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Effective diagnostic techniques in Borrelia burgdorferi infestation in dogs
No full textBorreliosis or Lyme disease is a disease transmitted by ixodidae ticks during feeding on blood (Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis in the USA, Ixodes persulcatus in Asia, Ixodes ricinus in Europe) and is widespread in the entire northern hemisphere. In Romania, the geographic distribution and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was 1.4% in 41 counties, with a prevalence between 0.75–18.8%. B. burgdorferi sensu lato. had a prevalence of 3.8%, being found inside ticks in 55 of 183 localities. Successful treatment and full recovery can only be achieved through early diagnosis. The clinical and serologic diagnosis of Lyme disease is particularly difficult because of the phenotypic heterogeneity within and among spirochete species. A case study is presented in this paper: an eight-year-old male Yorkshire terrier dog, which was diagnosed positive for Lyme disease, based on a test which uses a peptide called C6 and which comes from the VlsE protein of B. burgdorferi, used to detect antibodies in dogs. The results demonstrate the reliability of the commercial SNAP 4Dx Plus Test for B. burgdorferi, which uses C6 to differentiate antibodies produced by natural infection from antibodies formed after vaccination. In addition, using real-time PCR, the diagnosis was negative, confirming the results from the literature, according to which the PCR technique is only recommended for research, the positivity percentage being low, especially when the sample is blood (0.1%). We conclude that the tests for the detection of antibodies specific to Lyme disease are recommended and useful
Impact of seasonal changes in freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton biodiversity at Valankulam lake, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India
No full textThe plankton communities are important source of food for the aquatic organisms, and if any undesirable changes in aquatic environment may affect plankton diversity and density. Therefore, assessment of planktonic communities in the freshwater ecosystems is essential because they serve as bio-indicators of water quality parameters. Hence, the present research was focused to evaluate the freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton diversity and their abundance in Valankulam lake (Lat. 10.59° N and Long.76.57° E), at Coimbatore city, Tamil Nadu, India. Results from the study revealed that a total of 77 species of phytoplankton and zooplankton were recorded, under 37 families and 46 genera. In addition to that, a total of 43 phytoplankton species were recorded under 25 families and 30 genera, (which includes; 15 species of Cyanophyceae, 17 species of Chlorophyceae, 08 species of Bacillariophyceae, 03 species of Euglenophyceae). and a total of 34 species of zooplankton were recorded under 12 families and 17 genera, (which includes 13 species of Rotifera, 09 species of Cladocera, 08 species of Copepoda and 04 species of Ostracoda). The maximum plankton diversity was observed during the monsoon season and the minimum in the summer season. Results from study revealed the ecological status of the lake is categorized as moderately polluted due to the presence of municipal waste and industrial discharges into the lake water. Therefore, the assessment of planktonic communities in water bodies will be useful to monitor and maintain the water quality parameters and wealth of aquatic biota in the aquatic ecosystem
Effect of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf powder, neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder, and camphor on weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus F.) in stored cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) seeds
No full textCowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), one of the most important leguminous crops, is widely cultivated throughout the tropics, especially in the savanna regions of the world. However, its seed is attacked by several insect pests both in the field and in storage, especially the cowpea weevil. To control weevils, most farmers have adopted the use of chemical insecticides, but these insecticides come with health and environmental problems, and as a result, there is advocacy for the use of bio-pesticides in the form of tree botanicals. This study was conducted to assess the effects of neem leaf powder (NLP), moringa leaf powder (MLP), and camphor against the cowpea weevils (Callosobruchus maculatus) in a completely randomized design. Six treatments were used and allocated as T1 (control), T2 (4g of camphor), T3 (25g of NLP only), T4 (25g of MLP only) T5 (50g of NLP only) and T6 (50g of MLP). The treatments were replicated three times. The parameters studied were the numbers of damaged and undamaged seeds, the numbers of dead and live weevils, and the taste of cowpea seeds. The treatments effectively protected the cowpea seeds during the storage period of eight weeks. The preservation of cowpea seeds given by camphor was significantly different from the other treatments. However, there was no significant difference (p >0.05) between the neem and moringa leaf powders treatments. The use of moringa and neem leaf powders might be adopted by cowpea farmers in sub-Saharan Africa as alternative, cheap, and available sources of biopesticides to use as chemical insecticides. If cowpea seeds are to be stored for consumption purposes, moringa leaf powder should be used since most respondents preferred the taste of cowpea seeds treated with moringa. Additionally, the storage duration of eight weeks was too short for the experiment, so further studies can be carried out for an extended period of more than eight weeks
Physiological and biochemical aspects of optimising the sowing rate of spring and winter Pisum sativum forms
No full textThe winter and spring
varieties of peas (Pisum sativum) require
careful study of the entire range of
technological measures, including seeding
rates, as the basis for optimal sowing density
and the formation of phytocenose crops. This
issue has not been resolved to date, not only
in the context of agrobiological justification
but also in everyday practice in Ukraine.
