Infected Sheep Research Articles

Experimental infection of cattle, sheep, and goats with the newly emerged epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 8.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 8 (EHDV-8) emerged in Europe for the first time in late 2022. In this study, we investigated the kinetics of EHDV-8 infection in cattle, sheep, and goats. Following experimental infection with EHDV-8, four out of five calves displayed fever, while another calf exhibited ulcerative and crusty lesions of the muzzle. RNAemia peaked at day 7 post infection in all calves and remained relatively stable till the end of the study, at 78 days post infection. Infectious virus was isolated up to 21 days post infection in one calf. As far as small ruminants are concerned, one sheep experienced fever and two out of five had consistent RNAemia that lasted until the end of the study. Remarkably, infectious virus was evidenced at day 7 post infection in one sheep. In goats, no RNA was observed. All infected animals seroconverted, and a neutralizing immune response was observed in all species, with calves exhibiting a more robust response than sheep and goats. Our study provides insights into the kinetics of EHDV-8 infection and the host immune responses. We also highlight that sheep may also play a role in EHDV-8 epidemiology. Altogether, the data gathered in this study could have important implications for disease control and prevention strategies, providing crucial information to policy makers to mitigate the impact of this viral disease on livestock.

Self-cure of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection in West African Dwarf sheep

This study investigated the natural course of parasitaemia in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei parasites and the potential for spontaneous regression without any therapeutic intervention. Ten (10) adult West African Dwarf sheep of both sexes were assigned to two groups of five sheep each. One of the groups was inoculated with approximately 1× 106 trypanosome parasites per animal, intravenously, while the second group served as uninfected control. Blood samples were collected daily until parasitaemia was established and for 7 days post establishment of parasitaemia and thereafter weekly till the end of the experiment in order to monitor the course of parasitaemia. The clinical signs, packed cell volume (PCV) and rectal body temperature were monitored. A pre-patent period of 28 days was observed with peak mean parasitaemia of 81.60 ± 27.71 million trypanosome parasites, on day 43 post inoculation. The parasitaemia declined in 60 % of the sheep from day 141 post-infection (PI) and reduced to 0.34±0.02. Clinical signs observed include weakness, mild anorexia and pale mucous membranes. The 40 % of animals that manifested clinical signs eventually died and their postmortem findings were indicative of severe anaemia and dehydration. Monitoring the sheep which recovered (for parasitaemia and clinical signs) up to 141 days PI showed there was no relapse. The Trypanosoma b. brucei infected WAD sheep used in the study were able to contain both parasitaemia and fever and recovered from the infection.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Akabane Virus Infection in Sheep and Goats in Fars Province, Iran.

Akabane disease is an arthropod-borne viral disease that affects ruminants. This teratogenic pathogen causes severe economic losses in ruminants worldwide and in Iran; however, it has not received enough attention in Fars province, Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the influence of age, gender, climate, farming system, and history of abortions on the seroprevalence of the Akabane disease in sheep and goats in Fars province. In the present study, Fars province was divided into three climates, and three cities were randomly selected from each climatic region. In each city, two epidemiologic units were selected, and all sheep and goats in each unit were sampled. Overall, 540 serum samples (391 sheep and 149 goats) were collected and examined with the commercial ELISA kit. The results showed that 83 out of 540 (15.4%) samples were seropositive and had antibodies against the Akabane virus (AKAV). The effect of gender and age on the rate of the AKAV was not significant. Animals in warm climates were 4.218 times more likely to have antibodies against the AKAV than animals in cold climates. Females were 1.32 times more likely to exhibit seropositivity. The odds of AKAV infection were higher in animals with an abortion history than in healthy animals. The findings of the present study indicated that the prevalence of the AKAV was high in small ruminants in Fars province. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct more studies to control the risk factors involved in the spread of this virus.

Cross infection of Haemonchus contortus between calves and lambs

Haemonchus contortus can frequently be found infecting pre-weaned beef calves on sheep and beef farms around the North Island of New Zealand. The purpose of this study was to determine whether parasites cycling in young cattle constitute a potentially important source of infection for sheep.A field isolate of H. contortus was cycled through either calves or lambs for 3 generations. The larvae resulting from the third cycle of infection were then used to infect both lambs and calves and the resulting faecal nematode egg count (FEC), worm burden, adult worm length and in utero egg count were measured.Larvae derived from lambs inoculated into calves exhibited lower establishment rates, the adult worms were shorter, had lower in utero egg counts, and the resulting faecal egg counts were also lower than when inoculated into lambs (p < 0.01).H. contortus' lack of ability to passage freely between lambs and calves indicates that large populations are unlikely to occur under mixed grazing, resulting in limited potential as a source of infection in sheep. However, indications of an ability to adapt to the alternative host suggest that some investigation of infection in cattle dominant farming operations in the north of the country might be warranted.

