This study was conducted to know the genetic variability of rabies viruses (RVs) from wild animals in India. A total of 20 rabies suspected brain samples of wild animals from different states of India were included in the study. The samples were subjected for direct fluorescent antibody test (dFAT), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The phylogenetic analysis of partial nucleoprotein gene sequences was performed. Of 20 samples, 11, 10, and 12 cases were found positive by dFAT, RT-PCR, and RT-qPCR, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all Indian wild RVs isolates belonged to classical genotype 1 of Lyssavirus and were closely related to Arctic/Arctic-like single cluster indicating the possibility of a spillover of rabies among different species. The results indicated the circulation of similar RVs in sylvatic and urban cycles in India. However, understanding the role of wild animals as reservoir host needs to be studied in India. Keywords: India, nucleoprotein gene, phylogenetic analysis, rabies virus, wild animals.

Dendrophthoe pentandra L. Miq (benalu duku) is a parasitic herb that commonly grows on the host plant Lansium domesticum. Researchers have found that the plant contains anticancer compounds and may contain phytoandrogens, including progesterone-like compounds, in its crude methanol extract. The objective of the current study was to investigate the compound of phyto progesterone in benalu duku leaves after extracted by methanol and prepared using an analytical column of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). About 400 g of benalu duku leaves were pulverized, and their compounds were isolated by the isocratic method using an RP-18 analytical column (5 μm) with a mobile phase of 70:30 (methanol: water) in a photodiode array detector adjusted to 254 nm. The phyto progesterone compound was identified at a retention time of approximately 6.01 min. By LC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry focusing on molecular fractions, the fingerprint area of the Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, cm−1) and Hnuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra indicated that the phyto progesterone product isolated was identical to the certified reference material of pure progesterone, particularly the specific functional groups in the FT-IR spectrum at wavenumbers of 1317.43 cm−1 and 1386.86 cm−1 and in the proton HNMR spectrum at carbon 21 of progesterone (p<0.05). Each 49.888 μg/mL of crude benalu duku leaf extract dissolved in the mobile phase contained 28.515±0.713 μg/mL phyto progesterone. Keywords: Androgenic phyto progesterone, Hnuclear magnetic resonance of crude methanol extract, Isolation technique of progesterone, molecular fractions, progesterone compounds in crude methanol extract, progesterone-like effect.

Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of many arthropod-borne diseases. One of the diseases, dengue fever, is an endemic disease in Indonesia causing high mortalities for decades. There are no preventive and specific treatments for dengue so far. Therefore, prevention of this disease largely depends on the mosquito control. Since resistance to chemical insecticides occurred worldwide, the study on alternate and new mosquito insecticides are mandatory. This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of essential oil from P. betle L. in the larval and adult stages, as well as its influence on oviposition activity of A. aegypti mosquito. P. betle efficacy was evaluated in various stages of A. aegypti development. For the larvicidal activity, larvae instar III stage was used. Adulticidal assay in this experiment was performed using newly emerged A. aegypti. For oviposition assay, mated A. aegypti was tested for their responses to P. betle-treated and non-treated ovitraps. P. betle L. - adulticide activity was effective with a concentration of 2.5 μl/ml, caused 100% mortality within 15-30 min. Larvicide activity was observed after 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-treatment with LC50183, 92.7, and 59.8 ppm and LC90> 637, 525, and 434.7 ppm, respectively. Oviposition activity index was −0.917 in 1000 ppm. In addition, the eggs number of A. aegypti oviposition with 100 ppm of essential oil P. betle L. was 5 times lower than the control. This study demonstrated clearly that essential oil derived from P. betle L. potentially acts as alternate bioinsecticide to control A. aegypti population. The application can be varied or combined in different stages of mosquito development. Keywords: adulticide, Aedes aegypti, larvicide, oviposition, Piper betle L.

