Sex Of Animals Research Articles

Sex and Time: Important Variables for Understanding the Impact of Constant Darkness on Behavior, Brain, and Physiology

The circadian clock can coordinate, regulate and predict physiology and behavior in response to the standard light–dark (LD: 12 h light and 12 h dark) cycle. If we alter the LD cycle by exposing mice to constant darkness (DD: 00 h light and 24 h dark), it can perturb behavior, the brain, and associated physiological parameters. The length of DD exposure and the sex of experimental animals are crucial variables that could alter the impact of DD on the brain, behavior, and physiology, which have not yet been explored. We exposed mice to DD for three and five weeks and studied their impact on (1) behavior, (2) hormones, (3) the prefrontal cortex, and (4) metabolites in male and female mice. We also studied the effect of three weeks of standard light–dark cycle restoration after five weeks of DD on the parameters mentioned above. We found that DD exposure was associated with anxiety-like behavior, increased corticosterone and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), downregulated neurotrophins (BDNF and NGF), and altered metabolites profile in a duration of DD exposure and sex-dependent manner. Females showed a more robust adaptation than males under DD exposure. Three weeks of restoration was adequate to establish homeostasis in both sexes. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to look at how DD exposure impacts physiology and behavior as a function of sex- and time. These findings would have translational value and may help in establishing sex-specific interventions for addressing DD-related psychological issues.

EFFECTIVENESS OF INFLUENCE OF MINERAL PHYTOBIOTIC ADDITIVE ON AGE DYNAMICS OF LINEAR GROWTH OF SHEEP

The article presents the results of research on the linear growth of young sheep grown on diets enriched with a mineral phytobiotic additive. Indexes of body structure have been determined, which make it possible to establish the relative development of individual parts of the animals’ body. Body structure indexes characterize the sex, age and constitutional characteristics of animals and their typical differences and have a great importance for the animals characteristic.
 In order to determine certain patterns of linear growth, coefficients of variability were calculated.
 The study of the linear growth of control and experimental animals in our experiments allowed us to reveal the peculiarities of the body structure of the best constitutional types, sexual characteristics, productivity nature and evaluate the principles of the formation of meat qualities of the sheep. In particular, it was established that the growth rate of live mass is accompanied by significant changes in the axial skeleton.
 The height measurements and body length of experimental sheep and rams were higher than the control ones accordingly on 4,30-5,92 % and 5,52-5,28 %. The body length of the experimental ones were higher on 6,05 % in sheep and 6,76 % in rams. When determining the width and depth of the chest and the width at the hips, the difference between the control and experimental ones was 13,00-13,10 %, and these indicators increased with age.
 The determination of volumetric measurements proves a more stable regularity of age changes. According to the girth of the chest behind the shoulder blades, the experimental sheep exceeded the control ones on 10,96-13,73 %, and the rams on 7,37-12,14 %.
 In the rams, compared to the sheep, both in the control and in the experimental ones, the diameters of the parts of the body were higher. They were characterized by a higher height, long enough, wide and deep body and well-defined meat forms of the exterior.
 Therefore, our research revealed that according to the parameters of linear growth, the young animals of the experimental group significantly exceeded the animals of the control group of sheep. These advantages are characterized in detail the indexes of body structure, which emphasize the relative proportionality and compactness of individual parts of the body and reflect important productive qualities of animals, especially the meat qualities.
 Age-related changes experience the indexes in stretch, chest indexes, and body mass development. In particular, the sheep of the experimental group had an advantage over animals of the control group of 9,81-10,3 7 %. The massiveness index according to scientist Durst experienced more significant age changes between experimental and control young sheep.

