Production, characterization and therapeutic efficacy of egg yolk antibodies specific to Nosema ceranae.

Nosema disease, caused by Nosema ceranae, one of the single-celled fungal microsporidian parasites, is one of the most important and common diseases of adult honey bees. Since fumagillin, which has been used for decades in the control of Nosema disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera), poses a toxic threat and its efficacy against N. ceranae is uncertain, there is an urgent need to develop alternative prophylactic and curative strategies for the treatment of this disease. The main aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of specific egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) on Nosema disease. For this purpose, the presence of N. ceranae was determined by microscopic and PCR methods in honey bees collected from Nosema suspicious colonies by conducting a field survey. Layered Ataks chickens, divided into four groups each containing 20 animals, were vaccinated with live and inactivated vaccines prepared from field isolates of N. ceranae. Eggs were collected weekly for 10 weeks following the last vaccination. IgY extraction was performed using the PEG precipitation method from egg yolks collected from each group, and the purity of the antibodies was determined by SDS-PAGE and Western Blot. The presence of N. ceranae-specific IgYs was investigated by Western Blot and indirect ELISA methods. It was determined that specific IgYs showed high therapeutic efficacy on Nosema disease in naturally infected bee colonies. In addition, honey bees collected from infected colonies were brought to the laboratory and placed in cages with 30 bees each, and the effectiveness of IgYs was investigated under controlled conditions. It was detected that specific IgY reduced the Nosema spore load and the number of infected bees significantly in both the field and experimental study groups treated for seven days. It was concluded that chicken IgYs, an innovative and eco-friendly method, had a significant potential for use as an alternative to antifungal drugs.

Detection and molecular characterization of Clostridium perfringens, Paeniclostridium sordellii and Clostridium septicum from lambs and goat kids with hemorrhagic abomasitis in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenic Clostridia cause neurotoxic, histotoxic and enterotoxic infections in humans and animals. Several Clostridium species have been associated with abomasitis in ruminants. The present study aimed to investigate the frequency, and the presence of virulence genes, of Clostridium perfringens, Paeniclostridium sordellii and Clostridium septicum in lambs and goat kids with hemorrhagic abomasitis. RESULTS: A total of 38 abomasum samples, collected from lambs and goat kids of 1 week to 1 month of age in different farms located in eastern Turkey between 2021 and 2022, were evaluated by histopathology, culture and PCR. At necropsy, the abomasum of the animals was excessively filled with caseinized content and gas, and the abomasum mucosa was hemorrhagic in varying degrees. In histopathological evaluation, acute necrotizing hemorrhagic inflammation was noted in abomasum samples. The examination of swab samples by culture and PCR revealed that C. perfringens type A was the most frequently detected species (86.84%) either alone or in combination with other Clostridium species. P. sordellii, C. perfringens type F and C. septicum were also harboured in the samples, albeit at low rates. Beta2 toxin gene (cpb2) was found in three of C. perfringens type A positive samples. CONCLUSION: It was suggested that vaccination of pregnant animals with toxoid vaccines would be beneficial in terms of protecting newborn animals against Clostridial infections. This study investigated the presence of clostridial toxin genes in abomasal samples for the first time in Turkey.

First report of Serotype-1 Marek's disease virus (MDV-1) with oncogenic form in backyard turkeys in Turkey: a molecular analysis study.

