Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in camels recently imported to Egypt from Sudan and a global systematic review.

INTRODUCTION Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are closely related intracellular protozoan parasites of medical and veterinary concern by causing abortions and systemic illness. Limited or ambiguous data on the prevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in camels triggered us to conduct this study. METHODS Camels (n = 460) recently imported from Sudan and destined mainly for human consumption, were tested for specific antibodies against these protozoans using commercially available ELISAs. From the two only quarantine stations for camels from Sudan, 368 camels were sampled between November 2015 and March 2016 in Shalateen, Red Sea governorate, and 92 samples were collected between September 2018 and March 2021 from Abu Simbel, Aswan governorate. RESULTS & DISCUSSION Overall, seropositive rates in camels were 25.7%, 3.9% and 0.8% for T. gondii, N. caninum and mixed infection, respectively. However, marked differences were found between the two study sites and/or the two sampling periods: For T. gondii, a higher rate of infection was recorded in the Red Sea samples (31.5%, 116/368; odds ratio 20.7, 5.0-85.6; P<0.0001) than in those collected in Aswan (2.2%, 2/92). The opposite was found for N. caninum with a lower rate of infection in the Red Sea samples (0.82%, 3/368; odds ratio 23.7, 6.7-83.9; P<0.0001) than in the samples from Aswan (16.3%, 15/92). Additionally, our systematic review revealed that the overall published seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum was 28.6% and 14.3% in camels worldwide, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first record of seroprevalence of both T. gondii and N. caninum in recently imported camels kept under quarantine conditions before delivery to other Egyptian cities and regions. In addition, our review provides inclusive data on the prevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in camel globally. This knowledge provides basic data for the implementation of strategies and control measures against neosporosis and toxoplasmosis

Prevalence and some risk factors with therapeutic trial of sheep dermatophytosis in Egypt

Dermatophytosis is a fungal disease that affects the superficial skin layers and hair of farm animals all over the world including Egypt. Despite being a self-limiting disease, it has serious effects on public health and devastating economic losses due to its serious skin damage, a long course of treatment, and loss of weight. This study determines the most prevalent species of dermatophyte in sheep and identifies the incriminated species by both microscopic and culture methods with an assessment of animal and environmental risk factors. Moreover, it evaluates the effectiveness of three antifungal compounds (tioconazole cream and clotrimazole spray, and fluconazole capsule), on twenty-four naturally infected sheep. One hundred and three sheep from Sharkia and Dakahalia governorates were examined with clinically suggestive lesions from 2018 to 2019. 47.6% of the cases were positive for the dermatophyte infection either by clinical signs, microscopic or culture, or both. The highest registered infection rate is in males, at the age of ˂ 6 months, and in the winter season. Three antifungal medications are used for the first time in the treatment of ovine dermatophytosis. They are proved to have been effective in subsiding skin lesions with hair growth to return to its normal clinical state with a 100% curative rate. The treatment with preferable and easily applicable topical cures, especially tioconazole cream, is highly effective in the short run. This cream treatment is easily applicable and provides a good alternative to the traditional antifungal medication for sheep. Consequently, such treatment can reduce the possibility of spreading the infection by other animals, and may allow the adaption of efficient control measures

Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging in Diagnosis of Superficial and Invasive Urinary Bladder Carcinoma: A Preliminary Prospective Study

We conducted a prospective study to demonstrate the feasibility of using diffusionweighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of urinary bladder carcinomas. Between January to June 2007, 43 patients with single bladder tumor were included in our study. Before taking a biopsy, DW MRI was obtained in the axial plane under free breathing scanning with a multisection, spin-echo type, single-shot echo planar sequence with a body coil. Moreover, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was measured in a circular region of interest within the carcinoma, urine, normal bladder wall, prostate, and seminal vesicle. All carcinomas in the 43 patients were clearly shown as high signal intensity relative to the surrounding structure. The sensitivity and positive predictive values of DW MRI were 100% in terms of correctly detecting the carcinomas. The ADC value in the carcinoma (1.40 ± 0.51) was significantly lower compared with that of urine (3.50 ± 0.43) (p < 0.001), normal bladder wall (2.29 ± 0.78) (p < 0.001), peripheral zone of prostate (1.77 ± 0.44) (p < 0.05), transition zone of prostate (1.88 ± 0.54) (p < 0.05), and the seminal vesicle (2.12 ± 0.43) (p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference in ADC values between different histological subtypes. There was no overlap between the ADC values of the tumors and the urine, but there was no clear cutoff between the tumor and bladder wall, prostate, or seminal vesicles. Bladder carcinomas have significantly lower ADC when compared to surroundings. Clinical experience with this method is still preliminary and further studies are required

