Epidemiological, and molecular investigation of Canine parvovirus-2 infection in Egypt.

IMPORTANCE: Canine parvovirus enteritis (CPE) is a contagious viral disease of dogs caused by the canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. CPV-2 has a high global evolutionary rate. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 and understanding its epidemiology are essential for controlling CPV-2 infections. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the risk factors and survival outcomes of dogs infected with CPV-2. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 genotypes circulating in Egypt was performed to determine the evolution of CPV-2 nationally and globally. METHODS: An age-matched case-control study was conducted on 47 control and 47 CPV-infected dogs. Conditional logistic regression analysis examined the association between the potential risk factors and CPE in dogs. Survival analysis was performed to determine the survival pattern of the infected dogs. Thirteen fecal samples from infected dogs were collected to confirm the CPV genotype by CPV-2 VP2 gene sequencing, assembly of nucleotide sequences, and phylogenic analysis. RESULTS: Unvaccinated and roamer dogs had eight and 2.3 times higher risks of CPV infection than vaccinated dogs and non-roamer dogs, respectively. The risk of death from CPE was high among dogs without routine visits to veterinary clinics and among non-roamer dogs. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 confirmed its genotype identity and relationship with the CPV-2 c and b clade types. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study highlights the potential factors for CPE control, especially vaccination and preventing dogs from roaming freely outside houses. Isolated CPV genotypes are closely related to southern Asian genotypes, suggesting a substantial opportunity for global transmission.

Abattoir survey of bovine tuberculosis in tanta, centre of the Nile delta, with in silico analysis of gene mutations and protein-protein interactions of the involved mycobacteria.

Bovine tuberculosis is a transboundary disease of high economic and public health burden worldwide. In this study, post-mortem examination of 750 cattle and buffalo in Tanta abattoir, Centre of the Nile Delta, revealed visible TB in 4% of animals and a true prevalence of 6.85% (95% CI: 5.3%-8.9%). Mycobacterial culture, histopathology and RT-PCR targeting all members of M. tuberculosis complex were performed, upon which 85%, 80% and 100% of each tested lesions were confirmed as TB, respectively. Mpb70-targeting PCR was conducted on ten RT-PCR positive samples for sequencing and identified nine Mycobacterium (M.) bovis strains and, interestingly, one M. tuberculosis (Mtb) strain from a buffalo. Bioinformatics tools were used for prediction of mutations, nucleotide polymorphisms, lineages, drug resistance and protein-protein interactions (PPI) of the sequenced strains. The Mtb strain was resistant to rifampicin, isoniazid and streptomycin, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of multidrug resistant (MDR)-Mtb originating from buffaloes. Seven M. bovis strains were resistant to ethambutol and ethionamide. Such resistances were associated with KatG, rpoB, rpsL, embB and ethA genes mutations. Other mutations and nucleotide polymorphisms were also predicted, some are reported for the first time and require experimental work for validation. PPI revealed more interactions than what would be expected for a random set of proteins of similar size and had dense interactions between nodes that are biologically connected, as a group. Two M. bovis strains belonged to BOV AFRI lineage (Spoligotypes BOV 1; BOV 2) and eight strains belonged to East-Asian (Beijing) lineage. In conclusion, visible TB was prevalent in the study area, RT-PCR is the best to confirm the disease, MDR-Mtb is associated with buffalo TB, and mycobacteria of different lineages carry many resistance genes to chemotherapeutic agents used in treatment of human TB constituting a major public health risk.

Review on Bovine Tuberculosis: An Emerging Disease Associated with Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium Species.

Bovine tuberculosis is a serious infectious disease affecting a wide range of domesticated and wild animals, representing a worldwide economic and public health burden. The disease is caused by Mycobacteriumbovis and infrequently by other pathogenic mycobacteria. The problem of bovine tuberculosis is complicated when the infection is associated with multidrug and extensively drug resistant M. bovis. Many techniques are used for early diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis, either being antemortem or postmortem, each with its diagnostic merits as well as limitations. Antemortem techniques depend either on cellular or on humoral immune responses, while postmortem diagnosis depends on adequate visual inspection, palpation, and subsequent diagnostic procedures such as bacterial isolation, characteristic histopathology, and PCR to reach the final diagnosis. Recently, sequencing and bioinformatics tools have gained increasing importance for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis, including, but not limited to typing, detection of mutations, phylogenetic analysis, molecular epidemiology, and interactions occurring within the causative mycobacteria. Consequently, the current review includes consideration of bovine tuberculosis as a disease, conventional and recent diagnostic methods, and the emergence of MDR-Mycobacterium species.

Leptospirosis as a neglected burden at human-cattle interface in Mid-Delta of Egypt.

INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis in developing countries including Egypt where its burden is underestimated. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was carried out to estimate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Leptospira interrogans serovar Hardjo infection among cows and leptospirosis among human patients in Mid-Delta of Egypt. RESULTS: Out of 112 examined cows using ELISA, 3.6% were seropositive to L. interrogans serovar Hardjo infection. Seroconversion occurred in 5 animals (1 herd) of all examined animals in convalescent phase testing (5/112, 4.5%). Affected herd suffered acute outbreak with 43.3% within herd prevalence; signs of infection included abortions, bloody urine and sudden death of 2 cows. Highest risk for L. interrogans serovar Hardjo infection in cows was in animals drank from untreated surface water (6.7 times, p = 0.06). The seroprevalence of leptospirosis was 6.2% in all tested humans, 28.6% in nonspecific fever cases and 22.2% in non-viral hepatitis cases. The risk of leptospirosis among patients with nonspecific fever or non-viral hepatitis cases was 4 times higher than those with viral hepatitis (p = 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant association between leptospirosis and patients with livestock contact (Odds 8, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of L. interrogans serovar Hardjo outbreak in cows in Egypt. The study also highlighted the role of leptospirosis as neglected cause of nonspecific fever/non-viral hepatitis in humans in study region.

