MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a completely randomized design, with 16 pelung cockerels aged 40-56 weeks divided into four treatment groups: T0 (control); T1 (BCSP [A. granosa] 0.9 mg/kg BW); T2 (zinc sulfate [ZnSO4] 0.9 mg/kg BW); and T3 (testosterone 3 mg/day). The animals were acclimatized for 7 days and then given dietary treatments for 56 days. The measurement of the comb, wattle, and chest circumference (CC) of pelung cockerels was performed on days 0, 14, 28, 42, and 56. At the end of the treatment, the pelung cockerels were sacrificed and the data of the pectoralis muscle weight (PMW), testis weight (TW), and area of the pectoralis muscle (APM) were measured. Samples of pectoralis muscle and testes were taken and fixed in 10% neutral buffer formalin for histology. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was identified by immunohistochemical staining. To measure fascicle area (FA), myofiber area (MA), and enumerate, the fascicle myofibers (NM) histology preparations were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E). Testicular preparations were stained with H and E to measure the diameter of the seminiferous tubules (DST) using ImageJ software.
RESULTS: The growth performance on day 56 showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher differences of CC in T1 compared to T2 and T0, in T1 and T3 compared to T0, and in T3 and T2 compared to T0. Pectoralis muscle results, that is, FA, NM, MA, and PCNA-positive cells, showed that cockerels on treatment T3 had significantly higher results than other treatments, T1 was significantly different from T2 and T0, and T2 was significantly different from T0. In addition, the TW and DST measurement of cockerels on treatment T3 were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) than the other treatment groups.
CONCLUSION: The oral administration of BCSP in the role of a NAB at a dose of 0.9 mg/kg BW for 56 days improved the growth performance and pectoralis muscle, especially the CC, FA, NM, MA, and PCNA-positive cells parameters, but did not affect the PMW, APM, and testis of pelung cockerels. The administration of testosterone at 3 mg/day for 56 days contributed to the decrease in TW and DST, as well as atrophy of the seminiferous tubules of pelung cockerels.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The FAdV 8b isolate UPM08136P5B1 was inactivated using binary ethyleneimine, adjuvanted with Montanide 71VG, inoculated into day-old broiler chickens in a booster group (BG) and non-booster group (NBG), and challenged with a pathogenic FAdV 8b strain. Clinical signs, gross lesions, body weight (BW), liver: body weight ratio, FAdV antibody titer using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and histopathological changes were recorded. The CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocyte profiles of the liver, spleen, and thymus using flow cytometry, and viral load in liver and cloacal shedding using quantitative polymerase chain reaction were evaluated.
RESULTS: Chickens in the challenged control group (CCG) exhibited mild clinical signs, gross lesions, and histopathological changes, which were absent in the inoculated groups, and had lower BW and higher liver BW ratio than chickens in the unchallenged control group (UCG); BG and NBG on 35- and 42-days post-inoculation (DPI). Chickens in NBG and BG had higher antibodies than UCG on 7, 21, 35, and 42 DPI. The challenged BG and NBG produced higher antibodies than the CCG on 35 DPI. T-lymphocytes were higher among the inoculated groups than UCG in the liver, spleen, and thymus. Inoculated challenged groups recorded higher CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocytes on 35 and 42 DPI than CCG. The challenged control group had a significantly higher viral load in the liver than challenged that in BG on 35 DPI and BG and NBG on 42 DPI. The challenged control group had significantly higher challenge FAdV shedding than challenged inoculated groups on 35 and NBG on 42 DPI.
CONCLUSION: UPM08136P5B1 was successfully inactivated and mixed with Montanide 71VG. The inactivated vaccine candidate that induced humoral and cellular immunity was effective, reduced FAdV load in the liver, and shedding in the cloaca, and could be useful against FAdV 8b infections in chickens.
Materials and Methods: Pulmonary abscess samples were cultured on several types of media, including Ashdown agar, Ashdown broth, and MacConkey agar. Type three secretion system orf 2 real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and latex agglutination tests were performed to identify the bacteria. Morphological characteristics were compared to all previously published morphotypes. Subsequently, the bacteria were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and Yersinia-like flagellum/Burkholderia thailandensis-like flagellum and chemotaxis PCR. The results of the genotyping were afterward compared to all genotypes from Southeast Asia.