This study generally aimed to detect the presence of common GIT parasites in owned and shelter dogs in Cebu, Philippines. A total of 200 fecal samples (130 from owned dogs and 70 from shelter dogs) were collected. Profiles of owned dogs and their owners were obtained. Fecalysis was performed using three methods: Direct smear, sedimentation, and flotation techniques. Majority of the sampled dogs were 5 years old and below that (79.2%), male (64.6%) and of pure breed (53.1%). Among the most common parasites detected were Ancylostoma, Trichuris and Toxocara spp. Statistical analyses revealed a significant association between the presence of parasites and the body score of the dogs (p=0.000), the deworming status (p=0.000), and the rearing practice (contact with other dogs, p=0.000, where it spends its time (p=0.000), plays in the grass (p=0.050), where it defecates (p=0.014), contact with other animals (p=0.000). GIT parasites were detected in owned and shelter dogs in Cebu, Philippines. The results of this study can serve as baseline information about the canine parasitic fauna in the Philippines. Keywords: Cebu, dogs, gastrointestinal parasites.

Back disorder is an ailment that often affects athletic and riding horses. Despite the rapidly growing equine athletic and equestrian activities, there is no documentation on the nature of equine back disorder (EBD) in Malaysian horses. The purpose of this study was to characterize EBD cases presented to University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia, between 2002 and 2017. The compilation of data was based on signalment, case history, duration of clinical signs, anatomical location of the pain, method of diagnosis, type of EBD, treatment, and outcome. The diagnosis of EBD was based on a history of poor performance, clinical examination findings, radiography, and, where applicable, necropsy. A total of 181 diagnosed cases of EBDs were identified. The age of horses ranged from 5 to 22 years. The EBD cases were more prevalent in male than female horses and predominantly in geldings (60.77%). Thoroughbred, Arab, Polo pony, and Warmblood also recorded the most EBD cases among breeds. The discipline of horses tended to influence the development of EBDs, with patrolling horses recording the highest frequency. Most EBD cases were of the primary type (92.27%), with the main causes being soft-tissue lesions (57.48%), vertebral lesions (18.56%), tack-associated problems (16.77%), and neurological lesions (7.19%). The common treatments employed were administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, 1 to 3-month rest, warm and cold compression therapy, massage therapy, exercise adjustment, as well as correction of ill-saddle fit. Most EBDs in this study were associated with soft-tissue lesions. Among vertebral lesions, kissing spines were the most common cause of EBDs in horses in Malaysia. Keywords: back disorder, diagnosis, horses, Malaysia, management.

This study aimed to elucidate the ability of the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) to integrate into cells of heterologous organisms, in particular, Wistar rats, and examine the manifestations of the pathological process that could be seen in them. Wistar rats - were divided into three groups. The first group (I) was fed milk of intact cows, the second (II) - milk of BLV-infected cows, and the third (III) - milk of cows, clinically BLV sick. Rats of all groups were divided into two subgroups: In the subgroup "a", there were adult rats, and in the subgroup "b", their offspring were included. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from the start of the experiment, the animals' blood of each group was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of BLV provirus and specific anti-leukemia antibodies. A general and biochemical blood test was performed; pathological changes in the internal organs were recorded. Using the PCR, the BLV infection was established in all experimental rats, whose immune response was expressed in varying degrees. At the initial stage of the infection, offspring rats were born healthy. The rats of the control groups Ia and Ib were intact to the BLV throughout the experiment. The biochemical blood tests have shown several signs of intoxication, endocrine disorders, and development of malignant processes in the experimental animals. There are also signs of liver, kidney, and myocardial damages, regardless of whether milk is infected or the cows are clinically leukemic. By the time, the experimental rats developed persistent thrombocytosis with an increase in the average volume of the blood platelets, which may be evidence of the leukemia infection by the megakaryocytic type. The most pronounced character of the change was in the offspring generation. Wistar rats can be considered as a suitable laboratory model to study the BLV pathogenesis. Rats are not BLV natural host, however, they developed the pathognomonic BLV infection symptoms when they were fed infected and leukemic cow's milk. Keywords: cattle, danger to humans, hematobiochemical indicators, leukemia, Wistar rats.

Helminth infections inflict negatively on the production and well-being of animals including poultry. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence, species diversity, intensity, and risk factors associated with the gastrointestinal helminths of intensively raised poultry in Kwara Central senatorial district of Kwara State. Fecal samples were collected from 502 poultry species from 15 farms. The samples were subjected to floatation and the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration techniques of examination. The intensity of infections was determined using McMaster counting technique. Seven helminth species were detected with Heterakis gallinarum (10.2%) and Ascaridia galli (6.0%) been the most prevalent, while Capillaria species was the least prevalent (0.8%). Physiological status, bird type, production purpose, farm age (years), presence of other animals in the farm, flock size (birds), farm size (acres), housing type, farm type, frequency of anthelmintic use, distance to waste area (meters), level of biosecurity, and frequency of cleaning the pen were the risk factors significantly (p<0.05) associated with the presence of helminth infections. This study shows that helminth infections are endemic in the study area, as 66.7% of the sampled farms were infected with one or more helminth species. Findings from this study provide information that will assist in improving the poultry sector in Kwara State, Nigeria in general, for better production and profitability. Keywords: epidemiology, gastrointestinal helminths, Kwara State, Nigeria, poultry.

