Fakulti Veterinar kongsi ilmu dengan Veterinar Sabah

KINARUT (Sabah), 3 Ogos - Pensyarah Fakulti Veterinar Universiti Putra (UPM) berkongsi ilmu dengan kakitangan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar Sabah (JPVS) pada seminar Herd Health Program and Liver Fluke dan bengkel ‘Hands-on Basic Veterinary Parasitology Diagnosis’ di Pusat Teknologi Daging Sabah (SMTC) di sini

Genetic resistance to nematode infection in Texel

Nematode infection is one of the major causes of disease in young sheep. Selective breeding of genetically nematode resistant sheep is an alternative method for controlling the nematode infection. This process could be simplified if loci that account for nematode resistance can be identified. MHC is one of the candidates and several studies have confirmed the association between MHC alleles and nematode resistance. The aim of this study is to establish the role of MHC class II genes in nematode resistance in Texel sheep. Thus, it can help endorse the usefulness of the MHC class II genes as a genetic marker of nematode resistance and extend the knowledge of the mechanism of resistance against nematodes. This study has been focused on three main areas; 1) description of MHC class II gene diversity, 2) description of haplotype and linkage disequilibrium pattern at MHC class II genes and 3) the association of MHC class II genes and nematode resistance. Sequence-based typing was applied to characterise MHC class II allelic diversity in 235 Texel lambs. The haplotype and linkage disequilibrium patterns were deduced from pedigree information. Finally, the association between MHC class II haplotypes and nematode resistance (FEC and IgE activity against L3) were investigated using a MIXED model approach. MHC class IIa genes were diverse in Texel, consistent with previous studies reported in sheep. The most polymorphic locus among MHC class IIa genes was DRB1. A total of 21 distinct DR-DQ haplotypes were obtained and strong linkage disequilibrium exhibited between DR-DQ genes. There were also statistically significant associations of specific haplotypes and nematode resistance in this population. The work in this thesis confirms the likely importance of MHC genes in regulating resistance against gastrointestinal nematodes, thus supporting the use of MHC as a genetic marker of nematode resistance in selective breeding. Sequence-based typing system for MHC class IIa has been established in this study

Immuniregulatory response following fluranthene instillation in embryonated chicken eggs

The immunotoxic effect the air pollutant, floranthene in chicken has never been documented. This study was undertaken to determine the possible immunotoxicity of fluoranthene in embryonated chicken eggs. Fifty 9-day-ole embryonated chicken eggs were used in this study where 40 were each inoculated with fluoranthene at the dose of 15 mg/kg via the allantoic route. The remaining 10 eggs were inoculated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and acted as controls. All eggs were incubated at 37°C and candled every day for evidence of embryonic survival. Dead embryos (before 21 days old) were necropsied while the allantoic fluid and yolk collected for the determination of ND-HI titers. Chicks that hatched were sacrificed and blood was collected for ND-HI titer determination and lymphoid organs were procured for histopathology. Postmoetem findins fo fluoranthene inoculated embryos were stunted growth, generalized or localized harmorrahages especially at legs and head. Histopathologically, fluoranthene induced lymphoid hyperplasia in the thymus, spleen and bursa. Such change has led to an increase in antibody production compated to the controls. This study has provided evidence that fluoranthene may cross the egg barrier (in ovo) in avian species

Field evaluation of Ivermectin and Mebendazole treatment against gastrointestinal parasites in stable horse.

Deworming is one of the routine healthcare iquine management especially for stable horses. Even healthy horses harbor some adult worms and eggs and the incidence of clinical and sub0clinical diseases of horses can be minimized through controlling the gastrointestinal parasites. It was the objective of this study to determine the prevalence and species of gastrointestinal parasites in stable horses in Malaysia. In this study efficacy of ivermectin and mebendazole in reducing faecal egg count (FEC) under field condition was also evaluated. Ninety-four male and female horses of mixed breed, 11.8 ± 4.36 years of age from two stables were selected in this study. Fresh faecal samples were collected at pretratment period for initial screening and these data were used to determine the prevalence rate. Fifty more than two-year old hoses with positive epg from both stables were selected for field evaluation of mebendazole and ivermectin. Commercially available mebendazole and ivermectin paste were administered orallyaccording to manafacturer’s recommended dosage, in which the pre-treatment and day 10 post-treatment epg was utilized to determine the percentage of FEC reduction. Of the 94 fecal samples, 51 (54.3%) were positive and 3(3.2%) had fecal egg count of more than 2000 epg. There are significant association (p<0.05) between the age groups, sex and breeds. Stronglyloides westeri and cyathostome were the most prevalence worm cultures. Ivermectin showed 100% reduction while mevendazole only showed 65% reduction in FEC. This study revealed that in these stables, there is low prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites. However nine species of worms were identified. The study also showed that ivermectin had efficacy then mevendazole in reducing FEC