Ameliorating age-dependent effects of resveratrol on VPA-induced social impairments and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of neurodevelopmental disorder

Although anxiety disorders, as well as difficulties in social interaction, are documented in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a neurodevelopmental disorder, the effectiveness of potential therapeutic procedures considering age and sex differences is under serious discussion. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol (RSV) on anxiety-like behaviors and social interaction in juvenile and adult rats of both sex in a valproic acid (VPA)-induced autistic-like model. Prenatal exposure to VPA was associated with increased anxiety, also causing a significant reduction in social interaction in juvenile male subjects. Further administration of RSV attenuated VPA-induced anxiety symptoms in both sexes of adult animals and significantly increased the sociability index in male and female juvenile rats. Taken together, it can be concluded that treatment with RSV can attenuate some of the harsh effects of VPA. This treatment was especially effective on anxiety-like traits in adult subjects of both sexes regarding their performance in open field and EPM. We encourage future research to consider the sex and age-specific mechanisms behind the RSV treatment in the prenatal VPA model of autism.

Are they both the same shit? Winter faeces of roe and red deer show no difference in nutritional components

<br /> <br>Herbivorous ungulate diets affect population performance and overall forest health through balanced interactions on plant-herbivore relations; therefore, understanding them is critical. Faeces are frequently used in ungulate nutritional ecology because they can provide information about animals’ digestive efficiency. Roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) and red deer (C<i>ervus elaphus</i>) have different morpho-physiological and ecological constraints, and these differences should be reflected in their faeces. On the other hand, the lack of information about the animal (sex, age, reproductive status, diet selection, etc.) may be challenging for such studies. This study aimed to detect species’ different susceptibility to these factors reflected in animals’ faeces. Thus, we hypothesised that near-infrared reflectance spectrometry (NIRS) could distinguish between the faecal nutrients of two cervids. We collected 94 usable faeces from both species along the forest transect in Bohemian forests in the Czech Republic, covering 2 500 ha. Roe and red deer overlap was determined using the four faecal nutritional components on two axes. No discrimination occurred, refuting our hypothesis and highlighting that out-of-control variables are critical for faecal studies in uncontrolled settings. Fibrous parts explained the most variance (48%), indicating animals’ strong reliance on nutrition quality. Apparently, uncontrolled supplementary feeding produced similar faecal nutrient outcomes during the nutrition-limiting winter, which was theoretically supported by the animal’s response to predation and hunting pressure. The inability of NIRS to identify the source of N in faeces may also explain the lack of discrimination.

Sex by design: a new account of the animal sexes

Sex by design: a new account of the animal sexes

Chinese Consumer Assessment of Australian Sheep Meat Using a Traditional Hotpot Cooking Method

Hotpot is a widely popular cooking method for sheepmeat in China. This study measured the sensory responses of 720 untrained Chinese consumers to Australian sheepmeat cooked using a hotpot technique with methods based on Meat Standards Australia protocols. Shoulder and leg cuts of 108 lambs and 109 yearlings were scored on tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking with linear mixed effects models used to analyse the influence of muscle type and animal factors on these scores. On average, shoulder cuts were more palatable than legs cuts for all sensory traits (p < 0.01) and lambs compared to yearlings (p < 0.05). Intramuscular fat and muscularity were identified as strong drivers of eating quality (p < 0.05), with greater palatability for both cuts as intramuscular fat increased (range 2.5 to 7.5%), and muscularity decreased (as measured through loin weight adjusted for hot carcase weight). Consumers were unable to detect differences between animal sire type and sex in sheepmeat hotpot. These findings suggest shoulder and leg cuts performed comparatively well in hotpot compared to previously tested sheepmeat cooking methods and emphasise the importance of balanced selection for quality and yield traits to ensure that consumer satisfaction is maintained.

A C57L/J Mouse Model of the Delayed Effects of Acute Radiation Exposure in the Context of Evolving Multi-Organ Dysfunction and Failure after Total-Body Irradiation with 2.5% Bone Marrow Sparing.

