Additive effect of glutathione S-transferase T1 active genotype and infection with Toxoplasma gondii for increasing the risk of schizophrenia.

PURPOSE: To determine if Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection may play a role in the development of schizophrenia in genetically susceptible persons with regard to genes encoding glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and M1 (GSTM1). METHODS: A total of 78 cases with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia were compared with 91 healthy controls. For detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Genotyping of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was performed by multiplex PCR. Chi-square and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: A higher frequency of the GSTT1 active gene in schizophrenic patients was observed. When risk categories based on the combination of T. gondii status and GSTs polymorphisms were compared, risk of schizophrenia increased in T. gondii positive/GSTT1 absent subjects (OR = 4.75, p = 0.05) compared with T. gondii negative/GSTT1 absent group. When T. gondii positive subjects had the GSTT1 active genotype, the risk increased linearly (OR = 10.20, p < 0.001). Odds ratio in T. gondii positive groups were almost the same in combination with the GSTM1 active genotype (OR = 4.45, p = 0.003) or null genotype (OR = 4.37, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an additive effect for T. gondii and GSTT1 active genotype as risk factors for schizophrenia in Iranian population. This is a small pilot study and replicating the study with larger groups of patients in multinational investigation to clarify these findings is recommended.

Association of Toxoplasma gondii infection with schizophrenia and its relationship with suicide attempts in these patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii, and to assess the association of infection with suicide attempts and age of onset of schizophrenia in these patients. METHODS: Case-control study Fars Province, southern Iran. Cases were individuals with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. Controls were healthy blood donors, frequency-matched with patients according to age and sex. For the detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. Data about demographic information in all subjects and duration of illness and history of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia were collected using a brief questionnaire and hospital records. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Among 99 cases, 42 individuals (42%) were positive for T. gondii antibody, vs. 41 (27%) among 152 controls (OR = 2, 95% CI: 1.2-3.4, P = 0.012). We compared the suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia based on their T. gondii serologic status. There was a lower rate of suicide attempts in seropositive male patients than seronegative ones (OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.97, P = 0.04). Age of onset of schizophrenia did not differ between T. gondii-infected and non-infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may have implications for schizophrenia and suicide prevention programmes. However, clearly further studies are required to confirm them.

Association between Toxoplasma gondii and gestational diabetes with regard to serum leptin and tumor necrosis factor alpha, a preliminary study.

Gestational diabetes (GDM), the onset of any degree of glucose intolerance during pregnancy, increases a wide range of adverse health outcomes for both the mother and the fetus. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of Toxoplasma gondii infection with GDM in a case-control study with regard to the levels of leptin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) as two inflammatory biomarkers. Fifty-one pregnant diabetic cases and 109 controls were selected from a prenatal care clinic of a general hospital in Shiraz, southern Iran during July-November 2020. Cases and controls were similar in age, gestational age and number of parturitions. The presence of IgG antibodies against T. gondii, and serum concentrations of leptin and TNF-α were determined by ELISA. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in 25 subjects (15.6 %, 95 % CI: 9.9-21.3). Nine (18 %) diabetic cases were infected with Toxoplasma compared to 16 (15 %) healthy controls (P = 0.63). Level of leptin was higher (P = 0.07) while TNF-α was lower in diabetic cases compared to healthy controls (P = 0.08). When subjects were classified according to the combination of GDM and T. gondii, leptin was significantly lower in healthy (non-diabetic, non-infected) subjects compared to diabetics (P = 0.026), and TNF-α was higher in healthy subjects compared to Toxoplasma-infected diabetics (P = 0.032). These findings can be interpreted as both comorbidities being individually associated with increasing serum leptin and decreasing TNF-α concentrations, with modifying effects on each other. The present study opens a new perspective on GDM and its complex pathophysiological mechanism. Future research in this area is needed to better understand the underlying pathway for the development of GDM and the role of T. gondii and inflammatory biomarkers.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of dog and cat owners toward zoonotic diseases in Shiraz, southern Iran.