Surgical removal of Coenurus cerebralis cysts located in the brain of sheep

ABSTRACT Coenurosis caused by Coenurus cerebralis poses a significant economic threat to sheep. To date, no effective treatment has been identified for this parasitic infection once it has settled in the brain. This study aimed to investigate the surgical removal of C. cerebralis cysts from the brains of infected sheep. Twenty sheep were utilized in the experiment, and the animals underwent a 24-hour fasting period before the surgical procedure. Various biochemical parameters, including TP, ALP, BUN, AST, CK, LDH, RBC, WBC, Hb, and Hct, were measured in the animals both before and one month after the operation. Anesthesia was induced by administering 2.2 mg/kg IV ketamine hydrochloride, five minutes after the administration of 0.1 mg/kg IV xylazine hydrochloride. Following anesthesia, the trepanation site was determined through percussion. Subsequently, an incision was made in the skin, exposing the skull bone. The skull was opened using a scalpel through trepanation, and the cysts were carefully removed. The results demonstrated that the presented surgical technique effectively treated C. cerebralis cysts in the sheep's brains, restoring normal motor and metabolic functions. Given these outcomes, it is concluded that the proposed surgical technique holds promise for practical application in the field.

Efficacy of a single-dose albendazole against lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum and liver enzymes activity in naturally infected sheep

Infections with D. dendriticum are distributed worldwide and mostly associated with ruminant livestock. Depending on the length and strength of the infection it can be manifested with losses in milk production, reductions in milk and wool quality, decreased weight gains, reproductive performance and poor carcass quality. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of albendazole (ABZ) against the lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum in naturally infected sheep using parasitological methods. Twenty-four sheep were divided into four groups: two untreated control groups (C1, C2) and two treated groups (T1, T2), with six animals in each group. The sheep in the treated groups were administered a single oral dose (15 mg/kg bwt) of ABZ suspension. After ABZ treatment the animals were slaughtered on Day 14 (groups C1, T1) and Day 30 (groups C2, T2) and were necropsied. Coprological therapeutic ABZ efficacy reached 92.4% on Day 14 (P < 0.001) and 88.5% on Day 30 (P < 0.001). On Day 30, the serum activities of hepatic and cholestatic enzymes including serological analysis of total protein concentration (TP) and protein fractions were evaluated. Significant decrease of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P < 0.01) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) (P < 0.05) activity by 36.9% and 34.6%, respectively, were detected for sheep in T2 group. These enzymes showed a strong positive correlation to fluke burden: AST (r = 0.654) and GGT (r = 0.768), respectively (P < 0.05). Additionally, the electrophoretic analysis of serum total protein and protein fraction concentrations revealed minimal hypoproteinemia and hyperalbuminemia after ABZ treatment. The decrease of liver enzyme activities and their correlation with fluke burden may indicate recovery of hepatocellular and biliary damage following the reduction of fluke burdens after ABZ therapy. A decline in AST and GGT activity could serve as a valuable adjunct bioindicator of liver damage and fluke reduction after treatment of dicrocoeliosis in naturally infected sheep.

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematode of Sheep in Mosul and Erbil City

This study was designed to explore and assess the status of nematode infection of sheep based on the prevalence, identification genera and species of detected eggs, age and sex of infected sheep, type of infection (single, double, mixed), type of sheep breeding (outdoor/indoor husbandry) and intensity of infection (light, moderate, heavy). One hundred and eighty-five fecal samples were microscopically examined which were randomly collected from different locations of Mosul and Erbil cities. The sheep of the study were of different ages and both sexes and were carried out during the period from January until the December 2020. Conventional helminthic examination methods were applied including the examination and description of genera and species of the egg worms. The findings indicated that the total infection rate was 46.49%. In all sheep of both areas, the highest infection rates were observed in adults and older sheep (2-3 years and &gt;3 years). There was no significant difference between infection rates of males and females. It was found that "light" type of intensity of infection (50-800) egg/g was the most predominant in both sheep representing 63.6% and 59.5% of Mosul and Erbil cities, respectively. It can be conducted that the infection with a single type of nematodes was generally prevalent in the examined sheep of the two cities .According to the degree of infection concomitant to the management of housing, indoor type of breeding is better that outdoor type of Mosul sheep, while the outdoor type of had the worse influence in Erbil sheep city. Although, the predominant type of intensity of infection was light (50-800 egg/g ) among all sheep investigated, those sheep need to be regularly and continuously administered with effective and suitable anthelmintics.