Results: Multiple morphotypes of B. pseudomallei were perceived during the growth on Ashdown agar. Furthermore, it was identified by MLST that the Type I and Type II morphotypes observed in this study were clones of a single ST, ST54, which is predominantly found in humans and the environment in Malaysia and Thailand, although a very limited number of reports was published in association with animals. Moreover, the E-BURST analysis showed that the ST is grouped together with isolates from Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Cambodia. ST54 was predicted to be the founding genotype of several STs from those regions.
Conclusion: B. pseudomallei ST54 that caused the death of a Bornean orangutan has a distant genetic relationship with other STs which were previously reported in Indonesia, implying a vast genetic diversity in Indonesia that has not been discovered yet.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 ejaculates were collected from four bulls via an electroejaculator. Semen samples were diluted with 2% VCO in Tris-based extender which consists of various concentrations of SL (1, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75%). A 20% egg yolk in Tris used as a positive control (C+). The diluted semen samples were divided into two fractions; one for chilling which were stored at 4°C for 24, 72, and 144 h before evaluated for semen quality parameters. The second fraction used for freezing was chilled for 3 h at 4°C, packed into 0.25 mL straws and then cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. The samples were then evaluated after 7 and 14 days. Chilled and frozen semen samples were thawed at 37°C and assessed for general motility using computer-assisted semen analysis, viability, acrosome integrity and morphology (eosin-nigrosin stain), membrane integrity, and lipid peroxidation using thiobarbituric acid reaction test.
RESULTS: The results showed that all the quality parameters assessed were significantly (p<0.05) improved at 1.5% SL concentration in chilled semen. Treatment groups of 1, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75% SL were higher in quality parameters than the control group (C+) in chilled semen. However, all the quality parameters in frozen-thawed semen were significantly higher in the C+ than the treated groups.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, supplementation of 1.5% SL in 2% VCO Tris-based extender enhanced the chilled bull semen. However, there was no marked improvement in the frozen-thawed quality parameters after treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since PCV3 was mainly detected in lung and lymphoid tissues, we obtained tissue specimens from these organs from the previous Malaysian PCV3 study. Digoxigenin-labeled ISH probes were designed to target a 69 bp region of PCV3 ORF1 spanning from the nucleotide positions (282-350).
RESULTS: Light microscopy analysis revealed that chromogenic staining of PCV3 antigens was visualized within the cytoplasm of pneumocytes and lymphocytes, indicating positive ISH results. The results of molecular detection of PCV3 using PCR and ISH showed a high agreement of 90.91%, including for the negative PCV3 status for all samples.
CONCLUSION: This study reports a chromogenic ISH technique using DIG-labeled probes targeting PCV3 ORF1 to detect PCV3 antigens in lung and lymphoid tissues. Despite the limited availability of PCV3 antibodies, ISH remains relevant for investigating PCV3 replication and pathogenesis and can be used complementarily with PCR for evaluating the localization of antigens in infected tissues.
Materials and Methods: In this study, grouper juveniles (92.43±standard error of the mean 0.51 mm) maintained in 31 ppt seawater were transferred into five tanks with seawater diluted to 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 ppt. The salinity of the control group was not changed and was maintained at 31 ppt. Serum cortisol was measured using ELISA at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min after the fish were transferred to the different concentrations of salinity.
Results: The survival percentage was recorded for 14 days following the transfer and the results revealed that serum cortisol of fish in a high change in salinity (15, 10, and 5 ppt) was significantly higher than the control group immediately after exposure. At the high salinity change, the cortisol levels gradually decrease at 30 min and 60 min, until no difference in cortisol concentration was observed at 120 min. No mortality was observed in fish exposed to low salinity change (25 and 20 ppt) while in higher salinity change (5 ppt), the survival percentage was 50%.
Conclusion: The study revealed that the serum cortisol concentration was high initially and continues to decrease to resting cortisol level at 120 min indicating that cortisol hormone is released following acute stress as a primary response in grouper juveniles.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a structured questionnaire to interview the case and control farm owners to evaluate the risk factors. We evaluated 244 samples, consisting of 122 case and control farm samples each. At the cattle farm level, the risk factor data related to LSD were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis with Chi-square, and odds ratio, while the logistic model was derived using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Using variables, such as the number of cases and risk factor variables included in the model logistic, and the temperature, humidity, and rainfall data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, we analyzed the vulnerability map of LSD in the regency using scoring, weighting, and overlay methods.
