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Abstract. A survey of 179 animals (black rats, dogs, sheep, buffaloes, cattle, donkeys, weasels, and cats) for Leptospira infection was conducted in Mahalla City (Lower Egypt). Blood, urine, and kidney were collected and tested by culture, microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among rats, 26% were positive by PCR, including 7% that were also positive by culture for L. interrogans serovars Grippotyphosa, Pyrogenes, and Icterohaemorrhagiae. L. borpetersenii serovar Polonica was isolated for the first time in Egypt in three rats. MAT titers ≥ 1:800 were observed in 11% of rats and 12% of dogs. L. interrogans serovar Grippotyphosa was detected in one cat. Sheep and donkeys were negative for leptospirosis by all methods. Buffaloes and cattle were seropositive in 20% and 44% of animals, respectively. Data indicate that several pathogenic serovars are circulating in the animals, which may pose exposure risks and account for high rates of acute febrile illness.

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease of humans and animals worldwide. The disease is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. These organisms are maintained in nature via chronic renal infection of carrier animals, which excrete the organisms in their urine. Humans become infected through direct or indirect exposure to infected animals and their urine or through contact with contaminated water and soil. This study was conducted to investigate Leptospira infections as a re-emerging zoonosis that has been neglected in Egypt. Methods: Samples from 1,250 animals (270 rats, 168 dogs, 625 cows, 26 buffaloes, 99 sheep, 14 horses, 26 donkeys and 22 camels), 175 human contacts and 45 water sources were collected from different governorates in Egypt. The samples were collected from different body sites and prepared for culture, PCR and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results: The isolation rates of Leptospira serovars were 6.9%, 11.3% and 1.1% for rats, dogs and cows, respectively, whereas the PCR results revealed respective detection rates of 24%, 11.3% and 1.1% for rats, dogs and cows. Neither the other examined animal species nor humans yielded positive results via these two techniques. Only six Leptospira serovars (Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Celledoni and Pyrogenes) could be isolated from rats, dogs and cows. Moreover, the seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies among the examined humans determined using MAT was 49.7%. Conclusions: The obtained results revealed that rats, dogs and cows were the most important animal reservoirs for leptospirosis in Egypt, and the high seroprevalence among human contacts highlights the public health implications of this neglected zoonosis.

Abstract. The epidemiologic status of leptospirosis in Egypt has not been well defined because of difficulties in disease diagnosis. A retrospective study was conducted to detect leptospiral antibodies among undiagnosed acute febrile illness (AFI) and hepatitis cases. Approximately 16% of both AFI (141/886) and acute hepatitis (63/392) cases showed seroreactivity to Leptospira IgM by ELISA and microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Canicola, Djasiman, Grippotyphosa, Pyrogenes, Icterohemorrhagiae, and Pomona were the most commonly reactive serovars among patients with AFI. Djasiman, Grippotyphosa and Icterohemorrhagiae were the most reactive among patients with acute hepatitis. This study represents the first systematic report of Leptospira associated with patients with AFI and hepatitis in Egypt. Physicians need to have increased awareness about the importance of leptospirosis in the differential diagnosis of AFI and acute hepatitis in Egypt. In addition, laboratory capacity should be developed at fever hospitals to diagnose leptospirosis.

This study was carried out to compare between conventional cultural isolation methods and real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique for the detection of Salmonella in broiler chicks. About 120 livers and intestinal contents samples were collected from 1800 day-old imported and local broiler chicks. The incidence of Salmonellae among imported chicks was 11.67% compared to 21.67% among local chicks using conventional cultural isolation methods. Salmonella newport (S. newport) showed the highest incidence rate in imported chicks, while Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium were frequently detected in local chicks. The RT-PCR results for detection of invA gene of Salmonella spp. were 58.33% and 66.67% positive samples in imported and local chicks, respectively. Results have confirmed that RT-PCR technique is rapid, robust, effective and reliable method for detection of Salmonella spp. in broiler chicken when compared to conventional cultural methods. However, RT-PCR should be performed parallel with conventional methods for more accurate detection results of different Salmonellae serovars.ª 2013 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf

This study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of the locally prepared autogenous Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) bacterin as well as a probiotic preparation in the prevention of broiler chickens from S. Enteritidis infection. A total of three hundred and ten, one day-old Hubbard broiler chicks were used. At day old, ten chicks were sacrificed and examined bacteriologically to prove their freedom from S. Enteritidis infection. Three hundred birds were divided into four equal groups. Chickens in group (1) were kept as blank control negative non infected-non treated birds, while those of group (2) were challenged non treated birds. Group (3) was vaccinated intramuscularly by the autogenous bacterin at the first day of age in a dose of 0.2 ml/bird and boostered as a second dose at 10 days of age in a dose 0.5 ml/bird, however, group (4) was given a commercial probiotic preparation as 1gm/ 4 liter of the drinking water from the first day of age and continued for 5 successive days. All birds in groups 2, 3, and 4 were challenged orally by 0.5 ml containing 10 9 CFU/ml S. Enteritidis at 20 days of age. All the groups were kept under complete observation for three weeks for recording signs, moralities, gross lesions, shedding rate of S. Enteritidis, re-isolation of the organism, the performance as well as detection of the titer of antibodies serologically using microagglutination test and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) test. The results showed that the both the bacterin and the probiotic are equally effective in reducing signs, mortalities, gross lesions, the shedding rate and the re-isolation of S. Enteritidis and also increasing in the performance of chickens. The effect of the bacterin and the probiotic was significant (P≤0.05) when compared with the infected non treated chickens. Moreover, the serological investigation revealed an improvement in the titer of antibodies after vaccination and probiotic treatment. In conclusion, double doses of locally prepared autogenous S. Enteritidis bacterin and the probiotic preparation were effective and safe methods for prevention of S. Enteritidis infection in broiler chickens.

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Aim:As the labeled anti-camel immunoglobulins (Igs) with enzymes for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are unavailable in the Egyptian market, the present investigation was directed for developing local labeled anti-camel IgG with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to save hard curacy.Materials and Methods:For purification of camel IgG whole molecule, camel sera was preliminary precipitated with 50% saturated ammonium sulfate and dialyzed against 15 mM phosphate-buffered saline pH 7.2 then concentrated. This preparation was further purified by protein A sepharose affinity column chromatography. The purity of the eluted camel IgG was tested by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresi. Anti-camel IgG was prepared by immunization of goats and rabbits separately, with purified camel IgG. The anti-camel IgG was purified by protein A sepharose affinity column chromatography. Whole molecule anti-camel IgG was conjugated with HRP using glutraldehyde based assay. Sensitivity and specificity of prepared conjugated secondary antibodies were detected using positive and negative camel serum samples reacted with different antigens in ELISA, respectively. The potency of prepared conjugated antibodies was evaluated compared with protein A HRP. The stability of the conjugate at −20°C during 1 year was assessed by ELISA.Results:The electrophoretic profile of camel IgG showed four bands of molecular weight 63, 52, 40 and 33 kDa. The recorded sensitivity and specificity of the product are 100%. Its potency is also 100% compared to 58-75% of commercial protein A HRP. The conjugates are stable for 1 year at −20°C as proved by ELISA.Conclusion:Collectively, this study introduces goat and rabbit anti-camel IgG whole molecules with simple, inexpensive method, with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity and stability up to 1 year at −20°C. The important facet of the current study is saving hard curacy. Future investigations are necessary for preparation of IgG subclasses.