Pivotal role of permeability-glycoprotein in absorption of praziquantel into Dicrocoelium dendriticum parasite.

Dicrocoelium dendriticum affects the livers of ruminants and causes several deleterious effects on animal health status. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp) in absorption of praziquantel (PZQ) into D. dendriticum flukes by co-incubation with verapamil (VPL), an inhibitor of P-gp, under in vitro conditions. Mature flukes of D. dendriticum were collected from naturally infected sheep livers. The flukes were incubated with different concentrations of PZQ and VPL (50 and 100μg/ml) in culture media and after several times of exposure (2, 6, 12, and 24h), the concentration of PZQ absorbed in the parasites was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. At 2-h post-incubation, the highest concentration of PZQ was noted as 0.92µg/ml in the flukes treated with 100μg/ml of each PZQ and VPL. After 24-h of exposure, VPL at all tested concentrations resulted in significant increase in absorption of PZQ into the parasite. Co-incubation of lancet flukes with VPL and PZQ roughly doubled the absorption of PZQ into them. Results of tegumental structures analysis by light microscopy confirmed higher efficacy of combination of VPL and PZQ. In conclusion, co-administration of VPL, especially at the concentration of 100μg/ml, was able to increase PZQ uptake in Dicrocoelium flukes at all time points of the study.

Newly optimized ELISA kit and LAT reveal significantly higher seroprevalence in sheep raised in agro-ecological zone as against range-ecological zone, with a significant association of meteorological parameters.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic and foodborne intracellular parasite capable of inducing congenital infections, stillbirths and abortions in humans and animals, globally. The consumption of undercooked or raw mutton is "one of the vital risks" for acquiring toxoplasmosis: an asymptomatic condition in healthy persons, while life-threatening in immunodeficient individuals like "HIV/AIDS" patients. The current study has multiple objectives: to optimize a newly ELISA kit for Sheep, to find out the seroprevalence of ovine toxoplasmosis of two ecological zones of the Punjab, Pakistan through LAT and newly Optimized Sheep ELISA kit, to do the comparison of efficacies of various tests (LAT with newly Optimized ELISA kit and newly Optimized ELISA kit with commercial ELISA kit) and to determine the different meteorological parameters as the risk factors for T. gondii infection in sheep. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 sheep sera, 200 were collected from sheep raised on open grazing system by local farmers in the adjoining areas of Civil Veterinary Dispensaries (CVDs) of range-ecological zone i.e. tehsil Kot Chutta (Dera Ghazi khan). Similarly, the remaining 200 were collected from agro-ecological zone i.e. tehsil Sharaqpur (Sheikhupura), to evaluate the comparative efficacy of LAT with optimized ELISA kit and newly optimized ELISA kit with commercial ELISA kit. The newly ELISA kit optimized against a commercial ELISA kit was found to have 100% sensitivity, 97.6% specificity with 98% Positive Predictive Value, 100% Negative Predictive Value, Cut off value = 0.505, 28.28 LR+, 0.0104 LR-, and 2719.23 DOR. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis was detected significantly (P < 0.01; χ2) higher in Sharaqpur (44.5% by LAT; 35.5% by ELISA) as compared to that in Kot Chutta (39.5% by LAT; 31% by ELISA). The highest seroprevalence was seen in the sheep of the 1-2 years age group (P < 0.01; χ2), whereas the lowest in the oldest animals (≥ 4 years). Investigation of meteorological data of both the regions reveals that the zone with higher seroprevalence has relatively higher rainfall, higher humidity, lower environmental temperatures, and higher altitude as the critical factors, potentially behind the significant difference seen in seroprevalence level. The partial correlation of both tests (newly optimized ELISA kit and LAT) was 0.991 at maximum temperature in Sharaqpur while it was 0.981 in Kot Chutta. A novel significant correlation was found between the meteorological parameters (relative humidity, minimum, maximum, and average temperatures) divided into yearly units of both the ecological zones, and year-wise seroprevalence (birth years of age-wise groups) of the corresponding regions. We hypothesize that such environmental conditions increase the risk of toxoplasmosis in grazing sheep, owing to a more favorable environment for coccidian oocyst survival. The ELISA kit optimized in this study will be helpful for the detection of seroprevalence of ovine toxoplasmosis in other ecological zones of Pakistan as well as of any other country in the world. More studies are recommended involving regions from other ecological zones of Pakistan to further explore the seroprevalence of ovine toxoplasmosis and to ratify the novel correlation of meteorological parameters with seroprevalence.

