Isolation and Identification of Aerobic Bacterial Flora from Healthy and Diseased Donkeys Eye of Central Ethiopia

The study was conducted from November 2012 to June 2013 to isolate aerobic bacteria residing in the eye of working donkeys. Forty five apparently healthy donkeys (APHDE) and 45 donkeys with clininicaly diagnosed ocular disease (DCDO) were used for the study. Swabs were collected from the conjunctiva. Isolation and identification of the bacteria was under aerobic condition. Each of the samples collected yielded at least one bacterium species .A total of 256 bacteria species were recovered from both groups of donkeys. The majority 189/256 (73.8%) of the isolates were Gram- positive and the rest 67/256 (26.2%) were Gram- negative. Bacterial isolates identified in order of magnitude were coagulase negative staphylococcus species (27%), Pseudomonas species (22%), Corynbacterium species (19.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (15%), Streptococcus species (7%), Escherichia coli (5%), and Bacilli species (4%). There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in the isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, Pseudomonas species and Bacillus species between APHDE and DCDO. The isolation rate of Coagulase negative staphylococcus species was higher in apparently healthy donkeys and this was statistically significant (p<0.05). Corynbacterium species and Escherichia coli were isolated at higher rate in donkeys with clininicaly diagnosed ocular disease and this was statistically significant (p<0.05). The result indicated the predominance of Gram- positives in both cases (p<0.05). Bacteria were recovered at a higher rate (1.47) in APHDE than the rate in DCDO (1.38).The quality of bacteria isolated in both cases was comparable except Escherichia coli which were not recovered from APHDE.  Isolation of most bacteria both from APHDE and DCDO might suggest that the bacterium which resides in the conjunctiva have a chance to invade and cause opportunistic infections. Keywords: aerobic bacteria, eye, donkey

Liposome Mediated Transfection in Eukaryoic Cell: An Overview

In Gene therapy Nucleic acids can be inserted into human cells to provide enhancement or reduction of protein expression for the prevention, treatment or elimination of the problem. For this to happen foreign gene should be inserted in to the cells using different mechanisms. The commonly used ways of gene delivery in to eukaryotic cells are of viral and non viral delivery systems. The non viral delivery are of different types of which the liposome mediated tranfection is the most widely used. Liposome mediated transfect ion represent approved non-toxic biocompatible nanoparticles for the application of medicine. Excellent biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, delivery of large piece of nucleic acid and simplicity of handling are the major advantages one has to see in liposome transfection. But the presence of positive charge on liposomes vectors which may favour nonspecific interaction with negatively charged serum protein, enzymes and causing in to decreased cell adhesion, hemolysis and low transfection are among the disadvantages. In this short review different types of liposomes and their reagents are highlighted. Generally the use liposome in the area of biomedicine (not only for gene delivery) gives a paramount relief specially in this era of drug resistance, vaccine failure, threatening emerging and re-emerging pandemics in the globe. Keywords:-Liposome, Gene therapy, Transfection, Eukaryotic cel

