Experimental Toxoplasmosis in Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

OBJECTIVE: In this study, forming of experimental toxoplasmosis in quails; clinical, pathological, and serological determination of tissue lesions and bioassay techniques, which were aimed to compare them and determine pathogenesis. METHODS: A total of 120 one-year-old female quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were divided into oral infection, parenteral infection, and control groups. The oral group was infected with 0.5 ml inoculum suspension containing 106 tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, whereas the control group was administered 0.5 ml of saline. The parenteral group was further divided into the following four subgroups: intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intravenous, and cloacal. The quails of the parenteral group were also divided into two groups and one by control group within itself for the 105 and 104 doses of the tachyzoite inoculums. RESULTS: Because of acute toxoplasmosis, death occurred in a quail that as intramuscularly infected with 105 tachyzoites; the quail exhibited neurological clinical symptoms such as torticollis, ataxia, and tremor. In histopathologic examination, T. gondii tissue cysts were detected in infected quails that were intramuscularly infected with 105 tachyzoites. Mouse trials were conducted using tissues of seropositive quails and isolated from peritoneal fluids infected mice. By Sabin-Feldman dye test and indirect hemagglutination test, seropositivity was observed in quails infected with 105 and 104 tachyzoites. CONCLUSION: Similar studies and subclinical cases, which may overlooked was concluded for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis with useful bioassay applications and serological tests.

[Distribution of Tick Species Spread in Kütahya Vicinity]. / Kütahya Yöresi'nde Yayilis Gösteren Kene Türlerinin Arastirilmasi.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine the tick species infested to the cattle and small ruminants in Kütahya Province and their seasonal activity and prevalence. METHODS: Examination was performed in terms of infestation in 2402 farm animals and their shelters in 10 villages between October 2010 and October 2011. RESULTS: The infestation rate of animals was detected as 9.55%. A total of 657 adult ticks were collected. A total of 11 tick species consisting of Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma marginatum, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis sulcata, Haemaphysalis punctata, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Rhipicephalus turanicus were determined. Seasonal fluctuations of tick species were also determined. Ixodes ricinus and R. (Boophilus) annulatus species were encountered mostly during fall and winter months. Dermacentor marginatus was usually found in winter time. Hyalomma marginatum, was found between April and July. Haemaphysalis parva was found in October, November and March. Haemaphysalis sulcata was found in November and March. Haemaphysalis punctata was found only in March and November. Rhipicephalus species were generally found in late spring and summer. CONCLUSION: Finally, these results will be helpful for the determination of control methods of tick infestations and tick-borne diseases in the region.

[Investigation of canine leishmaniosis by nested-PCR in Kayseri and vicinity]. / Kayseri ve Civarinda Köpeklerde Leishmaniosisin Nested-PCR ile Arastirilmasi.

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by Leishmania spp. is a zoonotic protozoon disease. It is widespread in most parts of the world including the Mediterranean basin. The present study was carried out in order to determine the prevalence of CanL in dogs in Kayseri and vicinity by nested-PCR. A total of 300 asymptomatic dogs were sampled randomly. Blood samples taken from the vena cephalica antebrachii were collected into tubes containing EDTA. Furthermore, lymph samples were taken from 14 dogs while bone marrow, spleen and liver biopsies were taken from three dogs. The DNA's obtained from these samples were examined for the presence of Leishmania spp. by nested-PCR which amplified the small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssr RNA) gene. According to the results of the nested-PCR, none of the 300 dogs were Leishmania spp. DNA positive.

[The investigation of short term efficiency of oxfendazole + oxyclozanide paste and tablet formulations against gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep]. / Koyunlarda Mide-Bagirsak Nematodlarina Karsi Oxfendazole + Oxyclozanide'nin Tablet ve Pasta Formülasyonlarinin Kisa Süreli Etkinliginin Arastirilmasi.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of tablet and paste formulations of Oxfendazole and Oxyclozanide combinations against subclinical gastrointestinal nematode infections and to compare the advantages and/or disadvantages of their use. Seventy-five infected sheep were selected from an enterprise located in Kayseri in 2006. The sheep were divided into 3 equal groups as paste, tablet and control groups. Fecal samples were collected from each group before drug administration. While the paste and tablet groups were administered drugs orally, no drugs were given to the controls. Fecal samples were collected on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days after drug application and the EPG values were determined. The parasitological examination revealed that the most prevalent species was Ostertagia spp., followed by Nematodirus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. While the mean EPG value of the control group increased up to a ratio of 7.8% at day 28, the mean EPG values of drug groups decreased to 0%. Although the unit dose of paste formulation is more expensive, it was found that it could be an alternative to tablet formulation and has some advantages such as being easier to give, effective utilizing, shorter application period, fewer complications and death risk, no application failure and requires fewer personnel.