Camel milk or silymarin could improve the negative effects that experimentally produced by aflatoxin B1 on rat’s male reproductive system

Abstract Background Camel milk and silymarin have many different beneficial effects on several animal species. Meanwhile, Aflatoxins are mycotoxins with extraordinary potency that pose major health risks to several animal species. Additionally, it has been documented that aflatoxins harm the reproductive systems of a variety of domestic animals. The present design aimed to investigate the impact of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on rat body weight and reproductive organs and the ameliorative effects of camel milk and silymarin through measured serum testosterone, testes pathology, and gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in the testes. A total of sixty mature male Wister white rats, each weighing an average of 83.67 ± 0.21 g, were used. There were six groups created from the rats. Each division had ten rats. The groups were the control (without any treatment), CM (1 ml of camel milk/kg body weight orally), S (20 mg silymarin/kg b. wt. suspension, orally), A (1.4 mg aflatoxin/kg diet), ACM (aflatoxin plus camel milk), and AS (aflatoxin plus silymarin). Results The results indicated the positive effects of camel milk and silymarin on growth, reproductive organs, and gene expression of TNF-α, LHR, and StAR with normal testicular architecture. Also, the negative effect of AFB1 on the rat’s body weight and reproductive organs, as indicated by low body weight and testosterone concentration, was confirmed by the results of histopathology and gene expression. However, these negative effects were ameliorated by the ingestion of camel milk and silymarin. Conclusion In conclusion, camel milk and silymarin could mitigate the negative effect of AFB1 on rat body weight and reproductive organs

Ameliorative effects of camel milk and silymarin upon aflatoxin B1 induced hepatic injury in rats

Abstract Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) poses a major risk to both human and animal health because it contaminates food, feed, and grains. These dangerous effects can be mitigated using natural components. The purpose of this study was to examine the ameliorative effects of camel milk and silymarin supplementation upon aflatoxin B1 induced hepatic injury in rats. This improvement was assessed by measuring leukocytic and deferential counts, serum biochemical parameters, and gene expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α), antioxidant gene (NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)), and base excision repair genes (APE1 and OGG1) in the liver tissue, in addition to liver histopathology. Sixty mature males Wister white rats were used to perform the present study; the rats were distributed in six groups (ten rats/group). The control group (without any treatment) received saline by gavage. The camel milk group received 1 ml of camel milk/kg body weight. The silymarin group received 1 ml of silymarin suspension solution at a dose of 20 mg of silymarin/kg of b.wt. The aflatoxin group received an aflatoxin-contaminated diet at a dose of 1.4 mg of aflatoxin /kg of diet and received saline. The camel milk + aflatoxin group received the same previous oral doses of camel milk and an aflatoxin-contaminated diet at the same time. The silymarin + aflatoxin group received the same previous doses of silymarin orally and an aflatoxin-contaminated diet at the same time. The obtained data indicated the deleterious effect of aflatoxin B1 on the leukocytic count, activity of AST and ALT, serum proteins, ferritin, alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, liver pathology, and the expression of the studied genes. However, these deleterious effects were mitigated by camel milk and silymarin supplementation. Thus, we could conclude that the ingestion of camel milk and silymarin mitigated the negative effects of AFB1 on the hematology, activity of AST and ALT, serum proteins, ferritin, alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, liver pathology, and gene expression in the rat model

Organic Geochemistry of the Lower Silurian Tanezzuft Formation and Biomarker Characteristics of Crude Oils from the Ghadames Basin, Libya

