Distribution and degree of occurrence of aflatoxin in groundnuts and groundnut products

No Abstrac

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in sheep serum : normal values and an evaluation of its potential for detecting liver involvement in experimental lupinosis

A brief survey of the literature on gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (ƴ-GT) activity is included in this study. The levels of activity in the serum of normal Merino sheep (13, 6- 32, 4 mI.U./ml) were ascertained as a preliminary to following the activity through the entire course of experimentally induced ovine lupinosis, a hepatotoxicosis caused by Phomopsis leptostromiformis (Kühn) Bubák. The response of the serum level of ƴ-GT activity to the course of the disease was compared with that of glutamate oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and 2 liver function tests for the purpose of assessing its potential application in the study of this mycotoxicosis. Because the levels of activity of ƴ-GT were more valuable for the early diagnosis of low grade acute intoxication and the detection of chronic liver involvement while those of GOT gave better information on the development of severe acute hepato-cellular damage, these 2 enzymes, considered together, were found to give the best information on the course of the toxicosis. The changes in ƴ-GT activity during various stages of intoxication were also related to the histopathological lesions in the liver.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Selected chemical parameters in the blood and metals in the organs of the Nile crocodile, Crocodylus Niloticus, in the Kruger National Park

Healthy and sick crocodiles of varying sizes were examined from the Olifants River in the central part of the Kruger National Park, the Sabi River in the southern part and the Shingwedzi River in the northern region. Blood was collected for the determination of certain parameters and samples of fat, muscle, kidney and liver tissue were collected and analyzed for their heavy metal content. The results of the blood analyses are within the range recorded in the literature, but the metal analyses were inconclusive as similar data are not available for comparison. The results of the metal analyses are presented here for use as baseline and reference data.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

A comparative study of the toxicity of Fusarium verticillioides (= F. moniliforme) to horses, primates, pigs, sheep and rats

An isolate of Fusarium verticillioides (MRC826) that induced experimental leukoencephalomalacia, also caused acute toxicity when fed to pigs and administered per rumen fistula to sheep. Pigs developed severe pulmonary oedema while sheep manifested severe nephrosis and hepatosis. A less toxic isolate (F. verticillioides MRC602), fed to baboons, resulted in acute congestive heart failure or hepatic cirrhosis, depending on the dose. Both isolates were toxic to rats and caused similar lesions, namely, hepatic cirrhosis and intraventricular cardiac thrombosis.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in a kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) from a commercial game farm in the Malelane area of the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, was diagnosed for the first time, in a kudu cow from a commercial game ranch in the Malelane area of the Mpumalanga Province close to the Kruger National Park. This diagnosis has important implications for the eradication of the disease in commercial and communal livestock in the area. Kudus are considered to be a potential maintenance host and, because of discharging fistulae in the parotid area where the lymph nodes are commonly infected, they have the potential of disseminating bacteria over wide areas. Cognisance should be taken of the presence of tuberculosis in a species other than domesticated cattle in this area and its implications for the control of tuberculosis in cattle.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Tuberculosis in kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in the Kruger National Park

Five kudus ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros), three bulls and two cows, within the Greater Kruger National Park complex, were diagnosed with generalized tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis. The lesions seen in these animals were similar to those previously reported in kudus and included severe tuberculous lymphadenitis of the nodes of the head and neck (that resulted in noticeable uni- or bilateral swelling beneath the ear), thorax, and the mesentery. All the animals also suffered from severe granulomatous pneumonia. The lesions in the lungs were more severe cranially and had a miliary distribution elsewhere in the lungs. Based on the DNA patterns of the M. bovis isolates, at least some of these kudus were infected with strains commonly present in tuberculous buffaloes, lions, cheetahs, and baboons in the Park whereas other strains from these kudus were quite different and may reflect another source of infection. The presence of tuberculous kudus in the Park is expected to complicate control measures that may be instituted to contain or eradicate the disease in the Park.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Lesions in sheep skeletal and oesophageal muscle in vermeersiekte (Geigeria ornativa O. Hoffm. poisoning)