BACKGROUND: Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease caused by Gallid alphaherpesvirus 2 (GaHV-2, MDV-1), which primarily affects chickens. However, the virus is also able to induce tumors and polyneuritis in turkeys, albeit less frequently than in chickens. RESULTS: This is the first study in Turkey reporting the molecular characterization of a MDV-1 strain detected in a flock of backyard turkeys exhibiting visceral lymphoma. Here, MEQ, vIL-8, pp38 and 132-bp tandem repeat regions, which are frequently preferred in the pathotyping of MDV-1, were examined. It was determined that the MEQ gene of MDV-1/TR-21/turkey strain obtained in the present study encoded 339 amino acids (1020 nt) and had four proline-rich repeat regions (PPPP). Based on the nucleotide sequence of the MEQ gene of the MDV-1/TR-21/turkey strain, a phylogenetic tree was created using the MEGA-X software with the Maximum Likelihood Method (in 1000 replicates). Our strain was highly identical (> 99.8) to the Italian/Ck/625/16, Polish (Polen5) and some Turkish (Layer-GaHV-2-02-TR-2017, Tr/MDV-1/19) MDV-1 strains. Also, nt and aa sequences of the MEQ gene of our strain were 99.1 and 99.41% identical to another Turkish strain (MDV/Tur/2019) originated from chickens. Sequence analysis of pp38 and vIL-8 genes also supported the above finding. The identity ratios of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of vIL-8 and pp38 genes of MDV-1/TR-21/turkey strain were 99.64-100% and 99.79-100%, respectively, when compared with those of the Polish strain. According to 132-bp tandem repeat PCR results, the MDV-1/TR-21/turkey strain had five copies. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the MDV-1/TR-21/turkey strain obtained from backyard turkeys can be either very virulent or very virulent plus pathotype, though experimental inoculation is required for precise pathotyping.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Some Characteristic Features of People Recovered from COVID-19 in Turkey.

Background and objectives: The whole world is spending an extraordinary effort by implementing various measures to control and prevent the COVID-19 pandemic. The effectiveness of the preventive measures is greatly influenced by the public's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards the disease. In this study, KAP values and some characteristic features of people recovered from COVID-19 were determined by conducting a questionnaire survey. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire survey was conducted between 1 and 10 January 2021 on people who recovered from COVID-19 in a total of 150 different locations in Turkey. The questionnaire consisted of 46 questions: 14 for determining demographic and some characteristic features of the participants, and 32 for determining their knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The data obtained were evaluated using descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: It was determined that 63% of the participants had at least one chronic illness, 3.9% suffered from the disease twice, and 45.2% changed their smoking habits. The average knowledge score of the participants about COVID-19 was calculated as 10.25 (SD = 2.37; range 0-15). The participants were found to have a high level of knowledge about the symptoms and prevention methods in general, and positive changes in post-illness attitudes and behaviors. However, there was a great instability regarding the drugs and vaccines used in the treatment of COVID-19. Conclusions: This was the first study carried out in Turkey to determine knowledge, attitudes, practices, and some characteristic features of people who recovered from COVID-19. It was suggested that health authorities in the country need to develop more effective strategies and policies to find out permanent solutions in order to control and prevent the COVID-19 pandemic by taking into account the concerns of the public, particularly with regards to the drugs used in the treatment and vaccination.

Molecular identification and antibiotic resistance profiling of Salmonella species isolated from chickens in eastern Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to obtain quantitative data about the frequency, genotypic characterization and antibiotic resistance profiling of Salmonella agents in chicken flocks located in eastern Turkey. RESULTS: Feces samples representing at least 20% of the flock area were collected via sock swabs from commercial poultry flocks in the study region in addition to internal organs (liver, spleen, intestine) collected at necropsy of suspected chickens belonging to small family enterprises. The samples were analyzed by conventional bacteriological methods (ISO 6579:2002/A1:2007) for isolation, and genus specific (invA) PCR for the identification of Salmonella spp. Then, two mPCR were set up to determine Salmonella serotypes and genotypic resistance status of the field isolates against ampicillin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and chloramphenicol antibiotics. In the PCR analysis of the suspected colonies, 98.5% were confirmed as Salmonella spp., and, the most prevalent serotype was identified as S. Infantis with the proportion of 26.6% (17/64), followed by S. Enteritidis with 21.9% (14/64) and S. Typhimurium with 9.4% (6/64). The findings related to antibiotic resistance genes revealed that the most frequently determined gene was sul1 with approximately 58%, while the blaTEM gene was detected at the lowest proportion with 20%, among Salmonella isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that Salmonella infections constitute a potential risk for chicken flocks in the country and that genotypic resistance rates against various antibiotics should draw particular attention in terms of both human and animal health.

Assessment of Farmers' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance.