The Ghadames Basin of NW Libya contains more than 10 B brls oil-equivalent in Palaeozoic siliciclastic reservoirs which are charged by organic-rich ?hot shales? in the Lower Silurian (Rhuddanian) Tanezzuft Formation. Geochemical analysis of 85 shale samples and ten oils from three fields (NC2, NC4 and NC7) in the central and northern part of the basin provides a robust description of the Tanezzuft ? Mamuniyat/Acacus petroleum system in this region, and of the associated source facies and oil families. The shale samples underwent total organic carbon (TOC) analysis and Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and the ten crude oil samples were analysed by gas chromatography ? flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions, accompanied by stable carbon isotopic analysis. Organic matter ranges from Type II to mixed Type II/III kerogen with varying oil and gas generation potential in the early to main stages of the oil generation window. The analysed oils are characterised by low sulphur, nickel and vanadium contents, and relatively high API gravity (34.9?46.8oAPI). Biomarkers suggest that they were generated from marine shales containing abundant Type II to mixed Type II/III kerogen deposited in mildly anoxic ? suboxic conditions with a dominance of C29 over C27 or C28 steranes, indicative of a source rich in brown algae and cyanobacteria. Their close stratigraphic association and biomarker characteristics support a Tanezzuft ?hot shales? source for the Mamuniyat and Acacus oils in the three fields. Maturity-related parameters based on terpanes, steranes, aromatic hydrocarbons and low molecular-weight hydrocarbons, suggest generation from marine shales in the early to peak oil-generation window. The ZE3-NC7, A19-NC7 and A20 NC7 oils from the NC7 oil field are significantly more mature than those from the NC2 and NC4 fields. This indicates a difference in expulsion timing and may be related to the presence of two ?hot shales? or to fault-triggered vertical migration preceding and during the NeogenePeer reviewe

Detection of harmful foodborne pathogens in food samples at the points of sale by MALDT-TOF MS in Egypt

Objectives!#!Microbes can contaminate foodstuffs resulting in foodborne illnesses. Investigating microbial hazards in foods at the point of sale with rapid tools is required to avoid foodborne illness outbreaks. The current study aimed to identify the microbial hazards in food samples collected from retail shops at sale points using MALDI-TOF MS.!##!Results!#!Food samples were collected from stores and supermarkets in four Delta cities (Tanta, Kutour, Kafr-Elzayat and Benha). Analysis of 178 samples of fish, meat and dairy products revealed 20 different bacterial species. 44.76% of isolates were identified as E. coli, 17.44% were identified as Enterobacter spp., and E. cloacae was predominant. 12.2% were identified as Citrobacter spp., and C. braakii was predominant, and 8.7% were identified as Klebsiella spp., and K. pneumoniae was predominant. Moreover, eight Proteus mirabilis, six Morganella morganii, five Staphylococcus hominis, three Serratia marcescens, two Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one Salmonella typhimurium and one Enterococcus faecalis were detected. Foodstuffs not only be contaminated during production and processing but also during storage and transport. Identification of harmful human pathogens in foodstuffs is alarming and consider threatening to public health. Identification of microbiological hazards in foods using MALDI-TOF MS provides an efficient tool for identifying foodborne pathogens

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Trichinella spp. in Pigs from Cairo, Egypt.

Pork production is a niche economy in Egypt, and pigs are typically raised as backyard animals with no sanitary control, potentially exposing them to various pathogens. Commercially available ELISAs were used to detect specific antibodies to the food-borne zoonotic parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp., as well as to Neospora caninum, in serum samples of pigs slaughtered at Egypt's only licensed pig abattoir, the El-Bassatin abattoir in Cairo. Among the tested sera (n = 332), seroreactivity for T. gondii was 45.8% (95% confidence interval: 40.4-51.3), N. caninum was 28.0% (95% CI: 23.3-33.2), and Trichinella spp. was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.4-3.3). Mixed infection was only detected for T. gondii and N. caninum (18.7%; 95% CI: 14.7-23.4). The seroprevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher (p = 0.0003) in animals collected from southern Cairo (15 May city slum) than in eastern Cairo (Ezbet El Nakhl slum). Seroprevalence for N. caninum was higher in western (Manshiyat Naser slum; p = 0.0003) and southern Cairo (15 May city slum; p = 0.0003) than in that of eastern Cairo (Ezbet El Nakhl slum; p = 0.0003). Moreover, female pigs exhibited a higher rate of N. caninum antibodies than male ones (p < 0.0001). This study provides the first seroprevalence data for N. caninum in pigs in Egypt, and updates the prevalence of the zoonotic parasites Trichinella spp. and T. gondii