Seasonal content of heavy metals in the "soil–feed–milk–manure" system in horse husbandry in Kazakhstan

Research (Published online: 24-11-2021)

15. Seasonal content of heavy metals in the "soil–feed–milk–manure" system in horse husbandry in Kazakhstan

Nazym Kozhanova, Nurzhan Sarsembayeva, Bozena Lozowicka and Zhassulan Kozhanov

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2947-2956

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: The quality of food, especially animal-based food, is crucial for human health. However, the quality of milk and other animal products has become an acute cause for concern in Kazakhstan . Technogenic dispersion of heavy metals (HMs) causes adverse effects on living organisms and creates unfavorable conditions for the existence of humans, animals, and plants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of several HMs in samples of soil, horse feed (hay, mixed feed, and bran), mare's milk, and manure to assess bioaccumulation and possible adverse effects on the bodies of horses. An additional purpose was to identify areas with acceptable conditions for obtaining environmentally safe horse breeding products in the agricultural zones of the Almaty region, Kazakhstan.

Materials and Methods: Samples were obtained from two farms in the Almaty region in 2020 (spring, summer, and autumn). In total, 72 soil samples were analyzed, which were taken from the upper humus horizon to the depth of the arable layer. Eighty-six samples were taken from the feed of horses. Green feed was represented by perennial and annual grasses (alsike clover, Medicago sativa, sweet yellow clover, as well as pea and oat mix). Barley and wheat bran stored in the warehouses of the farm were sampled for the research as feed supplements. The mixed feed comprised components such as maize and sunflower. In addition, 46 samples of mare's milk and 28 samples of horse manure were collected. The HM analysis was performed in the laboratory of the Kazakh-Japanese Innovation Center. The residual amounts of HMs were determined using an absorption spectrometer with a voltammetric analyzer. The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in all the studied samples of soil, feed, mare's milk, and manure did not exceed the threshold limit values (TLVs), suggesting that the intake of these toxic elements into the human body with food was low.

Results: The average Cd concentration was in the range of 0.29-0.31 mg/kg in soil samples and in the range of 0.20-0.27 mg/kg in feed samples. In milk, the Cd concentration varied from 0.01 to 0.02 mg/L and was lower in summer and higher in fall. The total average Cd content in horse manure was 0.1844 mg/kg. The concentration of Pb in soil samples ranged from 1.09 to 1.30 mg/kg with the lowest value in spring and the highest in fall. In the feed, the concentration of Pb varied from 0.14 to 0.76 mg/kg and in milk from 0.03 to 0.15 mg/L. The average concentrations of Hg and As in soil samples averaged 0.022 and 0.019 mg/kg, respectively, and were within the TLVs.

Conclusion: In the study areas, the calculated transition rates in the soil–feed–milk–manure system revealed that the greatest transition of HMs was observed for Pb and Cd, and a smaller migration was observed for Hg and As. The tendency of accumulation of trace elements continued in the feed.

Keywords: feed, heavy metals, milk, soil.

A survey of the usage (frequency and pattern) of antibiotics at the University of Maiduguri Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Research (Published online: 24-11-2021)

14. A survey of the usage (frequency and pattern) of antibiotics at the University of Maiduguri Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Nubwa Daniel, Kefas David Malgwi, Bukar Umaru, Isaac John Omeh and Ladi Sanya

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2941-2946

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Veterinary antibiotics are widely used to treat bacterial diseases in various species of animals. However, despite the importance of these chemotherapeutic agents, their indiscriminate or extensive use can pose dangers to the animals or humans that consume edible tissues from animals contaminated with antibiotic residues. Therefore, concerns regarding their appropriate and judicious use in animals are of public health significance. This is because of the tendencies of developing resistance to targeted microbes and the ability of the parent compound or its metabolites to persist as residues in the animal tissues. This study aimed to determine the frequency and pattern of antibiotic usage and ascertain the level of awareness of clinicians on the judicious use of antibiotics at the University of Maiduguri Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: Data related to the administration of antibiotics in all species of animals presented for treatment from January 2009 to December 2018 were obtained from the hospital archives, with permission from the office of the hospital directorate. The diseases, hospital units, antibiotics used, and years were parameters that were recorded for each case. Furthermore, 47 questionnaires were administered to clinicians who render services to the hospital.