The objective of the current study was to establish a mouse model of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) after total-body irradiation with 2.5% bone marrow sparing (TBI/BM2.5) that progressed to the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure, specifically pneumonitis and/or pulmonary fibrosis (DEARE-lung), in animals surviving longer than 60 days. Two hundred age and sex matched C57L/J mice were assigned to one of six arms to receive a dose of 9.5 to 13.25 Gy of 320 kV X-ray TBI/BM2.5. A sham-irradiated cohort was included as an age- and sex-matched control. Blood was sampled from the facial vein prior to irradiation and on days 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 postirradiation for hematology. Respiratory function was monitored at regular intervals throughout the in-life phase. Animals with respiratory dysfunction were administered a single 12-day tapered regimen of dexamethasone, allometrically scaled from a similar regimen in the non-human primate. All animals were monitored daily for up to 224 days postirradiation for signs of organ dysfunction and morbidity/mortality. At euthanasia due to criteria or at the study endpoint, wet lung weights were recorded, and blood sampled for hematology and serum chemistry. The left lung, heart, spleen, small and large intestine, and kidneys were processed for histopathology. A dose-response curve with the estimated lethal dose for 10-99% of animals with 95% confidence intervals was established. The median survival time was significantly prolonged in males as compared to females across the 10.25 to 12.5 Gy dose range. Animal sex played a significant role in overall survival, with males 50% less likely to expire prior to the study endpoint compared to females. All animals developed pancytopenia within the first one- to two-weeks after TBI/BM2.5 followed by a progressive recovery through day 30. Fourteen percent of animals expired during the first 30-days postirradiation due to ARS (e.g., myelosuppression, gastrointestinal tissue abnormalities), with most deaths occurring prior to day 15. Microscopic findings show the presence of radiation pneumonitis as early as day 57. At time points later than day 70, pneumonitis was consistently present in the lungs of mice and the severity was comparable across radiation dose arms. Pulmonary fibrosis was first noted at day 64 but was not consistently present and stable in severity until after day 70. Fibrosis was comparable across radiation dose arms. In conclusion, this study established a multiple organ injury mouse model that progresses through the ARS phase to DEARE-lung, characterized by respiratory dysfunction, and microscopic abnormalities consistent with radiation pneumonitis/fibrosis. The model provides a platform for future development of medical countermeasures for approval and licensure by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the animal rule regulatory pathway.

The Influence of Age, Gender and Weight on Sex Hormone Levels and Histological Development of Reproductive Organs in Arabi Sheep

This study was conducted in the College of Agriculture - University of Basra from 1/9/2020 to 15/1/2021 by collecting 120 blood samples from males and females of the Arabi sheep breed, as well as taking samples from reproductive organs (testes and ovaries) to evaluate the effect of age, weight and sex of animals on sexual hormone levels . Samples were divided into three age groups (5-8 months, 9-12 months and 1-1.5 years) and three body weight groups (15-25, 26-36, 37-47) kg. The results showed a significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in the concentration of gonadotropin hormones (FSH, LH) and steroidal hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) in animals older than 9 months. The concentration of FSH and LH hormones were higher females compared to males. All levels of sex hormones significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased when the body weight increased to more than 26 kg in both sexes. Reproductive organs in both sexes (testes and ovaries) developed when the animal age and weight increased.

A confirmed association between DNA variants in CAPN9, OSM, and ITGAM candidate genes and the risk of umbilical hernia in pigs.

Umbilical hernia (UH) is one of the most prevalent defects of swine, affecting their welfare and causing considerable economic loss. The molecular mechanisms behind UH in pigs remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to verify the association between UH and previously reported DNA variants in the CAPN9, OSM, ITGAM, and NUGGC genes. A case/control study design was applied in two different crossbred cohorts of commercial fatteners containing 412 and 171 pigs, respectively. SNPs within CAPN9, OSM, and ITGAM were analyzed using Sanger sequencing, and 10 SNPs in CAPN9, five in OSM, and two in ITGAM were identified. A structural variant in the NUGGC gene was studied by droplet-digital PCR, and an elevated copy number was detected in only a single individual. Significant differences in allele frequencies for four SNPs in CAPN9 were detected. The haplotype analysis showed the effect on the risk of UH for two genes. The CAGGA haplotype within OSM and AT haplotype in ITGAM reduced the relative risk of UH by 52% and 45%, respectively, confirming that variants in those genes are associated with the risk of UH in pigs. Moreover, the interaction between the CAPN9 haplotype and the sex of animals had also significant impact on UH risk.

