Seroprevalence of, and risk factors for, peste des petits ruminants in sheep and goats in Northern Jordan.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an economically important disease that affect sheep and goat industry in Asia and Africa. In this study, we investigated the seroprevalence, and risk factors, of PPR in sheep and goat flocks from five different governorates (Irbid, Jarash, Ajloun, Mafraq and Zarka) located in Northern Jordan. Serum samples from 929 and 400 sheep and goats, respectively, corresponding to 122 sheep flock and 60 goats flock were collected. Seroprevalence was determined using PPR competitive ELISA. Health status and management information were collected using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. The individual true prevalence of PPR in sheep and goats was 29 and 49%, respectively. The flock level true prevalence of PPR was 60 and 74% in sheep and goats, respectively. In both sheep and goat flocks, large flock size, visiting live animals market and inadequate veterinary services were identified as risk factors for PPR seropositivity. Mixed (sheep and goats) raising was identified as a risk factor for PPR seropositivity in sheep flocks only.

Isolation, characterization, and antibiotic sensitivity assessment of Gallibacterium anatis biovar haemolytica, from diseased Egyptian chicken flocks during the years 2013 and 2015.

Gallibacterium anatis biovar haemolytica constitutes a part of the normal microflora in the upper respiratory and genital tracts of healthy chickens, but it is also associated with different pathological conditions. In the current study, 102 commercial chicken flocks suffering from respiratory disease and/or drop in egg production were investigated for the presence of G. anatis during 2013 and 2015. These flocks comprised 8 breeder, 32 layer, and 62 broiler flocks. By culture method, 20 flocks were found positive: one isolate derived from broiler breeders, 6 isolates from layers, and 13 isolates from broilers. G. anatis biovar haemolytica was identified by phenotyping and PCR. Additionally, partial genome sequencing of 11 isolates (5 layer isolates of 2013 and 6 broiler isolates of 2015) based on 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene sequences was performed and revealed 96.5% to 100% genetic relatedness. Antibiotic sensitivity of these isolates revealed that the 2013 isolates were highly susceptible to florfenicol while the isolates of 2015 were highly susceptible to cefotaxime. Gallibacterium anatis biovar haemolytica is a newly introduced bacteria in Egypt causing salpingitis, peritonitis, drop in egg production, and/or respiratory signs.

Genetic comparison of H9N2 AI viruses isolated in Jordan in 2003.

SUMMARY. During the 1990s, several outbreaks of avian influenza (AI), caused by viruses of the H9N2 subtype, were reported in poultry in various parts of the world. Currently, this infection seems to be endemic in poultry in the Middle and Far East, and the extensive circulation of H9N2 in poultry represents a risk factor for infection of humans, because viruses of this subtype have been sporadically introduced into the human population. Little is known about the gene constellation of the H9N2 viruses that are currently circulating in the Middle East; thus, gene sequences of eight IA viruses of the H9N2 subtype isolated in Jordan in 2003 from poultry were analyzed. The results of this investigation show that all eight Jordanian isolates are closely related to each other and to other H9N2 isolates from the Middle East. Seven of eight genes of the Jordanian strains show a percentage of homology not higher than 95% with the genes of two H9N2 strains, A/HK/1073/99 and A/HK/1074/99, isolated from humans in Hong Kong. The M gene is more closely related to the corresponding gene of the two H9N2 human isolates from Hong Kong (97.7-98.2% homology). This homology suggests that the M gene of the Jordanian and human Hong Kong strains could derive from a common ancestor.