Vermeersiekte in sheep, which is characterized clinically by vomition of ruminal contents, often accompanied by stiffness or paralysis, is caused by various plant species of the genus Geigeria. A histopathological study of the skeletal and oesophageal muscles of three experimental and three natural ovine cases revealed lesions in every case. In paraffin sections examined by light microscopy, vacuolation of focal groups of muscle fibres was seen. The sarcoplasm in the vicinity of the vacuoles was hyalinized and single or multiple centrally displaced sarcolemmal nuclei occurred in the vacuoles. A variation in the size of muscle fibres in these foci was seen in the more chronic experimental cases. Small "atrophic" hyalinized fibres with centralization and proliferation of sarcolemmal nuclei were encountered. Electron micrographs revealed that the vacuoles in the sarcoplasm resulted from focal degeneration of myofibrils in otherwise intact muscle fibres. The thick myofilaments disappeared first, causing dissolution of the A-band in affected myofibrils. Shredding of the remaining thin filaments eventually lead to the complete destruction of myofibrils and the appearance in the fibre of irregular areas of fine granular material, containing remnants of myofilaments, Z-band material and swollen vacuolated mitochondria. Due to excessive loss of myofibrils the diameter of some muscle fibres was reduced.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 300dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

The rise and fall of tuberculosis in a free-ranging chacma baboon troop in the Kruger National Park

A single troop of free-ranging chacma baboons ( Papio ursinus) was found to be infected with tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis. It is assumed that some members of the troop originally became infected when feeding on a tuberculous carcass in the veld or on tuberculous material scavenged at a nearby post mortem facility. Subsequently, apparent aerosol transmission took place while sleeping in an unused room. Oral transmission probably also occurred due to continuous contamination of the floor of this room and the common, narrow access (a train bridge crossing the Sabi River) to it with faeces and urine. A macroscopic prevalence of 50% was found and the disease was noted to progress rapidly in infected baboons. A variety of organs had typical tuberculous lesions, of which the spleen, lungs and mesenteric lymph nodes were consistently, grossly affected. Using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis, all but one of the baboon isolates were found to be identical to the most common African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) isolate (genotype 1) in this Park. The opportunistic sleeping facility was made inaccessible to the troop, which was forced to revert to sleeping in trees. A follow-up survey six months after closure, demonstrated that the disease had disappeared from the troop, and that no spillover infection had occurred into neighbouring troops.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Induction of diplodiosis, a neuromycotoxicosis, in domestic ruminants with cultures of indigenous and exotic isolates of diplodia maydis

Diplodiosis, a neuromycotoxicosis, principally of cattle, which is characterized by ataxia, paresis and paralysis, was induced in 13 cattle, 16 sheep and 3 goats, by dosing them with Diplodia maydis [=D. zeae (Schw.) Lév.] cultured on sterilized maize seeds. The results of these experiments confirmed the findings of earlier workers that diplodiosis is a mycotoxicosis caused by D. maydis. The intoxication was induced with cultures of South African isolates of D. maydis obtained from local maize, one of which was associated with a suspected field outbreak, and with cultures of isolates from maize imported from the United States of America and Argentina. Other findings emerging from the experiments were, inter alia, that cultures incubated for less than 8 weeks were seemingly non-toxic, that there was little individual variation in response of cattle to cultures of the different toxic isolates or batches of the isolates, that apparent relapses of clinical signs can occur several weeks after dosing had ceased and that a small percentage of animals can show permanent locomotory disturbance. Light microscopical examination revealed no lesions in acutely affected animals, but an extensive laminar subcortical status spongiosis was evident in the cerebrum and cerebellum of a sheep that had been long paralysed and a steer that had permanent locomotory disturbance.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format

Tuberculosis in buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park: spread of the disease to other species

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, was recently diagnosed in a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) , two lions (Panthera leo) and a chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) from the Kruger National Park (KNP). It is assumed that they contracted the disease directly or indirectly from tuberculous buffaloes in the park. Tuberculous granulomatous lesions in the lungs were extensive and constituted the predominant changes in all three animal species. These pulmonary lesions included tuberculous bronchiolitis and cavitation which would facilitate dissemination of M. bovis into the environment. Spread of the disease to free-ranging species (in which it has not previously been reported) that may act as maintenance hosts of the infection, is a matter of serious concern.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat X Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201