Fatty acid profile in the breast and thigh muscles of the slow- and fast-growing birds under the same management system

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of feeding the same diet to different breeds of chickens and at different ages on fatty acid (FA) composition of the breast and thigh muscles. A total of 150 chickens comprising 50 each of red jungle fowl (RJ) and village chicken (VC), the slow-growing birds, and the commercial broiler (CB), fast-growing birds, were used for this study. Ten chickens from each breed were serially euthanized at days 1, 10, 20, 56, and 120 post hatch, and pectoralis major and bicep femoris were harvested to represent the breast and thigh muscles respectively. It was revealed that the breast muscle concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are significantly different (p0.05) between the breast and thigh muscles at different ages evaluated. This study suggests that slow-growing birds (RJ and VC) might be better sources of desirable FA than the fast-growing birds, CB

Effect of halal and non-halal slaughtering methods on bacterial contamination of poultry meat

This study was designed to investigate and compare the effect of halal (Islamic rules) and non-halal (non-Islamic rules) slaughtering methods on the quality characteristics of chicken. Ten village chickens weighing 0.9 - 1 kg of the same age and farm management were involved; five of them were slaughtered using the halal method, while the other five were slaughtered using the non-halal method by cutting only one side of the jugular vein and carotid artery. Bleeding time, death time, the volume of blood loss, microbial count of Standard Plate Count (SPC) and Coliform Plate Count (CPC) were determined immediately at and post-slaughtering. There was no significant difference in the microbial count of CPC between both slaughtering methods. Bleeding time, death time and SPC results for non-halal slaughtered chickens were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the halal slaughtered chickens, while the volume of blood lost was found significantly (p<0.05) lower for non-halal slaughtered chickens. These data suggested that non-halal slaughtered chickens could contain more residual blood in the meat that can lead to an increase in bacterial counts, consequently shortened shelf life

Effects of layered clothing on the post-mortem decomposition of rat carcasses on grass bushes and dead leaves

A post-mortem decomposition is defined by the evaluation of the physical and chemical changes of a cadaver or a carcass in order to estimate the cause of death and the time of death. The purpose of this study is not to replicate a real crime scene but to enhance knowledge of the effects of clothing in a decomposition process, mainly, the effects of layered cotton clothing on the post-mortem decomposition of adult female rat carcasses. Fifteen rats were divided into three groups: control, one-layered and two-layered clothed. The control subjects were unclothed and used to compare the post-mortem changes with the clothed subjects, one-layered and two-layered rat carcasses. All subjects were placed outdoor, 2.5 meters away from each other on grass bushes and dead leaves. Ambient temperature and humidity were recorded to observe if it associates with the post-mortem changes of the rats. Insect activity on each subject was observed. Post-mortem changes were measured using the Total Body Score system. The results showed that the control group underwent a faster decomposition compared to the clothed groups. The different layers of clothing did not show a vast difference in post-mortem changes. The ambient temperature of 28°C influences the post-mortem decomposition. The decomposition was rapid under the dominance of maggots compared to ants as ant colonies delayed the decomposition process. The study gave the knowledge of the effect of clothing in decomposition of female rats in forensic science

Digital approach for gender discrimination from lip prints analysis in Malaysian chinese population (Klang Valley)

