Epidemiological studies on the role of fish in transmitting some zoonotic diseases to man

This study was performed for determination of the role played by fish in transmitting some bacterial and parasitic zoonoses to man. A total of 300 fish of Tilapia spp. were collected [50 from a farm in El-Fayoum Governorate, 100 from a farm in Beni-Suef Governorate and 150 from Beni-Suef markets]. In addition, 73 humans [60 fish sellers and 13 farm workers] were examined. Staph. aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Proteus spp., Shigella spp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescence were isolated from the examined fish at percentages of 4.3, 9.7, 3.0, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0, respectively. Among the isolated bacteria, Staph. aureus, Proteus spp. and Shigella spp. were found restricted to fish skin and gills, while Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from all the examined fish bodyparts [skin, gills, muscles and internal organs] with varying percentages. Out of the examined fish, 26.7% were harboring parasitic cysts including metacercariae of CHnostomum complanatum, Heterophyes heterophyes, Centrocestus armatus and Haplorchis pumilio. Examination of hand swabs obtained from humans demonstrated that 12.3% revealed a positive result for Staph. aureus. Among farm worker stool samples examined, 7.7% tested positively for Staph. aureus and 15.4% were Aeromonas hydrophila-positivQ. None of the parasites recovered from fish was detectable in humans. It was concluded that fish sold in the examined localities may occasionally represent a serious threat to public health as a result of its content of zoonotic fish pathogens

Studies on some behavioural paterns, performance and immune status in dairy calves under field conditions

This study was carried out in two dairy farms in Beni-Suef governorate on a total of 67 calves from birth till weaning age. The calves in farm [I] isolated from their dams after five days postpartum while in farm [II] the calves kept with their dams. Oral and social behavioural patterns of these calves were recorded. Calf performance as well as average daily gain in body weight, girth, height and length were measured till weaning age. Moreover IgG and IgM were estimated in the sera of newly born calves during pre and post colostrol feeding. These parameters were also estimated in the colostrum. Results revealed an increase in oral behavioural patterns with the advance of age in calves of both farms. The percentage of time in rumination in calves at the age of 6 weeks was significantly higher [20.20%] in farm I than in farm II [14.62%]. Social behaviour under natural rearing system [farm II] was improved to a greater extent than under artifical rearing [farm I]. The obtained results showed an increase in calf birth weight in farm [I] [30.68 Kg] than those in farm [II] [27.70 Kg], while there was no significant difference in the average daily weight gain between the two farms. Moreover, the other calf body measurements showed no significant differences between the two farms. The levels of IgG in farm [I and II] at birth amounted to 1.74 and 1.96 mg/ml respectively. After 24 hours post colostrol feeding these values increased to 35.47 and 39.52 mg/ml. On the other hand, the levels of IgM in farm [I and 11] at birth were 0.18 and 0.14 mg/ml respectively, and increased to 2.69 and 2.73 mg/ml 24 hours after post colostral feeding In the colostrum, the levels of IgG in farm [I] und [II] [21.95 and 21.24 mg/ml] were higher than those of IgM [2.48 and 2.42 mg/ml]. It was concluded that cohabitation of the calves with their dams from birth till weaning favour the calf welfare, improving the social behaviour and immune status which reflects the high performance

Effect of some pollutants as stressors on some behavioural patterns and performance of broiler chickens

A total of 200 Hubbard day-old chicks of both sexes were raised together up to 2 weeks of age, then were randomly divided into four equal groups [I, II, III and IV] each of 50 birds. Each group was housed in a separate room. Group I was optimally accommodated and considered as the control, while in group II birds were exposed to 3000-3200 ppm of carbon dioxide. Group III was exposed to 100-125 ppm of ammonia, and group IV was exposed to sprinkling with 10 g fine dust for 15 minutes daily. The results showed that, exposure of broiler chickens to some noxious stimuli [stressers] throughout the rearing period significantly reduced feed consumption, weight gain and consequently feed conversion compared with the control group. In addition, investigative [feeding and drinking] and comfort [rest, sleep and preening] behaviors were influenced by stressers, on the other h and, there was a significant increase in occurrence of agonistic behavior [feather pecking and cannibalism] in the group exposed to stresses. This leads to increased mortality percentage among those birds

Effect of feed restriction and management on the behaviour and performance of female rats and pups

Twenty-four adult female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups each of 8 rats reared for 2 pregnancies and 2 lactation periods. During the first gestation, all the dams were normally treated and data were recorded. After parturition, mating was performed at the end of the nursing period which extended for three weeks. In the second gestation period, the three groups were exposed to different treatments, where group I was normally treated, group II fed ad libitum, but mated directly after birth [one stress factor]. While, the dams of group III were fed on 50% of theadlibitum level in addition to mating directly after birth [two stress factors]. The results of first gestation revealed no significant difference among the three groups in respect to all the measured parameters; while, during the second gestation the direct mating alone [group II] or the feed-restriction and direct mating [group III] lead to reduction in the litter size and pups' weight development and increased mortalities in the recorded behavioral patterns the effect to reduce the active nursing and increase the passive nursing in addition to lengthening the mother-pup contact. The effect of the two stress factors in the third group was more amplified than in the on stress factor in the second. Feed restriction added to the direct mating amplified the bad effect on the performance and behavior

Effect of iodine-treated water on the performance and some behavioral patterns of meat-strain chicks

Some behavioral patterns [ingestive, body care and comfort] as well as the performance of meat-strain chicks which received iodine treated water for 49 days were investigated. A total of 150 one-day old Arbor Acres chicks, which were divided into 3 equal groups [1, 2 and 3] each of 50 chicks were used. Chicks of group 1 which received water treated with 10 ppm active iodine showed good ingestive behavior represented by high feeding [42.4%], drinking [38.8%]. The length of feeding time elapsed [82.8 seconds/bird], and consequently the high body weight gain was 1634 g and feed efficiency was 0.443. At the same time, a marked increase in comfort, resting, sleeping and body preening behaviors were observed in comparison with chicks in group 2 that received water treated with 25 ppm active iodine which showed the least marked increase in body weight gain [141 g] and feed efficiency [0.387], while birds in control group [group 3] which received non- iodine treated water showed a high feeding [40.8%], ground pecking [18.2%], sleeping [22.1%] and body preening [32.5%] with consequently moderate feeding efficiency utilization [0.418]. Iodine treated water increased the concentration of hemoglobin and erythrocytic count, without a significant difference observed between the three groups. In conclusion, the addition of iodine in drinking water [10 ppm] can significantly affect and improve the behavior of maintenance, and act as a good growth promoting factor represented by increase in both body weight gain and feed efficiency

Effect of estrogenic hormones on taste aversion conditioning and exploratory behaviour in guinea pigs

The extent to which hormones can serve as unconditioned stimuli in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm was examined in guinea pigs, with 0.2% saccharine solution serving as the conditioned stimulus. Subcutaneously injected estrogenic hormones were found to be a potent unconditioned stimuli. This work was carried out on 50 adult male guinea pigs. Results showed that the average drinking time taken by the control C group was significantly higher than that of the treated groups during habituation. During the test session, the C group drank significantly more of the solution to which it was averted than did the estrogen treated groups, and drank significantly less of the comparison solution. The exploratory behavior has been significantly suppressed in the treated animals. Results could explain and help in underst and ing the mechanisms involved in conditioned taste aversion learning as a wide array of hormone dependent behavioral responses