Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2014 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 8 Articles
In recent years there has been increasing commercial production of rabbits as an important livestock enterprise for fur and meat production. These rabbits are susceptible to many diseases among them parasitic diseases are most important. In the present study an outbreak of hepatic coccidiosis was reported with an aim to study pathological changes in liver. Three rabbits submitted for postmortem examination with a history of sudden death with diarrhoea to the department of veterinary pathology, college of veterinary science, Proddatur from a nearby village. Faecal examination revealed unsporulated coccidial oocysts. Detailed postmortem examination was carried out grossly all organs were congested and in impression smears coccidial oocysts were observed. Histopathological examination revealed necrotic changes in liver with proliferationg cholangiocytes and infiltration of mononuclear cells and eosinophils. Based on faecal, cytological and histopathological examination it was diagnosed as hepatic coccidiosis....
Background: Few studies have investigated associations between psychological and behavioral indices throughout\na major epidemic. This study was aimed to compare the strength of associations between different cognitive and\naffective measures of risk and self-reported protective behaviors in a series of ten cross-sectional surveys conducted\nthroughout the first wave of influenza A/H1N1 pandemic.\nMethods: All surveys were conducted using questionnaire-based telephone interviews, with random digit dialing to\nrecruit adults from the general population. Measures of anxiety and worry (affective) and perceived risk (cognitive)\nregarding A/H1N1 were made in 10 serial surveys. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the\ncognitive/affective-behavioral associations in each survey while multilevel logistic models were conducted to estimate\nthe average effects of each cognitive/affective measure on adoption of protective behaviors throughout the ten surveys.\nResults: Excepting state anxiety, other affective measures including ââ?¬Å?anticipated worryââ?¬Â, ââ?¬Å?experienced worryââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?current\nworryââ?¬Â specific to A/H1N1 risk were consistently and strongly associated with adoption of protective behaviors across\ndifferent survey periods. However, the cognitive-behavioral associations were weaker and inconsistent across the ten\nsurveys. Perceived A/H1N1 severity relative to SARS had stronger associations with adoption of protective behaviors in\nthe late epidemic periods than in the early epidemic periods.\nConclusion: Risk-specific worries appear to be significantly associated with the adoption of protective behaviors at\ndifferent epidemic stages, whereas cognitive measures may become more important in understanding peopleââ?¬â?¢s\nbehavioral responses later in epidemics. Future epidemic-related psycho-behavioral research should include more\naffective-loaded measures of risk....
Background: A recent longitudinal study in the Dadaab refugee camp near the Kenya-Somalia border identified\nunusual biannual respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemics. We characterized the genetic variability of the associated\nRSV strains to determine if viral diversity contributed to this unusual epidemic pattern.\nMethods: For 336 RSV positive specimens identified from 2007 through 2011 through facility-based surveillance\nof respiratory illnesses in the camp, 324 (96.4%) were sub-typed by PCR methods, into 201 (62.0%) group A, 118\n(36.4%) group B and 5 (1.5%) group A-B co-infections. Partial sequencing of the G gene (coding for the attachment\nprotein) was completed for 290 (89.5%) specimens. These specimens were phylogenetically analyzed together with\n1154 contemporaneous strains from 22 countries.\nResults: Of the 6 epidemic peaks recorded in the camp over the period, the first and last were predominantly made\nup of group B strains, while the 4 in between were largely composed of group A strains in a consecutive series of\nminor followed by major epidemics. The Dadaab group A strains belonged to either genotype GA2 (180, 98.9%) or\nGA5 (2, < 1%) while all group B strains (108, 100%) belonged to BA genotype. In sequential epidemics, strains within\nthese genotypes appeared to be of two types: those continuing from the preceding epidemics and those newly\nintroduced. Genotype diversity was similar in minor and major epidemics.\nConclusion: RSV strain diversity in Dadaab was similar to contemporaneous diversity worldwide, suggested both\nbetween-epidemic persistence and new introductions, and was unrelated to the unusual epidemic pattern....
Background: Nigeria suffers the worldââ?¬â?¢s largest malaria burden, with approximately 51 million cases and 207,000\ndeaths annually. As part of the countryââ?¬â?¢s aim to reduce by 50% malaria-related morbidity and mortality by 2013, it\nembarked on mass distribution of free long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs).\nMethods: Prior to net distribution campaigns in Abia and Plateau States, Nigeria, a modified malaria indicator\nsurvey was conducted in September 2010 to determine baseline state-level estimates of Plasmodium prevalence,\nchildhood anemia, indoor residual spraying (IRS) coverage and bednet ownership and utilization.\nResults: Overall age-adjusted prevalence of Plasmodium infection by microscopy was similar between Abia (36.1%,\n95% CI: 32.3%ââ?¬â??40.1%; n = 2,936) and Plateau (36.6%, 95% CI: 31.3%ââ?¬â??42.3%; n = 4,209), with prevalence highest\namong children 5-9 years. P. malariae accounted for 32.0% of infections in Abia, but only 1.4% of infections in\nPlateau. More than half of children =10 years were anemic, with anemia significantly higher in Abia (76.9%, 95% CI:\n72.1%ââ?¬â??81.0%) versus Plateau (57.1%, 95% CI: 50.6%ââ?¬â??63.4%). Less than 1% of households in Abia (n = 1,305) or\nPlateau (n = 1,335) received IRS in the 12 months prior to survey. Household ownership of at least one bednet of\nany type was 10.1% (95% CI: 7.5%ââ?¬â??13.4%) in Abia and 35.1% (95% CI: 29.2%-41.5%) in Plateau. Ownership of two or\nmore bednets was 2.1% (95% CI: 1.2%ââ?¬â??3.7%) in Abia and 14.5% (95% CI: 10.2%ââ?¬â??20.3%) in Plateau. Overall reported\nnet use the night before the survey among all individuals, children <5 years, and pregnant women was 3.4%, 6.0%\nand 5.7%, respectively in Abia and 14.7%, 19.1% and 21.0%, respectively in Plateau. Among households owning nets,\n34.4% of children <5 years and 31.6% of pregnant women in Abia used a net, compared to 52.6% of children and\n62.7% of pregnant women in Plateau.\nConclusions: These results reveal high Plasmodium prevalence and childhood anemia in both states, low baseline\ncoverage of IRS and LLINs, and sub-optimal net useââ?¬â?especially among age groups with highest observed malaria\nburden....