Risk factors of infestation by Psoroptes spp. mites in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) at smallholder farms in the Nile Delta region, Egypt.

The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with infestation by Psoroptes spp. mites in buffalo at smallholder farms in the Nile Delta region, Egypt. A total of 318 out of 1234 buffalo in 77 small scale herds were examined. The age of buffalo varied from three months to seven years. In all, 53 (16.66%) buffalo were recorded to be infested; 51 (16.35%) with Psoroptes spp. mites and two cases (0.31%) with Chorioptes spp. mites. Multivariate logistic regression was performed for significant risk factors at univariate analysis on both animal and herd level. The results of multivariate analysis showed that, on the animal level, the prevalence was affected by animal age (P < 0.01; OR: 0.71; CI 95%: 0.441-1.11), season (P < 0.01; OR: 1.20; CI 95%:0.541-1.15), indoor management (P < 0.001; OR: 6.625; CI 95%:2.489 -17.631) and rearing with other animals (P < 0.01; OR: 2.22; CI 95%:1.340 -7.132). However, on the herd level, the prevalence was affected by indoor rearing (P < 0.05; OR: 22.4; CI 95%:2.75-16.431), mixed rearing with other animal species (P < 0.05; OR: 4.5; CI 95%:1.66-7.941), and season (P < 0.01; OR: 2.3; CI 95%:0.575-2.426). Clinically, mild skin lesions with mild pruritus were significantly prevalent in buffalo with the infestation by Psoroptes spp. mites (P < 0.001), where 33/51 cases showed mild lesions. Also, psoroptic mites had significant association with inappitence (P < 0.001). The result of the present study indicates that Psoroptes spp. mites are the most prevalent in buffalo in the Nile Delta Region, Egypt. Moreover, recognition of risk factors associated with mange mites in buffalo may enable the practitioner to establish the most appropriate control measures.

Comparative therapeutic effect of moxidectin, doramectin and ivermectin on psoroptes mites infestation in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

The aim of the present study was to carry out comparative therapeutic effect of moxidectin pour on, doramectin and ivermectin on psoroptes infestation in buffalo. A total of 318 buffalo in 77 small scale herds suspected to have mange mites were examined clinically and parasitologically. Fifty-three (16.66%) buffalo in 25 herds were recorded to be infested; 51 (16.35%) with psoroptic mites, and two (0.31%) with chorioptic mites. Buffalo with psoroptic mites were randomly allocated into three groups (17 buffalo each). First group was treated with moxidectin pour on at a dose rate of 0.5 mg kg(-1). The second group received doramectin (200 microg kg(-1) twice subcutaneously, 14 days apart). The third group received ivermectin (200 microg kg(-1) twice subcutaneously, 14 days apart). Adjunct to each drug, deltamethrin was applied to the surrounding environment twice at a two week interval. Treatment outcomes of 51 buffalo with psoroptic mites showed that moxidectin pour on and doramectin had a significant higher effect on mite count reduction (MANOVA, P < 0.01; Walks' Lambda, P < 0.01) and clinical sum scores (MANOVA, P < 0.05; Walks' Lambda, P < 0.05) compared with injectible ivermectin. On clinical level, the number of clinically recovered buffalo in moxidectin and doramectin treated groups was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of ivermectin treated group. The result of the present study indicated that psoroptic mites are the main cause of mange in buffalo in Lower Egypt. This is the first report that describes the effect of moxidectin in buffalo. Moxidectin is a good alternative and easily applied drug for treatment of psoroptes infestation in buffalo.

Seroprevalence of some Infectious transboundry diseases in cattle imported from Sudan to Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: Animal trade has an important role in the economy but in contrast, it causes the spread of infectious diseases overall the world, in particular, the trans-boundary animal diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study is to report the prevalence rate of some transboundary infectious diseases to assess the effectiveness of quarantine measure in the detection of exotic disease and clarify the role of live animal trade in infectious transboundary diseases spread. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was done on 176 serum samples obtained from cattle imported from Sudan in order to determine the prevalence of foot and mouth disease (FMD), Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). Three serological tests were used; Serum neutralization test for FMD, Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) for PPR, and Competitive ELISA for IBR. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of FMD in tested sera was; 77.27% in the serotype A (A-Iran), 68.18% in the serotype A (A-Africa), 93.82% in the serotype O (O-Pan Asia), and 35.227% in the serotype South African Territories-2 (SAT-2) SAT-2. While the overall seroprevalence of PPR was 49.431% and the IBR was 93.75%. CONCLUSION: The result indicates the serious role of live animal trade as "hubs" for infectious diseases spread. Subsequently, the common control measures must be taken to avoid the spread of the diseases through the animal trade; which include screening, surveillance, precautions at borders, and vaccination.

Clinical, haematological and therapeutic studies on tropical theileriosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Egypt.

Thirty buffaloes naturally infected with Theileria annulata and 10 parasitologically free controls were used to determine the potential clinical, haematological and therapeutic impact of tropical theileriosis in Egypt. The clinical signs in the infected buffaloes were pyrexia (40.5-41.5 degrees C), enlargement of superficial lymph nodes, slight nasal and ocular discharges, salivation, anaemia and respiratory distress. Eye lesions also were recorded. There was a significant decrease in erythrocyte counts and haemoglobin content and a significant decrease in total leucocyte counts in infected buffaloes compared to controls. Early treatment with buparvaquone was 100% effective in eliminating the protozoan parasites from the blood and lymph nodes and led to an improvement in the clinical state whereas treatment in the later stages of the disease whilst eliminating the parasites failed to improve the clinical condition of the animal.