Serological evidence of Maedi-Visna and Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis in sheep and goats in the Korça region in Albania

Lentiviruses infect small ruminants and cause similar but different two significant diseases: Maedi-Visna in sheep and Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis in goats. In the current study, 91 of 413 adult sheep and goats from the Korça region tested positive for small ruminant lentiviruses. Furthermore, 11 of the 25 small ruminant herds have at least one positive animal for small ruminant lentiviruses. The overall observed herd prevalence was 44.0% (95% CI: 29–59) for both diseases, 38.6% (95% CI: 18.6-55.1) for Maedi-Visna in sheep, and 66.7% (95% CI: 43.1-90.2) for Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis in goats. The average observed prevalence rate ranges from 20% to 82.9% (95% CI: 12–89.2) within positive goat’s herds, while within sheep-positive herds, it varies from 23.1% to 57.1% (95% CI: 11.7–70.4). There was a positive correlation between seroprevalence rate and animal species; goats seem to have an odd 2.36 (OR 95% CI: 1.48-3.76) higher than sheep to test positive in ELISA. Other risk factors, such as farm size, indoor versus outdoor rearing, and close farm biosecurity, may play a role in disease transmission between and within small ruminant animals’ herds. This is the first study on the prevalence of Maedi-Visna infection in sheep and one of the few published Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis studies in Albania. These findings support the presence of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) in the Korça district emphasize the need for monitoring and controlling SRLV infection in sheep and goats. According to the study’s conclusions, a yearly monitoring program is essential and must be developed in the future to keep the disease under control. This initiative aims to help owners understand SRLV and the need to raise seronegative animals

Preparation and evaluation of a novel combined inactivated vaccine against Pasteurellosis and E. coli infection in Sheep

Preparation and evaluation of a novel combined inactivated vaccine against Pasteurellosis and E. coli infection in Sheep

The genetic variability of small-ruminant lentiviruses and its impact on tropism, the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines and the effectiveness of control programmes.

Maedi-visna virus and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus are two closely related lentiviruses which cause multisystemic, progressive and persistent infection in goats and sheep. Because these viruses frequently cross the species barrier, they are considered to be one genetic group called small-ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV). They have in vivo tropism mainly for monocytes and macrophages and organ tropism with unknown mechanisms. Typical clinical signs are pneumonia in sheep, arthritis in goats, and mastitis in both species. Infection with SRLV cannot currently be treated or prevented, and control programmes are the only approaches to avoiding its spread. These programmes rely mainly on annual serological testing and elimination of positive animals. However, the high genetic and antigenic variability of SRLV complicate their early and definitive diagnosis. The objective of this review is to summarise the current knowledge of SRLV genetic variation and its implications for tropism, the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines and the effectiveness of control and eradication programmes. Subject literature was selected from the PubMed and the Google Scholar databases. The high genetic diversity of SRLV affects the performance of diagnostic tools and therefore control programmes. For the early and definitive diagnosis of SRLV infection, a combination of serological and molecular tests is suggested. Testing by PCR can also be considered for sub-yearling animals. There are still significant gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, immunology and biology of SRLV and their impact on animal production and welfare. This information may aid selection of the most effective SRLV spread reduction measures.

Molecular Detection of Hemoplasma in animals in Tamil Nadu, India and Hemoplasma genome analysis.