The curative and antioxidative efficiency of doramectin and doramectin+vitamin AD3E treatment on Psoroptes cuniculi infestation in rabbits.

In the present study, the efficiency of the administration of doramectin (DOR) and DOR+vitamin AD3E (VIT), and the influence of these agents on oxidative stress parameters in rabbits infested by Psoroptes cuniculi (P. cuniculi) were investigated. DOR (200 microg/kg) and DOR (200 microg/kg)+VIT AD3E were administered to infested rabbits intramuscularly (IM). The administration of DOR and DOR+VIT improved the healing of ear lesions on day seven. Increase in the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level and erythrocyte catalase (CAT) activity, and decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were determined in infested rabbits. In the rabbits which were administered DOR+VIT, plasma MDA levels decreased, and erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities increased on day seven. In conclusion, DOR and DOR+VIT combination were effective against P. cunuculi infestation. Infestation stimulated oxidative stress. VIT treatment resulted in antioxidant activity against oxidative stress induced by P. cuniculi infestation.

Status of tick infestation of cattle in the Kayseri region of Turkey.

This study was carried out to determine the status of tick infestation of cattle in the Kayseri region in Turkey. Eight hundred and sixty-six cattle and their barns in 12 localities were examined during the period of June 2000-November 2001, where 188 (21.7%) of which were infested by ticks. A total of 1,585 ticks consisting of Rhipicephalus turanicus (2.27%), R. bursa (2.14%), R. sanguineus (0.94%), Hyalomma marginatum (17.16%), H. anatolicum excavatum (24.73%), H. a. anatolicum (19.62%), Dermacentor niveus (1%), Boophilus annulatus (16.71%), Ornithodorus lahorensis (0.25%), Hyalomma sp. nymphs (7.31%), and Boophilus annulatus nymphs (7.82%) were collected. Seasonal fluctuation of ticks was also determined in this region. Rhipicephalus species were generally found in spring, others like Hyalomma in late spring, summer, and early autumn, B. annulatus in September, October, and December, D. niveus in December, January, and February, and O. lahorensis in December. Immature forms (nymphs) of Hyalomma species were found in summer and autumn, while B. annulatus nymphs were observed in October, November, and December.

Economical impact of tropical theileriosis in the Cappadocia region of Turkey.

This study was initiated to investigate the economical impact of vaccination against tropical theileriosis in cattle in Cappadocia in Turkey. A total of 554 vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals were monitored for Theileria annulata infection using microscopic examination serology by measuring the antibody response of the animals by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). The prevalence of T. annulata infection, morbidity and mortality were significantly higher in unvaccinated than in vaccinated cattle, whereas the seropositivity was significantly lower in the unvaccinated group. Acute tropical theileriosis cases were diagnosed in 156 of 554 (27.61%) cattle, and 86 of 156 (56.21%) died from the disease. The total economic losses because of tropical theileriosis were estimated at US $598,133 for 2 years.

Therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of imidocarb dipropionate on experimental Babesia ovis infection of lambs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of imidocarb dipropionate (IMDP) against babesiosis and to determine specific antibodies against Babesia ovis in experimentally infected lambs. Thirty-six 6-month-old splenectomized lambs were used. The lambs were randomly divided into six groups with six animals each, and were intravenously inoculated with 50 mL B. ovis-infected erythrocytes as follows: group I (therapy group) was treated with IMDP (1.2 mg/kg body weight) starting on the day of onset of clinical signs of babesiosis after the inoculation; group II (untreated control animals) was not treated with any therapeutic treatment after the inoculation; groups III, IV, V and VI (prophylaxis groups) were administered IMDP (2.4 mg/kg body weight) 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks before the inoculation, respectively. The animals were housed in a tick-proof room with water and food ad libitum up to the 30th day post-inoculation (PI). The lambs were monitored from the first day PI by recording the manifestation of clinical disease, rectal temperature, and the degree of parasitaemia. All the lambs became infected with B. ovis, except five animals from group III, which were treated 1 week prior to experimental infection. Other animals showed signs of acute clinical babesiosis. The animals treated with IMDP (group I) were able to clear the parasite from the blood circulation after 48 h post-treatment. The recrudescence of B. ovis was observed in two lambs 7 days after treatment, and they were treated with the second similar dose of the drug. Six lambs (1, 1, 2 and 2 lambs in group III, IV, V and VI, respectively) from the prophylaxis groups died within 7-17 days after showing high parasitaemia and clinical symptoms of the disease. Regardless of the clinical symptoms, 83.30% and 66.66% of the lambs which were administered IMDP 1-2 and 3-4 weeks before, were determined to be protected against the virulent field strain of B. ovis.

