The aim of the study was to examine the effects of cage furnishing and social stress on some lymphoid organ weight and innate, cell-mediated, and humoral immune responses in laying hens. Sixty-four chickens were used. The chickens were divided into 2 groups; one of the groups was reared in furnished cages (RFC) and the other was reared in conventional cages (RCC). In wk 17, social stress was applied. Heterophil and lymphocyte percentages; liver, spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius weights; phagocytic activity; oxidative burst and chemotaxic activity of heterophil; CD4+ and CD8+ cell proportions; and antibody production were measured. The effect of rearing methods was significant on heterophil, lymphocyte percentage, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, and antibody production. Heterophil percentage and H/L ratio were lower (P=0.001, P=0.001, respectively), and antibody production was higher (P=0.003) in RFC hens compared to RCC hens. The main effect of social stress was also significant on heterophil, lymphocyte percentages, and H/L ratio. Heterophil percentage was higher (P=0.049); H/L ratio tended to be higher (P=0.068); and lymphocyte percentage tended to be lower (P=0.072) due to stress. In addition, thymus and bursa of Fabricius weights tended to be lower (P=0.073 and P=0.074, respectively) in stressed hens. There were significant interactions between rearing methods and social stress on oxidative burst, chemotaxic activity, and CD4+ and CD8+ proportion (P=0.001, P=0.004, P=0.054, and P=0.001, respectively). These parameters were significantly higher in RFC hens, when they were exposed to stress. On the other hand, they did not differ in RCC or unstressed RFC hens. These results indicated that cage furnishing positively affected heterophil functions, CD4+ and CD8+ cell proportions, and antibody production. Therefore, we suggest that cage furnishing, which is recommended for improving the welfare of animals, is also beneficial for improving the immune response of hens under the stress condition.

The effects of environmental enrichment and transport stress on the immune system were investigated in laying hens. A total of 48 1-day-old chickens were used, half of the chickens were reared in conventional cages (RCC) and the rest in enriched cages (REC). Transport stress was applied in the 17th week. Liver weight decreased, spleen and bursa of Fabricius weights, white blood cell count, CD4+ and CD8+ cell proportions increased due to the transport. Environmental enrichment significantly increased antibody production and tended to increase monocyte percentage and CD8+ cell proportion. The effect of transport on, heterophil (H) and lymphocyte (L) percentages was not significant in RCC chickens. While heterophil percentage and H:L ratio increased, lymphocyte percentage decreased in REC chickens subjected to transport. Transport stress increased heterophil functions both in REC and RCC chickens, but the increase was higher in REC hens than in RCC hens. In conclusion, although environmental enrichment did not neutralize the effect of transport on lymphoid organs, it activated the non-specific immune system, cellular and the humoral branches of the specific immune system by increasing heterophil functions, CD8+ cells and antibody production, respectively. Therefore, environmental enrichment suggested for improving animal welfare may also be beneficial to improve the immune system of birds exposed to stress.

IntroductionThe study aimed to isolate thermophilic Campylobacter from chickens raised three rearing methods, determine its antimicrobial susceptibilities, and examine resistance-related genes by PCR.Material and MethodsCloacal swabs or intestinal contents were taken in Istanbul, Sakarya, and Izmir provinces. Chickens were from small village-based family-run businesses (n = 70), organically raised (n = 71), and conventionally raised broilers (n = 79). The samples were cultured on modified charcoal cefoperazone desoxycholate (mCCD) agar. Suspect isolates were identified with multiplex PCR (mPCR). As per EUCAST standards, MIC values were derived by broth microdilution for tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, kanamycin, gentamicin, and erythromycin in isolates of C. jejuni (n = 98) and C. coli (n = 83).ResultsIn C. jejuni, 78.6% tetracycline, 87.8% ciprofloxacin, and 81.6% nalidixic acid resistance was detected, but none was to kanamycin, gentamicin, or erythromycin. In C. coli, 98.8% ciprofloxacin and 63.9% nalidixic acid resistance was detected, whereas resistance to non-quinolones was not observed. C257T (Thr-86-Ile) mutation in the gyrA gene of all phenotypically quinolone-resistant isolates was detected through a mismatch amplification mutation assay PCR (MAMA-PCR). It emerged that all isolates bore the tet (O) resistance gene.ConclusionCommon tetracycline, nalidixic acid, and ciprofloxacin resistance exists in Campylobacter isolated from chickens raised three rearing methods.