Hemoplasma are small pleomorphic wall-less Gram-positive bacteria that infect erythrocytes of various mammalian hosts. They generally cause asymptomatic or chronic anaemia but occasionally causes overt life-threatening hemolytic anaemia. In the present study, 316 cattle, 115 sheep, 61 goats and 6 buffalo blood samples were collected from various villages or organized farms located in nine districts of Tamil Nadu to detect the hemoplasma by PCR. Overall prevalence of 43.04%, 65.22%, and 44.26% hemoplasma DNA was observed in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. In total, 21 hemoplasma positive samples were sequenced for 16S rRNA gene which revealed 8 Mycoplasma wenyonii, 11 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos' and one Mycoplasma ovis infection. Sheep blood samples from Chennai district were infected with 'Ca. M. haemobos' whereas sheep sample from Thiruvannamalai district was infected with M. wenyonii. At least 50% genes in the hemoplasma genomes were paralogous genes whose functions were not known. Only 'Ca. M. haemolamae' genome contained one primitive CRISPR system without any cas genes. Antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) could not be identified in any of the hemoplasma genomes but homologous ARG were identified in all the genomes. Adhesion related gene EF-Tu was detected in all 14 hemoplasma genomes but enolase gene was detected only in 'Ca. M. haemohominis' SWG34-3 genome. This is the first report on the prevalence of hemoplasma infection in cattle, sheep and goat in India.

Challenges using serological diagnostics in elimination of visna/maedi: Serological results from two outbreaks in Norwegian sheep

Detection of visna/maedi virus (VMV) infection is challenging, as no perfect reference test exists. Several factors can lead to false positive or negative results, including slow seroconversion, fluctuating antibody levels, virus heterogeneity and cross-reactive substances in serum. Norway aims to eliminate VMV, therefore a VMV flock diagnosis will have severe consequences for the farmer. The last two outbreaks occurred in the same geographical area in 2002–2005 and 2019–2020, including 61 and 9 flocks, respectively. The viral strains detected were genetically similar, indicating continuous, undetected VMV circulation in the sheep population. In this descriptive study, we investigate the challenges of correctly diagnosing VMV infection in sheep when the goal is elimination, and describe the distribution of infection within flocks. The choice of test influenced the number of false reactions, as only 40.6 % of the samples that tested positive by the screening ELISA used in 2019–2020 tested positive by two other commercial ELISA tests. In order to minimize the number of false positive VMV flock diagnoses, we investigated if the interpretation could be improved by resampling animals with ambiguous results. Only 26 % of the animals in negative flocks retrieved agreement between the two ELISAs at resampling. It is therefore debatable whether resampling is recommended. Further, we found a higher seroprevalence in older animals, and 36 of 95 offspring obtained different test results than their mother, supporting previous knowledge on slow seroconversion. Different ELISA tests were used in the two outbreaks. Some of the negative samples from 2002 to 2005 were positive when retested with the screening test used in 2019–2020. Hence, animals with false negative results in the 2002–2005 outbreak might be a reason for the continuous circulation of the virus.

Factors associated with strongylida infections in sheep on farms in peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya

Gastrointestinal parasite infections are among the major limitations to production in sheep in many parts of the world. It is important to continually assess their levels of infection in order to institute control measures and reduce the impact. This study determined the factors associated with the strongylida egg counts in sheep on selected farms in peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study in which farm and animal-level data, including faecal samples, were collected from 1640 sheep from 30 purposively selected farms in Ruai, and Kamulu wards in Kasarani sub-county and Utawala and Mihango wards in Embakasi East Sub-County, in Nairobi County Kenya. The faecal samples were subjected to coprological examination using a modified McMaster technique to determine counts of strongylida eggs and coccidia oocysts with a detection level of 100 egg or oocyst per gram (EPG or OPG) of faeces. The positive faecal samples for strongylida eggs were pooled per farm and cultured for morphological identification of larval stage three. Descriptive statistics and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with strongylida egg count ≥600 EPG (p < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristics curve was used to assess the overall diagnostic performance in the final model. Strongylida eggs were detected in 45.5% (746/1640) of the sheep, and the mean EPG was 486.0± 858.9 with a median of 200 and a range of 0–16,700. The coccidia oocysts were detected in 49.4% (810/1640) of the sheep with a mean OPG was 341.7± 1782.4, a median of 0 and a range of 0–60,000. In the coprocultures, the nematode genera identified (% differential count of L3) were Haemonchus (90%), Trichostrongylus (5%) and Oesophagostomum (5%). In the final multivariable regression model, the odds of detecting EPG ≥ 600 was 1.44 times higher for sheep shedding coccidia oocysts than those that did not. The odds for detecting EPG ≥ 600 was 4.01 times for sheep in Ruai ward compared with those in the combined Kamulu, Utawala and Mihango wards. The receiver operating characteristic curve area was 73.1%, suggestive of good model performance. The results suggest that gastrointestinal strongylida and coccidia infections are common in sheep and farmers should be educated on the importance of appropriate control measures.