Enteroviruses (EV) have traditionally been classified by antigenic typing using serum neutralization assay. The latter is time-consuming and labour-intensive and requires a large number of antisera to identify all serotypes. The VP1 gene has been shown to correlate with enteroviruses serotype. So, the virus can be identified by comparison of a partial VP1 sequence of the unknown to that of the database prototype. Generic RT-PCR primers (292/222) have been developed to amplify all human enteroviruses. RT-PCR amplification of the VP1 gene and amplicon sequencing have been used to discriminate among the prototype strains of all human EV serotypes, to identify enteroviruses isolated from human clinical specimens, those were refractory to antigenic typing and to identify potential new untypeable isolates. Infants (6M-5Y) stool samples were collected from different governorates for isolation of enteroviruses. RNA was extracted and used in RT-PCR, amplification reaction carried out with consensus-degenerate primers (292/222) designed from VP1 region, the primers were designed for broad target specificity and amplified all recognized and proposed EV serotypes. The amplification reaction was carried out and the expected and correct molecular size of the PCR product was 338 bp on 1.5% agarose gel. The product of the expected size was successfully amplified and sequenced allowing identification of the infecting virus. The VP1 sequences derived from the RT-PCR products allowed rapid phylogenetic and molecular epidemiologic analysis of the circulating strains during the EV season and comparison with EV sequences from previous seasons or from different locations around the world. The positive isolates were typed by sequencing, 2 out of 16 (12.5%) isolates were HEV (80 and 97), 1/16 (6.25%) was coxsackie B5 and 13/16 (81.25%) were Echoviruses (2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 19, 21 and 29). Echoviruses type 11 and 19 found to be predominating....
A nine Australian yellow birds (Latina cockatoo) were died due to aflatoxicosis in S.V. Zoo Park, Tirupati. Clinically all the birds showed anorexia, dullness and died suddenly. Grossly paleness of breast, thigh and subcutaneous tissue, pale and enlarged fatty liver and kidney, congested intestinal mucosa with severe catarrhal enteritis. Histopathologically, liver revealed moderate fatty change in hepatocytes with sinusoidal congestion and bile duct hyperplasia. The present study was confirmed as aflatoxicosis in Australian yellow birds by gross and histopathological lesions....
Background: Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1(PfEMP1) is a family of variant surface antigens\n(VSA) that mediate the adhesion of parasite infected erythrocytes to capillary endothelial cells within host tissues. Opinion\nis divided over the role of PfEMP1 in the widespread endothelial activation associated with severe malaria. In a previous\nstudy we found evidence for differential associations between defined VSA subsets and specific syndromes of severe\nmalaria: group A-like PfEMP1 expression and the ââ?¬Å?rosettingââ?¬Â phenotype were associated with impaired consciousness and\nrespiratory distress, respectively. This study explores the involvement of widespread endothelial activation in these associations.\nMethods: We used plasma angiopoietin-2 as a marker of widespread endothelial activation. Using logistic regression analysis,\nwe explored the relationships between plasma angiopoietin-2 levels, parasite VSA expression and the two syndromes of\nsevere malaria, impaired consciousness and respiratory distress.\nResults: Plasma angiopoietin-2 was associated with both syndromes. The rosetting phenotype did not show an independent\nassociation with respiratory distress when adjusted for angiopoietin-2, consistent with a single pathogenic mechanism\ninvolving widespread endothelial activation. In contrast, group A-like PfEMP1 expression and angiopoietin-2 maintained\nindependent associations with impaired consciousness when adjusted for each other.\nConclusion: The results are consistent with multiple pathogenic mechanisms leading to severe malaria and heterogeneity\nin the pathophysiology of impaired consciousness. The observed association between group A-like PfEMP1 and impaired\nconsciousness does not appear to involve widespread endothelial activation...
Fingerlings of estuarine fish, Lates calcarifer were exposed to sub lethal concentration of cadmium, nickel and cadmium plus nickel (4.0 ppm, 3.8 ppm and 3.0 ppm) respectively, for a period of 35 days. After 7th day of treatment the plasma sodium, potassium and chloride level of all the three experiments were estimated. In all the three treatments the sodium and chloride level were decreased throughout the exposure period showing the minimum percent decrease of 3.47, 0.11 and 4.18 at the end of 7th day, respectively. In contradictory, the plasma potassium level was increased throughout the exposure period in all the three treatments showing the maximum percent increase of 35.05, 54.93 and 50.49 at the end of 35th day, respectively. The alteration in the above said parameters was maximum in combined metals treatment. The significant alteration in the electrolyte levels serve as a biomarker of pollutant exposure and effects. The probable reasons are interpreted and discussed....
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