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ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of Staphylococci from swab samples of dogs with otitis externa and to determine their antibiotic resistance profiles, particularly methicillin resistance. For this purpose 116 ear swab samples were collected from 100 dogs and examined for the presence of Staphylococcus species by conventional culture methods. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was determined by the disk diffusion test and for methicillin resistance, by PCR. Forty Staphylococci were isolated from 37 (31.9%) of the 116 ear swabs. Among the 40 isolates, 30 of them were coagulase-positive Staphylococcus species (CPS), while 10 (25%) were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CNS). S. pseudintermedius (n = 11), S. aureus (n = 8), other not determined Staphylococcus spp. (n = 7), S. chromogenes (n = 7), S. schleiferi coagulans (n = 3), S. hyicus (n = 1), S. hominis subsp. hominis (n = 1), S. simulans (n = 1), S. saprophyticus (n = 1) were isolated. Results of the antibiotic susceptibility tests have shown that 60% of the isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, 32.5% of them were resistant to erythromycin, 25% were resistant to clindamycin, and all isolates (100%) were sensitive to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cephazolin. The majority of isolates (97.5%) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin which are frequently used in otitis externa treatment. It was determined that only one (2.5%) (S. hominis subsp. hominis) of the 40 isolates was resistant to methicillin and carried the mecA gene. We found 77% of Staphylococcus spp. to be resistant to one or more antimicrobial drugs, and 25% of Staphylococcus species were found to be resistant to three or more antimicrobial classes. Thus, multidrug-resistance as detected in our study should always be taken into account and close attention should be given to the antimicrobial therapy protocols of pet animals.

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Aspergillosis is a fungal infection affecting respiratory system both in mammals and avian species. It is more commonly encountered in birds, in comparison with its mammalian counterpart. Mostly isolated strains are Aspergillus fumigatus (95%) and Aspergillus flavus (5%). Affected lungs and air sacs reveal miliary to gross lesions like gray-yellowish or white-grayish granulomatous foci surrounded by white halos indicative of inflammatory infiltration. Five storks found dead in the rural areas near Istanbul were submitted to our faculty between years 2008 and 2014. Two of them were thought to be younger than 1-year-old and the other three were older than one year of age. Necropsies were performed right after their submissions. Aspergillosis lesions were observed in the lungs and thoracic air sacs of the first four storks. In addition to these changes the lesions were detected at the aortic bifurcation and on the testicular and renal capsule of the fifth stork. Histopathology revealed encapsulated granulomas with foci of caseous necrosis at the center surrounded by numerous macrophages, heterophil leukocytes, lymphocytes and foreign body giant cells in all the storks. Following the gross, histopathological and mycological examinations the agents were detected as Aspergillus fumigatus. Although, the number of reported deaths due to Aspergillosis is not high in storks, we believe that these birds are quite susceptible to the disease and stress factors such as migration increases the risk of pathogenicity. This report was designed as a contribution to literature since there is only one reported case available with respect to aspergillosis associated death in storks and stress factors such as migration may also predispose storks to the disease.

This study is aimed to investigate culturable airborne bacteria concentrations and the composition of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in eleven different locations on the basis of specifi c activities conducted within different parts of the European side of Istanbul. The highest bacterial levels were observed at the Bakirkoy station (1 100 CFU/m 3 ) while the second highest levels were found at the Bahcelievler station (1 040 CFU/m 3 ) in October; the lowest levels (10 CFU/m 3 ) were measured at other different stations (Atakoy, Yesilkoy). Fifteen methicillin--resistant isolates [Staphylococcus hominis (n=11), S. cohnii spp. cohnii (n=2), S. sciuri (n=1), S. capitis spp. capitis (n=1)] were identifi ed. The disc diffusion method was used to identify the antimicrobial resistance of these isolates, it was observed that the most common resistance was to penicillin (P) (n=11), doxycycline (DO) (n=4) and tetracycline (T) (n=5). None of the isolates was resistant to imipenem, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, vancomycin (IPM, AMC, VA). However, multiple antimicrobial resistance was found to be 26.7%. The results of this study revealed the importance of isolated methicillin-resistant staphylococci in the stations with densely active human population and traffi c, for public health. As a result, the importance of resting along known shorelines, where culturable airborne bacteria concentrations are much lower, and its importance for human health have been emphasized.