There are increasing concerns about the role of companion animals as reservoirs for zoonotic diseases (ZD). Therefore, knowledge, attitudes and practices of pet owners in Shiraz, southern Iran about ZD were evaluated. Two-hundred pet owners referring to veterinary clinics, completed a structured questionnaire. Mean age of owners was 34 (±12) years, more than half of owners reported they had heard the term "zoonosis", nearly half had some information about ZD, and veterinarians were their main source of information. Two-thirds of respondents had history of bite or scratching. Participants had satisfactory knowledge regarding high risk groups for ZD, however, nearly half did not know that scratching by animal is a route for contracting ZD and 92 % thought that animal vaccination could prevent a large number of ZD. More than half said when their pet is apparently healthy, they do not concern about ZD, and almost all agreed that it is the responsibility of veterinarians to provide sufficient information about ZD for their clients. Routine vaccinations was practiced by 83 % of the owners, and 79 % washed their hands after contact with pet. Using gloves when emptying feces container and annual stool examination were the least common practices. Education was significantly associated with total knowledge (P = 0.007) and practices scores (P = 0.001), hearing the term "zoonoses" (OR= 2.2, P = 0.015) and concern for ZD in apparently healthy animals (OR= 3.1, P = 0.001). Total practices score was also significantly higher in dog owners (P = 0.005). Age and gender did not show significant associations with any item. This study established baseline estimates for knowledge, attitudes and practices of pet owners toward ZD in the region. Educating pet owners about the interconnection between animal and human health, preferably by veterinarians is highly warranted for prevention of ZD.

Prevalence and risk factors for Listeria monocytogenes in broiler flocks in Shiraz, southern Iran.

Listeria monocytogenes has been identified as an important foodborne pathogen in recent years. In humans, it most commonly affects pregnant women, neonates, children, elderly people, and persons with a suppressed immune system. It could contaminate both raw and cooked meat and poultry products. Studies regarding prevalence and risk factors of L. monocytogenes in broilers flocks are limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for L. monocytogenes in poultry flocks in Shiraz, southern Iran. During August to September 2009, in total, 100 broiler flocks were selected at slaughter, and 21 specimens were collected from cloacal samples from each flock. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on the samples enriched in buffered Listeria enrichment broth (BLEB), using specific primers. Furthermore, enriched samples in BLEB and/or BLEB treated with 5% KOH were subcultured on Palcam medium. Data about farm and flocks were collected using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 7% (95% CI, 2-12%) and 1% using PCR and culture, respectively. Results showed that using antibiotics during rearing period was dramatically reduced the rate of isolation (odds ratio [OR]=0.07, p=0.03), whereas house capacity of more than 10,000 birds (OR=24.03, p=0.04) and number of houses (OR=2, p=0.02) significantly increased the prevalence. The correlation between poor management of large poultry flocks and increasing the risk of contamination was more likely due to the recontamination of cooked poultry/undercooking or cross-contamination of other ready-to-eat foods.

Association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection with milk production and calving interval in Iranian Holsteins.

There are inconsistent results for the association of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection with production and reproduction in dairy cows. Determination of these associations in each region is essential to encourage participation of dairy cattle producers in disease control programs. This study was conducted in Shiraz, southern Iran, to quantify the association of subclinical MAP infection with 305-day milk production and calving interval in Iranian Holsteins. A total of 21 dairy herds were selected for the study and in each herd, quarter milk samples were collected from ten to 12 dairy cows for PCR analysis. Data about parity, calving interval, length of lactation period, total milk production and 305-day milk production were also provided for each animal. Overall, 252 individual milk samples were collected. Herd- and individual-level prevalence of MAP infection were 23.8% (95% CI, 6.2-41.4%) and 3.2% (95% CI, 1.3-5.1%), respectively based on IS900 nested PCR. The results for 305-day milk production revealed a 248 kg reduction in positive cows compared with negative ones (P = 0.009). When cows from positive herds were compared with cows from negative herds, a 335-kg reduction in 305-day milk production (P = 0.005) and a 30-day increase in calving interval (P = 0.057) were observed in the former group. These findings support the previous results that paratuberculosis infection is negatively associated with the performance of the animals.

Survey of Salmonella in commercial broiler farms in Shiraz, southern Iran.

