Parasitological, haematological and biochemical studies on naturally infected goat with theileria species in Egypt

The prevalence of theileria infection was investigated in 65 goats with suspected symptoms of theilerioses from a private farm in Giza Governorate. In addition, a total of 51 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy goats from private farms and ruing slaughtering at El-Bassatine abattoir. The incidence of theileria infection in the farm was 86.1% while, the incidence in the apparently healthy goats was 43.1%. Ring form of theileria species was detected in infected erythrocytes. Macroschizonts and microshizonts were detected in the lymphocytes with different shapes of chromatin materials. Haematological studies revealed significant decline in haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and red blood cell count. Total leucocyte count showed significant leucopenia in diseased animals. Examination of serum revealed significant rises in levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phophatase, urea, creatinine and cholesterol. Concentration of serum total protein, albumin and globulin showed significant decrease in theileria infected animals as compared with the healthy control goats. Levels of serum iron, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium and calcium showed also significant decline as compared with healthy goats. No changes were observed in serum sodium and triglycerides levels of goats with theilerioses. Therefore, it is important to put in consideration the great economical losses caused by theilerioses in such important small ruminants

Markers of cardiovascular risk in premenopausal and postmenopausal smoking and non smoking women

The current work was carried out to study the effect of cigarette smoking, age and menopause on the levels of homocysteine, C-reactive protein and soluble intracellular adhesion molecules [sICAM-1] as markers of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk in women. The study was carried out on 100 women from the same socioeconomic state divided into two main groups according to their age and menopause. The first group included 50 premenopausal women with ages ranging from 25 to 45 years and this group was divided into two subdivisions according to cigarette smoking [25 nonsmoking women and 25 smoking women]. The second group included 50 postmenopausal women with ages ranging from 50 to 65 years divided into two subdivisions [25 postmenopausal nonsmoking women and 25 smoking women]. The biochemical parameters measured in the serum of all samples were fasting homocysteine, C-reactive protein and sICAM-1. The results showed that there was a significant increase in homocysteine, C- reactive protein and sICAM-1 in the premenopausal smoking, postmenopausal nonsmoking and postmenopausal smoking women in comparison with the premenopausal nonsmoking women