Effects of vitamin C on testicular and seminal characteristics of markhoz goats

The effect of subcutaneous injections of vitamin C on the seminal characteristics of Markhoz bucks [2-4-year-old] was studied. The bucks, trained to serve an artificial vagina, were randomly allotted into three equal groups [n=4] and received daily either zero [1 mL normal saline; control group], or 20 [VitC20 group] or 40 [VitC40 group] mg per kg body weight vitamin C from July 06, 2006 to Oct. 06, 2006. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at monthly inter, als, and semen samples were collected at 15-day intervals. Testicular dimensions in the scrotum [circumference, width, and length] were also determined on the day before semen collection. The ejaculates were evaluated for volume, sperm concentration, pH, motility, and abnormal and live sperm. Testing measurements were not affected by administration of vitamin C. The abnormal and live sperm. Testicular measurement were not affected by administration of vitamin C. The vitamin C in the blood plasma and seminal fluid, sperm motility, sperm viability, sperm abnormality, and the number of live-normal sperm in the ejaculate. Vitamin C increased the levels of vitamin C in blood and seminal plasma. Both doses of vitamin C increased the percentage of progressively motile sperm showing forward motility. VitC40 injection for 90 days increased sperm motility and the effect was still evident up to 30 days after the cessation of injections. The percentage of live sperm and mass motility showed similar trends. Both doses were equally effective in decreasing the percentage of abnormal sperm. The total number of live and normal sperm in the ejaculate increased by vitamin C injections and the effect was still evident of live and normal sperm in the ejaculate increased by vitamin C injections and the effect was still evident after the injections had been discontinued. The present data indicates the importance of vitamin C in the reproduction of male goats, as also shown for several mammalian species. They further show that under certain conditions, the in vivo synthesis of this vitamin in ruminants might not be sufficient for optimum reproduction

[Prevalence and antibiotic resistance pattern of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from food stuff]

Staphylococcus aureus is considered to be one of the leading causes of food-borne illnesses. Foodstuff contamination may occur directly from contaminated food-producing animals or may result from poor hygiene during food production processes, or the retail and storage of foods, since humans may carry the microorganism. The number of S. aureus strains that exhibits antimicrobial-resistance properties has increased, together with the potential risk of transmitting the same properties to the human micro flora via food or inducing infections hard to be treated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of S. aureus in various food samples and determination of antibiotic resistance pattern in this isolates. A total of 1047 food samples were analysed from July 2006 to December 2007. To determine the presence of S.aureus, the samples were analysed according to the guidelines of Iran standard instructions [No. 1194]. S.aureus isolates were tested for susceptibility to a panel of 11 antimicrobics using the agar disc diffusion method on Muller-Hinton agar. Of 1047 samples analysed 100 [9.5%] were contaminated with S.aureus. Among these contaminated samples, 31% showed antimicrobial resistance properties to at least one of the antibiotic tested and 15 antibiotypes were determined. According to the observed prevalence of S.aureus strains in food samples and their antibiotic resistance pattern, more attention should be paid in foodstuff industry to prevent contamination and transmission of resistant strains

[Comparison of the prevalence of microbial contamination in packed and unpacked redmeat and chicken mea tat retail outlets and department stores in southern Tehran]

Despite advances in disease prevention and food materials technology, food borne diseases are still a major problem in both developed and developing countries. Moreover, meat plays a key role in transfer of bacteria, especially "Zoonotic" to humans. Therefore, we decided to investigate the outbreak of pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella,Campylobacter. Yersinia and Aeromonas in red meat and chicken offered as packed and unpacked in areas under the authority of Tehran university of medical sciences 630 samples including 315 raw chicken meat and 315 raw red meat samples were collected and tested for a period of one year from July, 2004 to August.2005. Samples were collected from shops selling packed meat and chicken as well as shops selling unpacked meat and chicken in different parts of the south of Tehran The methods used for the laboratory investigation were based on Iranian National Standard Procedure No. 2394. Of the 630 samples of chicken and meat, 183 samples [29%] were contaminated. 49.2 percent of the contaminated samples were chicken meat and 8.9 percent were red meat. From the total, 71 samples were contaminated with salmonella [11.3%], 68 samples with Campylobacter [10.8%], 26 samples with Yersinia entrocolitica [4.1%] and 18 samples with Aeromonas [2.9%]. In red meat samples, microbial contamination was observed in 4.9% of packed and 10.3 percent of unpacked samples. Contamination rate of chicken samples was higher including 59.3% of packed and 45.7% of unpacked chicken samples. The observed difference between the remitting samples of packed and unpacked chicken was statistically significant. [P< 0.05] Our results indicated that although the centers selling packed and unpacked red meat from south of Teheran showed different microbial contamination rate, the differences were statistically insignificant. [P> 0.05]