Biomarkers and their potential for detecting livestock plant poisonings in Western North America.

The United States National Cancer Institute defines a biomarker as: "A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease." In Veterinary Medicine, biomarkers associated with plant poisonings of livestock have great utility. Since grazing livestock poisoned by toxic plants are often found dead, biomarkers of plant poisoning allow for a more rapid postmortem diagnosis and response to prevent further deaths. The presence and concentration of toxins in poisonous plants are biomarkers of risk for livestock poisoning that can be measured by the chemical analysis of plant material. More difficult is, the detection of plant toxins or biomarkers in biological samples from intoxicated or deceased animals. The purpose of this article is to review potential biomarkers of plant poisoning in grazing livestock in the Western North America including recently investigated non-invasive sampling techniques. Plants discussed include larkspur, lupine, water hemlock, swainsonine-containing plants, selenium-containing plants, and pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing plants. Other factors such as animal age and sex that affect plant biomarker concentrations in vivo are also discussed.

Animal detection using thermal imaging and a UAV

PurposeThis study aims to test a multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) paired with a thermal imaging camera for detecting big game species such as Eurasian elk, red deer, European roe deer and Eurasian wild boar.Design/methodology/approachThe research work was carried out in the Czarna Bialostocka Forest District (Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland). A thermal imaging camera E20Tvx Yuneec with a view angle of 33° × 26.6° and a thermal sensor resolution of 640 × 512 pixels was selected for the research. The Yuneec H520E hexacopter was chosen as the lifting vehicle. The flights for the study were conducted between the autumn of 2021 and the winter of 2022. The UAV was flown at two different altitudes, 120 and 80 m above ground level, which provided a ground sampling distance of 11 and 7 cm, respectively.FindingsThe results so far have shown the potential of commercially available thermal imaging cameras for detecting and identifying big game species, such as Eurasian elk and red deer. Moreover, in the winter season of 2022 on the 7th and 13th of March, it was also possible to determine the sex of red deer distinguishing between males and females. The results of the survey made with the thermal camera were compared to the assessment from the standard method for the determination of the game population in the Czarna Bialostocka sub-district. In the case of red deer, the results of the research carried out during the winter exceed five times the numbers obtained as a result of the traditional inventory. That is most likely due to the gregarious occurrence of this species in the winter season.Originality/valueThe use of thermovision to estimate the population and sex of animals is a relatively new issue, especially in Poland, where the use of thermal imaging is not the official method of research of big game species yet.

Cancer researchers’ perceptions of the importance of the sex of cell lines, animals, and human samples for cancer biology research

Sex differences in cancer risk and outcome are currently a topic of major interest in clinical oncology. It is however unknown to what extent cancer researchers consider sex as a biological variable for their research. We conducted an international survey among 1243 academic cancer researchers and collected both quantitative and qualitative data. Although most of the participants indicated that they were familiar with the concept of studying sex differences in cancer biology, they did not think it was important to investigate sex differences in every context of cancer research nor in all tumor types. This is in stark contrast to the current recommendations and guidelines and illustrates the need for increased awareness among cancer researchers regarding the potential impact of the sex of cell lines, animals, and human samples in their studies.

Rapid evolution of sex role specialization in a hermaphrodite under sex-limited selection.

