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Background: Cryptosporidium is one of the most important pathogenic parasites in poultry because it is a zoonotic parasite, and birds and other infected animals could be a potential threat to public health. The main purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of Cryptosporidium infection in domestic fowl in Shahrekord by PCR method.
Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 110 fecal samples were collected from fowls referred to the Veterinary Clinic of Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch. After DNA extraction, the samples were examined by PCR, and the frequency of infection in different genders and seasons was analyzed by SPSS statistical software.
Findings: Out of 110 samples, 15 (13.64%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium. The rate of Cryptosporidium infection in the females was 12.85% and in the males was 15%. The results also showed that there was no statistically significant difference between two sexes (male and female) regarding the prevalence of Cryptosporidium, while the frequency of infection in cold seasons (22.22%) was significantly higher than in warm seasons (7.69%).
Conclusion: Fowls could be considered as one of the important reservoirs of Cryptosporidium infection for humans.

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Background: This study was designed to investigate the frequency and tissue distribution of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) in turkeys with respiratory syndrome in Isfahan province.
Materials & Methods: Totally, samples were taken from the trachea, lung, air sac, infraorbital sinus, hock joint, blood of heart, brain, liver, spleen, intestine, and kidney of 30 turkey flocks. After DNA extraction, a 787 bp fragment of 16S rRNA gene of ORT was amplified.
Findings: The PCR results revealed that 53% of turkeys were infected by ORT. The results showed that although ORT was mainly found in the respiratory tract, it could be systemic and infect some other organs, including the joints, brain, liver, spleen, and blood of heart, but could not infect the intestines and kidneys.
Conclusion: Due to the lack of a clear pattern in tissue distribution of ORT among clinical samples, it seems that other factors play a role in ORT tissue distribution, such as dose, route, type of infection, and probably prevalent serotype.

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Backgrounds: The aim of this study was to evaluate genotypes and phenotypes of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains isolated from poultry farms in Isfahan province, Iran.
Materials & Methods: In this study, 50 E. coli strains isolated from pericarditis and perihepatitis lesions of broilers in Isfahan (central Iran) were selected. After microbiological and biochemical tests and confirmation of bacterial colonies, the colonies were purified. The pure colonies were cultured on Müeller-Hinton culture medium and then subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing. In the next step, DNA was extracted from the purified bacteria, and the qnrA and sul1 genes were amplified with specific primers.
Findings: The results showed that 85% of E. coli isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics, and 6% of E. coli strains were resistant to all 13 antibiotics used in this study. E. coli isolates showed the highest resistance to enrofloxacin (70%) and the lowest resistance to gentamicin (6%). Examination of resistance genes showed that about 54% of enrofloxacin-resistant E. coli strains contained the qnrA gene, and 48% of sulfonamide-resistant E. coli strains contained the sul1 gene.
Conclusion: In this study, some resistant strains lacked the resistance genes studied, indicating the importance of other resistance genes in inducing resistance against sulfonamides and fluoroquinolones. Also, the lack of resistance in some strains harboring qnrA and sul1 genes indicates the importance of gene expression in mediating resistance, and that the presence of resistance genes alone is not sufficient to induce antibiotic resistance in E. coli strains.

 

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Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) which belongs to the virus family Potyviridae, causes a disease in soybean that is present in soybean-growing areas of the world, and is widely distributed in northern Iran. Detection of SMV is very important for disease management. In the present study several serological and molecular (nucleic acid- based) methods of rapid virus detection were compared. Serological studies including DAS- ELISA, DAC-ELISA, TPIA and DIBA were optimized and compared to identify the virus by using a polyclonal antibody. Among the serological methods, TPIA and DIBA are simple and TPIA is rapidly and easily applicable in the field. However, TPIA was found to be preferable. TPIA is time-saving, not requiring conventional sap extraction and also nitrocellulose membranes used for printing can be used in the field and stored for a long time or transported to other laboratory to be processed. RT-PCR and Immunocapture RT-PCR (IC-RT-PCR) were performed as molecular methods for detecting SMV using a pair of primers designed to amplify a fragment in the coding region of the SMV coat protein. To extract total RNA for RT-PCR, two methods including RNAWIZ and phenol-chloroform were used. A part of the coat protein genome of SMV was converted to cDNA using a reverse transcription (RT) reaction. For IC-RT-PCR method, virus partial purification was carried out by solid-phase (0.2 ml microfuge tube) adsorbed polyclonal antibody, and then the RT reaction was carried out in the tube. In both methods cDNAs were amplified by PCR. Both methods amplified the expected fragment in virus-infected plants. Whereas RT-PCR requires total RNA extraction, ICRT- PCR do not have total RNA extraction problems. Our findings suggest that TPIA and IC- RT- PCR can be routinely used for SMV detection, with high efficiency.

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Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859), is one of the major destructive pests that feed on the leaves and shoots of various Buxus species. In the course of this survey, the life cycle of C. perspectalis was studied in laboratory and natural (Hyrcanian Forests) conditions. The laboratory experiments were carried out at temperature of 25±1ºC, 70±10% relative humidity and a photo phase of 16 light: 8 dark hours. The average duration of an egg, larva, pre-pupa, pupa, as well as female and male longevity were 5.09±0.04, 23.15±0.17, 1.04±0.02, 7.80±0.05, 15.31±0.73 and 12.92±0.71 days, respectively. As an important pest newly introduced in northern Iran, the Box tree moth completes two and partial third generations per year. The results of this study would be useful for improving pest management strategies.

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The purpose of this study was comparison study on antibiotic resistance profile and multiple antibiotic resistance index (MAR Index) in the Campylobacter spp. isolates from domestic animals and water. To performing the study, 392 fecal and water samples were collected from poultry (182), cow (141), sheep and goat (41) and tap water (28). All samples were subjected for isolation of Campylobacter spp. using pre-treatment-Kapandis Baseri (prêt KB) method and the isolates were confirmed by sequencing of 16srRNA genes. Furthermore, Campylobacter isolates were assessed for antibiotic resistance profile and multiple antibiotic resistance index (MAR Index) by using disk diffusion method. The results indicated that Campylobacter spp.  isolated from 50 samples. The isolation rate was highest in poultry (37/50) and lowest in goat (2/50). 36 isolates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and the rest (14 isolates) were identified as Campylobacter coli. All of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates found resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic, erythromycin and chloramphenicol and all sensitive to ciprofloxacin, kanamycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, tobramycin, tetracycline and imipenem. 36% of C. jejuni  and 14% of C. coli had multiple antibiotic resistance index 0.2 and upper. Therefore, based on foregoing evidence, all of the isolates were resistant to antibiotics, therefore, human infection with Campylobacter spp. via utilization of animal origin products is possible.