The aim of this study was to determine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of farmers dealing with animal husbandry in eastern Turkey with regard to antibiotic knowledge, use, and resistance. A face to face questionnaire survey, consisting of five sections with 42 questions in total, was applied to 360 farmers located in the region. The questions in the first and fifth sections were closed-ended while those in other sections were prepared using the Likert scale. It was determined that knowledge of the farmers about antibiotic use, duration, storage, and resistance was well below desired levels. This was particularly remarkable in the participants with a low level of education, living in rural areas, and those at 48 years of age or over. In contrast, younger and highly educated participants living in urban areas were more knowledgeable about antibiotic use and they were well aware of the fact that resistance might pose a great risk for public health. Providing appropriate antibiotic use in animals through systematic training of livestock farmers is crucial in tackling the resistance problem.

Production of Recombinant N Protein of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Using the Baculovirus Expression System and Its Assessment as a Diagnostic Antigen.

The avian coronavirus-infectious bronchitis virus (AvCoV-IBV) is recognized as an important avian pathogen, and new viral variants are a continuous threat to the poultry industry worldwide. Sensitive diagnostics and efficacious vaccines are necessary to combat IBV infections in chickens. The aim of this study was to produce recombinant N protein of IBV in the baculovirus system to use in ELISA diagnostic tests in order to enable the assessment of the sero-prevalence and risk of IBV infections in chickens in Turkey. For this, the gene encoding the N protein of the Beaudette strain of IBV was expressed using a recombinant baculovirus expression system. The recombinant N protein was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. An estimated 50-kDa recombinant protein corresponding to the expected molecular weight of IBV N including the 6xHis tag was detected using an anti-His monoclonal antibody. Specific immunoreactivity of the recombinant protein was confirmed by Western blot using antiserum obtained from vaccinated and naturally infected chicken from Turkey as well as using a monoclonal antibody raised against the N protein of the IBV Massachusetts strain. The results obtained with the in-house ELISA had high agreement with a commercial ELISA. Immunoreactivity analysis using antisera in Western blotting and the in-house ELISA suggests that the recombinant IBV N protein could be broadly cross-reactive with antisera produced against different IBV strains. We conclude that the recombinant baculovirus expressed IBV N protein could serve as a useful diagnostic antigen for detection of IBV infections in chickens by ELISA.

Sudden death due to gas gangrene caused by Clostridium septicum in goats.

BACKGROUND: Even though gas gangrene caused by Clostridium septicum in goats is mentioned in the classical textbooks, we have not managed to find any case description in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Clinical signs resembling gas gangrene such as subcutaneous bloating, edema and crepitation were detected at various body parts of nine pregnant animals at the ages of 2-3 years on a hair goat farm (n = 170) located in Bingol province, Eastern Turkey. Five of these suspected animals with severe clinical symptoms died within 2 days. Various samples such as internal organs, edematous skin and edema fluid collected from dead and live animals were analyzed for the presence of clostridial agents by histopathological and microbiological methods. As a result of macroscopic and microscopic examination, lesions of gas gangrene were detected. The suspected isolates were identified and confirmed as C. septicum by bacteriological and molecular methods. CONCLUSION: The present study was the first to report identification of C. septicum as primary agent in the gas gangrene of goats.

Phylogeny and S1 Gene Variation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Detected in Broilers and Layers in Turkey.

The avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (AvCoV-IBV) is recognized as an important global pathogen because new variants are a continuous threat to the poultry industry worldwide. This study investigates the genetic origin and diversity of AvCoV-IBV by analysis of the S1 sequence derived from 49 broiler flocks and 14 layer flocks in different regions of Turkey. AvCoV-IBV RNA was detected in 41 (83.6%) broiler flocks and nine (64.2%) of the layer flocks by TaqMan real-time RT-PCR. In addition, AvCoV-IBV RNA was detected in the tracheas 27/30 (90%), lungs 31/49 (62.2%), caecal tonsils 7/22 (31.8%), and kidneys 4/49 (8.1%) of broiler flocks examined. Pathologic lesions, hemorrhages, and mononuclear infiltrations were predominantly observed in tracheas and to a lesser extent in the lungs and a few in kidneys. A phylogenetic tree based on partial S1 sequences of the detected AvCoV-IBVs (including isolates) revealed that 1) viruses detected in five broiler flocks were similar to the IBV vaccines Ma5, H120, M41; 2) viruses detected in 24 broiler flocks were similar to those previously reported from Turkey and to Israel variant-2 strains; 3) viruses detected in seven layer flocks were different from those found in any of the broiler flocks but similar to viruses previously reported from Iran, India, and China (similar to Israel variant-1 and 4/91 serotypes); and 4) that the AVCoV-IBV, Israeli variant-2 strain, found to be circulating in Turkey appears to be undergoing molecular evolution. In conclusion, genetically different AvCoV-IBV strains, including vaccine-like strains, based on their partial S1 sequence, are circulating in broiler and layer chicken flocks in Turkey and the Israeli variant-2 strain is undergoing evolution.

