Isolation of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis from apparently Healthy Sheep and Goats

A total of 260 tissue specimens (from the last portion of the small intestine, ileo-cecal valve and corresponding lymph nodes) were collected from apparently healthy sheep and goats in the slaughter houses. The specimens were prepared and inoculated on Middle Brook 7H10 agar base M199 media with and without mycobactin J. All the specimens were pre-treated with 5% oxalic acid. Direct smears were also prepared from intestinal scrapings and lymph nodes parenchyma and stained with Zeihl Neelsen (acid-fast stain). The cultures were monitored carefully and results were recorded throughout the incubation period, among which 23 (9%) of them showed growth after the 16th week. The culture Results were recorded considering the long incubation period, colony appearance and acid fastness of the bacteria. The direct smear result revealed 55 (21%) positivity. Sensitivity and specificity of the culture method was determined taking histopathological examination as a reference. It is concluded that the conventional culture method is laborious and time consuming for sub clinical paratuberculosis in small ruminants. Keywords: Johne’s disease, Mycobacterium culture, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, mycobactin

Sero-epidemiological study on Maedi-Visna in selected areas of Ethiopia

The study was conducted to verify the existence of Maedi-Visna virus infection (Ovine Progressive Pneumonia- OPP) in exotic sheep breed in selected areas of Ethiopia. ELISA and Hematoxylin & Eosin (HE) staining techniques were employed to examine the serum and tissue samples respectively. ELISA test of serum samples showed 88%, 19%, 10%, 6%, and 0.8% infection rate for Debre Berhan sheep breeding center, and Arsi, Bale, North Omo and Gurage zones respectively. At necropsy 11% (4/36) of the sheep examined had characteristic gross pathological lung lesions of Maedi/OPP and 33% (12/36) indicated the presence of the disease through histopathological examinations. The major histopathological findings were peribronchial and interstitial lymphocytic infiltrations and/or follicle-like aggregations, interstitial connective tissue proliferation, hyperplasia of the smooth muscles in the ducts of terminal bronchioles and alveoli. The present findings provide a clear evidence for the dissemination of Maedi-Visna virus following the distribution of exotic rams from the breeding and multiplication center. Therefore, survey in other areas is also required to have broad picture of the disease in the country which will help to design a practical control strategy of the disease at the national level. Keywords: Ethiopia, exotic sheep breeds, maedi-visna, sero-epidemiolog

Comparative clinico-pathological observations in young Zebu (Bos indicus) cattle experimentally infected with Trypanosoma vivax isolates from tsetse infested and non-tsetse infested areas of Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The Northwest region of Ethiopia is affected by both tsetse and non-tsetse transmitted trypanosomosis with a huge impact on livestock productivity. The objective of this experimental study was to determine clinical and pathological findings in young Zebu cattle experimentally infected with Trypanosoma vivax isolates from tsetse infested and non-tsetse infested areas of Northwest Ethiopia. A total of 18 cattle (Bos indicus) aged between 6 and 12 months, purchased from a trypanosome-free and confirmed to be trypanosome negative divided into three groups of six animals were used. Animals in the first two groups (Group TT: tsetse infested isolate infected and Group NT: non-tsetse infested isolate infected) received 2 mL of infected blood from donor animals at 10(6) trypanosomes/mL, and the remaining group was non-infected control (NIC). Each group was observed for a period of eight consecutive weeks, daily for clinical signs and once per week for parasitaemia. Postmortem examinations were done on euthanized animals, and tissue samples were taken for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: The prepatent period of the disease was earlier in the NT group 6 days post infection (dpi) than TT group 12 dpi. The infection was characterized by reduced feed intake, intermittent pyrexia and parasitaemia, enlarged lymph nodes, lacrimation, reduced feed intake and emaciation. Less frequently diarrhea, oedema and nervous signs were observed in both groups of infected animals. At necropsy, infected animals showed enlarged spleen, enlarged lymph nodes, pneumonic and emphysematous lung, enlarged liver, and haemorrhages on the brain and intestine. Histopathological analysis revealed lymphoid hyperplasia of the spleen, necrosis of the liver, encephalitis and hyperplasia of lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Trpanosoma vivax isolates from both tsetse infested and non-tsetse areas showed a variety of virulence factors leading to the development of acute clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions. However, the parasitaemia and clinical signs appeared earlier in the NT compared to TT infected groups

In vitro antileishmanial and antischistosomal activities of anemonin isolated from the fresh leaves of Ranunculus multifidus forsk

Leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) infecting the world's poorest populations. Effectiveness of the current antileishmanial and antischistosomal therapies are significantly declining, which calls for an urgent need of new effective and safe drugs. In Ethiopia fresh leaves of Ranunculus multifidus Forsk. are traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments including leishmaniasis and eradication of intestinal worms. In the current study, anemonin isolated from the fresh leaves of R. multifidus was assessed for its in vitro antileishmanial and antischistosomal activities. Anemonin was isolated from the hydro-distilled extract of the leaves of R. multifidus. Antileishmanial activity was assessed on clinical isolates of the promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania aethiopica and L. donovani clinical isolates. Resazurin reduction assay was used to determine antipromastigote activity, while macrophages were employed for antiamastigote and cytotoxicity assays. Antischistosomal assays were performed against adult Schistosoma mansoni and newly transformed schistosomules (NTS). Anemonin displayed significant antileishmanial activity with IC50 values of 1.33 nM and 1.58 nM against promastigotes and 1.24 nM and 1.91 nM against amastigotes of L. aethiopica and L. donovani, respectively. It also showed moderate activity against adult S. mansoni and NTS (49% activity against adult S. mansoni at 10 microM and 41% activity against NTS at 1 microM). The results obtained in this investigation indicate that anemonin has the potential to be used as a template for designing novel antileishmanial and antischistosomal pharmacophores

Index Evaluation of Clinical Efficacy of Immunomodulatory and Osteotropic Therapy for Chronic Generalized Periodontitis of Varying Severity: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background. The significant prevalence of chronic generalized periodontitis, the severity of its course, the increase in the number of complicated forms and short-term remissions cause a constant search for new methods and means of its treatment. When choosing the most effective methods of therapy, specialists mostly prefer a complex effect on the main pathogenetic links of the disease, while often losing sight of the body's own defenses, especially in terms of pharmacotherapeutic support and immunity strengthening. This study presents the results of a study of the clinical efficacy of the treatment of chronic generalized periodontitis by means of the developed therapy complex, including the use of immunomodulatory and osteotropic drugs.Objective — to study clinical efficacy of the developed complex immunomodulatory and osteotropic treatment for chronic generalized periodontitis.Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 154 patients aged 20 to 75 with periodontitis of varying severity. Conventional examination of patients was carried out in specialized dental clinics DentoProma (Krasnodar) and Dentalife (Stavropol) based at the Dentistry Department, Stavropol State Medical University (Russia). The study period was 24 months. The patients were divided into a main group of 118 participants and a control group of 36 participants. The comprehensive treatment plan, prescribed to all patients, included proper oral hygiene education, individual and professional dental hygiene, topical anti-inflammatory agents, Vector therapy, open flap debridement, flap surgery, relevant splinting prosthetics (if necessary). The authors developed a comprehensive therapy, which included administration of the immunomodulatory agent Hepon (Immapharma Company, Russia), glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate sodium. All patients of the main and control groups were additionally ranked into subgroups depending on the severity of diagnosed periodontitis: slight (subgroup 1), moderate (subgroup 2) and severe (subgroup 3). The major focus of the study was to establish efficacy of the developed therapy which was defined by the degree of resolution of the inflammatory process and increase in the period of remission. Reflecting the presence and degree of inflammation, dental plaque index and oral hygiene status were considered to be the target indicators. Analysis and statistical processing of the obtained data were carried out using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, USA).Results. The analysis of the data revealed that the immediate clinical results of the developed complex therapy both in the main group and in the control group were approximately identical. According to the follow-up data obtained one month after the treatment, additional prescription of complex osteotropic treatment to the patients with chronic generalized periodontitis contributed to rapid resolution of infection in the gingival tissues and provided stable treatment results.Conclusion. Introduction of the complex clinical and hygienic treatment promoted resolution of the inflammatory process in the gingival tissues of all patients who received immunomodulatory and osteotropic therapy

Translational Research: Palatal-derived Ecto-mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Palate: A New Hope for Alveolar Bone and Cranio-Facial Bone Reconstruction

The management of facial defects has rapidly changed in the last decade. Functional and esthetic requirements have steadily increased along with the refinements of surgery. In the case of advanced atrophy or jaw defects, extensive horizontal and vertical bone augmentation is often unavoidable to enable patients to be fitted with implants. Loss of vertical alveolar bone height is the most common cause for a non primary stability of dental implants in adults. At present, there is no ideal therapeutic approach to cure loss of vertical alveolar bone height and achieve optimal pre-implantological bone regeneration before dental implant placement. Recently, it has been found that specific populations of stem cells and/or progenitor cells could be isolated from different dental resources, namely the dental follicle, the dental pulp and the periodontal ligament. Our research group has cultured palatal-derived stem cells (paldSCs) as dentospheres and further differentiated into various cells of the neuronal and osteogenic lineage, thereby demonstrating their stem cell state. In this publication will be shown whether paldSCs could be differentiated into the osteogenic lineage and, if so, whether these cells are able to regenerate alveolar bone tissue in vivo in an athymic rat model. Furthermore, using these data we have started a proof of principle clinical- and histological controlled study using stem cell-rich palatal tissues for improving the vertical alveolar bone augmentation in critical size defects. The initial results of the study demonstrate the feasibility of using stem cell-mediated tissue engineering to treat alveolar bone defects in humans

