Microsporidia in household dogs and cats in Iran; a zoonotic concern.

Microsporidia in dogs and cats is primarily caused by the obligate, intracellular parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi, which is a member of the phylum Microsporidia. The aim of the current study is the detection of this parasite in stool samples of small animals of Iran, by polymerase chain reaction. Microsporidia spp. was found in 31% (31/100) of dogs (E. cuniculi (18/100), Encephalitozoon bieneusi (8/100) and Encephalitozoon intestinalis (5/100)), and 7.5% (3/40) of the specimens obtained from cats were infected with E. bieneusi. Sequencing of PCR products confirmed these results. In conclusion, Microsporidia infection seems to be fairly common in pet animals of Iran, especially in dogs. This finding could indicate the importance of pet animals as zoonotic reservoirs of microsporidial human infections.

Immunotherapy Using Autoclaved L. major Antigens and M. vaccae with Meglumine Antimoniate, for the Treatment of Experimental Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate immunotherapy against canine visceral leishmaniasis, Leishmania major antigen and heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae (SRL172) were used as stimulators of immune defense mechanisms and the results were compared with standard chemotherapy meglumine antimoniate. METHODS: Nineteen mongrel dogs aging 1-3 years old were used in this experiment. Infection was carried out in 15 out of 19 dogs using L. infantum, isolated from a naturally infected poly-symptomatic dog. RESULTS: All the cases showed positive serologic results by direct agglutination test during 30-60 days following inoculation. In the first group, which was under chemotherapy (Glucantime(R)), one of the members showed recurrence of the disease despite rapid effect of the therapeutic protocol. Immunotherapy using SRL172 caused complete cleaning of the parasite in group 2, but the speed was less than Glucantime. Immunotherapy using L. major antigen combined with M. vaccae in group 3 and combine administration of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in group 4 both were with relapsing of one case in each group. Group 5 and 6 were consisted of positive and negative control dogs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Immunotherapy seems to be an adjuvant in treatment of canine leishmaniasis but it needs more investigation for final confirmation.

Identification of Helicobacter spp. in oral secretions vs. gastric mucosa of stray cats.

The definite mode of transmission of Helicobacter infection is largely unknown. This study was carried out primarily, to determine the existence of Helicobacter spp. in the oral secretions of stray cats as one of the possible routes of transmission and secondly, to evaluate the accordance between oral and gastric colonization of Helicobacter spp. in these cats. Forty-three adult stray cats were thus studied for the presence of Helicobacter species by quantitative rapid urease test (RUT), cytology and PCR. Helicobacter spp. were found in the oral secretions and gastric biopsies of 93% and 67.5% of the stray cats, respectively. There was not, however, any agreement observed between Helicobacter colonization at these two locations, at neither genus nor species level. These findings suggest that the oral cavity is routinely exposed to transient forms of bacteria and may temporarily harbor Helicobacter spp. Thus, oral cavity as a source of Helicobacter spp. may act as a reservoir for transmission and may not necessarily reflect the colonization status of the gastric mucosa.

Ear mite infestation in four imported dogs from Thailand; a case report.

Otodectes cynotis, ear mite or ear canker mite, is the most common cause of otitis external in cats (approximately 50%) and to a lesser extent in dogs, foxes and ferrets. The mite is living on the epidermal surface of auditory canal without burrowing into the tissue and feeding on tissue fluids and debris. In most of the cases they induce hypersensitivity reactions in the host. Four puppies; Siberian husky, Cocker spaniel, Terrier and mixed Pekignese with different genders and ages were referred to the Small Animal Hospital, Veterinary Faculty of Tehran University, Tehran, Iran for routine clinical examination just after they were imported from Thailand in a timeframe between June to August 2008.Clinical examinations showed an excessive dark brown discharge in both ears. No signs of other clinical situations were observed. White moving mites were seen during otoscopy examination, the specimen of ear discharge was sent to parasitology laboratory for precise identification of genus and species. Mites were identified as Otodectes cynotis and the presence of concurrent yeast and bacterial infection was showed by laboratory examinations. Topical Amitraz solution in combination with otic antibacterial and antifungal agents were administered as the treatment. Since, all the reported cases were imported from Thailand, careful clinical examination and quarantine strategies are highly recommended at the borders.