Results: A total of 63.9% of all cases brought to the hospital within the 10 years under study were infectious, and as such, were treated with antibiotics. The highest recorded use of antibiotics was observed in the poultry unit (38.4%), followed by the large animal unit (24.1%), with the lowest used recorded in the ambulatory unit (9.3%). Furthermore, regarding the antibiotics used, oxytetracycline had the highest occurrence (55%), followed by penicillin-streptomycin combination (12.2%), with the lowest being metronidazole (0.30%). The highest number of cases treated with antibiotics was recorded in 2018 (22.5%), and the lowest was recorded in 2014 (1.3%). Regarding the questionnaire administered to the clinicians, 78.7% of the respondents preferred oxytetracycline as their drug of choice, whereas only 2.1%, 4.3%, 2.1%, and 4.3% preferred amoxicillin, penicillin, streptomycin, and penicillin-streptomycin, respectively. Moreover, 65.9% of the respondents used a particular antibiotic because of its availability at the hospital, 8.5% because of cost, and 27.7% because of clinician preference. Furthermore, 74.5% of the clinicians offered palliative intervention while awaiting laboratory reports, whereas 8.5% treated the animals without requesting laboratory analyses.

Conclusion: In this study, oxytetracycline was found to be the most used antibiotic for treating infectious diseases at the hospital because of its availability. The observed pattern appeared in the following order of frequency: Oxytetracycline, penicillin-streptomycin combination, neomycin, erythromycin, amoxicillin, tylosin, streptomycin, and gentamicin with metronidazole being the least frequent. There might also be antibiotic resistance, which requires a change to another antibiotic because of the lack of response to the initial antibiotic. Non-judicious antibiotic use can also have a negative impact on public health because of the development of multidrug-resistant "superbugs" and the problem of drug residue.

Keywords: antibiotics, frequency, pattern, survey, usage.

Antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from children with symptomatic urinary tract infection in Moscow, Russia

Research (Published online: 23-11-2021)

9. Antibiotic resistance pattern of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from children with symptomatic urinary tract infection in Moscow, Russia

Souadkia Sarra, Mbarga Manga Joseph Arsene, Volina Elena Grigorievna, Podoprigora Irina Victorovna, Yashina Natalia Vyacheslavovna and Borechova Marina Nikolaïevna

International Journal of One Health, 7(2): 212-219

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is commonly involved in urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are generally treated with antibiotics. However, the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of UPEC has made the treatment difficult. There is thus a need to continuously assess their sensitivity to antibiotics. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance patterns and MDR phenotypes of UPEC strains isolated from children diagnosed with UTIs at the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital in Moscow, Russia.

Materials and Methods: Kirby–Bauer's disc diffusion method was used to study the sensitivity to antibiotics of 106 UPEC isolates from urine specimens from children (aged from 9 months to 18 years old) diagnosed with UTIs. The results were interpreted in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines and the correlations of variables with the degree to which each antibiotic inhibited the UPEC strains in terms of diameter on the disc were determined using Spearman's rank correlation test. A t-test and principal component analysis were performed to visualize the correlations of the susceptibility of UPEC to antibiotics with the age and sex of the patients. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05.

Results: Among the 106 UPEC strains tested, none (0%) showed resistance to fosfomycin (FO), while 84 (79.2%) were resistant (R) to at least one antibiotic. The highest rates of resistance were observed to amoxicillin (69.8%), ampicillin (62.3%), cefazolin (39.6%), trimethoprim (TR) (37.7%), ceftriaxone (34.9%), and tetracycline (33.0%). Interestingly, 22 (20.8%) strains were R to imipenem. UPEC isolates from males aged 1-6 years were more R to antibiotics than those from the other groups, with the exception of TR, to which UPEC isolates from females aged 13-18 years old were less sensitive (S). The multidrug-resistance (MDR) index ranged between 0.00 and 0.75 and we found that more than a quarter of UPEC (31/106) had an MDR index ≥0.5 and only 22 (20.7%) strains were S to all antibiotics tested (MDR index=0). Finally, Spearman's rank correlation test showed that, with the exception of FO, there were correlations between the inhibition diameters of all other antibiotics.

Conclusion: FO is the only antibiotic to which all UPECs were S and may be suggested as the first line of treatment for UPEC. Further research is needed to continue monitoring antibiotic resistance and to investigate the genetic features associated with such resistance observed in this study.

