ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Vegetables are one of the most important agents in transmission of parasitic infections to human, and determining their infectious rate ahs been the center of attention. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine and compare the parasitic and non-parasitic infections of vegetables before and after washing, disinfecting and packaging processes in the vegetable processing farms
Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 345 samples of different types of vegetables from 30 farms before washing process as well as 200 samples after the washing, disinfecting and packaging processes between September and November 2008. The samples were studied through timed sedimentary and then through centrifuged condensation methods. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using chi-square
Results: The results showed that 185 samples out of 345 [.62%] from farms were infected by parasitic and non-parasitic agents. The infection to ova of Ascaris sp [2.32%], Taenia spp [1.74%] and Trichostrongylus sp [0.58%] had the highest rate, respectively. Moreover, results showed that all of 200 samples from vegetable processing farm had no infection. Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the infection in samples from farms and those from vegetable processing farm
Conclusion: The results showed the absence of infections in studied vegetables after washing, disinfecting and packaging processes in the vegetable processing farms, and confirmed the role of processing in the elimination of infections
ABSTRACT
Introduction of ostrich [Struthio camelus domesticus], a new exotic host species to a new ecosystem like Iran, necessitates the study of its infectious diseases including parasitic infestations. For a period of one year, from 2002-03, faecal samples of 254 ostriches on 5 farms located at different parts of Iran, including Garmsar, Semnan province [n = 85]; Nashtaroud, Maz and aran province [n = 29]; Saveh, Central province [n = 47]; Eshtehard, Ghazvin province [n = 8] and around Tehran, Tehran province [n = 85] were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Our findings revealed the presence of Libostrongylus douglasii in 55% of the examined birds in Nashtaroud and 25% of birds of Eshtehard farms. In the latter farm, 12.5% in the ostriches harboured Heterakis dispar in their alimentary canals. Oocyst of Eimeria sp. was found in ostrich on farm of Garmsar. All these parasites are reported for the first time from ostriches in Iran
Subject(s)
Animals , Struthioniformes/parasitology , Stomach Diseases/parasitologyABSTRACT
The purpose of this investigation was to study and compare the electrophoretic patterns of optic lens proteins of different species of domestic animals at pre- and post-natal ages. Optic lenses were removed from the embryo or adult sheep, cattle, goat, camel and chicken at the slaughter-house then homogenized and subjected to sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE]. In all animals, except chicken, majority of proteins had molecular weights of less than 33 kDa and their concentrations were not affected by the age of animals at pre- or post-natal stages. A 9 kDa protein which was present in adult sheep optic lens was absent in sheep fetal lenses at different age groups. Prominent differences were observed in camel and chicken. In camel, proteins with molecular weights of 30 and 38 kDa were present, the concentration of which was much lower in other animals. A protein of 57 kDa which constituted the major protein of chicken optic lens was absent in other species of animals. The concentration of proteins in the range of 25-30 kDa increased with the age of chicken embryos. These proteins were remarkably different from those of adult chicken lens proteins except the 57 kDa protein which was also the predominant protein in the embryo. The 38 kDa protein disappeared and a 20 kDa protein appeared in the chicken embryo lens as compared with adult chicken lens. These data indicate extensive differences in the lens proteins of animals and suggest different physiological functions of lens proteins in different animals at different stages of development