Review on Cell Reprogramming: Methods and Applications

Cellular differentiation and development appears as a unidirectional process to specific cell fates irreversibly. Once differentiated, mature cells seems permanently locked into the differentiated state and unable to return to pluripotent stem cell state. However, using cell reprogramming methods it is possible to do reversal cell fate from a mature differentiated state to an undifferentiated state or directly to that of progenitors or mature cells of a different cell type. This is due to the resetting of the somatic cell specific epigenotype to the pluripotential cell specific epigenotype. Different methods are used to reprogram somatic cells into pluripotent cells. Among which are somatic cell nuclear transfer, cell fusion, genetic integration of cells extracts into chromatin and direct reprogramming using transcription factor integration. These methods result in morphological and molecular changes because of modification in chromatin and gene expression. The integration of the genome can be performed by the help of viral and non-viral vectors which have great variability the integration efficiency. Reprogrammed induced Pluripotent stem cells (iPS) and the recent induced endodermal cells are a few cell types to mention. Though these cells have numerous limitation in cell transplantation therapy but are promising cell for diseases modeling, drug discovery and bio-artificial organ synthesis. The major problems observed is retaining somatic cell genetic memory. Generally it is possible to reprogram personalized cells using different methods so that it can be patient specific. Keywords: pluripotent, reprogramming, stem cell, transcription factors, vectors.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli O157 in beef at butcher shops and restaurants in central Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopia bears the largest burden of foodborne diseases in Africa, and diarrheal diseases are the second leading causes of premature deaths. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 causes an asymptomatic infection to severe diarrhea and/or hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans. Methods: A total of 440 beef carcass and in-contact surface swabs from 55 butcher shops and 85 minced beef samples from 40 restaurants in central Ethiopia were collected and examined for the presence of E. coli O157. Standard microbiological methods were used to isolate and identify E. coli O157 and to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of the isolates. Results: E. coli O157 was detected in 4.5% carcass swabs (n = 5) and 3.6% cutting board swabs (n = 4) samples from butcher shops. E. coli O157 was not detected in any of the minced beef samples obtained from restaurants. All isolates (n = 9) were 100% susceptible to five drugs, but five isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, two isolates to streptomycin and three isolates to chloramphenicol. One isolate was resistant to two drugs and another to three drugs. Conclusions: The present study shows a low prevalence of E. coli O157 in beef sold at butcher shops. Nevertheless, given the low infective dose of this pathogen and the deep-rooted tradition of consuming raw or undercooked beef, the current prevalence should not be considered lightly from a public health perspective

Study on prevalence of bovine mastitis and its major causative agents in West Harerghe zone, Doba district, Ethiopia

Other bacterial species were isolated at lower rates. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that most of the isolates in the study area were found to be highly sensitive to cloxacillin, gentamycin and amoxicillin, and moderately sensitive to ampicillin and oxytetracycline. Nevertheless, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species isolated were resistant to streptomycin and penicillin. Age, parity, stage of lactation and hygienic conditions were found to be important risk factors associated with the occurrence of mastitis

Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef cattle at slaughter and beef carcasses at retail shops in Ethiopia

Background: There is paucity of information regarding the epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in developing countries. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 associated with beef cattle at processing plants and at retail shops in Ethiopia. Methods: Various samples were collected from beef cattle at slaughter/processing plants, carcass at retail shops and humans at health centers. E. coli O157: H7 was isolated, identified and characterized for antimicrobial resistance, using standard microbiological methods. Results: At the processing plants E. coli O157: H7 was detected in 1.89% of fecal, 0.81% of intestinal mucosal swab, 0.54% of skin swab and 0.54% of carcass internal swab samples. At retail shops it was detected in 0.8% of carcass and 0.8% of cutting board swab samples, while all samples from utensils, hands from workers, and fecal and stool samples were negative. All isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin, moderately resistant to Cefoxitine and Nitrofurantoins but susceptible to other antimicrobials tested. Conclusions: E. coli O157: H7 occurs at low prevalence in beef cattle, and the current sanitary dressing procedures in the processing plants and storage conditions in the retail shops are effective against E. coli O157: H7

Risk Perceptions and Protective Behaviors Toward Bovine Tuberculosis Among Abattoir and Butcher Workers in Ethiopia

Bovine Tuberculosis (BTB) is a serious cause of economic losses and public health threat, especially in developing countries. Humans acquire BTB through consumption of raw or undercooked meat, inhalation of aerosol and occupational exposure. A cross-disciplinary approach to study diseases connecting society and biology helps to understand the ways in which social, cultural, behavioral, and economic circumstances influence a healthy life. The objective of this study was to assess the risk perceptions and protective behaviors toward BTB among abattoir and butcher workers in central Ethiopia. A health belief model was used to generate the desired data following health belief model constructs. A total of 300 meat handlers working in local abattoirs, export abattoirs and butcher houses in Bishoftu, Modjo, Dukem, and Akaki towns of central Ethiopia were selected using a systematic random sampling method. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to assess factors associated with risk of exposure to BTB through the consumption of raw meat. The results showed that among the study participants, 95% heard about BTB and 93% knew that eating raw meat could be a source of BTB for humans. More than 62.7% of the respondents in the high risk group strongly agreed that contracting BTB would prevent them from coming to work, keep them in bed for an extended period of time and cause death. The majority of the respondents believed that free provision of personal protective clothing, compensation with test and slaughter campaigns, television and radio advertisements, educational programs and government-imposed penalties would help in prevention of BTB. Despite the high perceived severity and risk perception, the multivarable logistic regression model showed low-risk protective behavior among male (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2–4.3) and older age (>30) individuals (OR: 14.4 95% CI: 2.1–125.8). The study also noted the importance of media for health education as means for prevention of BTB. The authors strongly recommended the need of promotion of behavioral change toward the consumption of raw meat wich would have potential implications for the public health impacts of zoonotic tuberculosis and ultimately help national and global efforts toward prevention and control of tuberculosis

