Pathological Alterations in Respiratory System During Co-infection with Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H9N2) and Escherichia Coli in Broiler Chickens

Introduction

Despite the advancements in the field, there is a lack of data when it comes to co-infections in poultry. Therefore, this study was designed to address this issue.

Material and Methods

Broiler birds were experimentally infected with E. coli (O78) and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strain, alone or in combination. The experimental groups were negative control.

Results

The infected birds showed most severe clinical signs in E. coli+LPAI group along with a significant decrease in weight and enhanced macroscopic and microscopic pathological lesions. The survival rate was 60%, 84%, and 100% in birds inoculated with E. coli+LPAI, E. coli, and LPAI virus alone, respectively. The results showed that experimental co-infection with E. coli and H9N2 strain of LPAI virus increased the severity of clinical signs, mortality rate, and gross lesions. The HI titre against LPAI virus infection in the co-infected group was significantly higher than the HI titre of LPAI group, which may indicate that E. coli may promote propagation of H9N2 LPAI virus by alteration of immune response.

Conclusion

The present study revealed that co-infection with E. coli and H9N2 LPAI virus caused more serious synergistic pathogenic effects and indicates the role of both pathogens as complicating factors in poultry infections.

Acute and sub-acute toxicity study of a Pakistani polyherbal formulation

Background

Herbology is the prevailing system among the nationally-accepted alternative or complementary systems of medicine. The system is due to its general and patient-oriented methodology, is widely used in the general population exposing them to the risk of the side effects of the herbal medicines.

Method

The aim of study was to assess the acute and sub-acute toxicity of the polyherbal formulation Hab-e-Kabad Noshadri tablets. In the acute arm of the study, a single dose of 2000 mg/kg was administered to Swiss Albino mice which were observed for physical symptoms and behavioral changes for 72 h. In sub-acute toxicity study repeated doses of the polyherbal preparation was administered to Wistar rats of both genders, separately. The animals received three doses of polyherbal product (50 mg/kg/day, 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day) for a period of 28 days. On 28th day of experiment, blood sampling of animals was done for hematological and biochemical analysis i.e. liver and renal function parameters, lipid profile and then sacrificed for histopathological examination of liver and kidney.

Result

There was no morbidity and mortality noticed with single dose administration in acute toxicity study in mice. In sub-acute toxicity study, morphological changes with some damage in liver and kidney tissues of male and female animals were recorded at dose of 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day.

Conclusions

It was found that prolonged use at higher dose i.e. 200 mg/kg/day of this polyherbal formulation should be avoided and practitioners should cautiously prescribe this formulation in patients with hepatic and renal impairment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1889-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Patho-bacteriological investigation of an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis infection in calves - Emerging stealth assault

Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is an important bacterium, causing severe respiratory infection, and arthritis in dairy animals worldwide. This study is based on 50 suckling calves among which 15 showed respiratory distress, lameness and swollen joints and died later. M. bovis was isolated and identified from all dead (n = 15) and live (17.14%; 06 out of 35) calves on the basis of bacteriological examination. In morbid calves, the carpus and stifle joints were severely affected, while necropsy revealed multiple well-circumscribed calcified abscesses and caseous exudates in cranio-ventral and diaphragmatic lobes of lungs. Suppurative polyarthritis, fibrino-suppurative, teno-synovitis and otitis media were the common and striking lesion observed at postmortem examination. Histopathological examination revealed broncho-interstitial pneumonia and necrotic fibrino-purulent broncho-pneumonia in lungs. Similarly, synovial membranes and joints revealed presence of multiple foci of liquefactive necrosis surrounded by lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages and peripheral fibroplasia. In the bacteriological investigations, the characteristic fried egg colonies of M. bovis further confirmed this infection in all suspected cases. In conclusion, the current clinico-histo-pathological features are the depictive picture, and is the first report of M. bovis infection in calves in Pakistan.

Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity evaluation of photo-catalytically treated petroleum refinery wastewater using an array of bioassays

Degradation and detoxification of petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW) was carried out by advanced oxidation processes (UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ and gamma radiation/H₂O₂). Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the independent variables. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using Allium cepa, brime shrimp and haemolytic assays; whereas mutagenicity was tested by Ames tests (TA98 and TA100 strains). Maximum reductions in COD and BOD were recorded as 78% and 87% for UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ and 77% and 86% for gamma ray/H₂O₂, respectively. Treatments with both methods at optimized conditions reduced the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of PRW, however, UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂ system was found slightly efficient as compared to gamma ray/H₂O₂. From the results, it can be concluded that AOP's can successfully be utilized for the degradation of toxic pollutants in petroleum refinery wastewater. Moreover, the bioassays used in this study offered a good reliability for checking the detoxification of treated and un-treated PRW wastewater.

Effect of sodium butyrate on performance, immune status, microarchitecture of small intestinal mucosa and lymphoid organs in broiler chickens

Objective

This study aimed to examine the effect of sodium butyrate (SB) on growth performance, immune status, organs weights, and microarchitecture of lymphoid organs and small intestine.

Methods

A total of 120, 1-d-old broiler chicks were distributed into the following four treatment groups: corn-soy based basal diet (BD) without supplement (control), or the same BD supplemented with 0.1 g/kg zinc bacitracin (ZnB), 0.5 g/kg SB (SB-0.5), or 1.0 g/kg SB (SB-1), respectively. Six birds/group were killed on d-21 and d-35, and samples were collected.

Results

Cell-mediated immune response at 48 h post-Phytohemagglutinin-P injection, and antibody titer against Newcastle disease vaccine and sheep red blood cells on d-35 was noted higher (p<0.05) in SB-1 compared to ZnB and control. Lower (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) was attained by the supplemented groups. Thymus and spleen weighed more (p<0.05) in SB-1, and bursa registered more (p<0.05) weight in both SB groups compared to control. On d-21, areas of thymus medulla and spleen germinal centers were noted higher (p<0.05) in SB-1 group. The villus height and villus surface area increased (p<0.05) in duodenum and jejunum in both SB groups on d-21, and in SB-1 on d-35, respectively compared to ZnB and control. On d-21, number of goblet cells containing mucins of acidic nature increased (p<0.05) in all the segments of small intestines in SB-1 group compared to control, and on d-35 in ileum compared to other groups.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SB improved growth performance and immunity as well as modulated morphology of lymphoid organs and gut mucosa in broiler chickens.

Role of aflatoxin toxicity on transmissibility and pathogenicity of H9N2 avian influenza virus in turkeys

The study was conducted to investigate the role of aflatoxin on the infectivity and transmissibility of H9N2 AI virus. The experiment was performed on 80 non-vaccinated turkeys, divided into 4 groups of 20 birds each. Group A was kept as non-infected and a non-treated negative control; Group B was inoculated intratracheally with H9N2 AI virus (1 × 10(7) EID50) at 4 weeks of age; Group C was fed on a diet containing 0.5 ppm aflatoxin from Day 1 through the entire experiment period and Group D was fed on diet containing 0.5 ppm aflatoxin as for Group C but inoculated intratracheally with H9N2 AI virus (1 × 10(7) EID50) at the fourth week of age and then mixed with naïve birds. Infected and contact birds showed clinical signs of different severity, showing the most prominent disease signs in birds of the aflatoxin + H9N2 group. All infected birds showed virus shedding, however, the pattern of virus shedding was different for birds of the aflatoxin + H9N2 group showing pronounced virus secretion. Similarly, efficient transmission of virus was observed between infected and contact birds, but more prominent virus transmission was seen in those birds inoculated and fed aflatoxin-treated diet. Moreover, significantly lower antibody titres against H9N2 AIV were observed in birds fed aflatoxin-treated diet, indicating an immunotoxic nature of aflatoxin as the reason for poor seroconversion. Similarly, decreased IFNγ mRNA expression and higher mortality (35%) suggest an immunotoxic and immunosuppressive effect of aflatoxin leading to enhanced pathogenesis of H9N2 viruses in aflatoxin-fed birds. The immunosuppressive nature of aflatoxin might delay influenza virus clearance and this may be one of the reasons for increased pathogenicity of H9N2 LPAI viruses in turkeys under field conditions.

