog production. The purpose of this article is to examine the economic implications of the new sow housing regulations on the hog and pork industry in South Korea. This article developes an economic simulation model to quantify the regulation impacts within a calibrated equilibrium framework. With three scenarios differentiated by the regulation costs in production, the simulated outcomes indicate that the regulations will result in a 2% to 11% increase in hog prices, a 1% to 5% decrease in domestic hog quantities, and a 0.5% to 3% decrease in hog producer surplus in South Korea. An increase of 10% in the willingness to pay for domestic pork would be sufficient to offset the loss in producer surplus caused by the regulations, in the scenario with relatively high incremental regulation costs of production.

Application of the ClassyFarm checklist as measurement tool to evaluate the welfare of cattle kept in tie-stalls in Aosta valley

The growing sensitivity of consumers about animal welfare and the awareness of its impact on food security and safety recently influenced international policies and law scenario. To response to these needs, in 2018, the Italian Ministry of Health commissioned the development of a system named ClassyFarm able to categorizes the level of risk arising from farm animal welfare. The experts involved in the project provided specific checklists to analyze different animal species and housing system. The developed welfare measurement protocols consist of both resource-based and animal-based measures and are divided into three areas: (Area A) “Farm management and staff training”, Area B) “Housing and equipment”, (Area C) “Animal-based measures”. The aim of this study was to measure welfare conditions in cattle herds reared in the Aosta Valley through the ClassyFarm checklist for tie-stall dairy cattle. The scores (%) for each area of assessment were divided into three classes (insufficient, acceptable, and optimal) while the total Animal Welfare Score (AWS), obtained by summing the scores of the 3 areas, was divided into five classes. The total AWS showed the majority of the farm included in good to optimal result.

Effect of Vitamin D3 Enrichment by Ultra Violet Blue (UVB) Radiation and Dietary Zinc Supplementation on Egg Production and Feed Consumption in Layer Birds

Nutritionists have recently been involved in enriching or altering the nutritional profile of poultry products, such as meat and eggs, in relation to increased consumer interest in the nutritional value of foods. Newer technologies like development of designer eggs were exploited beyond their traditional food value. Designer eggs are those that have modified contents from standard egg according to the consumers’ preference or according to current market demand. The present study to evaluate the influence of vitamin D3 enrichment by UVB radiation and dietary zinc supplementation on egg production and feed consumption in layer birds was conducted at Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, for a period of 12 weeks from 01 February 2020 to 01 May 2020. A total of sixty-four laying hens, belonging to crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) housed in animal house attached to the department were used in the experiment. The treatments of this study included a control diet (according to BIS 2007) fed group (group I), a group with zinc supplementation alone (group II), a group with UVB exposure without zinc supplementation (group III) and a group with both UVB exposure and zinc supplementation (group IV). The four treatments were tested in 28-week-old crossbred hens in a completely randomised experimental design. Each of the experimental treatments had four replicates with four birds with all standard managemental conditions. The statistical analysis showed that egg production was not significantly affected by UVB light exposure and dietary zinc supplementation. However, the effect of UVB exposure and zinc supplementation via feed was highly significant (p≤0.01) for feed consumption. The highest overall mean feed intake (113.18±0.14 g/day) was recorded with those birds exposed to UVB and fed with inorganic zinc. While the lowest value (107.17±0.24 g/day) was recorded in group of birds fed with zinc supplementation in diet without UVB exposure. As a future prospective we can study the egg production rate and feed consumption rate in layer chicken that are intended for different types of designer egg production.

