No abstract

Giardia duodenalis (Giardia lambia, Giardia intestinalis), a flagellated parasite, is a gastrointestinal pathogen that affects public health worldwide. There are limited studies on the epidemiology and molecular characterization of G. duodenalis in farm animals in Turkey. Molecular characterization is requited to determine the zoonotic potential of Giardia infection. In the present study, 71 calf 50 lamb, and 66 fecal stool samples were obtained from the animal rectum using a disposable latex glove and the samples were transferred to the laboratory. Then, the presence of cysts was examined with a microscope using of saturated zinc sulfate flotation method (ZnSO4; 33%). Afterwards, the samples were scanned with ELISA-based rapid diagnostic test kits for diagnosis. Then, DNA was extracted with QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germany). Nested PCR was then conducted with the corresponding primers. DNA sequence analysis was conducted on beta-giardin gene region of each PCR positive samples. Then, sequence analyses were blasted and compared with the access numbers in the gene bank (M36728 for sub-genotype A1, AY072723 for sub-genotype A2, for AY072724 sub-genotype A3, AY072725 for sub-genotype A3, AY072725 for sub-genotype B1, AY072726 for sub-genotype B2, AY072727 for sub-genotype B3, AY072728 for sub-genotype B4). In the microscopic examination, Giardia cysts were identified in 41 calves, 41 lambs, and 23 goats. Positivity was determined with rapid test kits in 38 calves, 16 lambs, and 26 goats. In nested PCR results, specific bands (511 bp) were obtained in 46 calves, 21 lambs and 24 goats. Sequencing findings demonstrated Assemblage A and subgenotype A3 presence in all animal samples. The importance of treatment and the need to take protective measures due to its zoonotic importance were emphasized.

No abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of chloroquine treatment on cyst excretion in calves naturally infected with Giardia duodenalis. The calves were randomly assigned into two groups based on placebo (group I, n=7 untreated control calves) or treatment (group II, n=7 calves treated orally with 2.5 mg/kg chloroquine twice daily for five consecutive days). The G. duodenalis isolates were identified by molecular characterization with β-giardin nested PCR and gene sequence analysis as assemblage A3. Cyst excretion was determined on days 0, 3, 7 and 10, before and after treatment. Geometric means of the number of excreted cysts did not change significantly in the control group during the trial. The reduction in cyst excretion after chloroquine treatment was 99% on day 3 and 100% on days 7 and 10. Chloroquine treatment is most probatly practically applicable, relatively inexpensive and highly effective against giardiosis in calves.

ÖZAmaç: Bu çalışmada Visseral Leishmaniasis'in (VL) farklı evrelerindeki köpeklerde oksidatif durum ve lipid profilinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntemler: Çalışmada VL'li 32, klinik, hematolojik ve biyokimyasal bulgulara göre sağlıklı 14 olmak üzere toplam 46 köpek kullanılmıştır. VL'li köpekler Leishvet grubunun sınıflamasına göre evre I (n=9), evre II (n=11), evre III (n=6), evre IV (n=6) olarak dört gruba ayrılmış ve sağlıklı kontrol grubu (n=14) ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Hayvanlarda serum lipid profili değerlendirmesi adına yüksek yoğunluklu lipoprotein (HDL), düşük yoğunluklu lipoprotein (LDL), kolesterol ve trigliserit, oksidatif durum analizi için ise toplam antioksidan kapasite (TAK), toplam oksidan seviye (TOS), paraoksonaz-1 (PON-1) değerleri incelenmiştir. Bulgular: VL'li köpeklerde, hastalığın tüm evrelerinde, sağlıklı gruptaki köpeklere kıyasla TOS değeri ve LDL konsantrasyonunda artış, PON-1 aktivitesi ve HDL konsantrasyonunda ise azalma belirlenmiştir (p<0,05). Gruplar arasında TAK değeri, kolesterol ve trigliserit konsantrasyonu açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunamamıştır. Sonuç: VL'li köpeklerde oksidatif stres ve lipid profilinde bazı değişiklikler gözlenmiştir. Hastalığın farklı evrelerindeki köpekler arasında ise önemli bir farklılık saptanamamıştır. VL'nin tüm evrelerindeki köpeklerde TOS değeri, PON-1 aktivitesi, HDL ve LDL konsantrasyonlarında belirlenen değişikliklerin hastalığın tanısında ve tedavinin planlamasında dikkate alınması gerektiği kanısına varılmıştır. (n=6), and stage IV (n=6); these dogs were compared to healthy control dogs (n=14). The lipid profile [high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, and triglyceride levels) and oxidative status [total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity] were evaluated.Results: Compared to the control dogs, significant increases in the TOS and the LDL level and decreases in PON-1 activity and the HDL level were determined among the dogs at all stages of VL (p<0.05). No significant differences were found in the TAC and the cholesterol and triglyceride levels among the groups. Conclusion: Increased oxidative stress and alterations in lipid profile were observed among dogs with VL. However, no significant differences were detected between dogs at different stages of the disease. Therefore, changes in the TOS, PON-1 activity, and HDL and LDL levels in dogs at all stages of VL should be considered in the diagnosis of the disease and planning of the treatment.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis among dogs in Aydin, Turkey. A total of 473 faecal samples from dogs were collected. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis was 18.8%. Higher infection rates were observed in dogs younger than three months old, from shelters, and with diarrhoea. Faecal samples of 89 dogs, diagnosed Giardia-positive by microscopy, were found positive by nested PCR. The β-giardin nested PCR assay revealed assemblage B in all samples (100%), whereas 38 of the samples were mixed with assemblage A (42%). Sequence analysis of isolates indicated sub-genotypes A3 and B4 which have been previously detected in human isolates from Turkey. The results of the present study indicated the relatively high prevalence of giardiasis and the presence of the zoonotic sub-genotypes suggesting the important role of dogs as potential reservoirs of human infections.

The curricula updated by Ministry of National Education was started to be implemented as of 2018-2019 academic year. It is planned to revise the updated programs in line with the feedback obtained from the implementations of the existing programs, the opinions of the stakeholders and the findings obtained from the academic studies. In this context, academic studies in which current programs

Objective. Assess the spatial distribution of seroprevalence of infection with or exposure to 4 vector-borne pathogens Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi and Dirofilaria immitis, across the coastal states of the Aegean region with special reference to clinical signs and haematological variances related to disease condition. Materials and methods. A convenience sample, targeting blood from at least 10 pet dogs from İzmir, Aydin, Denizli, Mugla and Manisa cities involved was evaluated using a canine point-of-care ELISA kit. Results. Out of 307 dogs tested the overall seroprevalence was highest for E. canis (24.42%), followed by E. canis + A. phagocytophilum co-infection (10.42%), A. phagocytophilum (7.49%) and D. immitis (2.28%). Only 2 cases were seropositive to B. burgdorferi albeit 10 dogs were co-infected with more than 2 agents. For both dogs infected with E. canis and co-infected with E. canis and A. phagocytophilum, anemia, thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis, were more commonly detected, whereas thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis were significant finding in dogs infected with A. phagocytophilum or D. immitis, respectively. Variance analysis showed significant differences for mean RBC, Hb, PCV and PLT values (p<0.01) among control group and other groups. Conclusions. Seropositivity for vector-borne pathogens other than B. burgdorferi, is moderately to widely distributed in dogs residing in the Aegean region in Turkey.