The evolution of separate sexes from hermaphroditism is thought to have occurred independently many times, and may be linked to the evolution of sex chromosomes. Even though we have a good understanding of the theoretical steps in the evolution of sex chromosomes from a hermaphrodite ancestor, the initial stages are still hard to study in animals because many well-studied animal sex chromosome systems are old. We addressed this problem by experimentally selecting a hermaphrodite via sex-limited experimental evolution for several generations, simulating the early stages in the evolution of a sex chromosome. After 14 generations, a fitness assay revealed evidence of incipient sex role specialization in the female-selected lines, presumably reflecting the release from constraints usually imposed by selection on the other sex role. Importantly, however, this was not simply explained by morphology because testis and ovary sizes did not diverge among treatments. There was no evidence of a change in the male-selected lines. Our study shows that sex role specialization can occur rapidly as a result of sex-limited selection, which is consistent with genetic constraints between sex roles, and in line with the first predicted steps toward the evolution of a new sex chromosome system.

Effect of age and gender of animal on physicomechanical properties of Bangladeshi goat leather

Bangladeshi goat leather is worldwide renowned for its very special grain pattern. Due to the lack of proper management of animal husbandry, slaughtering, flaying, and preservation, the effect of an animal's age and sex on the final leather quality is still unknown. In this investigation, leather produced from goatskins of different ages and gender is assessed and compared. Twelve (12) freshly flayed goatskins (6 male and 6 female) of age 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.5, and 5.0 years were collected and processed for chrome-tanned shoe upper leather production. The physicomechanical properties e.g., tensile strength, elongation percentage, tearing strength, stitch-tear strength, ball bursting test and chrome content of the produced leathers were determined. Maximum tensile strength and chromium absorptions were 260.21 kg/cm2 and 31.48 g/kg respectively for 1.5 years of male goat skin. All the other properties gradually increased with animal age. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed a high and significant correlation (p = 0.991) between the stitch-tear strength and elongation percentage. This study provides new knowledge about leather manufacturing outcomes depending on the age and gender of the raw skin and it will be helpful for the tanners to design a more informed tanning process based on the targeted usages.

Examination of Shape Variation of the Skull in British Shorthair, Scottish Fold, and Van Cats.

A variety of skull shapes are frequently used for discrimination between animal species, breeds, and sexes. In this study, skulls of three different breeds of cats were examined by the geometric morphometric method, with the aim of revealing skull shape differences. For this purpose, 27 cats (6 British Shorthair, 7 Scottish Fold, and 14 Van cats) were used. The skulls of cats were modeled by computed tomography. Geometric morphometrics was applied using dorsal (8 landmarks, 63 semilandmarks) and lateral (8 landmarks, 63 semilandmarks) skull projections on these models. Centroid size differences between the breeds were statistically insignificant. However, the differences in shape were statistically significant for both the dorsal view and lateral view. Shape variation was less in the British Shorthair than in other breeds. Shape differences generally occurred around the orbit. In the skull of Scottish Folds, the orbit was situated more caudally than in other breeds. The British Shorthair had the largest orbital ring. In dorsal view, the Scottish Fold had the largest orbital diameter. The orbital ring of Van cats was smallest in both dorsal and lateral views. In the canonical variate analysis, it was seen that the breeds were separated from each other. The shape difference in the skull between different cat breeds could be revealed by geometric morphometrics. The results of this study provide useful information for taxonomy.

Behavioral, biochemical and histopathological toxic profiles induced by sub-chronic cannabimimetic WIN55, 212–2 administration in mice