Management of diseases in a ruminant livestock production system: a participatory appraisal of the performance of veterinary services delivery, and utilization in Ghana

IntroductionSustainable livestock production remains crucial for attainment of food security globally and for safeguarding the livelihoods of many households in low- and –middle income countries. However, the high prevalence of infectious livestock diseases, coupled with inadequate provision and adoption of effective control measures, leads to reduced livestock productivity, increased animal mortalities, and emergence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens. This study sought to assess the management strategies employed by farmers for priority diseases affecting their animals and the utilization and performance of veterinary services.MethodsWe conducted the study in three districts, namely, Mion, Pru East, and Kwahu Afram Plains South Districts, which represent the main livestock production belts in Ghana. We used questionnaires in surveys, to collect pertinent data from 350 ruminant livestock farmers and 13 professional veterinary officers (VOs) in the study districts. Additionally, we conducted seven focus group discussions (FGDs) with 65 livestock farmers in the study districts. The survey data was analyzed, and we describe the distribution of the priority livestock diseases, the disease management strategies employed, and the performance of veterinary services in Ghana. We also analyzed the raw FGD transcript texts deductively based on the study objectives. To validate findings across the different datasets, we used triangulation.ResultsAlmost all the farmers (98%) reared small ruminants, with about 25% also rearing cattle. The main priority livestock diseases identified includes pestes-des-petits-ruminants and mange infection in sheep and goats, as well as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and foot-and-mouth-disease in cattle. We found that majority (82%) of the farmers relied on treatment, while only 20% opted for vaccination services. Additionally, the veterinary system in Ghana did not adequately regulate the antimicrobial medications employed by farmers to manage diseases. Thus, in most of the cases, the medicines applied by farmers were not useful for the target diseases. Although our findings show the farmers perceived VOs to perform highly compared to informal providers on most of the attributes evaluated including medicine availability and quality, treatment effectiveness, advisory services, service affordability, and competence, only 33% utilized VOs services. The majority of the farmers (51%) used the services of informal providers, who were better in proximity and popularity with farmers.ConclusionsThe livestock sector in Ghana faces a substantial challenge due primarily to vaccine-preventable diseases. Even though VOs demonstrated superior performance on key veterinary service performance indicators, their services are underutilized by livestock farmers. Additionally, the absence of regulatory oversight by the veterinary system over antimicrobials utilized in animal production contributes to their misapplication by livestock farmers, posing a considerable risk to both public health and food security. It is thus imperative to introduce new initiatives that enhance the uptake of animal vaccines and better antimicrobial stewardship to ensure sustainable livestock production.

Serum biochemical parameters of Yankasa sheep experimentally infected with &lt;i&gt;Trypanosoma evansi&lt;/i&gt; and treated with diminazene aceturate (Berenil®)

Blood glucose, serum total protein, and liver transaminases were determined in Yankasa sheep experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) and treated with diminazene aceturate (Berenil® ). A total of 30 animals were divided into 6 groups (A to F) (n=5). Animals from each group were either uninfected or infected with T. evansi and treated with Berenil® . Infection of the infected groups (A, C and E) was done via intravenous inoculation of T. evansi, while the infected group C and E were treated with Berenil® at 3.5 and 7 mg/kg BW (single dose), respectively, by day 16 post-infection (PI). The infected groups had a pre-patent period of 8 days, with similar levels of parasitaemia of 4.7 ± 0.27. In group A, the mean parasite count rose significantly (p &lt; 0.05) to 72.8 ± 1.07 by day 12 PI and continued to a peak value of 250.6 ± 1.98 by day 28 PI. In groups C and E, the initial parasitaemia rose significantly (p &lt; 0.05) to a peak count of 80.8 ± 1.12 and 78.2 ± 1.11 by day 12 PI, following treatment with 3.5 and 7.0 mg/kg BW of Berenil® , by day 20 PI, respectively, and was completely eliminated by day 9 and 5 post-treatment (PT), respectively. The biochemical analysis showed that, from day 8 PI, the infected sheep experienced significant (p &lt; 0.05) increases in alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, creatinine and urea; with decreases in blood glucose and total protein. However, these changes reverted to their pre-infection values, by day 28 PI in all the affected animals following treatment with both doses of Berenil® . It is therefore, concluded that the two doses of Berenil® (3.5 mg/kg and 7.0 mg/kg) were effective in the treatment of the disease but 7.0 mg/kg cleared the parasitaemia faster.