The first experimental research on the pathogenicity of Arcobacter butzleri in zebrafish.

This experimental study was conducted to investigate the pathogenicity and histopathology of Arcobacter butzleri in zebrafish model organism. Firstly, mean infective dose (ID50) of A. butzleri was calculated in zebrafish as 1.3×10(8)CFU/mL and 1×10(5)CFU/mL by immersion and intraperitoneal injection, respectively. For histopathological trials, the ID50 of A. butzleri were given to zebrafish by both immersion and intraperitoneal routes and then, clinical and pathological findings were evaluated on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 21 of the experiment. During the experimental period, no clinical signs or gross lesions of disease were observed in the zebrafish groups infected with the ID50 of A. butzleri by either method. In the histopathological examination, acute inflammation characterized by neutrophil and plasma cells and local necrosis or congestion were determined in liver, kidney, spleen, gaster and other visceral organs. In addition peritonitis, leukocyte infiltration, villous atrophy and septicemia were observed in the experimental groups. Neither gross nor microscopic lesions were detected in the control groups. This study presented the first report of experimental A. butzleri infection in wild zebrafish. In the light of the findings obtained here, it was concluded that zebrafish could be used as a model organism to investigate pathogenicity and histopathology of arcobacters.

In vitro activity of Brucella melitensis isolates to various antimicrobials in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a systemic infectious disease caused by Brucella bacteria. A successful treatment requires antibiotics that can penetrate into the cell at high concentrations. The aim of this study was to assess the biotype and in vitro activity of 80 Brucella isolates obtained from blood against various antimicrobials for human brucellosis in Turkey. METHODS: Identification of the types of the species designated Brucella species was made using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with type-specific primers. Serotyping was performed using mono-specific A and M antisera. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics known to have good intracellular penetration (doxycycline, rifampicin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin) were determined by the agar dilution method. RESULTS: All of the 80 Brucella isolates were determined to be Brucella melitensis: 75 B. melitensis biotype 3 (93.7%) and 5 B. melitensis biotype 1 (6.3%). Doxycycline was the most effective among the tested antibiotics against Brucella species (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 0.25-0.5 µg/ml), and it was followed by levofloxacin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 0.5-1 µg/ml), moxifloxacin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 1-1 µg/ml), ofloxacin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 1-1 µg/ml), rifampicin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 2-4 µg/ml), azithromycin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 4-8 µg/ml), and clarithromycin (MIC(50)-MIC(90), 8-32 µg/ml), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro activity of doxycycline and rifampicin, which are used in the classic treatment of brucellosis, was found to be very good. Quinolones were found to have in vitro activity against Brucella isolates. Among the macrolides, azithromycin had a higher level of activity compared with clarithromycin. A combination of quinolones and azithromycin could be an alternative to doxycycline and rifampicin in the treatment of brucellosis.

Investigation of virulence and cytolethal distending toxin genes in Campylobacter spp. isolated from sheep in Turkey.

