Epizootiological and molecular characterization of equine influenza virus 2008 outbreak in Egypt

Equine influenza symptoms were detected in population of equines in different governorates in Egypt [Cairo, Giza, Helwan, Alexandria, Minoufia, Behaira, Assiut and Aswan] during July - August 2008. High temperature, inappetence, conjunctivitis, redness of nasal mucosa, serous to mucopurulent nasal discharge and a harsh dry cough were the most common clinical manifestations. Horses of all ages and both sexes were affected. Free movement of the infected animals and direct contact at markets and races facilitated the rapid spread of the disease. Nine suspected cases represented eight governorates were examined for equine influenza virus [EIV] where 107 nasal swabs and 107 serum samples were used for diagnosis. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions [rRT-PCR] assay was applied todetect the matrix [M] gene of influenza type A viruses in nasal swabs and 6 out of the 8 cases were positive. Three cases were positive by virus isolation on embryonated chicken egg inoculation and the hemagglutination test. The hemagglutination inhibition [HI] was performed to identify the isolated influenza virus using reference antisera against A/Equi-1 [H7N1] and A/Equi-2 [H3N8].In this study, full characterization of the isolated virus was carried out through molecular techniques for typing of hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA] genes by RT-PCR and partial sequencing of the HA gene of one isolate [A/Equine/Egypt/21 AHRI/2008[H3N8]] and the results confirmed that H3N8 virus was the causative agent of this outbreak

Clinico-diagnostic study on bovine viral diarrhea [BYD] in sheep

A private farm at Giza govemorate of three hundred sheep was subjected for virological, immuno florescent, immuno cytochemical and histopathological examinations. In this farm three sheep were dead [1% mortality] and forty animals [13% morbidity] showed diarrhea, fever [3 9°C to 40°C] and muco to muco- purulent nasal discharges associated with mild cough. This study was triggered by isolation of the causative virus from nasal swabs of sick animals and tissues of dead animals on Madin Darby Bovine Kidney [MDBK] cells. The causative virus was identified as Bovine Virus Diarrhea [BVD] by usingindirect immuno fluorescent antibody technique [IFAT] followed by immuno cytochemical identification by using cell culture irnmuno peroxides test. Dead animals subjected to autopsy and histopathological examination of different organs and lymph nodes. Marked involvement of the lymphoid tissues particularly the mesenteric lymph nodes and peyeres patches of the intestinal ileum were prominent on histopathological examination, in addition to necrosis of the tips of the intestinal villi of the ileum and necrosis of the intestinal gland. This study concluded that infection with BVDV should be considered as one of infectious causes of enteritis