Salmonella is one of the major causes of food-borne diseases, worldwide. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of Salmonella and to employ a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to confirm the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium in the broiler chicken farms in Shiraz, southern Iran. In addition, risk factors for the presence of Salmonella spp. at farm and flock levels were investigated. Fecal samples were collected from 22 broiler farms, including 35 broiler flocks. Conventional culture methods were used for Salmonella isolation, and the suspected isolates were confirmed by PCR with Salmonella specific primer (invA). Subsequently, PCR was performed to identify S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium, using IE-1 and Flic-C primers, respectively. Information for farms and flocks was collected using a questionnaire. Twelve poultry flocks from eight farms were positive for Salmonella. The estimated prevalence of Salmonella was 36.4% at farm level and 34.3% at flock level. Based on the results of PCR, four farms were infected with S. Enteritidis, two farms with S. Typhimurium and one farm with both serovars, concurrently. Statistical analysis using generalized estimating equations showed that at flock level, odds of Salmonella presence increased when the number of chickens was more than 15000 (OR = 13.2, P = 0.023), and an increased odds of Salmonella was found for flocks in which antibiotics were used at sub-therapeutic or therapeutic doses during the rearing period (OR = 19.6, P = 0.003). At the farm level, there was a marginal association between Salmonella and using nipple drinker (OR = 0.08, P = 0.07) and keeping dogs on the farm (OR = 8.9, P = 0.06) by logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, Salmonella spp. including S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium are prevalent in the poultry flocks in the region. Considering the results and the fact that the flock size and its surrogate marker, stocking density are among the most consistently identified risk factors for Salmonella in the literature, production cycles with the appropriate number of chicks and proper stocking density are recommended. In addition, careful monitoring and prudent use of antibiotics in poultry farms could be practiced to control this human pathogen in preharvest poultry operations.

Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of the present study is to systematically review the studies on Neospora caninum infection in aborted bovine fetuses in Iran. Search for all published reports on N. caninum in Iran was performed from inception until January 2020. Major English (PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct) and Persian (SID, Iranmedex, and Magiran) electronic database sources were used. Finally, 16 articles were assessed for eligibility and 12 articles comprising 20 independent studies were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Due to the statistically significant heterogeneity (Q=149.12, df=19, P<0.001 and I2=87.26), the random effect model was used for meta-analysis. Prevalence of N. caninum infection in 1239 aborted bovine fetuses with 351 positive ones was 34.8% (95% CI: 26.5­44.0%). Sample size was categorized as < 50 and ≥ 50 and subgroup meta-analysis was performed to compensate for the loss of precision due to inclusion of small size studies. The result showed that overall prevalence of infection in the latter group (23.1%) is significantly lower than in the first category (45.7%). It may be suggested that the subgroup with large sample size would be more precise and conservative approximation of the infection at the country level. The present meta-analysis confirms the previous findings regarding the importance of N. caninum as a major abortion agent in cattle industry in Iran and the need for appropriate action toward prevention and control of this parasite.

Effect of inbreeding on weight gain of offspring from birth to 12 months after birth: a study from Iran.

Consanguinity, the marriage between relatives, has been associated with adverse child health outcomes. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of consanguinity on offspring weight gain from birth to 12 months after birth. Data were collected on 250 consecutive live-born singleton newborns referred to a local health centre in Shiraz (Fars province, southern Iran). Collected data covered socio-demographic characteristics (such as parental age at delivery and parental education), sex, birth order, weights from birth to 12 months after birth and consanguinity of marriages of parents. Considering the low prevalence of double first cousin, first cousin once removed, second cousin, and beyond second cousin marriages, only first cousin and unrelated marriages were included in the study. The study population consisted of a total of 207 newborns (57 offspring of first cousins, 150 offspring of unrelated marriages). Based on the results of repeated measurements analysis of variance, weight gain was associated with type of marriage (p=0.018), sex of offspring (p=0.001) and paternal education (p<0.001). There was no interaction between type of marriage and sex (p=0.831). Birth weight was not affected by type of marriage (p=0.46). There was significant interaction between inbreeding and time (p=0.034). Offspring of consanguineous marriages showed lower weight gain in comparison with those of unrelated marriages during 3-12 months after birth.

Reproductive performance of Holstein dairy cows in Iran.

The objectives of the present study were to describe the current reproductive parameters of Holstein dairy cows in Iran and to determine factors which have a significant effect on reproductive performance with emphasis on high-producing dairy cows. Five large Holstein dairy herds from the major milk production areas of Iran were selected for this study. Reproduction data including parity of dam, calving date, days to first service, days open, number of services, dry period, and occurrence of diseases for cows that calved from 2004 to 2007 were collected from the herds' databases. To determine the effects of year and season of calving, disease status, level of milk production, and parity of dam on reproductive parameters, the proc-mixed procedure in SAS software was used. Overall, data about 8,204 lactation were collected for the study. Results showed that mean (+/-SD) days open, calving interval, and days to first service for study herds were 134 (+/-89), 403 (+/-86), and 67 (+/-38) days, respectively. Conception rates at the first service and the overall service-conception rate were 41.6% and 41%, respectively. The level of milk production and diseases had significant negative effects on days open and service per conception (P < 0.05); statistical analysis showed that for every 100-kg increase in milk yield, days open will increase by about 0.3 days. However, no significant effect of level of productivity was observed on days to first service. The results of this study indicate that high milk production is a risk factor for decreasing fertility in Iran, like many other parts of the world.

