No abstract

A simple and rapid method for detection of African horse sickness virus serogroup in cell cultures using RT-PCR. Veterinary Research Communications, 30(3), 319^324

The estimated mortality in six- to 30-month-old cattle due to presumptive schistosomiasis was 7.1% for 155 interviews conducted in the White Nile Province in 1981. This mortality was higher for those herds under sedentary management than for migratory herds (9.4% vs 3.6%). The interviews were done through an informal visit technique by a veterinarian living in the area. The approximate number (19,000) of cattle over six months old estimated to be owned by those interviewed represents about 1% of the population in that province. The mortality from all causes in the six- to 30-month age group was 9.2%; in the over 30-month age group it was 1.8%. The authors judge the schistosomiasis mortality to be somewhat upwardly biased but the mortality due to all causes (9.2%) is consistent with the few reports available.

No abstract

A nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR)-based assay, was developed and evaluated for rapid detection of Trypanosoma evansi in experimentally infected mice and naturally infected camels (Camelus dromedarius). Four oligonucleotide primers (TE1, TE2, TE3 and TE4), selected from nuclear repetitive gene of T. evansi, were designed and used for PCR amplifications. The first amplification, using a pair of outer primers TE1 and TE2, produced a 821-bp primary PCR product from T. evansi DNA. The second amplification, using nested (internal) pair of primers TE3 and TE4, produced a 270-bp PCR product. T. evansi DNAs extracted from blood samples of experimentally infected mice and naturally infected Sudanese breed of dromedary camels were detected by this nested PCR-based assay. The nested primers TE3 and TE4 increased the sensitivity of the PCR assay and as little as 10 fg of T. evansi DNA (equivalent to a single copy of the putative gene of the parasite) was amplified and visualized onto ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels. Amplification products were not detected when the PCR-based assay was applied to DNA from other blood parasites including Thieleria annulata, Babesia bigemina or nucleic acid free samples. Application of this nPCR-based assay to clinical samples resulted in direct detection of T. evansi from a variety of tissue samples collected from experimentally infected mice and blood from naturally infected camels. The described nPCR-based assay provides a valuable tool to study the epidemiology of T. evansi infection in camels and other susceptible animal populations.