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

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

Comparative Immune Responses and Cytokine Gene Expressions in Sheep Vaccinated with Brucella abortus RB51 Vaccine and Brucella melitensis Rev. 1 Vaccine

  This work applied three Brucella vaccination protocols in adult Brucella-free ewes. Serum and blood samples were collected from each group at time points 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days post-vaccination. In addition, the humoral immune response was assessed by the Rose Bengal Plate test (RBPT) every week for 16 weeks. Also, cell-mediated immunity was evaluated. Additionally, interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α) were assessed. The results indicated that the cellular immune responses induced by the B. abortus RB51 vaccine with a dose of 3.4 x1010 provide a protective immune response near the effect produced by the B. melitensis Rev. 1 vaccine. Moreover, the IL-6 was expressed significantly less in the RB51- vaccinated group with a dose of 1.7 x1010 CFU (1 ml subcutaneously), greater in the Rev. 1-vaccinated group with a dose of 1.6 × 109 CFU (1 ml subcutaneously), and highest expression in the RB51-vaccinated group with a dose of 3.4 x1010 CFU ( 2 ml subcutaneously). Also, the expression of TNF- α was lowest in the group vaccinated with RB51 vaccine with a dose of 1.7 x1010 CFU, with greater abundance in the group vaccinated with Rev. 1 vaccine and highest expression in the group vaccinated with RB51 vaccine with a dose of 3.4 x1010 CFU. These findings imply that the RB51 vaccine, given to sheep with a dose of 3.4 x 1010 CFU, may trigger protective immune responses and be applied in the field to control brucellosis in sheep

Seroprevalence of Specific Antibodies to <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>, <i>Neospora caninum</i>, and <i>Brucella</i> spp. in Sheep and Goats in Egypt

Toxoplasmosis, neosporosis, and brucellosis are devastating diseases causing infectious abortion and, therefore, substantial economic losses in farm animals. Toxoplasmosis and neosporosis are caused by the intracellular protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Neospora caninum (N. caninum), respectively. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by numerous Brucella species in multiple hosts. Toxoplasmosis and brucellosis are also considered foodborne zoonotic diseases. In the current study, specific antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum, in addition to those to Brucella spp., were detected to gain a better understanding of the epidemiological situation for these three pathogens. Sheep and goat sera from Egypt (n = 360) of animals with and without a history of abortion were tested using commercial ELISAs. Seropositivity rates of 46.1%, 11.9%, and 8.6% for T. gondii, N. caninum, and Brucella spp., respectively, were revealed. Mixed infections with T. gondii and Brucella spp. (4.4%), T. gondii and N. caninum (4.2%), N. caninum and Brucella spp. (1.4%), and even some triple infections (0.6%) have been observed. Animals with a history of abortion had a significantly higher seroprevalence for Brucella spp. infection than those without abortion (12.6%; 28/222 vs. 2.2%; 3/138) (p = 0.0005; Odds ratio = 1.9–21.8), while none of the other pathogens showed a similar effect. This result suggests brucellosis as a possible cause of abortion in the study population. However, the high seroprevalence for T. gondii and N. caninum revealed in our study warrants further investigations