RESULTS: Ten significant risk factors were associated with LSD occurrence. The LSD model obtained from the logistic regression analysis was LSD (Y) = -3.92095 + 1.13107 (number of cattle >3) + 1.50070 (grazing cattle together with other farmers' cattle) + 1.03500 (poor management of farm waste/dirt) + 2.49242 (presence of livestock collectors/traders near the farm location) + 1.40543 (introduction of new livestock) + 2.15196 (lack of vector control measures on the farm). The LSD vulnerability map indicated that the villages with high vulnerability levels were Rantau Bakung, Kuantan Babu, and Sungai Lala in the Rengat Barat, Rengat, and Sungai Lala subdistricts, respectively.
CONCLUSION: We found 10 significant risk factors associated with LSD occurrence. The LSD model included the number of cattle (>3), cograzing with other farmers' cattle, poor management of farm waste/dirt, the presence of livestock collectors/traders near the farm, introduction of new livestock, and lack of vector control measures on the farm. The LSD vulnerability map indicated that villages with high vulnerability levels included Rantau Bakung in the Rengat Barat subdistrict, Kuantan Babu in the Rengat subdistrict, and Sungai Lala in the Sungai Lala subdistrict.
AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the ultrasound method and its agreement with the endometrium cytology method, which is used to diagnose cytological endometritis in beef cows. Moreover, we determined which method has higher sensitivity and specificity at 4 and 5 weeks postpartum.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted 20-35 days postpartum. A total of 53 clinically healthy beef cows (28 Brangus and 25 Kedah-Kelantan breeds) from three beef farms were obtained. All cows were evaluated at 4 and 5 weeks postpartum, using ultrasound and cytobrush endometrial examination methods to diagnose cytological endometritis.
RESULTS: Endometrial cytology result showed that 11.3% (6/53) and 9.4% (5/53) of the cows exhibited cytological endometritis 4 and 5 weeks postpartum, respectively. A weak-to-moderate agreement found between the diagnostic methods (k=0.29 - 0.50; p<0.01 and k=0.38 - 0.49) at 4 and 5 weeks postpartum respectively.
CONCLUSION: The percentage of beef cows that were positive to cytological endometritis was low (polymorphonuclear cells, ≥8%) at 4 and 5 weeks postpartum. Results showed that the ultrasound method is useful and practical for diagnosing endometritis 4 and 5 weeks postpartum. This method exhibited 60% sensitivity, 93.8% specificity, and a 0.50 kappa value, especially when presence of intrauterine fluids and measurement of cervix diameter used in combination.
Aim: This study was designed to determine whether the phenotypic antibiotic resistance pattern of B. pseudomallei is associated with the source of isolates and the genotype.
Materials and Methods: A collection of 111 B. pseudomallei isolates from veterinary cases of melioidosis and the environments (soil and water) were obtained from stock cultures of previous studies and were phylogenetically characterized by multilocus sequence typing (ST). The susceptibility to five antibiotics, namely meropenem (MEM), imipenem, ceftazidime (CAZ), cotrimoxazole (SXT), and co-amoxiclav (AMC), recommended in both acute and eradication phases of melioidosis treatment were tested using minimum inhibitory concentration antibiotics susceptibility test.
Results: Majority of isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested while few resistant strains to MEM, SXT, CAZ, and AMC were observed. Statistically significant association was found between resistance to MEM and the veterinary clinical isolates (p<0.05). The likelihood of resistance to MEM was significantly higher among the novel ST 1130 isolates found in veterinary cases as compared to others.
Conclusion: The resistance to MEM and SXT appeared to be higher among veterinary isolates, and the novel ST 1130 was more likely to be resistant to MEM as compared to others.
Materials and Methods: Ten swab samples from equine infected wounds were collected and bacteria isolation and identification were performed. The antibacterial effect of the ionized water of pH 2.5, 4.5, 7.0, and 11.5 was tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus intermedius, Escherichia coli, Pantoea agglomerans, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The time-kill profiles of the ionized waters were determined at time 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h.