WIN55, 212–2 mesylate is a synthetic cannabinoid (SC) agonist of CB1 and CB2 receptors with much higher affinity to CB1 receptor than tetrahydrocannabinol and many potential therapeutic effects. Few studies have evaluated SCs effects on more complex animal behavior and sex differences in cannabinoids toxicology. The current study was undertaken for determination of behavioral (Open Field test), biochemical (liver and kidney function test plus GABA & Glutamate levels), histopathological and CB1 immunohistochemistry risks of sub-chronic administration of SC WIN55, 212–2 mesylate in male and female mice. A total of 40 healthy adult mice were randomly divided into four groups (5 mice each): a negative control group, a vehicle group, a low dose (0.05 mg/kg) group and a high dose group (0.1 mg/kg) for each gender.Open Field Test revealed dose and gender-dependent anxiogenic effect with reduced locomotor activity in both sexes especially the higher doses with female mice being less compromised. GABA and glutamate levels increased significantly in both dose groups compared to controls alongside female mice versus males. No significant biochemical alterations were found in all groups with minimal histopathological changes. The CB1 receptors immunohistochemistry revealed a significant increase in the number of CB1 positive neurons in both low and high dose groups against controls with higher expression in female brains.ConclusionsThere were sexual dimorphism effects induced by sub-chronic exposure to WIN55, 212–2 with lesser female mice affection and dose-dependent influences.

Towards Developing Novel Prostate Cancer Recurrence Suppressors: Acute Toxicity of Pseurotin A, an Orally Active PCSK9 Axis-Targeting Small-Molecule in Swiss Albino Mice.

The proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) emerged as a molecular target of great interest for the management of cardiovascular disorders due to its ability to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by binding and targeting at LDLR for lysosomal degradation in cells. Preliminary studies revealed that pseurotin A (PsA), a spiro-heterocyclic γ-lactam alkaloid from several marine and terrestrial Aspergillus and Penicillium species, has the ability to dually suppress the PCSK9 expression and protein-protein interaction (PPI) with LDLR, resulting in an anti-hypercholesterolemic effect and modulating the oncogenic role of PCSK9 axis in breast and prostate cancers progression and recurrence. Thus, a preliminary assessment of the PsA acute toxicity represents the steppingstone to develop PsA as a novel orally active PCSK9 axis modulating cancer recurrence inhibitor. PsA studies for in vitro toxicity on RWPE-1 and CCD 841 CoN human non-tumorigenic prostate and colon cells, respectively, indicated a cellular death shown at a 10-fold level of its reported anticancer activity. Moreover, a Western blot analysis revealed a significant downregulation of the pro-survival marker Bcl-2, along with the upregulation of the proapoptotic Bax and caspases 3/7, suggesting PsA-mediated induction of cell apoptosis at very high concentrations. The Up-and-Down methodology determined the PsA LD50 value of >550 mg/kg in male and female Swiss albino mice. Animals were orally administered single doses of PsA at 10, 250, and 500 mg/kg by oral gavage versus vehicle control. Mice were observed daily for 14 days with special care over the first 24 h after dosing to monitor any abnormalities in their behavioral, neuromuscular, and autonomic responses. After 14 days, the mice were euthanized, and their body and organ weights were recorded and collected. Mice plasma samples were subjected to comprehensive hematological and biochemical analyses. Collected mouse organs were histopathologically examined. No morbidity was detected following the PsA oral dosing. The 500 mg/kg female dosing group showed a 45% decrease in the body weight after 14 days but displayed no other signs of toxicity. The 250 mg/kg female dosing group had significantly increased serum levels of liver transaminases AST and ALT versus vehicle control. Moreover, a modest upregulation of apoptotic markers was observed in liver tissues of both animal sexes at 500 mg/kg dose level. However, a histopathological examination revealed no damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, brain, or lungs. While these findings suggest a possible sex-related toxicity at higher doses, the lack of histopathological injury implies that single oral doses of PsA, up to 50-fold the therapeutic dose, do not cause acute organ toxicity in mice though further studies are warranted.

Sex discrepancy in establishing mouse visceral obesity model induced by high-fat diet.

