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The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and molecular typing of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in food-producing animals and retail meat in Fargo, North Dakota. A two-step enrichment followed by culture methods were used to isolate S. aureus from 167 nasal swabs from animals, 145 samples of retail raw meat, and 46 samples of deli meat. Positive isolates were subjected to multiplex polymerase chain reaction in order to identify the genes 16S rRNA, mecA, and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing were used for molecular typing of S. aureus strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the broth microdilution method. The overall prevalence of S. aureus was 37.2% (n = 133), with 34.7% (n = 58) of the animals positive for the organism, and the highest prevalence observed in pigs (50.0%) and sheep (40.6%) (p < 0.05); 47.6% (n = 69) of raw meat samples were positive, with the highest prevalence in chicken (67.6%) and pork (49.3%) (p < 0.05); and 13.0% (n = 6) of deli meat was positive. Five pork samples (7.0%) were positive for MRSA, of which three were ST398 and two were ST5. All exhibited penicillin resistance and four were multidrug resistant (MDR). The Panton-Valentine Leukocidin gene was not detected in any sample by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The most common clones in sheep were ST398 and ST133, in pigs and pork both ST398 and ST9, and in chicken ST5. Most susceptible S. aureus strains were ST5 isolated from chicken. The MDR isolates were found in pigs, pork, and sheep. The presence of MRSA, MDR, and the subtype ST398 in the meat production chain and the genetic similarity between strains of porcine origin (meat and animals) suggest the possible contamination of meat during slaughtering and its potential transmission to humans. College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources College, North Dakota State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University

In this study, infectious bronchitis (IB)-suspect problems were observed in 2 broiler and 8 breeder chicken flocks vaccinated with H120 strain, and a total of 220 tracheal swabs were taken from 60 broiler chickens of 2 flocks (30 swabs/flock), and 160 breeder chickens of 8 flocks (20 swabs/flock) to detect infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and to isolate IBV from chickens showing respiratory sings and nephritis lesions. Detection of 8 Turkish IBVs from the tracheal swab samples directly by RT-PCR was confirmed by both IBV isolation from allantoic fluids of embryonated eggs and by the same RT-PCRs from these samples. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) results revealed that all 8 sequences from our Turkish IBV isolates were related to that of EU780077 (IS/1494/06 IBV strain) with a 99% identity. Phylogenetic and alignment analyses of the sequences of two representative isolates as TR_IS1494_06_B12011 from one broiler flock and TR_1494_06_7201 from one breeder flock also confirmed this close relation to IS/1494/06 IBV genotype. As a result, Turkish IBVs have been isolated for the first time from chickens, which were not protected from IB despite IBV H120 strain vaccination, and genotyped as IS/1494/06 in Turkey suggesting the transfer of this IBV from the countries of Middle East.

Scrapie, a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or prion disease, is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease in sheep and goats. This disease has been known in Europe for more than 250 years. Susceptibility to scrapie is associated with polymorphisms in the sheep prion protein gene (PrP) gene. In sheep, polymorphism in the PrP gene has been identified at a number of codons, and polymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 have reported linkage with susceptibility to scrapie. Polymorphisms at the PrP locus were studied in 413 animals representing three native sheep breeds (Imroz, Chios and Kıvırcık) in Turkey. Genomic DNA was obtained from blood, and genotypes were screened using PCR and direct DNA sequencing. We report 17 genotypes derived from seven different alleles. The most frequent genotype in the Kıvırcık sheep is ARQ/ARQ, whereas the ARR/ARQ genotype is predominant in the Chios and Imroz breeds. In general, the ARQ haplotype was the predominant haplotype. ARQ haplotype was also predominant in the Kıvırcık and Chios sheep breeds, whereas the Imroz sheep predominantly had the ARR haplotype. The susceptibility-associated VRQ haplotype was found in 2.38%, 0.35% and 0.81% of the Imroz, Kıvırcık and Chios sheep, respectively. Moreover, seven additional polymorphisms have been detected at codons G127S, G127V, H143R, G145S, Y172D, N174Y and Q189L. Among these polymorphisms, the N174Y allele is a novel polymorphism, and the G145S allele is a novel allele for a known polymorphic locus.

WOS: 000292802800008 PubMed: 21848040 The aim of the study was the phenotypic and molecular characterization of Yersinia (Y.) ruckeri strains, the causative agent of Enteric Red mouth Disease (ERM), by antibiotyping, random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) and sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns of whole cell proteins. For this aim, a total of 97 Y ruckeri isolates were analyzed. The isolates were distinguished into ten antibiotypes and six phenotypes according to their resistance properties and whole cell protein profiles, respectively. Also, a glycoprotein band of approximately 25.5 kDa was observed in all Y ruckeri strains tested. In all strains, six different RAPD types were observed. In conclusion, Y ruckeri strains isolated from rainbow trout of fish farms in Turkey showed variation according to their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, and the use of these three typing techniques in double and triple combinations could be more useful for discriminating the strains.

Summary Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the results of routine haematological, serum iron and iron binding capacity analyses in cattle with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. Material and methods: Thirty-eight cows were included in the study. An ELISA for MAP, intradermal Johnin test and microscopic examination of the animals faecal smears for acid fast organisms were performed. According to the results 19 cows (4–8 years old) were found positive and 19 cows (4–7 years old) from the same herd were negative and served as control group. In all cows routine haematological values as well as serum iron level and iron binding capacity were evaluated. Results: When compared with control animals, routine haematological values including haematocrit, haemoglobin and erythrocyte counts were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in positive cows. Also serum iron level (p < 0.01) and iron binding capacity (p < 0.01) were significantly lower in positive cows than in the control group. Conclusion: As a result, these parameters can be important for the mechanism of the pathogenesis of paratuberculosis.

The prevalence of malignant catarrhal fever ( MCF) virus infection in cattle, sheep and goat populations and also the prevalence of recovered and chronic MCF cases in north-western Turkey are reported. A total of 600 animals, 200 individuals of each species, located in four provinces were sampled between December 2003 and July 2005. A monoclonal antibody-based competitive inhibition ( ci) ELISA were used to detect infection status of the animals. Detected antibody prevalence was 97.5%, 96.0% and 15.0% in sheep, goats and cattle, respectively. These results showed that MCF related gammaherpesvirus infections are common in north-western Turkey. There was no significant difference between prevalences detected in sheep and goats, as well as various breeds of these species. There was also no significant difference among locations. Results of this study show that sheep and goats may equally be important in the epidemiology of MCF in Turkey. Seropositivity against MCF agents among cattle was 15.0%. The results indicate that MCF infections may be maintained in intensively managed cattle herds having no close contact with small ruminants.

In the present study, a total of 100 urine samples obtained by antepubic cystocentesis from dogs with symptoms of urinary tract infection were examined bacteriologically. Bacteria were isolated from 38 of 100 urine samples. No significant difference was determined when the frequency of bacteriuria was compared between female and male dogs and in 2 different age groups (