This research was carried out in a field
experiment in a three-way factorial
experiment: factor “A” was the type of
development - winter and spring; factor “B”
was the variety - spring peas (Svit and
Darunok Stepu) and winter peas (Moroz,
Enduro and Baltrapp); and factor “C” was
the seeding rate. According to the field
studies, differences in the physiological and
biochemical parameters of the P. sativum
test culture characterised the photosynthetic
activity of the plants, considering the type of
development and variety. The winter
varieties of P. sativum were characterised by
a higher chlorophyll content (by 35–40%)
compared to the spring varieties, which had
an economic effect with an increase in the
yield of dry biomass of the experimental
crop and a decrease in seeding rates, with the
formation and increase in grain yield by 14–
18%. The intensity of chlorophyll in the
process was not a determining factor in the
accumulation of organic biomass. The
extensive nature of the integration complex
was noted (the amount of chlorophyll - the
amount of biomass). At the optimal seeding
rate, a certain specificity was observed in
different types of P. sativum: for spring
varieties, the sufficient rate was 0.9 million
seeds/ha, and for winter varieties, it was 0.7
million seeds/ha. For varieties with a low
productivity level (spring - Svit and winter -
Moroz), the optimum sowing rate was around
0.7 million seeds/ha. The increase in the
seeding rate was accompanied by a decrease in the content of various chlorophyll
fractions from 10–12% to 20–26%
A First Report of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Causing Forsythia Twig Blight in Romania
No full textSclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary (1884) is a fungal plant pathogen with worldwide distribution and a varying host range from different botanical families. It can cause damage to a large variety of crops such as sunflower, soybean, dry bean, canola, some vegetables, and ornamental plants. This article reports the occurrence of twig blight on the forsythia plant from the NE region of Romania. The disease was observed on Forsythia × intermedia Zab. plants from the Arboretum Park of the Iasi University of Life Sciences (IULS), located in Iasi City, Romania. Infected tissue was investigated through morphological characteristics using Sanger sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolate obtained from naturally infected plants, and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region was amplified using the ITS1, ITS2, and LSU D1 and D2. Based on the results of this study, molecular and morphological data suggest that Forsythia twig blight can be caused by S. sclerotiorum. Constant monitoring of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum across multiple hosts and time intervals will reduce potential spread and future economic losses in cultivated species
Prevalence, economic impact and therapeutic efficacy in acute infectious pododermatitis in sheep
No full textThis study assessed seasonal incidence, economic losses, the efficacy of therapeutic protocols, the recovery time of affected animals and specific prophylactic measures applied to sheep with acute infectious pododermatitis. The studies were conducted over a period of 12 months in 3 different sheep farms from private units in the same area. The results of the study showed an increased incidence of the disease in all 3 farms, with an average of 26.94% of the sheep flock. The incidence of the disease was increased in the months of April-May-June-July and September-October (30%), when there were heavy rains. The high morbidity led to economic losses through the decrease in milk production by approximately 30% and the decrease in the weight of the sheep by 10.58% (4.2 kg) of their normal weight. The therapeutic protocol applied locally as well as parenterally, combined with a foot bath with 10% zinc sulphate solution, were effective in treating acute infectious pododermatitis of sheep. The average recovery time (days) was approximately the same in the three groups of sheep (5.25 ± 0.68 days for cases with moderate diseases and 10.2 ± 0.22 for cases with severe diseases)
Indicators of pre-slaughter stress in pigs and their impact on meat quality
No full textThe pre-slaughter handling and transport of pigs can cause stress and negatively affect the quality of meat. This article aims to investigate the impact of pre-slaughter stress on meat quality. The literature suggests that pre-slaughter stress has a significant impact on meat quality, resulting in lower meat pH, increased drip loss, and decreased meat tenderness. When the body experiences stress, cortisol triggers the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream, which provides energy for the body to respond to the stressful situation. Both serum cortisol and blood glucose levels increased post-slaughter, with a post-slaughter mean value of 7.28 µg/dl for serum cortisol (compared to the initial mean value of 6.08 µg/dl), while the blood glucose values revealed a highly catabolic state, with mean post-slaughter values of 143.24 mg/dl compared to 129.11 mg/dl mean pre-slaughter results. The study highlights a direct relationship between increased serum cortisol levels and blood glucose values when comparing the pre- and post-slaughter values with the normal reference ranges, with a highly significant correlation between the mentioned parameters (p<0.01). The article also explores potential pre-slaughter indicators such as cortisol and blood glucose levels for predicting stress and meat quality in pigs. Improving pre-slaughter handling and reducing stress can lead to improved meat quality and economic benefits for the pork industry. In terms of pH24, a trust coefficient of 5.46–5.50 revealed the impact of pre-slaughter stress on meat pH, resulting in possible inferior meat in terms of quality. The study results showed a highly significant correlation between the cortisol and blood glucose values recorded post-slaughter and pH24 (p<0.05), emphasizing the impact of stress on meat quality and suggesting that both serum cortisol and blood glucose values can be used as specific indicators of meat pH and ultimately meat quality
Mycoplasmatic (enzootic) pneumonia of pigs as a health problem in fattening units
Get PDFMycopasmatic or enzootic pneumonia is the most common disease of the respiratory system under in the intensive pig
production. It is clinically manifested by coughing, a chronic inflammatory process in the lungs, high morbidity and a
relatively low percentage of deaths. The infection can be transmitted horizontally and vertically. Mycoplasma
hyopneumoniae invades the epithelial cells of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli and disrupts the function of
the ciliary body. Evagination of epithelial cells occurs, so that the cleansing of the airway mucosa by the mucociliary
apparatus is inhibited. As a result, bacterial complications (Pasteurella, Bordetella, Klebsiella, Actinobacillus,
Hemophilus) are common.M.hyopneminia can play imortant role in PRDC. The development of Mycoplasma
hyopneumoniae is favoured by large congregations of pigs in small spaces, inadequate environmental conditions
(microclimate), parasitic infections and inadequate nutrition. Mycoplasma hyopneumonia can be a significant health
problem on the fattening farm, exacerbated by the influence of non-specific factors as well as the spread of other
bacterial pathogens
