Microsporidian infection in lizardfish, Saurida undosquamis of Persian Gulf

Lizardfish is one of the economically important fishes of Persian Gulf. In recent years, white, ellipsoid, round or elongated nodules were found in body cavity of this fish species which in preliminary microscopic examination were recognized as microsporidia. To determine the approximate prevalence rate of microsporidian infection and to establish its taxonomic position, 50 lizardfish were bought from the local markets of Ahvaz city [the center of Khozestan province - Iran] and transferred to the laboratory for parasitological examination. In the laboratory, internal organs including liver, kidneys, spleen, intestines, gonads and muscles were examined grossly and microscopically for the microsporidian infection using wet and dry smear [stained with Giemsa]. Histopathological sections were prepared from the cysts of infected fishes and stained with haematoxylin and eosin to see the arrangement of the spores within the cysts. Some of these small cysts were sampled and fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde for electron microscopic study. According to the results, the total infection rate was 44%. The infection rate in the peritoneum, stomach, gonads, intestine, spleen, muscles and liver were 16, 2, 4, 8, 2, 10 and 2%, respectively. The cysts were mostly ovoid in shape with mean size of 4.3 +/- 1.8 mm [0.8 to 10 mm]. The spores were ovoid and uninucleate with mean diameter of 2.4 _ 1.3 micro m. Polar tube coiled between six and eight time, in one row. According to the histopathology and light and electron microscopic studies, the parasite was recognized as Glugea sp

field survey on resistance to albendazole in gasterointestinal nematodes of sheep in Khozestan province of Iran

In this survey, resistance to albendazole was investigated in 15 sheep flocks from different regions of Khozestan province. On each flock, two groups of 15 sheep including control groups [untreated] and Albendazole group [treated with 5 mg/kg of Albendazole] were selected and the investigation was carried out using faecal egg count reduction test[F.E.C.R.T] for 10 days after treatment. Posttreatment faecal culture and necropsy of 4 sheep from control group and 6 sheep from Albendazole group were done to identify species of resistant nematodes. Results of F.E.C.R.T showed that 27% of the flocks were resistant, 53% were suspected to resistancy and the rest were susceptable to albendazole. Faecal culture of necropsied animals showed that resistantce to albendazole was developed in Ostertagia circumcincta and Marshalagia marshali

Development of an ELISA technique for the detection of babesia ovis and serological survey of the parasite in Khouzestan province, Southern Iran

To develop an ELISA technique for the detection of antibodies against Babesia ovis, the infected erythrocytes were lysed and the supernatant soluble antigen, after sonication and ultracentrifugation of the lysate was used as antigen. Optimal dilution of the antigen was determined by checkerboard titrations, using positive and negative control sera. A correlation of 85% was observed between the results of the developed ELISA and IFA techniques. To study the seroprevalence of Babesia ovis in Khouzestan province, south of Iran, a total of 1000 sheep sera were collected from different areas of the province and tested against Bahesia ovis using the ELISA technique developed. The results showed an average seroprevalence of 47.5% in the province. Our results indicated a significant increase of the seroprevalence by advancement of age of the animals. There was no significant difference between the seroprevalence of female and male sheep

Diagnosis of experimentally infected sheep hydatidosis through antigen detection in serum and urine, with coagglutination [Co.A] test

To evaluate coagglutination test in the serum and urine of sheep for diagnosing of hydatidosis. Experimental study. Two rabbits, three dogs and nineteen sheep. Ovine hydatid cysts from affected livers and lungs, were collected from Ahwaz abattoir [Khozestan province, Iran]. The hydatid fluid [HF] and protoscolces were aseptically obtained in lab. Hydatid fluid was centrifuged and injected to rabbits in two steps. After then, rabbit hyperimmune sera were collected. Furthermore, each dog was given 15,000 viable protoscoleces. Less than two months later, dogs were autopsied after euthanasia and all Echinococcus granulosus worms were collected and their eggs were released. Almost, 2000 eggs were orally administred to each [N= 13]. The six other sheep were kept as control. All sheep were bled each week and their urine samples were collected fortnight. All sera and urine samples were examined with coagglutination [Co.A] test. While sensitivity of coagglutination test, was nil during five weeks of post-infection [p.i.], its values showed a biphasic pattern. While, it increased up to 23% in the sixth week and after then up to 100% in the 12th and 13th week of p.i. it decreased in the following weeks. Specificity of test was 100% throughout the experiment. While examination of urine in the affected sheep resulted in positive reaction from 6th week of p.i, its sensitivity and the sensitivity gradually increased up to 100% at 12th week of p.i. Furthermore, specificity of the test for urine of non-infected sheep remained 100%. These results suggest that the time of appearance of hydatid antigens in serum and urine is approximately alike. While positive results are very valuable, negative ones do not rule out hydatidosis