Results: Ionized water of pH 2.5 and 4.5 showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. pseudintermedius, and S. intermedius with significant (p>0.05) reduction in colony-forming unit/mL within 2-8 h. The degree of bactericidal effect of the acidic ionized water differs between the species with S. intermedius more susceptible. However, there was no antibacterial effect at pH 2.5, 4.5, 7.0, and 11.5 on the Gram-negative bacteria tested.
Conclusion: Ionized water of pH 2.5 and 4.5 is effective in minimizing the growth of Gram-positive bacteria; thus it could be of clinical importance as an antiseptic for surface wound lavage in horses.
Materials and Methods: A. hydrophila was biochemically identified and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility tests. The isolate was then intraperitoneally injected into red hybrid tilapia, and the mortality, clinicopathological changes, and LD50 were determined up to 240 h post-infection (hpi).
Results: The isolate demonstrated multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) toward amikacin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, amoxicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, and streptomycin, with a MAR index of 0.5. The experimental infection of A. hydrophila at 105 CFU/mL in the red hybrid tilapia resulted in 100% mortality at 240 hpi. The LD50 was determined at 1.1×104 CFU/mL. Infected fish demonstrated occasional erratic swimming patterns, localized hemorrhages and depigmentation on the body and operculum areas, fin erosion, enlargement of the gall bladder, and hemorrhage in internal organs. Microscopic observation of infected fish revealed brain congestion, tubular necrosis, and glomerular shrinkage in the kidneys, necrosis of hepatocytes, and congestion of blood vessels in the liver.
Conclusion: The high virulence of A. hydrophila to the red hybrid tilapia emphasizes the importance of active, on-going monitoring of its prevalence in Malaysian tilapia farming.
Materials and Methods: Tissue samples were collected from 24 broiler breeder chickens from four commercial broiler breeder farms and six layer chickens from one layer farm. Gross and histopathological examinations and PCR amplification of the gene encoding for avian MD herpesvirus (MDV-1) were conducted.
Results: Gross pathological changes including hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphomatous lesion at the mesentery, oviduct atrophy, and follicular atresia with lymphomatous were observed, whereas diffuse multifocal whitish infiltration of the spleen, neoplastic infiltration in the liver, intrafollicular lymphoid infiltration of the bursa of Fabricius, and lymphomatous tumor at the mesentery were seen on histopathological examinations. Confirmation by PCR showed that a total of 16 (53.33%) samples were positive for avian MDV-1. Although the outbreak involved a much larger number of birds in the respective farms, our investigation was limited based on resource and time frame allocated for the study.
Conclusion: The findings from this study help in emphasizing the potential threats of MDV to the poultry industry globally, in general, and in Malaysia, in particular. As the scope of the current study is limited, future studies focusing on MDV pathogenesis, typing, and causes of vaccine failures are recommended.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 clinically healthy crossbred Boer female goats were divided into three groups; A, B and C (4 goats each per group). Group A was inoculated with 2 ml sterile phosphate buffered saline via intradermal route as the negative control group whilst Group B was inoculated with 2 ml of MA extract (1 g/ml) intradermally and Group C was then inoculated with 2 ml (1×10(9)) colony forming unit of active C. pseudotuberculosis intradermally. Blood sample was collected aseptically from the jugular vein periodically for complete blood count (CBC) analysis throughout the experimental period (3 months).
RESULT: A significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in red blood cells, hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular Hb concentration in Groups B and C as compared to the control while WBCs, neutrophil, lymphocyte and basophil showed a significant increase (p<0.05) as compared to the control.
CONCLUSION: The inoculation of C. pseudotuberculosis and MA resulted in a significant change in the CBC, thereby, indicating that MA has a role in caseous lymphadenitis pathogenesis.
Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic effect of hydromethanolic extract of S. polyanthum against 4T1 and MCF-7 mammary carcinoma cells was evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The cells were treated with the concentration of extracts ranging from 15.63 µg/mL to 1000 µg/ml for 72 h, and the percentage of cell survivability was determined based on minimum concentration that was able to allow at least 50% growth of cancer cells (IC50) after 72 h. The antibacterial activity was tested against common bacteria causing mastitis in cow. The bacteria were isolated from milk samples. The antibacterial activity of the extract was determined by disk diffusion method and susceptibility test based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).