Antibody detection against Kunitz-type protein in Fasciola hepatica experimentally infected sheep using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

ABSTRACT Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease considered as emerging and neglected by the WHO. Sheep are highly susceptible to this disease, and affected flocks experience decreased productivity due to increased mortality, and the reduced quality of their products, such as wool and meat. To effectively control this disease, reliable and early diagnosis is essential for making decisions regarding antiparasitic application and/or the removal of affected animals. Currently, the diagnosis of F. hepatica in sheep relies on the detection of parasite eggs in faeces, a method that becomes reliable from week 10 post-infection. Consequently, there is a need for earlier diagnostic tools based on immune response. However, obtaining antigens for antibody detection has proven to be difficult and expensive. The aim of this study was to evaluate members of the Kunitz protein family of F. hepatica expressed in the form of a fusion protein in the serological diagnosis of F. hepatica in sheep. The performance of three recombinant F. hepatica Kunitz-type inhibitors (FhKT1.1, FhKT1.3, and FhKT4) was compared with a synthetic Kunitz-type peptide (sFhKT) in sera from sheep experimentally infected with F. hepatica, using an ELISA. Of these, FhKT1.1 showed the most promising diagnostic indicators, exhibiting high precision and low cross-reactivity, and thus potential for standardized production. The results of our study demonstrated that the application of FhKT1.1 is a valuable tool for early-stage diagnosis of F. hepatica in sheep. Such an early diagnosis can aid in implementing timely interventions and effectively managing the disease in sheep populations.

Contagious ecthyma in Egypt: Clinical, virological and molecular explorations

Contagious Ecthyma (CE) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats with worldwide distribution. The present study aimed to provide a clinical description of contagious ecthyma in four sheep flocks and screen the possible genetic variation in the B2L gene of the detected isolates. Oral lesions were collected and inoculated into chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of 11 days embryonated chicken eggs. Polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of the B2L gene was conducted. Infected sheep exhibited anorexia with a development of nodular lesions evolving in proliferative thick scabs around oral commissures. The inoculated CAM showed small-sized white pock lesions accompanied with thickening of CAM. The partial length of B2L gene (592 bp) was successfully amplified in samples collected from four flocks. The isolated strains belong to genotype I/I and I/II. Sequence and evolutionary analysis illustrate that B2L gene (ORF011) are highly conserved among Orf viruses isolated from different countries.

AMERICAN CONSORTIUM FOR SMALL RUMINANT PARASITE CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE USE OF PLANT SECONDARY COMPOUNDS OF SERICEA LESPEDEZA FOR THE CONTROL OF SHEEP AND GOAT PARASITES

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction&lt;/strong&gt;: Sericea lespedeza (SL; &lt;em&gt;Lespedeza cuneata&lt;/em&gt;) is a warm-season perennial legume well-adapted to the warm, moist climate of the southeastern USA. High in condensed tannins and other secondary compounds, SL has potential as an anti-parasitic nutraceutical forage for sheep and goats in this region and throughout the world where it is adapted. &lt;strong&gt;Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;: To summarize the nearly 20 years’ work of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (ACSRPC) related to the anti-parasitic properties of SL in the diet of small ruminants. &lt;strong&gt;Results&lt;/strong&gt;: In a series of experiments with goats and sheep fed SL in fresh (grazed), dried (hay, leaf meal, pellets) or preserved (ensiled) forms, this forage showed promising anti-parasitic efficacy against GIN, particularly &lt;em&gt;Haemonchus contortus&lt;/em&gt;, and coccidia (&lt;em&gt;Eimeria &lt;/em&gt;spp.), lowering gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) fecal egg counts (FEC), coccidial fecal oocyst counts (FOC), and reducing GIN larval development and worm burdens. &lt;strong&gt;Implications&lt;/strong&gt;: These results indicate the potential of SL as a component of integrated, novel (non-chemical) parasite management programs for on-farm application by small ruminant producers. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions&lt;/strong&gt;: Sericea lespedeza has very good anti-parasitic activity against GIN and coccidial infection in sheep and goats and has excellent potential as a nutraceutical forage for small ruminant producers, either for their own use or for sale as nutraceutical hay or pellets.&lt;/p&gt;