Bovine neosporosis in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite with worldwide distribution, which primarily causes disease in dogs and cattle. It has been recognized as an important cause of epidemic and endemic abortion in cattle around the world. There is no study to demonstrate the country level picture of the disease in Iran and estimate the extent of the problem, quantitatively. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to systematically review the observational studies on bovine neosporosis in Iran and estimate an overall serologic prevalence of the infection in the cattle population. Search for all published reports on N. caninum in Iran was conducted from inception until September 2018. Major English (PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct) and Persian (IranDoc, SID, Iranmedex, and Magiran) electronic database sources were used for this study. After removing duplicated articles, 128 documents remained. Unrelated articles (89) were excluded after primary screening and 39 articles were evaluated for eligibility. Finally, 37 studies from 33 articles were recognized as eligible and were included in the present work. The author screened the studies and extracted the data twice, carefully. Based on the meta-analysis, the overall serologic prevalence of N. caninum in 10,967 cattle with 2619 positive ones was 23.6 % with 95 % CI: 19.8-27.9 %. The random effect model was used for meta-analysis because the Cochran Q value (795.10, df = 36, P < 0.001) and Higgins index (I2 = 95.47 %) showed statistically significant heterogeneity. In subgroup meta-analysis, abortion status of the animal and geographical location of the study showed significant association with serologic prevalence, while age and breed did not have significant associations. No publication bias was detected, and sensitivity analysis showed stability of the overall estimate after excluding any individual study. It could be concluded that N. caninum is widespread in cattle population in Iran and the time is right to implement national level educational and control programs for it.

Molecular Survey of Vector-Borne Pathogens of Dogs and Cats in Two Regions of Saudi Arabia.

Dogs and cats play an important role as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens, yet reports of canine and feline vector-borne diseases in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Blood samples were collected from 188 free-roaming dogs and cats in Asir (70 dogs and 44 cats) and Riyadh (74 dogs), Saudi Arabia. The presence of Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., hemotropic Mycoplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp. was detected using a multiplex tandem real-time PCR. PCR-positive samples were further examined with specific conventional and real-time PCR followed by sequencing. Dogs from Riyadh tested negative for all pathogens, while 46 out of 70 dogs (65.7%) and 17 out of 44 cats (38.6%) from Asir were positive for at least one pathogen. Positive dogs were infected with Anaplasma platys (57.1%), Babesia vogeli (30%), Mycoplasma haemocanis (15.7%), and Bartonella henselae (1.4%), and cats were infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis (13.6%), Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (13.6%), B. henselae (9.2%), and A. platys (2.27%), all of which are reported for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Co-infection with A. platys and B. vogeli was detected in 17 dogs (24.28%), while coinfections were not detected in cats. These results suggest that effective control and public awareness strategies for minimizing infection in animals are necessary.

Polymorphism of XRCC1 (at codon 399) and susceptibility to breast cancer, a meta-analysis of the literatures.

The X-ray repair cross-complementation group 1 (XRCC1) protein plays an important role in base excision repair. Several polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene have been described, including Arg399Gln. Previous studies investigating the association between genetic polymorphism of Arg399Gln XRCC1 and risk of breast cancer have provided inconsistent results. A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the association between common genetic variant in the XRCC1 gene (exon 10, Arg399Gln) with breast cancer risk. We identified 36 eligible studies, in relation to the Arg399Gln polymorphism of XRCC1 and risk of breast cancer. These studies comprised of 43,716 subjects (20,837 patients and 22,879 controls). We first estimated the risk of the genotypes Arg/Gln and Gln/Gln compared with the wild-type Arg/Arg homozygote, and then evaluated the risk of Gln/Gln versus (Arg/Gln+Arg/Arg) and (Gln/Gln+Arg/Gln) versus Arg/Arg, which assumed recessive and dominant effects, respectively, of the variant 399Gln allele. There was significant heterogeneity between studies. The overall ORs showed that the breast cancer risk were not associated with the XRCC1 genotypes. The heterogeneity between studies decreased dramatically when studies stratified into Asian and Western countries. There was significant association between the polymorphism of XRCC1 and breast cancer risk among studies of Asian countries. In Asian countries the Arg/Gln versus Arg/Arg (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.88-1.10) and Gln/Gln+Arg/Gln versus Arg/Arg (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.95-1.18) were not associated with increased risk of breast cancer. On the other hand, both Gln/Gln versus Arg/Arg (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.19-1.79) and Gln/Gln versus Arg/Gln+Arg/Arg (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22-1.81) increased the risk. Therefore, it could be concluded that 399Gln allele might act as a recessive allele in its association with breast cancer risk.

