n order to assess the level of Rhodococcus equi infection in southeast Turkey, 679 sera from healthy foals and adult horses and 78 sera from donkeys were tested by indirect ELISA using a R. equi reference strain (ATCC 33701) as antigen. Eighty (11.7 %) sera from horses and 9 (11.5 %) sera from donkeys with titres >0.85 were positive. The prevalence of seropositive horses in Sanliurfa Province was higher than in Diyarbakir Province; 56 (13.9 %) horses in Sanliurfa Province and 24 (8.7 %) horses in Diyarbakir Province were defined as seropositive. In Sanliurfa Province 14.5 % of female (n = 343) and 10.1 % of male (n = 59) horses tested were defined as seropositive, while in Diyarbakir Province more males (11.4 %, n = 114) were seropositive than females (6.7 %, n = 163). Horses 1 to 5 years of age were found to have the highest seropositivity rate in both provinces. A total of 78 sera from donkeys were investigated in Sanliurfa Province, of which 9 (11.5 %) were positive by ELISA. Among the 9 positive sera, 6 (12.8 %) were from donkeys 1-5 years old and 3 (13.6 %) were from donkeys >5years of age. Nopositive sera were found in donkeys less than 1 year old. Five(12.5 %) sera of females and 4(10.5 %) sera of males tested were positive. These results indicate the existence of R. equi in the horse populations in Sanliurfa and Diyarbakir Provinces. Similar infection rates were found for donkeys in Sanliurfa. This suggests the importance of serological surveys to diagnose R. equi infection in the region and to prevent the zoonotic risk

In this study, Staphylococcus aureus strains (n = 110) isolated from seven ewe flocks in Sanliurfa, Turkey were screened for antibiotic resistance and biofilmforming ability as well as for genes associated with antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming ability. All isolates were found to be susceptible to oxacillin, gentamicin, clindamycin, cefoxitin, tetracycline, vancomycin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The percent proportions of strains resistant to penicillin G, ampicillin and erythromycin were 27.2% (n = 30), 25.4% (n = 28) and 6.3% (n = 7), respectively. Regarding the antibiotic resistance genes, 32 (29%) isolates carried the blaZ and 8 (7.2%) the ermC gene. Other resistance genes were not detected in the isolates. All isolates showed biofilm-forming ability on Congo red agar (CRA), while 108 (98.18%) and 101 (91.81%) of them were identified as biofilm producers by the use of standard tube (ST) and microplate (MP) methods, respectively. All isolates carried the icaA and icaD genes but none of them harboured the bap gene. The results demonstrated that S. aureus isolates from gangrenous mastitis were mainly resistant to penicillins (which are susceptible to the staphylococcal beta-lactamase enzyme), and less frequently to erythromycin. Furthermore, all of the S. aureus isolates produced biofilm which was considered a potential virulence factor in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal mastitis.

pneumonia suspected lung tissues were examined histopathologically, immunohistochemically and microbiologically, in Sanliurfa province. After definition of the macroscopic localization of the consolidated areas in the lungs, tissue samples were taken and preserved in cold chain and 10% formalin for microbiological and pathological examinations, respectively. For bacteriological examination of Pasteurella spp. lung specimens were inoculated in 7% sheep blood agar and Mc Conkey agar. After routine pathological tissue follow up procedure, tissues were embedded in paraffin and obtained sections stained with Hematoxylin&Eosin (H&E). The cases, having histopathological findings consistent with pneumonia, were forwarded to immunohistochemical (IHC) examinations to know whether lesions related to Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida using hyperimmune polyclonal rabbit sera in Avidin Biotin Complex Peroxidase (ABC-P). Microbiological, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings were comparatively evaluated in examined animals. Pasteurella multocida as a cause of pneumonia were detected in 38 cases of microbiological inoculations. Immunohistochemical staining resulted Mannheimia haemolytica (n=35) and Pasteurella multocida (n=30) positive. Immunohistochemically both Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were positive in 23 cases and 45 animals were negative for both bacteria. The aim of this study is to show importance and role of Pasteurella spp, in sheep pneumonia in Sanliurfa region.

Bu çalışmada Şanlıurfa bölgesi'nde bulunan 180 kısrak ve 20 aygır olmak üzere toplam 200 adet safkan Arap atından alınan 780 adet svab örneği incelendi. Alınan örnekler kültür, direkt-PCR ve kültür-PCR yöntemleriyle değerlendirildi. Svab örneklerinin bakteriyolojik muayeneleri sonucunda Taylorella equigenitalis izole edilemedi. Moleküler inceleme sonucunda, direkt-PCR ile 5 (%2.7) kısrakta, kültür-PCR ile 8 (%4.4) kısrakta pozitiflik saptandı. Direkt PCR ve kültür PCR ile 5 kısrak pozitif bulunurken, 3 kısrak sadece kültür-PCR ile pozitif olarak saptandı. Sağlıklı kısraklar ve aygırlarda pozitiflik belirlenmedi. Sonuç olarak, Şanlıurfa yöresinde T. equigenitalis'in sorun olduğu ve PCR metodunun kültür yöntemine göre daha üstün ve rutin teşhiste uygulanabilir bir test olduğu kanısına varıldı.

Three serological methods used in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis were conducted to assess the diagnostic sensitivity of the tests in brucellosis-infected herds. A total of 487 unvaccinated bovine serum samples collected from infected herds in the southeast region of Turkey having history of abortion with a known bacteriological status for the last three years were tested for anti-Brucella antibodies detection using the Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), the complement fixation test (CFT) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA). A protein A/G conjugate was used in i-ELISA in order to reduce background reactivity and to use the test in multispecies if required. The serum samples were found as positive in 74.3%, 83.7% and 81.3% when we employed the CFT, i-ELISA and RBPT, respectively. i-ELISA could be used as a single test or combined with the RBPT for serologic diagnosis for brucellosis in infected herds. ARTICLE HISTORY

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Chlamydophila psittaci in fecal samples of bald ibises (Geronticus eremita) housed in a conservation facility in Turkey. A total of 82 fecal samples were collected from cages and evaluated by bacteriologic methods and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. and by PCR for C. psittaci. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 24 of 82 fecal samples (29.2%). Of these 18 (75%), 4 (16.7%) and 2 (8.3%) were Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and other Campylobacter spp., respectively. Salmonella spp. were detected in 8 fecal specimens.(9.7%) by PCR. The presence of C. psittaci was not detected in the bald ibises studied. The results suggested that the bald ibises in this present study might be at a higher risk of infection with Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp.

Rhodococcus equi is a common cause of pneumonia in foals and has extensive clinical, economic and possibly zoonotic consequences. This bacterium survives well in the environment and may be considered as normal flora of adult horses. Certain strains of this bacterium are extremely virulent in foals, and early identification and intervention is crucial for prognosis. Rhodococcus equi is endemic in many parts of the world and occasionally isolated in Israel. This study was designed to evaluate R. equi seroprevalence in adult horses in Israel to indirectly indicate the potential level of exposure of susceptible foals. Sera were collected from 144 horses during spring 2011 and from 293 horses during fall 2014, and the presence of antibodies against virulent R. equi was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Equine seroprevalence of R. equi was found to be 7.6% in 2011 and 5.1% in 2014. Only one farm had seropositive horses in 2011, whereas several farms had seropositive horses in 2014. No significant risk factors for seropositivity were found. Rhodococcus equi appears to be endemic in Israel. This is the first survey of R. equi in Israel that provides information on the epidemiology of this important bacterium.

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