This study aimed to estimate the enumeration of total bacteria and coliform on teat skin from dairy cows and evaluate the efficacy of the natural rice gel containing 5% v/v lactic acid (NGL) against Escherichia coli standard and field strains isolated from bovine teat skin. A total of 100 bacterial teat skin samples (25 cows) were collected from dairy cows in smallholder farm. The cows were housed in freestall barns. The colonization of total bacteria and E. coli on teat skin was measured by 3M Petrifilm method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of lactic acid were evaluated for reference strain of E. coli ATCC 25922 and two field strains of E. coli. The natural teat sanitizer was formulated using 5% NGL with modified rice gel. In vitro antiseptic efficacy of 5% NGL was determined by time-kill kinetic assay. E. coli morphology after exposure with 5% NGL was examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The total bacteria and coliform counts from bovine teat skin were 2.11×104 and 1.54×101 colony-forming units/ml, respectively. The MIC and MBC of lactic acid on the tested bacteria were 0.5% v/v. The natural teat dip was successfully prepared with minimum change in consistency after 1 year of storage at 4°C. The reduction rate of 5% NGL on E. coli ATCC 25922 and field strain showed 32.77% and 27.58%, respectively. An appearance under SEM of non-viable E. coli after being incubated with 5% NGL clearly showed atypical form and rough surface cell membrane. The rice gel containing 5% v/v lactic acid is a promising preparation as a natural teat antiseptic for reducing bacteria on teat skin. It was shown to be effective against E. coli causing bovine mastitis in dairy cows. Keywords: antiseptic, Escherichia coli, lactic acid, teat skin.

This study aimed to examine the effect of mangosteen peel flour (MF) and turmeric flour (TF) dietary supplementation on the performance, lipid profile, and abdominal fat content of Cihateup ducks. The study was conducted for 56 days (8 weeks) using 84-day-old male Cihateup ducks that were allocated into seven treatments with three replications and each containing four ducks as subreplicates. The seven groups were positive control, containing 100% of basal ration/BR + 50 ppm bacitracin (R0), BR + 2% MF (R1), BR + 1.5% MF + 0.5% TF (R2), BR + 1% MF + 1% TF (R3), BR + 0.5% MF + 1.5% TF (R4), BR + 2% TF (R5), and BR only as negative control (R6). The data of each variable were analyzed using a completely randomized design (one way). Significant differences (p<0.05) were determined with Duncan test. The results indicated that the addition of MF and TF significantly affected (p<0.05) body weight, weight gain, mortality rate, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and abdominal fat levels. At the same time, MF and TF significantly influenced (p<0.01) total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration. Non-significant differences (p>0.05) in feed intake and feed conversion of Cihateup ducks were observed. The combination of MF and TF at a balanced ratio (R3) can be used as an alternative feed additive to improve performance, lipid profile, and abdominal fat of Cihateup ducks. Keywords: Cihateup duck, lipid profile, mangosteen peel flour, performance, turmeric flour.

The research was conducted to determine the effect of temperature and storage duration on the physicochemical, lipolytic, microbiological, and proteolytic characteristics of goat cheese made using Lactobacillus plantarum TW14 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus TW2 bacteria. The cheese was stored at 4°C and −20°C for 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 days. Observations were made on its physicochemical, lipolysis, and microbiological characteristics. The proteolysis pattern was measured with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein, fat, ash and total solids levels of cold-stored cheese were higher than the frozen-stored one. The frozen-stored cheese's free fatty acids (FFA) and acid degree value (ADV) levels are lower than those of the cold-stored cheese as indicated by the partial lipolysis event. The total yeast in the frozen-stored cheese is lower than that in the frozen-stored cheese. Finally, the electrophoresis profile indicates that proteolysis of the frozen-stored cheese is formed since there have been detected αs1-casein, αs2-casein, β-casein, and κ-casein in the casein breakdown during the 60-day storage. The physicochemical characteristics of cold-stored cheese are better than the cheese stored at frozen temperature. However, frozen-stored cheese produces lower FFA and ADV than cold-stored cheese and lipolysis occurs only partially. Keywords: cheese, lipolysis, physicochemical, proteolysis.

This study was conducted to isolate generic enterobacteria from day-old broiler chicks in Nigeria, determine the antibacterial resistance profile, and assess multidrug resistance. The birds were sourced from five purposively-selected hatcheries (identified as A, B, C, D and E) in Southwest Nigeria. Non-duplicate cloacal swabs were collected from a total of 75 (15 birds per hatchery) randomly selected apparently healthy birds. Sampling was done in three batches of five chicks per batch at 2-week interval. Isolation of enterobacteria was done using MacConkey agar. The resistance of the isolates was determined using the disk diffusion method. Of 15 processed samples of birds from each hatchery, all samples from hatcheries B, D, and E, 10 (66.7%) and 14 (93.3%) samples from hatcheries A and C, respectively, yielded pure cultures of Escherichia coli. Klebsiella was also isolated from 1 (7.1%) of the 14 and 2 (13.2%) of the 15 growth-positive samples from hatcheries C and D, respectively. The range of resistance among E. coli isolates was tetracycline (86.7-100%), ampicillin (80-100%), gentamicin (60-85.7%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (46.7-92.9%), enrofloxacin (40-100%), ciprofloxacin (26.7-86.7%), streptomycin (10-80%), cefotaxime (26.7-73.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (13.3-60%), and ceftazidime (6.7-40%). Klebsiella and all E. coli isolate from chicks of hatcheries B, C, and E, 80 and 93.3% of those from chicks of hatcheries A and D, respectively, exhibited resistance to three or more classes of antibacterial agents. Commercial day-old broiler chicks in Nigeria are colonized by multidrug-resistant coliforms (E. coli and Klebsiella) and are potential reservoirs and disseminators of these organisms. Keywords: avian, coliforms, day-old chicks, Enterobacteriaceae, multidrug resistant.

This study aimed to isolate some of the currently circulating infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains from some broiler chicken farms in Al-Hasa and to do some molecular characteristics of these strains. We collected 300 tissue specimens, including the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and kidneys from some four commercial chicken farms showing respiratory manifestations. We tested these tissue specimens by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and gel-based PCR. We selected some PCR positive samples for isolation in the embryonated chicken eggs (ECE). We sequenced some PCR-positive samples and conducted phylogenetic analysis based on the obtained sequences. Our molecular surveillance revealed that 31.6% of the tested specimens were IBV positive by PCR. We selected some positive specimens showing low Ct values by the qRT-PCR for virus isolation by the ECE. The infected eggs showed hemorrhage, dwarfing, and death in some cases after three passages in the ECE. We sequenced some of the positive PCR specimens and used the obtained sequences to draw the phylogenetic tree based on the partial IBV-ORF-1a, N, and S1 gene sequences. The phylogenetic trees based on the IBV-N and S1 gene sequences showed that the circulating IBV strains in Al-Hasa during 2016 was showing a high degree of identity to some strains from Taiwan and Italy. Meanwhile, the grouping of these strains based on the IBV-S1 sequences revealed that the currently circulating IBV strains in Al-Hasa belonged to Gr.I.7 along with strains from Taiwan. Our results confirmed the continuous circulation of the IBV among the chicken population in Al-Hasa despite the intensive application of vaccines against this virus. Keywords: Al-Hasa, molecular, infectious bronchitis, isolation, molecular, phylogenetic.

This study aimed to characterize the Pm strains recovered from clinical cases of PN and PAR and to elucidate the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the strains. Sixty strains were characterized molecularly by polymerase chain reaction to determine species-specific gene, capsular type (A or D), and toxin A production. The agar diffusion method was employed to evaluate antibiotic resistance profiles. We found that 65% of strains belonged to capsular type A or D, and 15% of those were positive to toxA gene. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles found were sensitive in decreasing order to: Enrofloxacin, ceftiofur (CTF), ampicillin, tilmicosin (TIL), florfenicol (FFN), spectinomycin (SPC), gentamicin, oxytetracycline (OTC), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS). Strains were resistant in decreasing order to: Lincomycin (LIN), tylosin (TYL), erythromycin (ERY), TMS, SPC, OTC, FFN, TIL, and CTF. The toxA gene was detected in many Pm isolates from pneumonic lungs. Capsule type A or D was the most frequently found among the collected isolates. LIN, TYL, and ERY are the drugs which showed higher percentages of resistant isolates. Keywords: antibiotics susceptibility profiles, molecular characterization, Pasteurella multocida, pig.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a widely used organophosphate insecticide. Nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO NPs) physically showed effective adsorbing property for some insecticides. The study was conducted to estimate the potential effect of ZnO NPs against CPF toxicity. Four groups of male rats were used; control group and three groups received drinking water contained 75 mg/L CPF, combined 75 mg/L CPF and 200 mg/L ZnO NPs, and 200 mg/L ZnO NPs, respectively. CPF significantly decreased macrophage activity, serum lysozyme activity, and levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-6; increased the percentage of DNA degeneration on comet assay of lymphocytes and significantly elevated hepatic and splenic malondialdehyde contents; and decreased their glutathione contents. The liver and spleen showed marked histological alterations after exposure to CPF with decreased expression of acetylcholinesterase. The coadministration of ZnO NPs ameliorated most of the undesirable effects of CPF, through elevation of macrophage and serum lysozyme activities, increased the levels of IL-2 and IL-6, corrected the oxidative stress markers, and alleviated most of the adverse effect exerted by CPF in liver and spleen tissues. The addition of ZnO NPs to CPF-contaminated drinking water may be useful as a powerful antioxidant agent against toxic damage induced by CPF particularly in individuals who are on daily occupational exposure to low doses of CPF. Keywords: acetylcholinesterase, chlorpyrifos, immune system, pathology, zinc oxide nanoparticles.

The effect of citrate phosphate dextrose adenine-1 on the hematological parameters of stored Nigerian indigenous dog's blood with plastic vacutainer was investigated. This was done in view of determining the viability and stability of the studied parameters for blood banking purpose. Till date, there is no literature on the stability of whole blood of Nigerian indigenous dogs for blood banking purposes. A total of six apparently adult healthy dogs were sampled, and their blood was stored at 4°C and analyzed for their packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration, red blood cell (RBC) count, total and differential white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet count (PC), mean corpuscular values (mean corpuscular Hgb [MCH], MCH concentration, and mean corpuscular volume [MCV]), blood potency of hydrogen (pH), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) over a period of 14 days. Significant changes were observed in some of the studied parameters. Of the 14 days' study period, PCV, Hgb concentration, total WBC count, PC, and neutrophil count showed no significant (p≥0.05) difference until day 2 post-storage (PS), while RBC count, ESR, MCV, and lymphocyte count showed no significant (p≥0.05) variation up until day 3 PS. Blood pH showed no significant (p≥0.05) variation within 24-h PS but was significantly (p≤0.05) higher than obtained values on days 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 PS. Based on our finding, we could suggest that hematological laboratories and hemotherapists could use canine blood stored in a plastic vacutainer for 2-3 days. Keywords: anemia, blood, citrate phosphate dextrose adenine-1, plastic vacutainer, transfusion.