Trends in calving ages and calving intervals for Iranian Holsteins in Fars province, southern Iran.

PURPOSE: To determine trends in calving ages and calving interval as measures of reproductive performance in Iranian Holsteins in Fars province, southern Iran during 2000-2005. METHODS: Data about birth dates and previous calving dates for cows which calved between 21 March 2004 to 20 March 2005 were retrieved from the database of the Agricultural Jihad Organization of the province. Overall, calving records for 1134 cows from 12 herds during 2000-2005 were included in the statistical models. RESULTS: Mean calving interval was 435 days in 2000 and declined significantly to 389 days during the study period (P < 0.001). Age at first calving decreased significantly from 30 months in 2000 to 26 months in 2005 (P < 0.001). The corresponding measures for age at second calving were 44 and 41 months, respectively (P = 0.003). Cows which calved during warm months had significantly (P < 0.001) higher calving interval (420 days) compared with calving in cold months (411 days). No significant effect for parity on calving interval was observed in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Reproductive performance revealed relatively positive trend in the Iranian Holsteins in Fars province. This could be attributed to better management and nutrition practices during this period and also to the fact that large genetic trend for milk which has been observed in countries with decreasing reproductive performance has not occurred in these herds yet.

Study of reproductive performance and related factors in four dairy herds in Fars province (southern Iran) by Cox proportional-hazard model.

Our objective was to characterize the current reproductive performance and factors which may be related to it in the Fars province dairy herds in southern Iran. We collected retrospective data from four commercial herds in the region. All 256 cows with history of calving between 21 March 2004 and 20 March 2005 were followed until subsequent pregnancy, culling or death. Effects of risk factors on days open were investigated in a Cox proportional-hazards model. The overall median calving interval, dry period and days open were 388, 68, and 120 days, respectively. First-service conception risk and overall-service conception risk were 45 and 42%, respectively. Average numbers of insemination per pregnant and all cows were 2 and 2.1, respectively. Cows without incidence of any disorder during the lactation (but before conception, and including metabolic disorders) had 2.1-times greater hazard of conception than cows with incidence of disease. No significant association between calving interval, dry period, parity of dam, and sex and weight of calves with days open was observed.

Herd-level prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis by bulk-tank milk PCR in Fars province (southern Iran) dairy herds.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2006 in dairy herds in Fars province, southern Iran to determine the herd-level prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. Bulk-tank milk samples were collected from 110 dairy herds in the 3 districts (Shiraz, Marvdasht and Sepidan) of the province. Among study populations, 12 herds (11%, 95%CI: 5-17%) were positive for MAP infection based on IS900 nested PCR. The prevalence of positive milk samples in the three districts of Fars province was different ranging from 8.6% to 23% which was not statistically significant (P=0.19). It is recommended to conduct further epidemiologic studies to determine cow-level prevalence and risk factors for infection, and to evaluate the economic consequences of the MAP infection in the region.

Effect of L-Carnitine Supplementation on Apelin and Apelin Receptor (Apj) Expression in Cardiac Muscle of Obese Diabetic Rats.

OBJECTIVE: L-carnitine (LC) has been shown to protect cardiac metabolism in diabetes patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Apelin, a newly discovered adipocytokines, is an important regulator of cardiac muscle function; however, the role of the level of expression of Apelin axis in improvement of cardiac function by LC in diabetic patients, is not clear. In the present study, obese insulin-resistant rats were used to determine the effect of LC, when given orally with a high-calorie diet, on Apelin and Apelin receptor (Apj) expression in cardiac muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, rats were fed with high-fat/high-carbohydrate diet for five weeks and subsequently were injected with streptozotocin 30 mg/kg for induction of obesity and insulin resistance. After confirming the induction of diabetes (serum glucose above 7.5 mmol/L), the animals received LC 300 mg/kg in drinking water for 28 days. On days 0, 14 and 28 after treatment, cardiac Apelin and Apj gene expression was evaluated by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Serum levels of insulin, Apelin, glucose, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were also measured using commercial kits. RESULTS: Cardiac Apelin and Apj expression and serum Apelin were increased in obese rats, while LC supplementation decreased the serum levels of Apelin and down-regulated Apelin and Apj expression in cardiac muscle. These changes were associated with reduced insulin resistance markers and serum inflammatory factors and improved lipid profile. CONCLUSION: We concluded that LC supplementation could attenuate the over-expression of Apelin axis in heart of diabetic rats, a novel mechanism by which LC improves cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients.