Keywords: antibiotics, multidrug resistance, urinary tract infections, uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

In vitro cytotoxicity and virucidal efficacy of potassium hydrogen peroxymonosulfate compared to quaternary ammonium compound under various concentrations, exposure times and temperatures against African swine fever virus

Research (Published online: 21-11-2021)

13. In vitro cytotoxicity and virucidal efficacy of potassium hydrogen peroxymonosulfate compared to quaternary ammonium compound under various concentrations, exposure times and temperatures against African swine fever virus

Watcharee Sovijit, Machimaporn Taesuji, Khate Rattanamas, Darsaniya Punyadarsaniya, Thanongsak Mamom, Hoa Thi Nguyen and Sakchai Ruenphet

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2936-2940

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: The selection and proper application of disinfectants are crucial to the prevention of many diseases, so disinfectants must be evaluated before being used for the prevention of African swine fever (ASF). Three disinfectant products belonging to the group of potassium hydrogen peroxymonosulfates, product A and product B, and a quaternary ammonium compound called product C, were examined in vitro for host cell cytotoxicity and the efficacy of ASF virus inactivation. The study parameters included various concentrations, exposure times, temperatures, and degrees of cytotoxicity.

Materials and Methods: Three disinfectant products were evaluated for cytotoxicity using primary porcine alveolar macrophage (PAM) cells at dilutions from 1:200 to 1:51,200. Disinfectants in concentrations of 1:200, 1:400, and 1:800 were prepared, the pH and the virucidal activity were tested. An equal volume of each dilution was mixed with the ASF virus and incubated at room temperature (20°C) or on ice (4°C) for 1 min, 5 min, or 30 min. Hemadsorption (HAD) or rosette formation was observed using an inverted microscope for 5 days after inoculation, and the virus titer was calculated as HAD50/mL. Each treatment and virus control were tested in triplicate, and the titers were reported as means and standard deviations. The reduction factor was used to measure inactivation.

Results: Products A, B, and C at 1:400, 1:800, and 1:25,600 of dilution, respectively, did not show significant cytotoxic effects on PAM cells. Products A and B could inactivate ASF virus at 1:200 dilution within 5 min after exposure at 4°C. However, at 20°C, the exposure time had to be extended to 30 min to inactivate the virus. Product C could inactivate the virus at 1:400 dilution within 5 min under both temperature conditions, whereas at 1:800 dilution, the exposure time had to be extended to 30 min to completely inactivate the virus at 20°C.

Conclusion: All disinfectants could inactivate ASF virus in various concentrations, under appropriate exposure times and reaction temperatures, and there was no evidence of host cell cytotoxicity. For the control of ASF in pig farms, the appropriate concentration, ambient temperature, and contact time of these disinfectants should be taken into account.

Keywords: African swine fever, disinfectant, porcine alveolar macrophage cell, potassium hydrogen peroxymonosulfate, quaternary ammonium compound, virucidal efficacy.

Isolation and antibiotic sensitivity of Campylobacter species from fecal samples of broiler chickens in North West Province, South Africa

Research (Published online: 21-11-2021)

12. Isolation and antibiotic sensitivity of Campylobacter species from fecal samples of broiler chickens in North West Province, South Africa

Kealeboga Mileng, Tsepo A. Ramatla, Rendani V. Ndou, Oriel M. M. Thekisoe and Michelo Syakalima

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2929-2935

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Infections with Campylobacter species have gained recognition as the most frequent cause of foodborne gastroenteritis globally. Their significance in South Africa is still an area of study interest. This study was, therefore, carried out to determine the occurrence of Campylobacter species in chickens from North West Province of South Africa as well as their antibiotic sensitivity status.

Materials and Methods: A total of 2400 chicken fecal samples were collected and pooled to a total of 480 samples from five registered active poultry abattoirs in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District of North West Province, South Africa. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection of Campylobacter spp. targeting the 16S rRNA gene while antibiotic sensitivity was determined using disk diffusion inhibition test.

Results: After isolation, a total of 26 samples were confirmed to be harboring Campylobacter jejuni by PCR and sequencing. C. jejuni was found to be the only isolate detected in all the fecal samples tested. The study further demonstrated that C. jejuni infections were highest in the summer season (3%) followed by autumn and winter at 1%, while there were none detected in the spring. The isolated C. jejuni-positive samples on disk diffusion inhibition test displayed resistance to nalidixic acid, tetracycline, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin at 98%, 80%, 83%, and 21%, respectively.

Conclusion: C. jejuni isolated in this study is known to cause disease in humans, and thus its occurrence requires application of "One Health" strategy to reduce the spread of this zoonotic pathogen in South Africa.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, Campylobacter jejuni, chickens, South Africa.