To establish a mouse visceral obesity model, and to investigate the effect of animal sex on this model. Thirty-two 4-week-old BALB/c mice were randomly divided into female control group, female high-fat group, male control group and male high-fat group with 8 mice in each group.The control groups were given ordinary diet, and the high-fat groups were given high-fat diet. After 12 weeks of feeding, body weight, visceral fat, fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, blood lipid and metabolism-related hormone levels were measured, and the composition of gut microbiota of mice was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The high fat diet resulted in a significant increase of body weight and visceral fat content in male mice; the pathological results showed significantly increased fat area, accumulation of liver fat droplets, increased total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance and serum insulin levels (all P<0.05), as well as significant insulin resistance (P<0.01). However, the above changes were not significant in female mice. Compared with the control groups, there was an increase in the relative abundance of obesity-related gut microbiota in the model groups (such as Blautia), and the microbiota structure changed significantly, while the changes were less obvious in female mice. A visceral obesity mouse model has been stably established by feeding high-fat diet in BALB/c male mice, showing visceral fat accumulation, metabolic dysfunction and gut microbiota changes; while female mice are not sensitive in this obesity model.

A Study on the Prevalence of Mange Among Arabian Camels in Najaf Province / Iraq

The study was carried out at Najaf abattoir and some nomadic areas, &#x0D; for a period of five months , between January and May 2000 . A tota1 &#x0D; of (434) camels were examined clinically, and skin scrapings collected &#x0D; from suspected animals for laboratory investigation. Sarcoptic mange &#x0D; was diagnosed in (114) camels with an infestation rate of (25, &#x0D; 9%).The highest prevalence rate was recorded in January (38%), and &#x0D; the lowest was in May (14.8%). &#x0D; The main clinical findings observed included easlessness, intensive &#x0D; itching, and the affected areas of the skin became hairless, thickened, &#x0D; corrugated and grey in color. Regarding affected regions of the body &#x0D; the highest incidence of mange lesions were recorded on the neck &#x0D; (60.5%) and the lowest incidence were on the tail (5.2%).There were &#x0D; no lesions observed on the hump. &#x0D; Sex of animals showed no effect on the prevalence as well as the &#x0D; severity of the disease. Regarding age, the higher prevalence rate of &#x0D; the disease occurred in animals under 4 years of age.

Prevalence and factors associated with brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle from extensive husbandry systems in Sahel and Hauts-Bassins regions, Burkina Faso

Brucellosis and tuberculosis are important zoonotic diseases with high economic and public health importance mainly in low income countries. In Burkina Faso, studies have been implemented to assess prevalence of these diseases but data remain scare about the prevalence in extensive husbandry systems. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle from extensive husbandry systems in two regions of Burkina Faso. Serums samples were collected on 2195 cattle from 206 herds in Hauts-Bassins and Sahel region. Intradermal skin test and Rose Bengal Plate test have been carried out for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and brucellosis respectively. The overall herd prevalence was 18.93% and 25.73% respectively for brucellosis and tuberculosis while the herd prevalence of co-infections was 6.31%. The individual prevalence was 3.64% (95% CI: 2.85% - 4.42%) and 3.51% (95% CI: 2.74% - 4.28%) for brucellosis and tuberculosis respectively. A prevalence of 0.32% (95% CI: 0.08% - 0.55%) was noted for co-infections. Brucellosis infection was associated with herd size, animal sex and age (p ˂ 0.05). The highest prevalence was found in herds of more than 60 animals (8.2%; 95% CI: 5.7%-10.6%) and in animal aged between 5 and 8 years old (5.3%; 95 CI: 3.4%–7.1%). The prevalence was significantly higher in females (3.9%; 95%CI: 3.0%–4.7%) compared with males (1.0%; 0.04% - 2%). Tuberculosis prevalence was significantly higher in Hauts-Bassins region (6.2%; 95% CI: 4.4%-8.0%) than in Sahel region (2.3%; 95% CI: 1.5%–3.0%). The highest prevalence of tuberculosis was found in herds with at most 30 animals (9.9%; 95% CI: 4.0% - 15.7%) and in animal less than 4 years old (5.4%; 95% CI: 3.4%–7.4%). Results suggest that brucellosis and tuberculosis are prevalent in cattle herds, therefore management practices are needed for better control of the zoonotic diseases.