Determination of foot-and-mouth disease serotypes from naturally infected cattle by solid phase competitive ELISA (SPCE) techniques

Objective: Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious and economically important disease affecting cloven-hoofed domestic and wild animals. Early diagnosis and serotyping of the agent are very important to effectively design and implement the control approach. This study was conducted on serum samples collected from Amhara, Tigray, Oromia and Addis Ababa between October 2018 to February 2020. The animals were kept under a semi-intensive to an extensive system of rearing. Serum samples with low OD values (positive) using competition NSP-ELISA were subjected to serotyping ELISA. Results: In the present study, three serotypes were identified from 186 NSP ELISA positive sera of which 156 serotype O, 40 serotypes A and 28 serotype SAT2. In this analysis, multiple serotype infection was observed which is why the number of serotypes was beyond the samples analyzed. Among 23 samples from Addis Ababa 10, 3 and 5 were O, A and SAT2 serotypes respectively, while in samples from the Oromia region 12 were O and 3 were SAT2 serotypes. From the Amhara region, 99 samples analyzed were found to be serotype O and SAT2 in 7 of the serum samples. From the Tigray region, 30 samples were seen to have Serotype O infection, whereas 13 of them were SAT2. The proportion of serotypes identified based on the production system practices was also found that semi-intensive production takes the largest share in all three serotypes followed by extensive production. Generally, early determination of the serotype from past infection helps to aware of the epidemiology as well as the infection immunity of the herd/individual animals

Comparative Efficacy Evaluation of Six Brands of Amoxicillin against S. aureus Isolated from Subclinical Mastitic Milking Dairy Cows in Bishoftu

<p>Bovine mastitis is inflammation of the mammary glands that interferes with the normal flow and quality of milk. S. aureus is the most important pathogen among Staphylococci species related to subclinical mastitis (SCM) in dairy cows. Antibiotics must be safe, effective and of acceptable quality to be used in both human and veterinary medicines. The study was aimed to isolate S. aureus from California mastitis test (CMT) positive dairy cows and to evaluate the efficacy of the six brands of amoxicillin against S. aureus. Purposive sampling with a cross-sectional study design was conducted from February 2016 to April 2016 in five dairy farms found in Bishoftu town. A total of 162 dairy cows were examined using California mastits test (CMT) and out of this 112 (69%) were found positive and from this 30 (26.78%) isolates of S. aureus were recorded. The highest and the lowest prevalence of the California mastitis test(CMT) positive was found in Prime (100%) and Tseday (36.84%) farm respectively. The highest and the lowest prevalence of the S. aureus isolate were found in Prime (50%) and college of veterinary medicine and agriculture (10%) farm respectively. In vitro drug efficacy against the bacterial isolates was determined by comparing the zone of inhibition obtained from clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) by using disc diffusion method. The comparative efficacy between the brands was evaluated by measuring zone of inhibition and was interpreted as resistant, intermediate and susceptible. S. aureus isolate were 100% resistant to the six different brands of amoxicillin. Generally it is concluded that S. aureus is among the major causative agent of subclinical mastitis in five dairy farms of the study area.The isolates were also resistance to amoxicillin brands indicating the need of other alternative and effective antibiotics.</p&gt