ABSTRACT
@#Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the protozoa Toxoplasma gondii which affects human and animals. Village chickens (Gallus domesticus) most commonly known as Ayam Kampung or free-range chickens, have been suggested to play a role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. This study determines the presence of T. gondii in the village chicken populations in two states of Malaysia. A total of 50 serum samples from the chickens from Selangor (n=20) and Melaka (n=30) were collected and analysed using commercial serological kits. T. gondii antigen was detected in 20% (Selangor 30%; Melaka 13%) samples using ELISA test and anti-T. gondii antibody was detected in all positive ELISA samples using the indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT). Histopathological examination revealed tissue changes such as inflammation and degeneration in brain and liver of seropositive chickens. This is the first report of T. gondii infection in the village chickens in Malaysia.
ABSTRACT
@#Although the economic importance of Haemophilus parasuis infection causing Glasser’s disease is prevalent throughout pig farms in Peninsular Malaysia, there is a dearth of knowledge on its actual nature. In this study, a multiplex PCR was performed to screen for three major predominant virulent strains of H. parasuis, which are serotypes 4, 5 or 12 and 13. A total of 175 tissues or bodily fluid samples of various parts were collected from diseased animals from October, 2016 to February, 2018; with total of 62.9% positive detection of H. parasuis. The highest detection was found to be in the pericardial sac fibrin (90.9%) followed by pleural fibrin, lung, pleural fluid, tonsil, pericardial sac, peritoneal fluid, abdominal fibrin, joint fluid, brain and pericardium. Serotype 13 was the highest (40/110) followed by serotype 4(37/110), serotype 5(31/110) and 12 samples were nontypable (12/110). The presence of untypable serotype also drives to further identification of other serotypes in Malaysia.