Human identification plays a crucial role in forensic criminal investigation, but it can be a very complicated task. The analysis of lip print is a new tool for the purpose of identification as lip print is unique to every person. This study was conducted to differentiate gender based on lip print patterns among the Malaysian Chinese population in Klang Valley using scanning on lipstick-cellophane tape technique. 412 subjects from Malaysian Chinese (203 males and 209 females) were selected conveniently. Lip print was lifted using lipstick on cellophane tape technique, scanned and digital images were categorised according to Suzuki and Tsuchihashi's classification. Lip prints were divided into six sections: upper left, upper middle, upper right, lower left, lower middle and lower right. Adobe Photoshop 7.0 was used to analyse the lip print images. Type II was the dominant type in both genders for upper left, upper right, lower right and lower left sections, ranging from 87.2% to 94.6% for males and 70.3% to 90% for females while type IV was found to be the dominant in upper and lower middle sections for both genders, ranging from 69.5% to 70.4% in males and 67% to 70.3% for females. The results of this study may be used as a suggestion in personal identification of the Malaysian Chinese population in forensic science investigations

Prevalence of chromosome anomalies in a deer farm with fertility decline in Malaysia

Background: A number of factors are known to reduce fertility rate in animals and one of the important categories of such factors is chromosome anomalies. They can occur with or without causing phenotypic abnormalities on animals; in some cases, they may directly affect meiosis, gametogenesis and the viability of conceptus. In many instances, balanced structural rearrangements can be transmitted to offspring, affecting fertility in subsequent generations. Aim: This work investigated the occurrence of chromosome aberrations in Rusa timorensis, Rusa unicolor and Axis axis raised in a nucleus deer farm in Malaysia with a history of declining fertility of unknown origin. Materials & methods: Blood samples were collected from 60 animals through venipuncture, cultured for 72 h and arrested at metaphase. SmartType® and Ideokar® software were used to karyotype the chromosomes. Results: We found 15 out of the 60 animals screened from both sexes harbor some form of chromosome aberration. Chromosomal aberrations exist at the rate of 25% and may not be unconnected with the observed reduced fertility on the farm. Further investigations should be carried out, especially on the offspring of the studied animals to transmission of these aberrations. The animals that are confirmed to transmit the chromosomal aberrations should be culled to arrest the propagation of their abnormalities. Lay abstract: Some genetic problems affect fecundity in animals; they affect reproduction thereby reducing farm output. There are reports regarding these types of problems, which links them to causing enormous economic losses in different types of animal farms. In this work, we collected blood samples from a deer farm where different breeds are kept together and fertility decline has been reported previously to check if these types of genetic problems are present on the farm. Our investigation revealed that 25% of the animals investigated, both males and female, carry a type of genetic problem that was previously reported to be associated with fertility issues. We recommend a more extensive investigation to get to the bottom of the problem, to proffer appropriate solution and to avoid economic losses on the farm

Incidental findings of Heterakis spumosa and Chirodiscoides caviae with pinworms in Sprague Dawley rats

Endoparasites and ectoparasites have been one of the most common problems influencing the health condition of laboratory animals. The animals have a higher possibility of getting infected and their vague microbial status may alter the results of research studies. The objective of this study was to identify the presence of helminths and ectoparasites in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and to determine the association between the type of helminths and ectoparasites infestation in two different conventionally-maintained animal facilities. A total of 60 SD rats were selected randomly. For helminths identification, perianal tape test and faecal floatation were used while ectoparasites were identified by fur pluck test. The data was analysed statistically by SPSS using the Pearson Chi-square test. In this study, pinworms; Syphacia muris and Aspiculuris tetraptera were identified in both Premise 1 and Premise 2. Out of 30 animals of each facility, 26 and 23 rats were found to be positive for helminths at each premise, respectively. Surprisingly, Heterakis spumosa that is commonly found in wild rats were identified at Premise 2. Additionally, 22 out of 30 SD rats at Premise 2 were infested heavily with Chirodiscoides caviae mites which are common in guinea pigs. The high burden of C. caviae infestation was most likely due to cross-contamination during transportation. Statistically, there was an association between the type of helminths and ectoparasites infestation in SD rats at different animal facilities (p-value=0.009). In conclusion, different practise of conventionally-maintained animal facilities influence the evidence of uncommon parasites infestation without affecting the presence of common pinworms in laboratory rats