Introduction: Aeromonas are food-and water-borne bacteria that are considered to be zoonotic human pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the presence of genes associated with virulence in human and animal Aeromonas isolates and the potential role of animal isolates with regards to human Aeromonas infections. Methodology: The presence of aerA, hlyA, alt, ast, laf, ascF-G, stx1 and stx2 putative virulence genes in 40 human and animal Aeromonas isolates (16 human and 24 animal isolates) were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA fragments of expected sizes were purified and sequenced. BLAST in the NCBI was used to verify any amplified products. Results: PCR screening showed that hlyA, alt, and laf genes were determined at ratios of 6.25%, 50%, and 6.25%, respectively, in human isolates. The ratios of hlyA, alt, ascF-G, laf, stx2, and stx1 genes in animal isolates were 58.3%, 20.83%, 33.3%, 20.83%, 8.33%, and 4.17%, respectively. Neither aerA nor ast genes were detected in any isolates. Any one of eight putative virulence genes was not detected in seven human and eight animal isolates in the study. Conclusions: The current study is the first to investigate the presence of the virulence gene in gull Aeromonas isolates. The manifestation of the presence of the virulence gene and gene combinations was considerable, especially in fish and gull isolates when compared with clinical human isolates. The current study demonstrates the potential importance of fish and gulls in terms of human Aeromonas infections.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) liable for the regulation of blood pressure was purified from human plasma by affinity chromatography. Impact of water and butanol extracts of Matricaria chamomilla L. on purity ACE was examined. ACE was purified using the affinity chromatography method. The enzyme activity was evaluated at 345 nm by a spectrophotometer. Extracts of M. chamomilla plant with butanol and water were prepared. Lisinopril was utilized as a specific inhibitor. ACE was purified 3,659-fold from human plasma and the specific activity was 1,350 EU/mg protein. The molecular weight and purity of ACE were found by SDS-PAGE and two bands of 60 and 70 kDa on the gel were detected. Water and butanol extracts of M. chamomilla demonstrated inhibitor impact on ACE activity. IC 50 constants for water and butanol extracts of M. chamomilla were computed to be 1.292 and 0.353 mg/mL, respectively. The type of inhibition for whole inhibitors was identified as noncompetitive. IC 50 and K i constants for lisinopril were calculated to be 0.781 and 0.662 nM, respectively. These results indicate that butanol and water extracts of M. chamomilla may have an ACE inhibitor potential.

This study was performed to detect chewing lice on the wild birds in Eastern Turkey, between April 2013-September 2014. 108 injured birds brought to Wild Animal Protection Center of Yüzüncü Yıl University were examined for louse. The feathers of each bird specimens were inspected for louse, macroscopically. Collected lice samples on the birds were preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and mounted on slides in Canada balsam after transparented in 10% KOH. Fifteen (14.95%) out of the 108 were found to be infested with at least one chewing louse species. Nineteen lice species in 15 genera were found on the infested birds. Goniocotes megalocephalus (Uchida, 1916)

Epidemiological findings indicate that food workers can be source of cryptosporidiosis outbreak. Thus, searching for the existence of asymptomatic cryptosporidiosis food workers -which epidemiologically has potential significance- and taking the required measures in case of its determination are significant in respect of public health.

SummaryThe present study was conducted to investigate the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. agents in cats from the Turkish Van Cat Shelter at YüzüncüYıl University by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method and nested PCR. Individual stool samples were obtained from 30 adult females, 30 adult males and 40 kittens -a total of 100 Van cats were analyzed in the study. A simplified formol-ether concentration method was applied to all samples. The samples were then examined microscopically by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. As a result of the staining, Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were identified in stool samples of 3 kittens in the microscopic examination. After that, PCR and nested-PCR were conducted with suitable primers. Nested PCR identified 5 kittens (5%) as positive. As a result, it was concluded that nested PCR was a superior diagnostic method for Cryptosporidium diagnosis compared with staining methods and that infected cats could be a health hazard for other cats and individuals, since Cryptosporidium spp. agents infect via the faecal-oral route. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to raise the awareness of people in contact with cats.

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are protozoon parasites from the intracellular apicomplexan family. Toxoplasma gondii is the cause of health and economic problems in the sheep industry worldwide. Neospora caninum is usually reported in cows and leads to infections causing abortions; however, its prevalence in sheep is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and pathology of T. gondii and N. caninum by PCR, histopathological and immune-histochemical methods in aborted sheep foetuses collected at different sheep flocks in the Van Province, Türkiye, in 2021. Firstly, the DNA of T. gondii and N. caninum were investigated by PCR in the brain, heart, and peritoneal fluid samples from 42 sheep foetuses. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was proved in 35.7% (15/42) of foetuses whereas N. caninum DNA was not determined in any of the samples. Histopathologically, all T. gondii positive brain tissue samples showed lymphohistiocytic multifocal encephalomyelitis and additional findings included necrotizing myocarditis in the positive heart samples. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites were identified in the lesions (diffuse or focal mononuclear cell infiltration in the meninges, and microglia proliferation, myocarditis with oedema) by anti-T. gondii antibodies by the immunohistochemical method. Based on our results, we can conclude that T. gondii is an important agent in sheep abortions and the PCR method is a suitable method for diagnosis which can also be used in heart tissue in pathological studies.

Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite causing abortion in cattle and neurological problems in horses. Dogs are definitive hosts of N. caninum. Polymerase chain reaction is the most specific method used for the detection of N. caninum oocytes. In the present study, a total of 100 fecal samples were collected from naturally infected dogs. Of the 100 samples analyzed, 11 of them were detected with Hammondia/Neospora-like oocytes. Genomic DNA was isolated using a commercially available DNA extraction kit. The Nc5 gene specific to N. caninum was amplified by PCR and two of the eleven samples with Hammondia/Neospora-like oocytes formed ~337 bp repeatable band. In conclusion, N. caninum, which has been shown to cause neurological disorders in dogs and to abortion in cattle, was detected in naturally infected dogs in Van Province in Polymerase chain reaction.

ÖzAmaç: Yabani ve evcil kuşları etkileyen üç ana Cryptosporidium türü vardır bunlar; Cryptosporidium baileyi, Cryptosporidium galli ve Cryptosporidium meleagridis'dir. Bu çalışmada Van ilinde serbest yaşayan yabani kuşlarda Cryptosporidiosis'in yaygınlığının belirlenmesi planlanmış-tır. Gereç ve Materials and Methods:Faecal samples were collected from 127 birds, with the following proportions of individuals: 69 Laridae (Larus michahellis), 32 Columbidae (Columba livia), 10 Anatidae (Anas spp.), 10 Numididae (Numida meleagris), 3 Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), 1 Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and 2 Accipitridae. Faecal samples were examined using the formol-ether concentration technique with modified acid-fast stain using light microscopy.Results: Among the 127 fecal samples from wild birds, 37 (29%) were positive for the presence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium.