Uninfected Goats Research Articles

Small ruminant lentivirus-infected dairy goats’ metabolic blood profile in different stages of lactation

Abstract The study aims to determine the differences in metabolic parameters in blood serum between asymptomatic animals with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) and uninfected goats. Pearson correlations were also estimated between biochemical parameters. The study included 26 goats which were divided into SRLV-infected and SRLV-free groups. Blood samples were taken at four points of lactation (days 14, 45, 85, and 240, reflecting perinatal period, early lactation, the peak of lactation, the end of lactation). Hepatic, kidney, bone, cardiac, pancreatic, lipid profiles and CRP concentrations were analyzed. Choline esterase (CHE), calcium (Ca*), creatine kinase (CK), and triglyceride (TRI) levels differed between groups, on day 240 (p≤0.05). Some parameters varied during lactation, with similar patterns observed in both groups. Mainly positive correlations between biochemical parameters were observed in the SRLV-free and SRLV-infected groups both within organ profiles and between them. CRP was not correlated with any biochemical parameters in the SRLV-free group but was negatively correlated with parameters of the liver, kidney, cardiac, and lipid profiles in the SRLV-infected group. The correlations suggest that SRLV may affect the kidneys, liver and heart, even in asymptomatic animals. Some differences were found between asymptomatic SRLV-infected and SRLV-free goats in the last stage of lactation; however, the nature of these changes requires further detailed studies.

Prediction of Mastitis Incidence in Goat from Somatic Cell in Milk

The research was carried out in the animal field of the Al-Kafeel Station / Al-Abbas’s (p) Holy Shrine in Karbala Governorate (15 km south of Karbala city ) 200 local goats were used from the first of December 2020 to the first of May 2021, The chemical analysis of milk components was also carried out in the laboratory of the Abu Ghraib Dairy Laboratory, in order to, study the prediction of mastitis infection through the content of milk from somatic cells and the relationship of the California test score (CMT) with mastitis and the main milk components results showed a significant effect (P≤0.01) of the production cycle sequence on the number of somatic cells in milk, as the goats in the fourth production cycle or more recorded a maximum number (1377.56 × 10 3 cells/ml milk) compared to their counterparts in cycles 1, 2, 3. There was a significant effect (P<0.01) for the milk production stage on the number of somatic cells in the milk, it was found that the number of somatic cells was highest at the beginning of the production stage (1298.37 × 10 3 cells/ml of milk) and the lowest at the end of the production stage (1125.31 × 103 cells/ml milk). There is a significant difference (P≤0.05) in the number of somatic cells in milk according to the level of milk production, as it reached in the milk of mothers who gave less than 500 kg/season 1368.01×10 3 cells/ml of milk. There was a significant effect of the condition of the cow (Uninfected or infected with mastitis) on the number of somatic cells, as it was high in goats infected with mastitis, (1493.54 × 10 3 cells/ml) compared to Uninfected goats (1493.54 × 10 3 cells/ml of milk). There is a positive and highly significant correlation (P≤0.01) between the California test score and mastitis infection, with a coefficient of 0.78, which reflects the possibility of early prediction of mastitis infection by measuring the milk content of somatic cells, and this will lead to take the necessary administrative measures for the procedures Preventive and healthy to reduce injury and improve resistance in the herd. There is a negative and significant correlation coefficient (P≤0.01) between the milk content of somatic cells through CMT test and the percentage of both fat and protein and significantly (P≤0.05) with lactose, which amounted to - 0.74, -0.59 and -0.27, respectively.

Physiological Aspects of Milk Somatic Cell Count in Small Ruminants—A Review

The aim of this review was to focus on the physiological aspects of milk somatic cell count (SCC) in small ruminants (SM). The SCC is an important component naturally present in milk and is generally used as an indicator of milk quality and udder health in milk producing ruminants. SCC contains the following cells: polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), macrophages, lymphocytes, and many milk epithelial (MEC) cells, cell fragments, and cytoplasmic particles/vesicles. PMN (40–80%) represent the major cell type in milk in healthy uninfected goats, whereas the macrophages (45–88%) are the major cell type in sheep’s milk. However, dairy goats and sheep have an apocrine secretory system that produces cytoplasmic cellular particles/vesicles and large numbers of cell fragments, resulting in the physiological SCC limit being exceeded. It is obvious that the SCC level in milk of SM can be affected by various influencing factors, such as milk fraction, breed, stage of lactation, parity, type of birth, milking system, and others. An increase in the SCC above the physiological level not only indicates an udder or general health problem but reduces milk production, changes the milk composition, and hence affects milk processing. Moreover, the milking machine plays an important role in maintaining udder health in SM and stable SCC at physiological levels in the milk obtained. So far, there are no healthy or pathological physiological SCC levels defined in SM milk. Furthermore, a differential cell count (DCC) or even a high resolution DCC (HRDCC), which were recently developed for cattle milk, could also help in SM to gain deeper insight into the immunology of the mammary gland and find biomarkers to assess udder health. In conclusion, SCC is an indication of udder health or exposure of the udder to infectious agents or mechanical stress and should therefore always be considered a warning sign.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in goats: serological, pathological, and clinical monitoring during gestation.

This study aimed to evaluate Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant goats. The goats were divided into two groups: group one (G1) comprised of 31 pregnant goats naturally infected with T. gondii, and group two (G2) comprised of seven uninfected pregnant goats from a flock with a history of abortion due to toxoplasmosis. Serological investigation, ultrasonography, and clinical testing were performed on all goats during gestation. Serum samples from goats and their offspring (precolostral) were collected to evaluate the vertical transmission of T. gondii. Samples from placentas and aborted fetuses were also collected for molecular and histopathological analysis. Results showed that in G1, estrus recurrence occurred in 22.6% (7/31) of the goats, embryonic death in 3.3% (1/31), and abortion in 19.4% (6/31). An increase in anti-T. gondii antibodies was observed in G1 goats at day 150 of pregnancy. T. gondii DNA was detected in 42.8% (3/7) of aborted fetuses and was associated with histopathological lesions caused by this parasite. Moreover, toxoplasmosis in field conditions caused by genotype ToxoDB #1 in pregnant goats resulted in severe reproductive loss in the flock.

First report on molecular epidemiology, seasonality and phylogeny of Toxoplasma gondii infecting goats from Khanewal district in Punjab, Pakistan

Raising small ruminants is the main source of income for farmers in Pakistan. Economic losses caused by Toxoplasma gondii to small ruminants have been reported worldwide, however reports on molecular detection of T. gondii are lacking in Pakistan despite a large goat population. The current study was carried out from March 2019 till February 2020 to report the seasonal and molecular prevalence of T. gondii in different breeds of goats located in Khanewal district of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 898 blood goat samples were collected during the four seasons and screened for T. gondii DNA by using PCR based on the amplification of ITS-1 partial sequence. Out of 898 goats, 48 (5.3%) were found positive to T. gondii. The prevalence of T. gondii varied according to season (Chi square test,P = 0.016) and the highest prevalence was observed in goats tested during the summer (8.8%) followed by the spring (5.7%), the winter (4.4%) and the autumn season (2.2%). PCR products positive to T. gondii were confirmed by DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis. Phylogenetic study based on ITS 1 gene provided evidence that the amplified isolates of T. gondii were highly conserved in Pakistani goats. Buck (Fischer exact test, P = 0.002) and farms containing other dairy animals next to goats (Fischer exact test, P = 0.001) and farms with a water supply from pools (Fischer exact test, P = 0.001) were more infected with T. gondii. Infected goats had a reduction on red blood cell count (Two-sample t test, P = 0.01) and hemoglobin concentration (Two-sample t test, P = 0.03) and an increase in the number of monocytes (%) (Two-sample t test, P = 0.05), mean cell hemoglobin (Two-sample t test, P = 0.01) and serum creatinine (Two-sample t test, P = 0.01) as compared to T. gondii uninfected goats. In conclusion, we report a relatively low PCR based prevalence of T. gondii in goats from Khanewal district as previously the serum ELISA test based prevalence of T. gondii in Pakistani goats varied between 19-52%. Control measures should be taken to eradicate T. gondii infection in goats of the study area.

Distribution of somatic cell count and udder pathogens in Norwegian dairy goats

Compared with dairy cows, goat somatic cell count (SCC) is higher and probably more affected by physiological factors such as parity, stage of lactation, and season. Thus, SCC is believed to be a less precise indicator of intramammary infections in dairy goats, and no consensus exists on SCC thresholds for considering goats as infected. The Norwegian Goat Recording System maintains individual goat production records and results from microbiological analyses of milk samples. In this retrospective observational study, we used recordings over a 10-yr period (2010 to 2020) to describe the association between individual goat SCC and noninfectious factors, as well as intramammary infections. The median SCC in the 1,000,802 milk recordings included in the study was 440,000 cells/mL, and the mode was 70,000 cells/mL. Somatic cell count increased with parity, days in milk, estrus, pasture season, and intramammary infections. The effect of parity and stage of lactation was significantly higher in infected compared with uninfected goats. Staphylococci dominated as causes of intramammary infections, with Staphylococcus aureus as the udder pathogen associated with highest SCC. The most prevalent non-aureus staphylococci were Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus caprae. This study provides guidelines for interpretation of goat SCC at different parities and stages of lactations under Norwegian management conditions. We revealed a considerable variation in SCC associated with physiological factors, indicating that the cutoff for identifying infected goats should be a dynamic threshold adjusted for parity, stage of lactation, and season.

A Comparison of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Serum of Healthy Polish Dairy Goats with Those Naturally Infected with Small Ruminant Lentivirus in the Course of Lactation.

Simple SummaryMany viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus 1, influenza virus, or Rift Valley fever virus, cause cell damage by generating reactive oxygen species and altering redox homeostasis. However, cells have developed various antioxidant mechanisms. We assumed that small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), which has been found to infect sheep and goats worldwide can also disrupt the homeostasis of animals. SRLV target organs are the joints, lungs, brain, and the udder. To our knowledge, no information exists on the influence of SRLV infection on the oxidative processes occurring in goats. Understanding the influence of viral infection on oxidative stress may help develop novel antiviral treatments. Our study aimed to examine the effects of SRLV infection on oxidative stress biomarkers in the serum of dairy goats during lactation. No differences in any studied parameter at any stage of lactation were found between infected and uninfected goats. On the other hand, significant differences in almost all investigated parameters were found between stages of lactation, regardless of the infection status of goats. In conclusion, asymptomatic SRLV-infected goats do not reveal any apparent dysfunctions in serum oxidative stress biomarkers compared to their uninfected counterparts. The only changes in oxidative stress biomarkers observed during lactation appear to reflect the metabolic effort associated with milk production and developing pregnancy.The present study examines the effects of natural infection by small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) in the two most common goat breeds in Poland, i.e., Polish white improved and polish fawn improved. It focuses on biomarkers of oxidative stress, oxidatively modified proteins and antioxidant defenses, ceruloplasmin level as an acute phase protein, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the goat serum. It was conducted on 24 goats divided into two equal groups: one SRLV-seropositive (SRLV-SP) and another SRLV-seronegative (SRLV-SN). Both groups were identical in terms of breed and parity. Despite infection, the SRLV-SP goats demonstrated no symptoms of caprine arthritis-encephalitis. In addition, the SRLV-SP goats did not reveal pronounced dysfunctions in oxidative stress biomarkers in the serum compared to the SRLV-SN animals. However, both groups demonstrated elevated levels of the aldehydic and ketonic derivatives of oxidatively modified proteins during the lactation period. In addition, both groups retained a high total antioxidant capacity in serum despite the decrease of enzyme antioxidant defenses throughout the 200-day lactation period.

Experimental infection of indigenous North African goats with goatpox virus

BackgroundGoatpox is a viral disease caused by infection with goatpox virus (GTPV) of the genus Capripoxvirus, Poxviridae family. Capripoxviruses cause serious disease to livestock and contribute to huge economic losses. Goatpox and sheeppox are endemic to Africa, particularly north of the Equator, the Middle East and many parts of Asia. GTPV and sheeppox virus are considered host-specific; however, both strains can cause clinical disease in either goats or sheep with more severe disease in the homologous species and mild or sub-clinical infection in the other. Goatpox has never been reported in Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia despite the huge population of goats living in proximity with sheep in those countries. To evaluate the susceptibility and pathogenicity of indigenous North African goats to GTPV infection, we experimentally inoculated eight locally bred goats with a virulent Vietnamese isolate of GTPV. Two uninfected goats were kept as controls. Clinical examination was carried out daily and blood was sampled for virology and for investigating the antibody response. After necropsy, tissues were collected and assessed for viral DNA using real-time PCR.ResultsFollowing the experimental infection, all inoculated goats displayed clinical signs characteristic of goatpox including varying degrees of hyperthermia, loss of appetite, inactivity and cutaneous lesions. The infection severely affected three of the infected animals while moderate to mild disease was noticed in the remaining goats. A high antibody response was developed. High viral DNA loads were detected in skin crusts and nodules, and subcutaneous tissue at the injection site with cycle threshold (Ct) values ranging from 14.6 to 22.9, while lower viral loads were found in liver and lung (Ct = 35.7 and 35.1). The results confirmed subcutaneous tropism of the virus.ConclusionClinical signs of goatpox were reproduced in indigenous North African goats and confirmed a high susceptibility of the North African goat breed to GTPV infection. A clinical scoring system is proposed that can be applied in GTPV vaccine efficacy studies.

Study of Blood Serum Biochemical Profile and Pathological Changes in &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Haemonchosis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Experimentally Induced in Goats

<i>Haemonchus contortus</i> (<i>H. contortus</i>) parasite causes various functional derangements in the host body. This experimental study was established to appraise the remedial effect of <i>Balanites aegyptiaca</i> fruit’s ethanolic extract (BAF-EE) on experimentally induced haemonchosis in goats. Blood serum biochemical parameters and pathological changes were perused. Twelve male goats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups, G1 (infected-untreated), G2 (infected- BAF-EE treated), G3 (infected-albendazole treated) and G4 (uninfected-BAF-EE treated). Experimental infection was conducted with a single oral dose of 10x³ infective third larval stage (L3) of <i>H. contortus</i> at 0-time, whereas treatment with BAF-EE and albendazole was given at a single oral dose of 9g and 5mg/kg body wieght respectively in the 5^th week post infection (PI). Blood samples were drawn on zero time, 3^rd week PI and then biweekly till the 9^th week for serum biochemical analyses. At the end of the experiment, all animals were slaughtered to estimate histopathological alterations in the abomasal and hepatic tissues. Serum biochemistry of infected animals showed significant depression of total serum protein (TP), albumin, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and calcium (Ca) levels compared to uninfected goats. Significant elevation was observed in values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γGT), cholesterol, urea and creatinine of infected animals, while no significant differences were recorded in levels of inorganic phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), chloride (Cl) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). Histopathological studies conducted on abomasa of infected-untreated animals revealed inflammation, necrosis, petechial hemorrhages and intense cellular infiltration. Liver showed bile duct hyperplasia, degeneration of hepatocytes and cell infiltration. Histopathological alterations in tissues of infected – treated animals were lower in intensity than those of infected-untreated goats. Results of the present experiment demonstrated that BAF-EE has an anti-parasitic and hepatoprotective effects as well as it improves serum biochemical alterations and oxidative stress in goats infected with <i>H. contortus </i>parasite. The present findings nominate the use of this plant as a novel safe natural anthelmintic agent.

Serodiagnosis of Przhevalskiana spp. Infestation in Goats Using a Competitive ELISA.

Goat warble-fly infestation is one of the parasitic diseases caused by the larvae of przhevalskiana spp. It is known to be a major challenge for health and welfare in infested goats and causes high economic losses in livestock worldwide. The detection of goat grub was previously conducted by direct palpation of second and third stage larvae in the back and flank site of the live animals or visual evaluation of the carcasses in slaughterhouses. However, due to the small size of the first instar larvae of przhevalskiana (less than 1 mm during emerging from the egg), some of the infected cases were ignored and recorded as negative samples. Immunodiagnostic procedures as easy and cost-effective diagnostic methods provide early detection of myiasis in living animals (even when the larvae are still migrating or are undetectable in the animal body).This study was conducted to evaluate the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system in order to detect the antibodies of przhevalskiana larvae in the goat sera. In order to prepare the larval antigen, 200 first instar larvae of przhevalskiana were collected from the subdermal region of the back and flanks of the infested goats in Khoramabad slaughterhouse, Khoramabad, Iran, from September 2017 to March 2018. Totally, 37 and 46 sera samples were taken from the infected and uninfected goats. The sensitivity and specificity at cut-off 3SD were obtained at 89.18% and 84.78%. Moreover, the measures of inter-and intra-assay coefficients of variability to express the precision or replicability of ELISA kit results were 5.33% and 2.81%, respectively.

Recombinant cold shock domain containing protein is a potential antigen to detect specific antibody during early and late infections of Haemonchus contortus in goat

BackgroundHaemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is one of the most important parasites that cause huge economic losses to small ruminant industry worldwide. Effective prognosis and treatment depend upon the early diagnosis of H. contortus infection. To date, no widely-approved methods for the identification of prepatent H. contortus infection are available to identify prepatent H. contortus infection properly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of recombinant cold shock H. contortus protein (rHc-CS) during early and late infections of H. contortus in goat.ResultsPurified rHc-CS exhibited a clear band, with a molecular weight about 38 kDa. H. contortus eggs were not detected by fecal egg count technique from feces collected at 0 to 14 days post infection (D.P.I). However, eggs were detected at 21, 28 and 35 D.P.I. Hence, results of immunoblotting assay showed specific anti rHc-CS antibody detection in all goat sera collected at early stage (14 D.P.I) and late stage (21–103 D.P.I) of H. contortus infection. Furthermore, no cross reactivity was observed against Trichinella spiralis, Fasciola hepatica and Toxoplasma gondii or uninfected goats. Among several evaluated rHc-CS indirect-ELISA format variables, favorable antigen coating concentration was found 0.28 μg/well at 37 °C 1 h and overnight at 4 °C. Moreover, optimum dilution ratio of serum and rabbit anti-goat IgG was recorded as 1:100 and 1:4000, respectively. The best blocking buffer was 5% Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) while the best time for blocking, serum incubation and TMB reaction were recorded as 60, 120 and 10 min, respectively. The cut-off value for positive and negative interpretation was determined as 0.352 (OD450). The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of the rHc-CS, both were recorded as 100%.ConclusionThese results validated that rHc-CS is a potential immunodiagnostic antigen to detect the specific antibodies during early and late H. contortus infections in goat.

Immunization of Goats with Recombinant Protein 14-3-3 Isoform 2(rHcftt-2) Induced Moderate Protection against Haemonchus contortus Challenge.

A previous study identified that isoform 2 (Hcftt-2) of the 14-3-3 protein of Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) could suppress immune functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and might be a potential vaccine target, as neutralization of the protein function may enhance anti-parasite immunity. In this research, the recombinant Hcftt-2 was evaluated for its immunoprotective efficacy against H. contortus infection in goats. Five experimental goats were immunized twice with rHcftt-2 along with Freund’s adjuvant. The five immunized goats and five nonimmunized goats (adjuvant only) were challenged with 5000 L3-stage H. contortus larvae after 14 days of second immunization. Five nonimmunized and uninfected goats (adjuvant only) were set as the uninfected group. A significant increase in the serum immunoglobin G(IgG) and serum IgA levels were identified in the rHcftt-2 immunized animals. The mean eggs per gram in feces (EPG) and the worm burdens of rHcftt-2 immunized group were reduced by 26.46% (p < 0.05) and 32.33%, respectively. In brief, immunization of goats with rHcftt-2 induced moderate protection against H. contortus challenge.

The effect of willow fodder feeding on immune cell populations in the blood and milk of late-lactating dairy goats

In a previous study, we showed that access to willow fodder decreased somatic cell counts (SCC) in the milk of local Mamber goats grazing in brushland at the end of lactation. To test whether the consumption of willow affects the cells of the immune system, Alpine crossbred dairy goats grazing in the same environment were either offered free access to freshly cut willow fodder (W, n = 24) or not (C, n = 24) for 2 weeks. The willow fodder contained 7.5 g/kg DM of salicin. The other major secondary compounds were catechin, myricitrin, hyperin and chlorogenic acid (2.2, 2.6, 1.0 and 0.75 g/kg DM, respectively). Udder health status was determined before the experiment, and each of the two groups included five (W) or six (C) goats defined as infected, as established by microbial cfu in milk, and 19 (W) or 18 (C) non-infected goats. Goats ingested, on average, 600 g of DM from willow (25% of food intake), resulting in minor changes in dietary quality compared to the controls, as established by faecal near-IR spectrometry. Throughout the 2 weeks of experiment, differences between groups in dietary CP contents were minor and affected neither by infection nor by access to willow; the dietary percentage of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) decreased in C and increased in W; dietary acid detergent fibre (ADF) increased; and the dietary tannin contents decreased for both treatments. However, milking performance and milk quality attributes in both W and C goats were similar. Initial SCC and milk neutrophil (cluster of differentiation (CD)18+ and porcine granulocyte (PG)68) cell counts were higher in infected than in non-infected goats; counts decreased significantly in W but not in C uninfected goats. The percentage of CD8+ T-cells increased in all C goats, while in the W group, a significant increase was found only for infected goats. The consumption of willow mitigated an increase in CD8+ in blood and triggered an increase in CD8+ in milk, suggesting an immune-regulatory effect independent of udder status. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a direct nutraceutical effect of fodder ingestion on the immune status of goats.

Metabolomic profile of young male goats seropositive to small ruminant lentivirus – A longitudinal study

We carried out a longitudinal study to determine the change of concentration of a large set of metabolites over the first 2 years of goats’ life and identify metabolites whose concentration follows different patterns in small ruminant lentivirus(SRLV)-infected and uninfected goats. Thirteen clinically healthy male goats, born to SRLV-infected does and castrated at the age of 4 months, were followed up for 2 years. They were serologically tested weekly and on this basis assigned to seropositive (n = 7) and seronegative (n = 6) group. At the age of 6, 12, 18 and 24 months their serum was subjected to metabolomic analysis using a commercial AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Kit assay designed to measure concentrations of 188 metabolites. Finally, 134 metabolites had concentrations above the limit of detection and were included in the analysis. Twenty three metabolites differed between seropositive and seronegative goats at a false discovery rate of 25% and with fold change of at least 1.5: 21 metabolites at the age of 6 months and 2 metabolites at the age of 24 months. Concentration of 96 metabolites tended to change significantly in time: concentration of 57 metabolites increased, 12 decreased, and 27 fluctuated. Concluding, SRLV infection affects metabolomic profile of young male goats.

Metabolomic profile of adult Saanen goats infected with small ruminant lentivirus

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine metabolomic profile of adult female dairy goats and to detect any basic differences in metabolomic profiles between small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV)-infected and uninfected goats. Twenty four adult Saanen goats aged from 18 to 29 months, in the 5th month of the 1st (16 goats) or the 2nd (8 goats) lactation were blood-sampled. Blood was centrifuged and serum samples were frozen to −80 °C within 8 h of blood collection. Sixteen goats were seropositive and 8 seronegative for SRLV infection. All were in good condition and did not present any apparent signs of caprine arthritis-encephalitis. The concentration of metabolites belonging to six classes (amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and monosaccharides) was determined with mass spectrometry using a commercial AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Kit assay (Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria) in the laboratory of the manufacturer. Eventually, 130 metabolites (69% of 188 available) were detected at concentrations exceeding limit of detection: 21 amino acids (all available), 11 biogenic amines (52% of 21 available), 7 acylcarnitines (18% of 40 available), 77 glycerophospholipids (12 lysophosphatidylcholines, 65 phosphatidylcholines) (86% of 90 available), 13 sphingolipids (87% of 15 available), and the sum of monosaccharides (hexoses). Only carnosine and symmetric dimethylarginine differed significantly between SRLV-seropositive and seronegative goats and both were lower in seropositive goats. This is the first study in which a very large set of metabolites was quantified in goat serum and provides throughout quantitative data on goat metabolome vital for further comparative studies in small ruminants.

Small ruminant lentivirus infection influences expression of acute phase proteins and cathelicidin genes in milk somatic cells and peripheral blood leukocytes of dairy goats

The aim of the study was to analyze acute phase protein and cathelicidin gene responses to small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infection in goats. In uninfected goats, we found higher Cp and lower Fbγ mRNA levels in blood leucocytes (BL) than in milk somatic cells (MSC), as well as lower SAA, Hp, and CRP and higher Cp and AGP concentrations in blood serum than in milk. In SRLV-infected goats, we found higher Fbγ and MAP28 and lower Cp expression in MSC than in BL, and higher SAA, Hp, Fb, and MAP28 and lower AGP concentrations in milk than in blood serum. Higher SAA and Hp expressions in BL and Hp expression in MSC were found in SRLV-infected goats. In SRLV-infected goats, we observed a higher concentration of SAA in blood serum, while in milk, lower SAA, Cp, and MAP28 and higher MAP34 concentrations were observed. The expression profiles of the studied genes differed between BL/serum and MSC/milk. The elevated SAA concentration in blood serum was accompanied by a decreased concentration of SAA and Cp in the milk of infected goats. No differences in the expression of the other studied genes may mean that the SRLV has the ability to evade the immune system, continuing to replicate. The elevated concentration of SAA in blood serum may promote viral multiplication. This higher concentration of SAA in blood serum and simultaneous reduced concentration of SAA and Cp in milk may be additive indicators of this infection.

Pathogenicity of blood orf virus isolates in the development of dairy goat contagious pustular dermatitis

Contagious pustular dermatitis is an exanthematous zoonotic disease caused by the orf virus. Pandemic outbreaks of this disease cause great economic losses, while the pathogenesis of this disease still remains obscure. In this study, blood samples were collected from 628 asymptomatic goats across China for PCR-based virus detection. We detected the orf virus in the blood of asymptomatic goats. Moreover, the orf virus obtained from the blood of infected goats was infectious and induced typical symptoms of contagious pustular dermatitis after inoculation of uninfected dairy goats. In summary, our data provide evidence that asymptomatic animals may be carriers of orf virus. Our findings should contribute to elucidating the details underlying the pathogenesis of contagious pustular dermatitis.

Detection of Trypanosoma vivax DNA in semen from experimentally infected goats.