The presence of virulence and cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) genes was investigated in isolates of Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, C. lanienae, and C. lari that originated from intestinal contents and gallbladders of clinically healthy sheep. These genes have important roles in the pathogenicity of campylobacters. A total of 363 Campylobacter isolates (221 C. jejuni, 135 C. coli, five C. lanienae, and two C. lari) were used in this study. The frequency of racR, dnaJ, ciaB, pldA, flaA, and cadF virulence genes in all the isolates were determined to be 34.4%, 30%, 24.8%, 30.9%, 95%, and 81.3%, respectively, while the virB11 virulence gene could not be detected in any isolates. CdtA, cdtB, and cdtC genes were detected in 54.5%, 55.9%, and 52.3% of the isolates, respectively. None of the virulence and toxin genes examined here were detected in a total of 19 Campylobacter isolates consisting of 10 C. jejuni and nine C. coli. This is the first study investigating the presence of virulence and toxin genes in a large number of Campylobacter species isolated from clinically healthy sheep by scanning a large area. In addition, this is the first report investigating the presence of virulence and toxin genes in sheep-originated C. lanienae and C. lari isolates.

Isolation and molecular characterization of Escherichia coli O157 from broiler and human samples.

There is a lack of information about the role of poultry, specifically chicken, in transmission of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 and subsequent human illnesses. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the presence of E. coli O157 and its virulence genes in various samples collected from broiler chickens and humans in Eastern Turkey by culture, immunomagnetic separation (IMS), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The genetic relationship between broiler and human isolates was also examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In the PCR analysis of sorbitol-negative isolates, E. coli O157 was identified in 0.1% (1/1000) and 0.4% (4/1000) of the liver and cecum samples of broiler chickens, respectively. On the other hand, none of the carcass samples were determined to be positive for E. coli O157. Overall, the results indicated that 12% (3/25) of the flocks were positive for E. coli O157. The differences between the flocks in terms of the positivity were determined to be statistically significant (p<0.001). Ten (2.7%) of 367 human stool samples were also positive for E. coli O157 in the PCR examination. None of the broiler and human E. coli O157 isolates possessed H7, shigatoxins 1-2, or enterohemolysin genes, whereas all the broiler isolates and one of the human isolates were positive for intimin gene. In the PFGE analysis, a total of eight different profiles (four from broiler and four from human isolates) were observed. However, there were no genetic relationships between broiler and human E. coli O157 isolates. It can be concluded that more detailed studies are needed in poultry to better understand the role of these species in the epidemiology of E. coli 0157 infections in humans.

Investigation of toxin genes by polymerase chain reaction in Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from bovine mastitis in Turkey.

Staphylococcus aureus causes a number of diseases in humans and animals, and it is the most common etiological agent of contagious bovine mastitis. The agent produces several virulence factors such as coagulase (coa), clumping factor, protein A, exfoliative toxins, staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1. The aim of the present study was to characterize coa-positive S. aureus strains (n = 92) isolated from bovine subclinical mastitis in Turkey by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of exfoliative toxin (eta and etb) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (tsst) genes. In addition, a multiplex PCR was employed to investigate the presence of SE genes sea, seb, sec, sed, see, seg, seh, sej, and sei. By PCR amplification, while eta and etb were not detected, only three isolates (3.3%) were positive for tsst. Twenty-seven (29.3%) isolates harbored one or more SE genes, and sei was the most common pattern by multiplex PCR. None of the isolates harbored the genes encoding sea, see, and seh. The application of this multiplex PCR assay could enable more samples to be rapidly characterized for enterotoxin production of S. aureus isolates from milk for epidemiological studies.

Isolation of Mycoplasma bovis from broiler chickens in Turkey.

Mycoplasma bovis normally affects cattle, in which it causes pneumonia in calves, mastitis, arthritis and other diseases. In the present article we report the isolation of this bovine pathogen from the tracheas of broiler chickens with no clinical signs. The most probable source of infection was the cattle herd sharing the farm with the chickens.

Coagulase gene polymorphisms detected by PCR in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from subclinical bovine mastitis in Turkey.

The genetic relatedness of coagulase (coa) positive Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cows with subclinical mastitis in Turkey was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Among 700 milk samples positive in the California Mastitis Test (CMT), species specific PCR identified 200 (28.6%) isolates as S. aureus and 161 (80.5%) of these isolates were positive for the 3' end of the coa gene by PCR. Most isolates (n=135, 83.9%) produced a single band on coa PCR, with molecular sizes ranging from 500 to 1400bp, whereas a small number of isolates (n=26, 16.1%) yielded two amplification products. Coa RFLP analysis using AluI and Hin6I revealed 23 and 22 band patterns, respectively. The detection of double bands by coa PCR, previously reported in human isolates, suggests that milking personnel can play a role in the transmission of S. aureus.

