Molecular characterization of a Salmonella typhimurium isolate from Caspian pony

Typhoid disease or salmonellosis is a common sickness in horses. In several epidemiological studies in hospitalized horses, several serotypes of Salmonella often are predominant in nosocomial infections. Transportation, overcrowding, dehydration, oral antimicrobial therapy and infections are the risk factors which may activate latent or subclinical salmonellosis. In this study, the occurrence of typhoid due to Salmonella serogroup B was considered in a Caspian ponies flock kept in a husbandry center of ponies around Tehran. During transportation of 19 ponies, two pregnant ponies aborted and four cases died because of acute septicemia. Pathological and bacteriological follow up showed salmonellosis. A multiplex poly-merase chain reaction [m-PCR] assay was used for detection and identification of Salmonella to confirm pathological and bacteriological studies. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from bone marrow, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver and intestinal contents of died pony. Salmonella was not isolated from stools of other ponies. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis [PFGE] and antibiotic susceptibility test were also performed. PFGE pattern was similar to the other collected isolates which have existed since more than 30 years ago in Iran. Because of importance of salmonellosis in ponies, using rapid methods are recommended to confirm the presence of Salmonella. Results showed that m-PCR permit to evaluate samples more rapidly than other methods and also can detect multiple genes simultaneously like virulence factors which declare virulence of the isolates and have surveillance significances

Neutrophil function [innate immunity] during Ramadan

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the essential religious practices of Muslims. The aim of this study was to evaluate opsonisation, phagocytosis, and nitroblue tetrazolium [NBT] reduction by white blood cells in normal, healthy, male subjects under nonfasting [before Ramadan] and fasting [after Ramadan] conditions. In this study, 13 Muslim men, aged 28-54 years, whose health was confirmed by health application forms, gave blood samples one week before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and during the last week of Ramadan. Blood samples were tested for neutrophil phagocytosis, serum opsonisation power, and NBT reduction. Despite a decline in the neutrophil phagocytic index and serum opsonisation index, the percentage of neutrophils participating in phagocytosis increased with fasting. In addition, there was an increase in the percentage of neutrophils demonstrating NBT reduction. Although there was a decrease in opsonisation of the serum, the increased percentage of opsonisation compensated for this defect. This study demonstrates the beneficial effect of fasting during Ramadan on neutrophil phagocytic function

Cochlosoma Infection in a Turkey in Iran

Cochlosoma sp. infection was identified in a single case among 60 stunted diarrheic native turkey poults, Meleagris galopavo. A large number of the flagellated parasites was found free or within the intervillous spaces of the jejunum, ileum and cecum. Moderate enteritis was associated with the parasites. In TEM studies of the parasagittal sections of the parasite, a prominent ventral sucker like disc and flagella emerging from an opening on the ventrodorsal surface of the pyriform uninuclear parasite were found. The morphological characteristics of this protozoan match with those described for Cochlosoma anatis. The parasite could be considered as an intestinal pathogenic protozoan causing stunting and diarrhea in turkeys in Iran.