Abstract 85: Immunomics of immune-deficient mouse models before and after CD34 humanization

Abstract Preclinical tumor oncology research relies historically on the analysis of mouse or human tumor cell lines implanted onto severely immune-deficient mouse models carrying nude, SCID or Rag mutations on different genetical background (C57Bl/6N, BalbC, NMRI, CB17 or NOD). These lines harbor defects in several leukocyte lineages among which Tc, Bc and NKc might be affected. Humanized mice are emerging models that have been transplanted with human cells or tissues (and/or equipped with human transgenes). Currently, the most advanced strains are the nonobese diabetic, severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD-SCID) mouse with complete disruptions in the interleukin-2 (IL-2) common γ-chain (IL2R γ null) receptor (NSG) and BALB/c Rag2−/− IL2R γ null SirpaNOD mice (BRGS).1 Neonate or juvenile chimera are reconstituted in NSG, BRGS or B6 RGS with CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPCs) from human cord blood yielding robust engraftment of a human immune system (HIS).. We genetically modified the mouse genome introducing mutations involved in Tc, Bc and NKc development. We then immuno-phenotyped over 23 lines of mouse mutants produced from the same animal house to minimize the impact of microbiota on innate immune cell populations. High content cytometry analysis of several organs was performed in a standardized manner before and after humanization. The resource obtained of these immunotypes was used to highlight similarities and differences among these lines across several genetical background and will help in selecting the most appropriate model to use for tumor implantation and CD34 or PBMC humanization. Citation Format: Hervé Luche, Lilia Hadjem, Marielle Mello, Priscilla Canavese, Fabien Angelis, Anais Joachim, Sylvie Bouilly, Frédéric Guinut, Frederic Fiore, Bernard Malissen, Ana Zarubica, Erwan Corcuff. Immunomics of immune-deficient mouse models before and after CD34 humanization [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 85.

Assessment of House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) Meal for Nigerian Households

Over 100 million people in Africa are affected by protein malnutrition because they cannot afford conventional animal protein. The light yellowish-brown cricket (Acheta domesticus) is one of the cricket species preferred for mass rearing. The study was aimed at assessing the safety of the house cricket meal for human and animals’ consumption in Nigeria. Four house crickets were collected from the wild and reared in the animal house of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria to produce several generations. Samples of adult and nymph house crickets were obtained from the stock and processed by sun-drying for three days and then analysed for microbial count. Samples of 10 g each were weighed and put in 90 ml of 4% tween 20 in 1 in 10 dilutions. Also, 10 ml was also measured aseptically and transferred to 90 ml of diluent in 1 in 100 bottle. The total aerobic microbial count for adult and nymph house cricket yielded growth with flat opaque colonies of Bacillus sp of 2430 cfu/g and 590cfu/g respectively. The mold count for the adult was 2470 cfu/g and 425 cfu/g for nymph respectively. House crickets sampled were free of diseasecausing microbes such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringes and yeast.

Antibacterial Potential of Bio-Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles Against MDR Bacteria

The treatment of bacterial and viral infections with antibiotics is a route which is rapidly becoming more and more difficult to achieve. The start of the twentieth century was infectious disease as the leading cause for mortality worldwide. These diseases were treatable, for a time, with antibiotic development and the research coming to the fore in medical focus at this time. However, As the usage of antibiotics expanded and they were incorporated into other areas of human work, bacterium strains resistant to antibiotics started to appear. The genes that code for antibiotic resistance are not readily lost once they have developed in a bacterial population, in addition to the ongoing growth of resistance. These genes join the bacterial genome and become a stable part of it after integration. Treatment that can successfully address this multi-drug resistant condition gets more difficult to provide as new resistance mechanisms emerge. Antibiotic resistance can occur through a many of ways, such as the release of large amounts of antibiotics into the environment during waste water treatment, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the presence of antibacterial agents in soaps and other products. Exposure to air exhaled from animal housing or discharged during animal transportation; ingesting contaminated water; and coming into contact with diseased farm workers or meat processors. These scenarios raise an important issue; that there is a great need for an enhancement of existing technology and techniques in the field of drug development, as well as the pressing requirement for development of new and innovative treatment methods for infectious diseases. A long-term material to these resistance problems that can and will be used as a foundation for further medical research in these fields has to be the goal of the research priorities. The answer to this problem may lie in the relatively discovery of antimicrobial nanomaterials, technology against which the pathogens cannot able to develop a resistance mechanism. The nanomaterials themselves would act as precisely engineered plat forms from which drugs may be delivered to target physiological sites.