This study aimed to conduct a clinical-histopathological and molecular evaluation of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) in Awassi sheep in various regions of Al-Qadisiyah Province, Iraq. A total of 150 sheep were clinically evaluated, and the wheelbarrow test was performed. 100 samples (35 blood, 25 lung tissue, 20 lymph node, and 20 lung fluid samples) were randomly selected from living and slaughtered sheep. All samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Histopathological examinations were performed for four lung tissue and two lymph node samples. A diagnosis of OPA was made based on the results of the clinical examination and the clinical signs shown by the animals, such as dyspnea, polypnea, coughing, mucous nasal discharge, moist rales on auscultation of the affected lungs, and emaciation. Interestingly, the animals tested positive for the wheelbarrow test, with frothy nares accompanied by profuse and clear lung fluid. Histopathological examination showed various lesions such as glandular transformation in the lung tissues and emphysema. Moreover, lymph nodes showed marked follicular atrophy and necrosis-associated lymphocyte infiltration in the affected tissues. PCR revealed that 25% of the samples including eight (22.8%) blood, five (20%) lung tissue, five (25%) lymph node, and seven (35%) lung fluid samples were positive for Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus; this result was highly significant. The results of our study indicated that in Iraq, OPA diagnosis should be based on pathological findings and results of advanced procedures such as PCR. Keywords: Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma, polymerase chain reaction.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the capacity of Listeria monocytogenes (L.m), Listeria innocua (L.i), and Escherichia coli to form biofilms on polystyrene support under different parameters by performing crystal violet (CV) staining technique. Different suspensions were prepared with single strains and with multiple combinations of strains including two serogroups of L.m (IIa and IIb), L.i, and E. coli strains at different microbial load. Selected strains and combinations were grown in biofilms for 6 days attached to polystyrene microplates under aerobic and microaerophilic conditions. The evaluation of the power of adhesion and biofilm formation was determined by CV staining followed by the measurement of optical density at 24 h, 72 h, and 6 days incubation time with and without renewal of the culture medium. All the strains tested, presented more or less adhesion power depending on the variation of the studied parameters as well as the ability to form multispecies biofilms. Their development is more important by renewing the culture medium and increasing the initial load of bacteria. The ability to adhere and form biofilms differs from one serogroup to another within the same species. In bacterial combination, strains and species of bacteria adopt different behaviors. The ability to form biofilms is a key factor in the persistence of tested strains in the environment. Our study showed that L.m, L.i, and E. coli could adhere to polystyrene and form biofilms under different conditions. More researches are necessary to understand the mechanisms of biofilm formation and the influence of different parameters in their development. Keywords: biofilm, Escherichia coli, Listeria innocua, Listeria monocytogenes, polystyrene support, variation of parameters.

Staphylococcus with positive coagulase (SPC) is a major problem for beef consumers in the northern part of Cameroon. For this purpose, the SPC concentrations in beef produced and supplied in the northern regions were determined, as well as the resistance profile of these bacteria to antibiotics. A total of 125 samples were obtained by the wet and dry swabbing method in traditional slaughterhouses and butcheries to evaluate the SPC concentration in meat, and then, 102 SPC isolations were collected to determine the antibiotic resistance profile. The distribution of concentration of the SPC indicated no significant differences of bacterial evidence in almost all the slaughterhouses except the one in Manwi (with 2.66 log CFU/cm2) and the density in SPC is higher than that one in Guider (1.99 log CFU/cm2). The assessment of density in SPC among the selected slaughterhouse highlighted a superiority of the SPC concentrations in the Ngaoundere butcheries (3.83 log CFU/cm2) in comparison with those of other towns. At the level of the slaughterhouses, a higher proportion of resistance to Penicillin G was recorded than Gentamicin. Some butcheries recorded that all SPC reacted to Kanamycin, whereas they were more resistant to Penicillin G. These results reveal that the SPC found in meat poses a threat to meat consumers in the northern part of Cameroon. Keywords: contamination, meat, Northern regions of Cameroon, resistance to antibiotics, Staphylococcus with positive coagulase.

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Marek's disease (MD) in five poultry farms in Malaysia using postmortem examination, histopathology, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Tissue samples were collected from 24 broiler breeder chickens from four commercial broiler breeder farms and six layer chickens from one layer farm. Gross and histopathological examinations and PCR amplification of the gene encoding for avian MD herpesvirus (MDV-1) were conducted. Gross pathological changes including hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphomatous lesion at the mesentery, oviduct atrophy, and follicular atresia with lymphomatous were observed, whereas diffuse multifocal whitish infiltration of the spleen, neoplastic infiltration in the liver, intrafollicular lymphoid infiltration of the bursa of Fabricius, and lymphomatous tumor at the mesentery were seen on histopathological examinations. Confirmation by PCR showed that a total of 16 (53.33%) samples were positive for avian MDV-1. Although the outbreak involved a much larger number of birds in the respective farms, our investigation was limited based on resource and time frame allocated for the study. The findings from this study help in emphasizing the potential threats of MDV to the poultry industry globally, in general, and in Malaysia, in particular. As the scope of the current study is limited, future studies focusing on MDV pathogenesis, typing, and causes of vaccine failures are recommended. Keywords: lymphoproliferative diseases, Marek's disease virus-1, Marek's disease, molecular detection, poultry diseases.