Results: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hyicus, and Staphylococcus intermedius were isolated from the milk samples that positive for mastitis. The MIC values range from 7.12 mm to 13.5 mm. The extract exhibits the widest zone of inhibition (13.5±0.20 mm) at 1000 mg/ml of concentrations. The extract relatively has low cytotoxicity effect against 4T1 and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values ranging from 672.57±59.42 and 126.05±50.89 µg/ml, respectively.
Conclusion: S. polyanthum exerts weak antibacterial activity and cytotoxic effect to mammary carcinoma cells. The extract does not toxic to cells. However, further study is recommended, especially, this plant should be tested for in vivo.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 182 poultry and environmental samples were collected at random on separate occasions from wet markets and small scale processing plant, during the period of October 2014 to July 2015 in Penang and Perlis, Malaysia. The samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella using ISO 6579:2002 conventional culture-based method. Presumptive Salmonella colonies were subjected to various biochemical tests (such as triple sugar iron and lysine iron test), serologically confirmed using polyvalent O and H antisera and further serotyped at Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Perak, Malaysia.
RESULTS: Salmonella serotypes were isolated from 161 out of 182 samples (88.46%) with 100% prevalence in the whole chicken carcass and chicken cuts - as well as transport crate, cage, drum, knife, chopping board, display table, floor, bench wash water, wash water, and drain water. Salmonella was isolated from 91.67%, 83.33%, and 66.67% of defeathering machines, drain swabs, and apron, respectively. 17 serotypes were isolated in this study with Salmonella Albany (57/161), Salmonella Corvallis (42/161), and Salmonella Brancaster (37/161) being the predominant serovars.
CONCLUSION: The most carcass contact and environmental samples collected along the wet market chicken processing line were consistently contaminated with Salmonella. This indicates that Salmonella has established itself in poultry processing environments by colonizing the surfaces of the equipment and survives in these environments by establishing biofilms. Our results highlight the need of implementing strict hygiene and sanitation standards to reduce the incidence of Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella in poultry can be reduced effectively by identifying and eliminating the sources and contamination sites during slaughter and processing of poultry.
Materials and Methods: Convenience sampling was performed in 20 cats from the Gasing Veterinary Hospital in Selangor. Plasma and saliva samples were collected from 15 clinically ill cats and 5 healthy cats subjected to one-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with primers targeting a highly conserved gene of U3-LTR-gag.
Results: Two clinically ill cats' plasma and saliva samples tested positive for FeLV RNA. Partial nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the current isolates were 94-99% homologous to the previous Malaysian and Japanese FeLV isolates.
Conclusion: Current FeLV isolates from this study displayed higher similarity with the previous Malaysian isolates, signifying that a similar FeLV strain circulated among the cat population in Selangor.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine Aeromonas spp. were isolated from infected catfish cultivated in Java, Indonesia, and they were identified at the phenotypic and molecular levels (16S rDNA). The virulence genes assessed included aer/haem, alt, ast, flaA, lafA, and fstA.
RESULTS: Phylogenetic analysis identified nine isolates of Aeromonas spp.: Aeromonas hydrophila (11.11%), Aeromonas caviae (11.11%), Aeromonas veronii bv. veronii (44.44%), and Aeromonas dhakensis (33.33%). Virulence genes, such as aer/haem, alt, ast, flaA, lafA, and fstA, were detected in all isolates at frequencies of approximately 100%, 66.67%, 88.89%, 100%, 55.56%, and 66.67%, respectively. This study is the first report on A. dhakensis recovered from an Indonesian catfish culture. Furthermore, our study revealed the presence of A. veronii bv veronii, a biovar that has not been reported before in Indonesia.
CONCLUSION: This finding confirms that MAS was caused by multiple species of Aeromonas, notably A. dhakensis and A. veronii bv veronii, within Indonesian fish culture. The presence of these Aeromonas species with multiple virulence genes poses a significant threat to the freshwater aquaculture industry.