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Abstract  The first identification of Neospora caninum infection in aborted bovine foetuses in Romania is reported. Nine aborted foetuses were collected from a dairy farm. The foetal age of foetuses was between 3 and 7 months. A 7-month-old foetus was mummified. N. caninum DNA Nc-5 region was amplified from samples extracted from brain tissues of three (33.3%) aborted foetuses. The foetal ages of PCR positive foetuses were 3, 4 and 7 months (mummified). No specific lesions or tissue cysts were found to the histological examination, because of advanced autolysis of brains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we experimentally manipulated coccidian parasitism and dietary carotenoid availability in a fully factorial experiment in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus Linnaeus), and tested whether carotenoid supplementation reduces the cost of parasitism in terms of condition, moult and immune responses. We found that coccidians have a significant but transient negative effect on body mass, which can be reduced if birds have access to carotenoid supplementation in their diet. Experimental manipulation had no significant effect on the moulting parameters of the birds measured following coccidian infestation and during the whole moulting period. Carotenoid supplementation increased the plasma carotenoid concentration in both infested and medicated birds treated with a coccidiostatic drug; however, after two months exposure to parasites, plasma carotenoid concentration increased only in the carotenoid-supplemented and medicated group whereas no difference was observed between the carotenoid-supplemented and infested and non-supplemented groups. On the contrary, coccidian infestation was not affected by carotenoid supplementation. Experimental infestation decreased the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), although no significant effect was observed in the capacity of the birds to respond to a mitogenic challenge with phytohemagglutinin. Within the experimentally infested groups birds with carotenoid-supplemented food tended to have an increased anti-SRBC humoral immune response. The positive correlation between coccidian infestation and the strength of the humoral immune response against SRBCs in the non-supplemented and infested groups indicates that this part of the immune system plays an important role in defence against these parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic epidermal necrosis (MEN) was diagnosed in an unspayed nine-year-old male Poodle, associated with interface hepatitis and with active chronic pancreatitis. Also, a tumour formation was noticed at the cranial pole of the right kidney, both in ultrasound and in laparotomy examination. The histopathology did not establish the type of tumour, due to a human error. It is the first case of MEN in dogs recorded in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to use crude T. gondii tachyzoite antigen in an indirect ELISA and to compare it with indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) considered as a "gold standard". Sheep serum samples with known (49 negative and 45 positive) and unknown (94) status were tested. It was tried two types of microtiter plates and different antigen, sera and bloking dilution. The sensitivity, specificity positive and negative predictive value, accuracy and efficiency of test were evaluated. The chosen dilutions after CBT were 1:1000 for antigen and 1:400 for controls/sera samples on PolySorp 96-well microtiter plate (Nunc). 3% BSA had the best results in bloking phase of assay. The ELISA agreement with IFAT was relatively very good (k=0.81). The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were 95.75%, respectively 85.11%. The accuracy of test was 81% and the efficiency 91.35%. ELISA using a crude tachyzoite antigen can be used for detecting anti-T. gondii antibodies in sheep sera, and consequently in the epidemiological studies and its uses instead of a commercial kit reduce the cost of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to establish dermatological diseases etiology in laboratory animals. Were examined clinically and dermatologically a number of 403 rodents of different ages and sexes, respectively 173 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), 120 rabbits (Orytolagus cuniculus), 80 rats (Rattus norvegicus) and 30 mice (Mus musculus). Dermatological diseases identified in guinea pigs were represented by malophagosis (Gliricola porcelli in 111/173 - 64,16%), listrophorosis (Chirodiscoides caviae in 111/173 - 64,16%), demodicosis (Demodex caviae in 2/173 - 1,15%) and tricophytosis (Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 3/173 - 1,73%). Rats were infected only with Notoedres muris (56/80 respectively 70%). In rabbits was diagnosed (Psoroptes cuniculi in 7/120 - 5,83%), listrophorosis (Listrophorus gibbus in 2/120 - 1,66%) and cheyletiellosis (Cheiletiella parasitovorax in 2/120 - 1,66% ). In mice have evolved associated infestations with Mycoptes musculinus (20/30 - 66,66%), Myobia musculi (12/30 - 40%) and Chirodiscoides caviae (3/30 - 10%). Chirodiscoides caviae, mite with specific parasitism in guinea pig, has been isolated from mice with skin lesions. Were recorded two zoonotic diseases: tricophytosis and cheyletiellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii causes one of the most common zoonoses worldwide. Pigs infected with T. gondii are considered an important source of infection for humans in several countries. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in indoor pigs. Between November 2007 and May 2009, 285 sows and 282 fattening pigs sera samples were collected in the slaugtherhouse, from five indoor farms. Samples were tested in the direction of detecting antibodies anti-T. gondii, IgG type by ELISA method, using a commercial kit (Toxoplasmosis Indirect Multi-Species, ID VET Innovative Diagnostics, France). The prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in sows from Cluj county was 49.4% (42/85), while in sows from Satu-Mare county was 0.5% (1/200) and in fattening pigs was 0.4% (1/282). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]