Efficacy of Dipterocarpus alatus oil combination with Rhinacanthus nasutus leaf and Garcinia mangostana pericarps against canine demodicosis

Research (Published online: 16-11-2021)

11. Efficacy of Dipterocarpus alatus oil combination with Rhinacanthus nasutus leaf and Garcinia mangostana pericarps against canine demodicosis

Atchara Artchayasawat, Parichart Boueroy, Thidarut Boonmars, Benjamabhorn Pumhirunroj, Pranee Sriraj, Ratchadawan Aukkanimart, Sirintip Boonjaraspinyo, Opal Pitaksakulrat, Panaratana Ratanasuwan, Apiporn Suwannatrai, Chatanun Eamudomkarn, Porntip Laummaunwai and Wu Zhiliang

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2919-2928

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Canine demodicosis is a skin disease that is a major global health problem in dogs. Ivermectin is a drug of choice for treatment, but it may cause toxicity in dogs carrying multidrug resistance mutation-1 gene mutations. Hence, alternative herbal medicines are used instead of the drug, such as Dipterocarpus alatus oil (YN oil), Rhinacanthus nasutus leaf (WC), and Garcinia mangostana pericarps (MG) extracts. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of D. alatus oil, R. nasutus leaf, and G. mangostana pericarp extracts on canine demodicosis in vivo.

Materials and Methods: Twenty-five mixed-breed dogs with localized demodicosis were examined. Dogs were diagnosed with demodicosis through deep skin scraping and screened with the inclusion criteria. Five dogs of each group were treated in five treatment groups (ivermectin, YN oil, YN oil+WC, YN oil+MG, and YN oil+WC+MG) for 1 month. The individual dogs were clinically evaluated, and the dermatological lesions were monitored daily for 60 days.

Results: Dermatological lesion improvement was predominantly observed in the group of dogs treated with YN oil+WC. This was evidenced by the disappearance of the hyperpigmentation and lichenification on day 28 post-treatment and alopecia on day 56 post-treatment. Moreover, no allergic or clinical signs were observed during treatment.

Conclusion: YN oil+WC is an alternative herbal medicine that could be used for the treatment of localized canine demodicosis.

Keywords: demodicosis, Dipterocarpus alatus, mangosteen pericarp, treatment, white crane flower.

Expression of the recombinant C-terminal of the S1 domain and N-terminal of the S2 domain of the spike protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

Research (Published online: 12-11-2021)

10. Expression of the recombinant C-terminal of the S1 domain and N-terminal of the S2 domain of the spike protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus

Jiraporn Sritun, Natnaree Inthong, Siriluk Jala, Sakuna Phatthanakunanan, Khomson Satchasataporn, Kaitkanoke Sirinarumitr, Preeda Lertwatcharasarakul and Theerapol Sirinarumitr

Veterinary World, 14(11): 2913-2918

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes severe diarrhea in suckling piglets, leading to severe economic losses in the swine industry. Commercial vaccines have limited effectiveness against different genogroups of PEDV and the shedding of virus. The C-terminal of the S1 domain and the N-terminal of the S2 domain (S1-2) protein of the spike (S) protein have four neutralizing epitopes. However, research on the expression of the S1-2 segment of the S gene has been limited. In this study, we expressed a recombinant S1-2 protein of the S protein of the PEDV Thai isolate and characterized the immunological properties of the recombinant S1-2 protein.

Materials and Methods: The S1-2 segment of the S gene of the PEDV Thai isolate (G2b) was amplified, cloned into the pBAD202/D-TOPO® vector (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA), and expressed in Escherichia coli. The optimum concentration of arabinose and the optimum induction time for the expression of the recombinant S1-2 protein were determined using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The immunogenic reactivity of the recombinant S1-2 protein was determined using Western blot analysis with rabbit polyclonal antibodies against the SM98 strain of PEDV (G1a).

Results: The recombinant S1-2 segment of the S gene of the PEDV Thai isolate protein was cloned and the recombinant S1-2 protein was successfully expressed. The optimum concentration of arabinose and the optimum induction time for the induction of the recombinant S1-2 protein were 0.2% and 8 h, respectively. The recombinant S1-2 protein reacted specifically with both rabbit anti-histidine polyclonal antibodies and rabbit anti-PEDV polyclonal antibodies.

Conclusion: The recombinant S1-2 protein reacted with rabbit anti-PEDV polyclonal antibodies induced by the different PEDV genogroup. Therefore, the recombinant S1-2 protein may be a useful tool for the development of a diagnostic test for PEDV or for a vaccine against PEDV.

Keywords: diagnostics, genogroup, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, recombinant protein, vaccine.