Advances in water resources research in the Upper Blue Nile basin and the way forward: A review

The Upper Blue Nile basin is considered as the lifeline for ∼250 million people and contributes ∼50 Gm3/year of water to the Nile River. Poor land management practices in the Ethiopian highlands have caused a significant amount of soil erosion, thereby threatening the productivity of the Ethiopian agricultural system, degrading the health of the aquatic ecosystem, and shortening the life of downstream reservoirs. The Upper Blue Nile basin, because of limited research and availability of data, has been considered as the “great unknown.” In the recent past, however, more research has been published. Nonetheless, there is no state-of-the-art review that presents research achievements, gaps and future directions. Hence, this paper aims to bridge this gap by reviewing the advances in water resources research in the basin while highlighting research needs and future directions. We report that there have been several research projects that try to understand the biogeochemical processes by collecting information on runoff, groundwater recharge, sediment transport, and tracers. Different types of hydrological models have been applied. Most of the earlier research used simple conceptual and statistical approaches for trend analysis and water balance estimations, mainly using rainfall and evapotranspiration data. More recent research has been using advanced semi-physically/physically based distributed hydrological models using high-resolution temporal and spatial data for diverse applications. We identified several research gaps and provided recommendations to address them. While we have witnessed advances in water resources research in the basin, we also foresee opportunities for further advancement. Incorporating the research findings into policy and practice will significantly benefit the development and transformation agenda of the Ethiopian government

Efficacy Evaluation of Combination Therapy in Patients with Generalized Periodontitis According to the Index Estimation of Periodontal Status: Experimental Randomized Single-Arm Study

Background. Treatment and prevention of inflammatory periodontal diseases represent a serious general medical and social problem, which remains relevant due to the significant prevalence of periodontitis among the population, as well as the associated loss of teeth and the negative impact of periodontal foci of infection on the body as a whole. Chronic generalized periodontitis is difficult to treat: it is only possible to achieve periods of remission. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical importance to develop further ways to improve methods for treating inflammatory-dystrophic damage of periodontal tissues in chronic generalized periodontitis.Objective. To perform an index estimation of treatment efficacy in patients with moderately severe chronic generalized periodontitis.Methods. An experimental randomized single-arm study was conducted examining 204 patients diagnosed with moderately severe chronic generalized periodontitis. Patient examination and data analysis were carried out at the Dentistry Department of the Stavropol State Medical University and the Department for General Practice Dentistry of the Kuban State Medical University in 2021–2022. The study included patients aged 35 to 65 years diagnosed with moderately severe chronic generalized periodontitis. Patients with somatic diseases in the decompensation stage were not eligible for the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups (closed-envelope method). Group 1 was treated using conventional methods. As well as conventional therapy, Group 2 was prescribed vitamin D (Aquadetrim® at a dose of 5000 IU once per day while monitoring vitamin D blood level). The third group of patients was prescribed conventional therapy along with the developed pharmacotherapy, which included vitamin D (Aquadetrim® at a dose of 5000 IU once per day), vitamin A (3.44% oil solution of retinol acetate at a dose of 50 000 IU, 15 min after a morning meal), and 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine (Mexidol® at a dose of 125 mg twice a day). In each patient, the treatment efficacy was analyzed in adjacent oral cavity segments (split-mouth design) according to clinical pocket depth, attachment loss, and bleeding on probing. Also, the authors used the X-ray index to assess the condition of osseous structures and the simplified oral hygiene index. The specified indices were estimated prior to treatment and at one and 12 months following treatment. The statistical analysis of study results was performed using Excel Microsoft Office 2016 (Microsoft, USA).Results. The obtained data indicate that the immediate clinical outcomes (after one month) of combination therapy in patients from all three groups were approximately the same. However, the efficacy of treatment measures in the long-term period (12 months) was different, as evidenced by the dynamics of index values. Only in Group 3 patients, the full implementation of pharmacotherapeutic measures as part of the combination therapy of periodontitis ensured a stable therapeutic effect throughout the entire period of observation.Conclusion. The data obtained 12 months following treatment indicate that the additional prescription of the developed pharmacotherapy contributed to prompt inflammation relief in periodontal tissues, providing a stable treatment outcome and long-term remission