Poultry abattoir survey of carcass condemnations in Fars province, southern Iran.

Official post-mortem inspection records of poultry in 11 industrial poultry abattoirs in the Fars province, southern Iran, between 20 March 2002 and 19 March 2006 were used to investigate the character and prevalence of poultry loss caused by disease and pathological changes in the province. Linear regression analysis for study of time trend and chi2-test for investigation of seasonal pattern were used as statistical methods. In the study period, 130,967,021 birds were slaughtered. As a result of official veterinary inspection, 959,416 (0.73%) birds were condemned. The condemnation risk was calculated for each quarter in a year. Cachexia and septicemia were the most common reasons for rejection of carcasses and were responsible for 62% of the total condemnations. The condemnation risk due to septicemia increased over the study period from 0.14 to 0.22%. The rejection risk due to overscalding declined over the study period from 0.07 to 0.01%. No trends in time were observed for the other causes of condemnation. In conclusion the majority of condemnations are caused by disease and improving the standard of disease prevention and control on farms is necessary. These results could form the basis of an assessment of trends in condemnations in poultry slaughterhouse and should prove useful to the poultry industry as a baseline data for future comparison.

Association of Neospora caninum with reproductive performance in dairy cows: A prospective study from Iran.

There is no prospective study from Iran to estimate the direct risk of Neospora caninum for pregnancy loss or reproductive factors. In addition, there is no report in the literature concerning the association of N. caninum with dystocia and sex of calves. Therefore, this study was conducted on a group of dairy cows in a large intensive production system during 2011 to 2013 in southern Iran to evaluate the impact of neosporosis on reproductive performance. A total of 253 cows which were diagnosed as pregnant during the first six months of the study were followed until calving or abortion. Reproductive data were collected and N. caninum serostatus was determined using ELISA. To investigate the association of abortion with N. caninum, survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazard model. The N. caninum seroprevalence in the study group was 30.40% (95% CI: 27.40, 36.10). The overall abortion rate was 12.25%, significantly higher in seropositive animals (20.80%) than seronegative ones (8.50%). Results of Cox model showed that serostatus of animal for N. caninum and season had significant associations with abortion (p < 0.01). Neospora caninum did not show significant association with other factors such as dystocia and sex of calves. In conclusion, neosporosis is responsible for 12.00% excess abortion risk in infected group and more than 30.00% of abortions could be preventable by control of Neospora in study population. Therefore, control of N. caninum would reduce the economic losses caused by parasite mainly due to pregnancy loss.

Evaluation of blood monocyte and lymphocyte population in broiler chicken after vaccination and experimental challenge with Newcastle disease virus.

In the present study, after vaccination and challenge with Newcastle disease virus, changes in the population of blood monocytes and lymphocytes of broiler chickens were evaluated using flow cytometry. 300 apparently healthy 1-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were divided randomly into four experimental groups (n=75). At 20days of age the chicks in group 1 and 2 were vaccinated with live B1 ND vaccine. Those in group 2 were additionally injected with a killed vaccine simultaneously and group 3 chicks received only the adjuvant of the killed vaccine. The birds in groups 1, 2 and 3 were challenged with a velogenic ND virus and those in group 4 were treated as control. Sampling was done on days 1,2,3,7 after vaccination and also on 1, 2, 3,7,14, 21 post challenge days. In this study percentage of B cell population was increased after vaccination and challenge in vaccinated birds, but CD3+ cells were decreased after vaccination and challenge, which showed B cells have more expansion than T cells. The CD4+ cell percentage in vaccinated birds was always lower than control birds. However, the percentage of CD8+ cells in vaccinated birds was increased. Results indicate increased CMI with the live NDV vaccination. In this study CD4/CD8 ratio in control birds was about 1.5 at 30days of age and it was slightly lower in vaccinated and challenged birds. The percentage of monocytes in vaccinated birds was significantly higher than control birds from 3days post vaccination to the end of the experiment.