Incidence of iodine deficiency and congenital goitre in goats and kids of Darreh Garm region, Khorramabad, Iran.

One of the thyroid disorders of ruminants is goitre, which is triggered by iodine deficiency. This study evaluates goitre in the goats of the Darreh Garm region in the vicinity of the Khorramabad city. Three goats with congenital enlarged thyroid glands were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Lorestan University with signs of arrhythmia, dyspnea and anorexia. Clinical examination, radiographic and sonographic evaluations were performed. Afterward, a comprehensive visual observation was accomplished in the outbreak region and blood samples were taken for thyroid hormones measurement in does and kids. Moreover, soil and forage samples were collected to assess the iodine concentration and soil parameters. Results indicated that the thyroid hormone concentration in the serum of the affected does and kids were significantly lower than healthy and treated animals. Treatment with sodium thyroxine significantly increased the concentration of T3 and T4 hormones. Pasture (5.28 ± 1.57 mg/kg) and soil (11.0 ± 1.49 mg/kg) iodine levels were lower than normal levels in this region. Histopathological slides of the thyroid glands from the dead kids indicated thyroid follicles with different sizes and hyperplasia of the glands. Overall, a 0.5 mg/kg iodine in the diet meal of the goats needs to be considered for prevention of the iodine deficiency.

Hematologic values in domestic pigeons naturally infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium.

Avian mycobacteriosis is an important disease of birds and is most often caused by Mycobacterium avium or Mycobacterium genavense. However, little information on the hematologic changes associated with this infectious disease in pigeons has been published. The aim of this investigation was to compare the hematologic parameters of domestic pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) naturally infected with M avium subsp. avium (MAA) with clinically healthy pigeons. Blood samples were collected from 12 pigeons with suspected mycobacteriosis and 12 clinically healthy pigeons. All the birds with suspect infections were necropsied, and affected organs were cultured and examined on histopathology for mycobacteriosis. Total leukocyte and erythrocyte counts were performed on each blood sample with the Natt and Herrick method using a Neubauer hemocytometer. White blood cell (WBC) differential counts were performed on Giemsa-stained blood smears. Packed cell volumes (PCVs) were measured using the microhematocrit technique. Hemoglobin concentrations were measured with a spectrophotometer using the cyanomethemoglubin method. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations (MCHCs), and mean cell volumes (MCVs) were calculated manually. All of the infected birds had typical histopathologic findings of avian mycobacteriosis, which were confirmed using microbiologic and molecular methods to detect MAA. The hematologic data from the two groups were compared. The total WBC, heterophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts were significantly higher, and the PCV, HGB, MCH, and MCHC values were significantly lower in the infected birds compared with the clinically healthy pigeons.

In vivo: maternal betaine supplementation normalized fetal growth in diabetic pregnancy.

PURPOSE: Diabetes alters maternal metabolism and can lead to aberrant fetal growth. In addition to insulin treatment, nutritional diet interventions are recommended for promoting fetal health against diabetes-induced adverse effects. Therefore, we conducted an in vivo study to investigate betaine efficacy on fetal development against maternal diabetes. METHODS: Thirty-two dams were divided into four equal groups: control (C), betaine supplementation (BS), diabetic pregnancy (DP) and diabetic pregnancy plus betaine supplementation (DP + BS). Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and body weight (BW) were monitored during pregnancy. After physiological delivery, dams glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations were measured, followed by fetal development indices including litter size (LS), neonatal weight (NW) and crown-rump (CR). Also, maternal oxidative status was assessed by evaluating glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the erythrocytes. RESULTS: Betaine supplementation significantly alleviated FBS and tended to recover BW loss. It also significantly decreased HbA1c values in dams of DP + BS compared to DP group. Normalized fetal indices such as LS, NW and CR under betaine supplementation were associated with a significant increase in GSH content and GSH-Px activity, as well as decreased MDA concentrations in erythrocytes of dams in the DP + BS versus the DP group, indicating improved redox balance in the dams. CONCLUSION: We indicated for the first time that betaine supplementation improved the maternal glucose metabolism and redox balance associated with normalized fetal growth. Nevertheless, further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms through which betaine protects fetal growth in diabetic pregnancy.

Betaine alleviated hepatic and renal injury in diabetic pregnant rats: biochemical and histopathological evidences.

PURPOSE: Pregnancy is the most intense physiological alteration in energy metabolism that women experience in their lifetime. Liver and kidney are the two most susceptible organs to energy metabolism. Diabetes is well-defined as a syndrome interfering with energy metabolism triggered by impaired blood glucose adjustment. Herein, protective effects of betaine on liver and kidney were evaluated in animal model of diabetic pregnancy. METHODS: 32 dams were assigned into 4 equal groups: Control (C), Betaine (B, 1.5% w/w of total diet daily), Diabetic pregnancy (D), and Diabetic pregnancy treated with betaine (D + B). After physiological delivery, HbA1c concentration in whole blood, serum hepatic and renal biomarkers such as AST, ALT, ALP, urea and creatinine were measured. Also, liver and kidney tissue samples were examined under a light microscope. RESULTS: Diabetic pregnancy was found to be accompanied by increased HbA1c level, concentration of hepatic and renal biomarkers in blood samples, and a gamut of alterations such as apoptotic cells, biliary hyperplasia, sinusoidal dilation, basement membrane thickening, and Bowman's capsule dilation as observed in histopathological sections of the D group. Betaine supplementation significantly decreased AST, ALT, urea and creatinine in the D + B group compared to D group. Also, most of pathologic microscopic alterations were attenuated under betaine treatment in D + B group compared to D group. CONCLUSION: Findings of the current paper, for the first time, provided evidence regarding protective effects of betaine on liver and kidney function against maternal diabetes in an animal model of STZ-induced diabetic pregnancy.