Chlorpyrifos chronic toxicity in broilers and effect of vitamin C

An experiment was conducted to study chlorpyrifos chronic toxicity in broilers and the protective effect of vitamin C. Oral administration of 0.8 mg/kg body weight (bw) (1/50 LD50) chlorpyrifos (Radar®), produced mild diarrhea and gross lesions comprised of paleness, flaccid consistency and slightly enlargement of liver. Histopathologically, chlorpyrifos produced degenerative changes in various organs. Oral administration of 100 mg/kg bw vitamin C partially ameliorated the degenerative changes in kidney and heart. There was insignificant alteration in biochemical and haematological profiles. It is concluded that supplementation of vitamin C reduced the severity of lesions induced by chronic chlorpyrifos toxicity in broilers.Keywords: chlorpyrifos, chronic toxicity, clinicopathology, vitamin C, broiler

Ovine paratuberculosis: A confirmed case of Johne's disease in Libya

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) was suspected in a herd of approximately 033 sheep after weight loss and scouring had increased in adult animals despite repeated treatment with anthelmintics, antibiotics,  multivitamins and minerals. The herd is located near Tarhouna city. Herd history revealed that a total of 60 ewes showed clinical symptoms and deaths during the last two years. The last case that we attended was submitted to the National Center of Animal Health (NCAH) for a detailed laboratory examination. Gross  pathological and histological examination of tissue samples revealed results that were highly comparable with Johne's disease. A definitive diagnosis was made only by histopathological identification of Mycobacterium  paratuberculosis in the intestines using Ziehl-Neelsen stain. This is the first documented case of M.  paratuberculosis in sheep in Libya.Keywords: Johne's disease, Libya, Mycobacterium, Ovine, Paratuberculosis