Aim: Four viral pathogens, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV-1), bovine parainfluenza type 3 virus (PI-3V), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) are mainly associated with bovine respiratory diseases that cause major economic losses in the dairy cattle industry. This study aimed to document exposure of cattle in Saudi Arabia to infectious BVDV, BHV-1, PI-3V and BRSV viruses in non vaccinated cattle in order to obtain epidemiolo-gical and immunological information. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 460 random serum samples obtained from non vaccinated cattle in five districts (Riyadh, Eastern Province, Jizan, Najran, Asir) of Saudi Arabia between January to March 2011. These samples were tested for presence of antibodies against BVDV, BHV-1, BRSV and PIV-3 by commercial indirect ELISA kits. Results: Our findings displayed that Seropositivity rates were 26 % for BVD, 17.4 % for BHV-1, 69.1 % for PI-3V and 75.6 % for BRSV in the sampled population. In addition, coinfections with more than one virus were considerably common among non-vaccinated dairy cattle. Conclusion: These results indicate that exposure to these agents is common within the study areas. Preventive and control measures against these infectious agents should therefore be adopted

Aim: To investigate the incidence and virulence properties of E. coli in fresh fish and ready-to-eat fish products from retail markets of the Ludhiana the present study was conducted. Materials and Methods: Total of 184 samples comprising 96 raw fish and 88 ready- to-eat (RTE) fish products were collected from Ludhiana and other parts of Punjab and were subjected to suitable microbiological methods for E. coli isolation. E. coli isolates were subjected for haemolytic activity and indicators of plausible cytotoxicity (lecithinase, protease and gelatinase production), congo red dye biding assay. To assess virulence potential isolates were molecularly screened for stx 1 and 2 genes. Results: From raw fish samples 47(48.95%), E. coli, were isolated. From RTE fish products 7(12.96%), E. coli were isolated. Overall incidence for E. coli was 54 (29.34%). In vitro virulence characterization of isolates exhibited that all E. coli isolates were haemolytic while indicators of plausible cytotoxicity ( lecithinase, protease and gelatinase production) were in the range of 16.67% to 35.19% indicated that though the isolates were haemolytic they were perhaps less likely to be cytotoxic. Congo Red binding assay for E. coli isolates revealed that majority (88.89%) of the isolates failed to uptake the dye and only few (11.11%) could bind the dye. Results of serotyping revealed a total of 15 different serotypes among the E. coli isolates. More variation was observed among isolates from raw fish samples (12 serotypes) while RTE fish products harboured only 5 different serotypes. Molecular characterization of E. coli isolates revealed that PCR screening of isolates revealed that total 39 (72.22%) samples out of 54 E. coli isolates were positive for stx1 gene and 28 (51.85%) of isolates were positive for stx2 gene. Sources wise, 36 (66.66%) of isolates from raw fish and 3(5.55%) of isolates from RTE fish products were positive for stx1 while and stx2 gene could be detected in 24(44.44%) isolates from raw fish and 4(7.4%) isolates from RTE fish products.Interestingly, about 20% (37.03%) isolates were positive for both stx1 and stx2 genes. Among these multivirulent isolates majority (n=18) belonged to raw fish samples compared to a few (n=2) from RTE fish products. Conclusion: The results of the present study highlighted the possible risks to consumers of fish and fish products in the region that demand action to address this public health concern.

Aim: The study was carried out with aim to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from milk and milk products (pedha and curd) and determine antibiogram pattern of S. aureus isolates. Materials and Methods: During 9 months duration of study a total of 160 milk and milk product samples (pedha and curd) were collected from different places in and around Anand city such as milk collection centre of Co-operative milk dairies, cattle farms, individual household, milk vendors and sweet shops. The samples were collected under aseptic precautions and were enriched in Peptone Water (PW) followed by direct plating on selective media viz. Baird-Parker Agar. The presumptive S. aureus isolates were identified by biochemical tests. Antibiogram pattern of S. aureus to antimicrobial agents were evaluated by disk diffusion method. Results: Analysis of result revealed that out of total 160 samples of milk (100) and milk products i.e. curd (30) and pedha (30) resulted in the isolation of 10 isolates (6.25%) of S. aureus. In the present study S. aureus isolates were found variably resistant to the antibiotics tested. The S. aureus isolates showed highest sensitivity towards cephalothin (100.00%), co-trimoxazole (100.00%), cephalexin (100.00%) and methicillin (100.00%) followed by gentamicin (90.00%), ciprofloxacin (80.00%), oxacillin (70.00%), streptomycin (60.00%) and ampicillin (60.00%). The pattern clearly indicated that the overall high percent of S. aureus isolates were resistant to Penicillin-G (100.00%) followed by ampicillin (40.00%), oxytetracycline and oxacillin (20.00%) and streptomycin and gentamicin (10.00%). Conclusions: Results clearly suggested a possibility of potential public health threat of S. aureus resulting from contamination of milk and milk products with pathogenic bacteria is mainly due to unhygienic processing, handling and unhygienic environment.

Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of bacterial culture supplementation on ruminal fibrolytic bacterial population as well as on survivability of inoculated bacterial strain in lactating Murrah buffaloes kept on high fibre diet. Materials and Methods: Fibrolytic bacterial strains were isolated from rumen liquor of fistulated Murrah buffaloes and live bacterial culture were supplemented orally in treatment group of lactating Murrah buffaloes fed on high fibre diet to see it's effect on ruminal fibrolytic bacterial population as well as to see the effect of survivability of the inoculated bacterial strain at three different time interval in comparison to control group. Results: It has been shown by real time quantification study that supplementation of bacterial culture orally increases the population of major fibre degrading bacteria i.e. Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Ruminococcus albus as well as Fibrobacter succinogenes whereas there was decrease in secondary fibre degrading bacterial population i.e. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens over the different time periods. However, the inoculated strain of Ruminococcus flavefaciens survived significantly over the period of time, which was shown in stability of increased inoculated bacterial population. Conclusion: The isolates of fibrolytic bacterial strains are found to be useful in increasing the number of major ruminal fibre degrading bacteria in lactating buffaloes and may act as probiotic in large ruminants on fibre-based diets.

Aim: To document the use of indigenous plants used by family poultry rearers to treat and control diseases and parasites in 15 villages of Botswana. Materials and Methods: A total of 1000 family poultry rearers in 15 villages were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were also collected through direct observation, village walks, interview of passers-by, group interviews, and meetings with key informants (i.e., traditional leaders, extension agents and chairpersons of village development committees). Results: The ethnoveterinary practices in 15 villages of Botswana were identified and documented. Nineteen plant species representing 15 families were used by family poultry rearers to treat and control poultry diseases and parasites. Most frequently used plants were from Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Liliaceae. Both human and veterinary medications (e.g., vicks, disprin and Compral tablets, blue stones, potassium permanganate, veterinary drugs and vaccines) were used in health management. Sixty-six percent of the respondents said they used traditional remedies to control and treat diseases, 19% did not use vaccines or remedies, 2% used vaccines while 13% used drugs to control and treat diseases. Conclusion: Ethnoveterinary medicine predominates in family poultry healthcare. Scientific investigations should be carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of identified plant species used in health management of family poultry.

Aim: To determine the effect of severity of Haemonchus contortus infection on performance and economics of raising kids fed on two respective plane of nutrition. Materials and Methods: The feeding trial was conducted for 120 days with non-descript female kids (3-5 months age). The kids were randomly allocated into two dietary treatments having normal protein normal energy (NPNE) and high protein medium energy (HPME) using conventional feedstuffs (crushed maize, ground nut cake, berseem hay and chaffed paddy straw), fortified with mineral mixture (1%), salt (0.5%) and vitamin premix (@ 20gq-1 feed), each treatment having three levels of H. contortus infection (W0, W500 and W2000) in a 2x3 factorial design. The study was undertaken to ascertain the performance and economics of raising kids fed on higher plane of nutrition. Results: The total dry matter intake (DMI: kg) was 41.18, 39.56 and 41.11 in W0, W500 and W2000 in group HPME; whereas in NPNE the DMI was 39.66, 38.03 and 35.95 kg in the respective infection levels. The highest body weight gain was obtained in HPME than NPNE from 1st to 16th week of experiment. The infected kids at NPNE gained at a slower rate as compared to the kids maintained at HPME. The mean percentage of monocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils fluctuated in different ways throughout the experiment without any significant difference and these cells were not followed any specific trend. However, significantly higher (P less than 0.05) eosinophils count was recorded in W500 and W2000 of HPME fed kids as compared to W500 and W2000 of NPNE fed kids. In the present study the maximum benefit could be obtained by feeding of HPME diet with W500 infection as compared to other treatments. Conclusion: The cost of raising kids per kg meat was worked out to be the most economical at high plane of nutrition even with the heavy H. contortus infection.