The present work aimed to investigate the presence of T. vivax DNA in the semen of experimentally infected goats. Twelve male goats native to the Brazilian Northeast, adults, were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: the infected group consisting of six goats infected intravenously with 0.5mL of blood containing approximately 1.25 × 105 trypomastigotes of T. vivax, and a control group composed of six uninfected goats. After the infection, clinical examinations aiming to evaluate rectal temperature, parasitemia and hematocrit were performed. Semen samples were collected from goats by electroejaculation on the 7th, 14th and 21st days post-infection (dpi). The recombinant DNA-encoding gene encoding the L-like-specific gene for T. vivax. The infection was characterized by increased rectal temperature, high parasitemia and significant reduction of hematocrit values. Results for T. vivax DNA detection using TviCatL-PCR were positive in all semen samples from the infected group collected on 7th, 14th and 21st dpi. The presence of T. vivax DNA in 7th dpi suggests the early invasion of the parasite in the reproductive organs. Also, the finding of T. vivax DNA in all periods analyzed may suggest the continued elimination of the parasite in the semen, which may increase the chances of sexual transmission. Thus, T. vivax DNA is recorded for the first time in the semen of infected goats. Thus, these data are of great importance, since the detection of the T. vivax genetic material in the semen may point to the possibility that the parasite may be transmitted through the sexual pathway.

Prevalence of Anaplasma ovis and its effects on haematology of apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri, Nigeria: A Preliminary study

Introduction: Anaplasma ovis is an intraerythrocytic rickettsial pathogen that causes clinical symptoms and huge economic losses in flocks. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and effects of Anaplasma ovis on the haematology of apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri. Methods: Blood samples were randomly collected from one hundred (100) Sahel goats from both farm and abattoir in the study area. Parasitological and haematological analyses were carried out on the collected samples using a standard technique. Results: Out of 100 goats sampled, seven (7) were positive with an overall prevalence of 7%. The prevalence was higher in the male 5 (5%) than in the female 2 (2%) with no significant association between sexes (p &gt; 0.05). The haematological parameters of infected and uninfected goats were within normal range except for mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of infected goats. The MCV of infected and uninfected goats varied significantly (p &lt; 0.05) while the packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin of infected and uninfected goats were not significantly (p &gt; 0.05) affected. Significance: Natural infection in apparently healthy goats in Maiduguri was found not to have an obvious effect on the haematology of the infected animals. There is a need for prevention and control programs against this pathogen in the study area. This, when carried out, will improve the production potential of these animals and economic well-being of the owners.

Evaluation of oxidant/antioxidant status, trace mineral levels, and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in goats naturally infected with Anaplasma ovis

Anaplasma ovis, an arthropod-borne pathogen that infects erythrocytes, is the major cause of ovine and caprine anaplasmosis. This study was performed to assess in goats infected with A. ovis the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, antioxidant status, and serum levels of microminerals. Blood samples were collected from 104 mixed breed goats in Ahvaz area, southwest Iran and subjected to parasitologic, hematologic, oxidant/antioxidant, and micromineral assessment. Anaplasma infection was detected in 30 samples (28.8%) by microscopic examination of blood smears while PCR-RFLP analysis revealed infection with A. ovis in 68 samples (65.4%). Studied animals were divided into three groups based on A. ovis infection: Uninfected goats as control group (group 1), PCR positive without parasitemia (group 2) and PCR positive with parasitemia (group 3). Hematological evaluation showed significantly increased lymphocyte and monocyte counts in Anaplasma-infected groups (group 2 and 3). A significantly lower MCHC and higher MCV were also observed in infected groups. In group 3 significant rises in erythrocyte's osmotic fragility in different salt concentrations and also in median corpuscular fragility (MCF) was seen. Evaluation of the antioxidant defense system of the erythrocytes revealed a decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in group 3. There was no significant difference in serum micromineral levels between infected and uninfected animals. Overall, the observed substantial decrease in the antioxidant enzyme activities with remarkable elevated levels of erythrocyte osmotic fragility indicate high exposure of erythrocytes to oxidative damage in Anaplasma-infected goats. These results also suggest that the disturbed antioxidant defense mechanisms in caprine anaplasmosis can promote the development of anemia.