Therapeutic effects of Teucrium polium extract on oxidative stress in pancreas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Increased oxidative stress is a widely accepted factor in the development and progression of diabetes and its complications. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidative potential of Teucrium polium (Family Lamiaceae) aqueous extract for protecting rat pancreatic tissue against streptozotocin (STZ)-induced oxidative stress. Diabetes was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injections of at a single dose of STZ at 40 mg/kg. The crude extract (equivalent to 0.5 g of plant powder/kg of body weight) was administered orally (intragastrically) to a group of STZ diabetic rats for 30 consecutive days. Changes in antioxidant status were evaluated by determining catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) in pancreatic tissue. In addition, serum nitric oxide (NO) concentration, pancreatic tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) (an index of lipid peroxidation) level, and reliable markers of protein oxidation such as protein carbonyl content (PCO) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were also determined. Under diabetic conditions, blood glucose level, serum NO concentration, and pancreatic MDA, PCO, and AOPP levels were all increased. The diabetic rats also exhibited pancreatic GSH depletion along with significant reductions in activities of CAT and SOD. Rats treated with T. polium extract had significantly higher GSH levels along with enhanced CAT and SOD activities in pancreatic tissue. In addition to suppressed blood glucose levels, serum NO, pancreatic MDA, PCO, and AOPP levels were all lower than in the diabetic group. Our results strongly support the proposal that antioxidative activity of T. polium occurs by quenching the extent of lipid and protein oxidation. Based on these observations, it is concluded that T. polium may have protective effect(s) on pancreatic tissue in STZ-induced oxidative stress due to its high antioxidative potential.

Treatment of streptozotocin induced diabetes in male rats by immunoisolated transplantation of islet cells.

Insulin injection is the main way to combat against insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus effects. Today in some laboratories in the world, the investigators are trying to find some treatments for this disease with insulin-secreting pancreatic islet cells transplantation. Donor tissue in each step of work was prepared from 36 adult male wistar Rats weighted 250-300 grams (75-90 days). Transplantation was done in rats after 2-4 weeks induction of diabetes with 60mg/kg of streptozotocin injection by intravenous method. Encapsulation of pancreatic islet cells allows for transplantation in the absence of immunosuppression. This technique that is called "immunoisolation" is based on the principle that transplanted tissue is protected for the host immune system by an artificial or natural membrane. In this study, the levels of insulin, C-peptide and glucose in diabetic rats have been reached to normal range as compared to un-diabetic rats in 20 days after transplantation of islet cells, so that testis is immunoisolated place for islet cells transplantation. Inside the testis subcutaneously and intrapretoneally implantation of pure islet cells graft, that is a natural immunoisolation method, rapidly and permanently normalized the diabetic state of streptozocin-administered animals.

Induction of diabetes by Streptozotocin in rats.

The objective of this study is to induce experimental diabetes mellitus by Streptozotocin in normal adult Wistar rats via comparison of changes in body weight, consumption of food and water, volume of urine and levels of glucose, insulin and C-peptide in serum, between normal and diabetic rats. Intra-venous injection of 60mg/kg dose of Streptozotocin in adult wistar rats, makes pancreas swell and at last causes degeneration in Langerhans islet beta cells and induces experimental diabetes mellitus in the 2-4 days. Induction of experimental diabetes mellitus is indeed the first step in the plan of purification of pancreatic Langerhans islet cells of normal rats for transplanting under the testis subcutaneous of experimentally induced diabetic rats. Streptozotocin induces one type of diabetes which is similar to diabetes mellitus with non-ketosis hyperglycemia in some animal species. For induction of experimental diabetes in male adult rats weighted 250-300 grams (75-90 days), 60mg/kg of Streptozotocin was injected intravenously. Three days after degeneration of beta cells, diabetes was induced in all animals. The diabetic and normal animals were kept in the metabolic cages separately and their body weight, consumption of food and water, urine volume, the levels of serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide quantities in all animals were measured and then these quantities were compared. For a microscopic study of degeneration of Langerhans islet beta cells of diabetic rats, sampling from pancreas tissue of diabetic and normal rats, staining and comparison between them, were done. Induction of diabetes with Streptozotocin decreases Nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in pancreas islet beta cells and causes histopathological effects in beta cells which probably intermediates induction of diabetes. In this study, we used Streptozotocin for our experiments in induction of experimental diabetes mellitus. After Induction of diabetes, consumption of food and water, volume of urine and glucose increased in the diabetic animals in comparison with normal animals, but the weight of body and the volume of insulin and C-peptide decreased in the diabetic animals. Sampling and staining of pancreas tissue of diabetic and normal rats showed that the Langerhans islet beta cells of diabetic rats have been clearly degenerated. In three days, Streptozotocin makes pancreas swell and at last causes degeneration in Langerhans islet beta cells and induces experimental diabetes. It also changes normal metabolism in diabetic rats in comparison with normal rats. Consumption of water and food, volume of urine, serum glucose increases in diabetic animals in comparison with normal rats but the levels of serum insulin, C-peptide and body weight decreases.