Heterogeneity of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains from healthy sheep.

The objectives of this study were to identify, at species level, thermophilic campylobacters isolated from clinically healthy sheep by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR). The heterogeneity among Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli isolates was also investigated using a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the flagellin (flaA) gene. Samples of intestinal contents, gall bladders and faeces were collected from 610 healthy sheep. While gall bladder samples were plated directly onto Preston agar, an enrichment stage was applied for intestinal and faecal samples. Of the 610 samples, 302 (49.5%) were positive for Campylobacter spp. Using a mPCR assay for species identification, 103 (34.1%) were positive with C. jejuni-specific primers, while 100 (33.1%) were positive with C. coli-specific primers. Additionally, 16 (11.9%) of the intestinal content samples were positive for both species by mPCR. All the isolates identified as C. jejuni and C. coli were successfully subtyped by flaA typing. Of 203 isolates tested, 48 different flaA types were found. Twenty-six flaA types were identified among C. jejuni isolates and the remaining 22 from C. coli isolates.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from healthy cattle and sheep.

The genetic heterogeneity among Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates obtained from apparently healthy cattle and sheep was investigated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. A total of 348 Campylobacter isolates, consisting of C. jejuni (n = 218) and C. coli (n = 130), were analysed. All these isolates were successfully typed by RAPD analysis. The total numbers of band patterns defined by RAPD in cattle and sheep were 42 and 45, respectively. Of the 42 distinct types obtained from cattle, 37 types were observed in C. jejuni isolates (n = 115), and the remaining 5 were in C. coli isolates (n = 30). Of 45 distinct types obtained from sheep, 21 types were observed in C. jejuni isolates (n = 103), and 24 were in C. coli isolates (n = 100). It was concluded that a high degree of heterogeneity existed among the C. jejuni and C. coli isolates of healthy cattle and sheep.

Evaluating the curriculum of the veterinary school of Firat University, Turkey, in terms of professional and technical skills.

A significant portion of the problems faced by veterinarians is related to communication. These problems are intensely experienced between veterinary practitioners and animal owners; yet no lectures or courses aiming to improve professional skills are available in the curriculum of veterinary schools in Turkey. In this study, all students currently enrolled at, and 1992 and 1998 graduates of, the Veterinary School of Firat University (VSFU), Turkey, were surveyed to evaluate the attitudes of veterinary students and graduates toward technical and professional skills. Data were collected from 581 students and 61 recent graduates via personal interviews with students and questionnaires mailed to graduates; information was obtained about participants' technical and professional skills. The overall response rate was 85%. The results show that learning about technical and professional skills is highly valued; competence and comfort in skill sets are associated with comfort in establishing communication with instructors. Positive correlations were also noted between feeling comfortable with and feeling competent in both skill sets. In conclusion, it appears to be essential to introduce courses addressing improvement of professional skills to the curriculum of veterinary schools in Turkey, given that a successful veterinarian profile requires feeling competent in and comfortable with both technical and professional skills.

Genotyping of broiler-originated Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates using fla typing and random amplified polymorphic DNA methods.

Liver and intestine samples taken from 200 broilers at 20 flocks were inoculated onto Preston Enrichment broth and agar for selective isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. The isolates were identified by both conventional and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Campylobacter spp. were identified in 102 of 400 samples (200 liver and 200 intestine), 57 (14.25%) of which were identified as C. jejuni and 45 (11.25%) as C. coli. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the flagellin gene (flaA) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing were used to describe the heterogeneity among amplified DNA products of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates. Flagellin gene analysis by RFLP of the isolates produced seven different band profiles. On the other hand, five distinct band profiles were obtained in the examination of the isolates with RAPD assay using a random primer (OPA-11). The results of this study demonstrated that a relatively low heterogeneity existed among C. jejuni and C. coli strains isolated from the commercial broiler flocks in eastern Turkey. In the comparison of both typing methods, fla typing provided more discrimination than the RAPD assay used.