Serological, molecular detection and potential risk factors associated with camel brucellosis in Pakistan

Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonoses in developing countries and was considered the most widespread zoonosis in the world. Brucellosis was reported in camels and has been reported from all camel-keeping countries.The present study was performed in three districts (Jhang, Chiniot, and Bhakkar) of Punjab province of Pakistan. A total of 200 camel (Camelus bactrianus) sera were collected using random and multistage cluster sampling from different areas. Fifty samples were collected from one organized governmental farm. One hundred fifty samples were collected randomly from nomadic/pastoral production systems. All sera were tested with Rose Bengal plate agglutination test (RBPT) and confirmed by ELISA. Genomic DNA was extracted from all serum samples and tested by real-time PCR. Various potential risk factors (season, rearing with other animals, and abortion or orchitis history) recorded through questionnaires were statistically analyzed by Chi-square test.In total, 5 % of investigated sera were positive by RBPT. Only 2 % of the camel sera were CELISA positive. Brucella abortus DNA was detected in 1.5 % of the investigated animals. Season, rearing of camels with other ruminants, abortion, and orchitis history were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) disease for determinants.Camel brucellosis is a zoonotic disease in the Pakistani Punjab with various risk factors maintaining and perpetuating its spread. Therefore, there is a need for implementing control measures and raising public health awareness in prevention of brucellosis in Pakistan.

Differential antibrucella activity of bovine and murine macrophages

Brucella abortus is. an intracellular pathogen affecting macrophages. Macrophages release some antibrucella componen such as lysozymes (LZ), reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrite intermediates (RNI) which prevent intracellul survival of Brucella. The present study compared the antibrucella activity of bovine and murine macrophages followir stimulation with B. abortus lipopolysaccharides. Our results revealed increased production of these antibrucella substanci in murine macrophages as compared to bovine macrophages. The differential production of these antibrucella componen explained the differential B. abortus killing ability of these species (bovine and mice) that was measured in terms intramacrophagic survival of Brucellae in murine and bovine macrophages.

Role of Wheat Based Diet on the Pathology of Necrotic Enteritis in Turkeys

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of wheat based diet on the pathology of necrotic enteritis in turkeys. Turkeys were divided into four groups. Groups A and B were kept as noninoculated and fed normal commercial diet while groups C and D were challenged orally with C. perfringens and fed wheat based diet to promote the development of experimental disease. Infected turkeys showed clinical signs of depression, ruffled feathers, and dark yellowish faeces showing the most prominent disease signs in turkeys of group D with 30% mortality. Similarly, turkeys of group D showed more striking gross and histopathologic lesions as compared to turkeys of group C. The most severe gross lesions comprised intestinal distension, small necrotic spots and haemorrhages on intestine, fragile intestinal wall, and gas bubble formation in the small intestine. Histologically, inoculated turkeys showed patchy necrosis, desquamation of intestinal epithelium, and intense leukocyte infiltration in the intestine. Microscopic examination showed significant decrease in the height of intestinal villi of inoculated birds. Haematological studies showed significant influence of necrotic enteritis on the blood profile of turkeys in group D. The findings revealed that simultaneous feeding of wheat enhanced the pathology of necrotic enteritis in turkeys.

Genetic signature of strong recent positive selection at interleukin-32 gene in goat

OBJECTIVE

Identification of the candidate genes that play key roles in phenotypic variations can provide new information about evolution and positive selection. Interleukin (IL)-32 is involved in many biological processes, however, its role for the immune response against various diseases in mammals is poorly understood. Therefore, the current investigation was performed for the better understanding of the molecular evolution and the positive selection of single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL-32 gene.

METHODS

By using fixation index (F_ST ) based method, IL-32 (9375) gene was found to be outlier and under significant positive selection with the provisional combined allocation of mean heterozygosity and F_ST . Using nucleotide sequences of 11 mammalian species from National Center for Biotechnology Information database, the evolutionary selection of IL-32 gene was determined using Maximum likelihood model method, through four models (M1a, M2a, M7, and M8) in Codeml program of phylogenetic analysis by maximum liklihood.

RESULTS

IL-32 is detected under positive selection using the F_ST simulations method. The phylogenetic tree revealed that goat IL-32 was in close resemblance with sheep IL-32. The coding nucleotide sequences were compared among 11 species and it was found that the goat IL-32 gene shared identity with sheep (96.54%), bison (91.97%), camel (58.39%), cat (56.59%), buffalo (56.50%), human (56.13%), dog (50.97%), horse (54.04%), and rabbit (53.41%) respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence for IL-32 gene as under significant positive selection in goat.