[Statistical analyses of different staining methods for viability assessment in cystic echinococcosis]. / Kistik echinococcosis'de canlilik tayininde kullanilan çesitli boyama yöntemlerinin istatistiksel analizi.

The viability assessment in cystic echinococcosis is important for in vitro and in vivo studies and also drug experiments. Several vital and avital stains like neutral red, methylene blue, eosin, Papanicolao, Giemsa, Ziehl-Neelsen, toluidine blue and trypan blue have been used to assess viability of protoscolexes in fertile cysts. In this study, the viability of 10 different fertile cysts were analyzed by trypan blue, eosin and methylene blue staining techniques which have been used frequently in recent years. A total of 2000 protoscolexes per hydatid cyst were examined by all three staining techniques. The obtained results were analyzed statistically by the one-way ANOVA test. The mean numbers of viable protoscolexes in examined cysts according to trypan blue, methylene blue and eosin staining techniques were 1430+/-172.9 (1150-1709), 1376.4+/-101.1 (1169-1521) and 1342+/-147.9 (1119-1608), respectively. The highest viability rate was determined with the trypan blue staining technique (71.5%), followed by 68.8% with methylene blue and 67.1% with eosin. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed among the staining techniques. As a result, it was found that all three staining methods have similar results in viability assessment of hydatid cysts.

Use of selamectin for the treatment of psoroptic and sarcoptic mite infestation in rabbits.

Selamectin, a novel avermectin compound, was evaluated for its efficacy against naturally occurring infestations of Psoroptes cuniculi and Sarcoptes scabiei. A total of 42 New Zealand rabbits with psoroptic mange and 37 Angora rabbits with sarcoptic mange were used in the present study. On day 0, infested rabbits were treated topically with either selamectin at minimum dose of 6 mg kg(-1) (6-18 mg kg(-1) for New Zealand rabbits, n = 31 and 10-12 mg kg(-1) for Angora rabbits, n = 23) or vehicle only (control groups, n = 11 for New Zealand rabbits, n = 14 for Angora rabbits). The efficacy of selamectin was assessed both clinically and parasitologically by the presence or absence of viable mites. Rabbits were scraped for sarcoptic mites on days 7, 14, 28, 42 and 56 and had otoscopeic and/or microscopic examination for the detection of Psoroptes mites on days 7, 14, 42 and 56. Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences between the vehicle and selamectin treatment in the number of rabbits without mites (cure rates) on each assessment date. It was found that significantly fewer selamectin-treated rabbits had mites detected on skin scrapings (for S. scabiei) or otoscopeic and/or microscopic examination (for P. cuniculi) (P < 0.01) than the vehicle group. Results of the present study suggest that selamectin is effective against naturally infestations of P. cuniculi and S. scabiei in rabbits.

[Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in cattle in the region of Kayseri]. / Kayseri yöresinde sigirlarda Neospora caninum'un seroprevalansi.

This study was carried out in order to determine the seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in cattle in the region of Kayseri. Blood samples were collected from 186 cattle and sera were obtained from these samples. Sera samples were analyzed for antibodies against N. caninum using a commercially available competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) kit. According to the ELISA test results, seroprevalence of N. caninum in the region of Kayseri was found to be 7%. Three of 9 aborting cows (33.3%) were found to be seropositive. The seropositivity differences between aborting and non-aborting cows were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

[Acute hepatitis cysticercosa and pneumonitis cysticercosa in a lamb: case report]. / Bir kuzuda akut hepatitis cysticercosa ve pneumonitis cysticercosa: olgu sunumu.

The diseases known as hepatitis cysticercosa and pneumonitis cysticercosa are caused by migrating Cysticercus tenuicollis, the intermediate stage of Taenia hydatigena, in the liver and lung tissue of intermediate hosts like sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and squirrels. In this study, parasitological and pathological examinations were performed on the liver and lung tissue samples of a one month old lamb that had died in a herd of Karadayi village, Bünyan, Kayseri. After the examination, hepatitis cysticercosa and parasitic verminous pneumonia (Pneumonitis cysticercosa) were diagnosed and the results were discussed.

Efficacy of selamectin against mites (Myobia musculi, Mycoptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera) and nematodes (Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata) in mice.

The effects of selamectin were studied in mice naturally infected with the mites Myobia musculi, Myoceptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera and with the oxyurid nematodes Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata. The mice were divided into three treated and three control groups (n=9). Selamectin in the range 10-12.4 mg/kg was applied topically to the skin in a single spot at the base of the neck in front of the scapulae. The mice of treated and control groups were necropsied on the 4th, 7th and 21st day after the treatment. While selamectin was 100% effective in removing M. musculi, M. musculinus and R. ensifera by the seventh day, its effect against S. obvelata and A. tetraptera was 36.7% and 49.2%, respectively on the 21st day.