No abstract

Linguatula serrata, well known as tongue worm; is an aberrant cosmopolitan parasite, which inhabits the carnivorous mammals (especially Canidae) respiratory system. The discharged eggs infect many plant feeder animals including human that produces visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis which is known as Marrara syndrome in man. In current study, the prevalence rate of infection with L. serrata nymphs in mesenteric and mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of slaughtered sheeps was investigated in Esfahan Province, Iran. The MLNs of 506 slaughtered sheeps, including 236 females and 270 males, were examined for L. serrata nymphs by cutting the MLNs longitudinally and then microscopic studies for L. serrata nymphs. Sheeps were categorized into four age groups, including \1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years and [3 years. Results showed that 11.66 % of examined sheeps were infected with L. serrata. Age had significant effect on the prevalence rate of this parasite in sheeps (infection in sheeps with [3 years old was more than other groups significantly) and sex had no significant effect on the prevalence rate of this parasite in sheeps. Infection rate in winter was significantly lower than infection rate in spring; but there were no significant differences between the other seasons. As high prevalence rate of infection in sheeps, suggesting possibly similar high rate of infection in other animals and man in the investigated area, which this emphasizes undertaking strict control measures to reduce risk of zoonotic outbreaks. This study was demonstrated infection rate of L. serrata in sheeps in central parts of Iran.

It has been reported that parasites affect the health and productivity of birds, initiate excessive preening which interrupts feeding, as the birds spend much time preening rather than being involved in other essential life activities. Haemoproteus columbae occurs in pigeons widely in tropical and subtropical regions. The present investigation was concentrated on the effect of H. columbae infection on the hemogram and changes in the number of white blood cells in infected pigeons. Blood samples taked from 100 pigeons in Shahrekord. Blood smears stained and observed for H. columbae infection. Packed cell volume (PCV) and total white blood cells (WBC) count and differential WBC count determinate for every smears. This study show that PCV increased in infected pigeons by H. columbae than non infected pigeons. There were increasing in the number of total WBC in the infected pigeons by H. columbae than non infected pigeons. Also there were significant differences between the number of lymphocytes and eosinophils in the infected pigeons by H. columbae than non infected pigeons. This study and same studies show the part of the effects of blood parasites on the hemogram, but there were many questions about the effects of blood parasites such as H. columbae on the other parameters of host's blood, so we advise to focus on the other hematological parameters in the future studies.

Heat stress is a problem in laying hens as it decreases egg quality by decreasing eggshell mineralization. Heat stress alters gene expression, hence our aim was to investigate effects of heat stress on gene expression of ion transport elements involving in uterine mineralization (TRPV6, CALB1, ITPR3, SCNN1G, SLC4A4, KCNJ15, SLC4A9, and CLCN2) by real time quantitative PCR. Forty 23-week-old White Leghorn laying hens were housed in two rooms. The control group (n = 20) was maintained at 21-23 °C, and the heat stress group (n = 20) was exposed to 36-38 °C for 8 weeks. All parameters of egg quality including egg weight, surface area, volume, and eggshell weight, thickness, ash weight, and calcium content were decreased in the heat stress group compared to the control group (by 26.9%, 32.7%, 44.1%, 38.4%, 31.7%, 39.4%, and 11.1%, respectively). Total plasma calcium was decreased by 13.4%. Levels of ITPR3, SLC4A4, and SLC4A9 transcripts in the uterine lining were decreased in the heat stress group compared to the control group (by 61.4%, 66.1%, and 66.1%, respectively). CALB1 transcript level was increased (by 34.2 fold) in the heat stress group of hens compared to controls. TRPV6, SCNN1G, KCNJ15, and CLCN2 transcript levels did not significantly differ between control and heat stress groups of laying hens. It is concluded that the down-expression of ITPR3, SLC4A4, and SLC4A9 genes may impair transportation of Cl, HCO, and Na in eggshell mineralization during heat stress. Increased CALB1 gene expression may increase resistance of uterine cells to detrimental effects of heat stress.

The effects of diets containing Gundelia (Gundelia tournefortii L.), which is a wild plant species in middle east countries, on performance rate and health parameters of Iranian afshari breed sheep were studied for the first time. Totally 60 fattened sheep in three groups were studied via receiving different diets and performance rate, hematological and biochemical parameters, which are related to animals' health and also are indicator for diet's efficiency, for each group were evaluated via laboratory methods. The results of current study show that performance rate and/or hematological and biochemical parameters in group which received diet containing Gundelia hay and grain were same as control group which received standard diet, but performance rate in group which received Gundelia hay singly was lower than other groups. Number of white blood cells, differential number of neutrophils and lymphocytes, concentration of plasma proteins and fibrinogen, serum concentration of total protein, cholesterol and lipase had increases in treatment groups versus control group and number of red blood cells, serum concentration of glucose, albumin and blood urea nitrogen had decreases in treatment groups versus control group. Given to low costs and high-performance rate of Gundelia hay plus grain diet, which is related to presence of high amount of carbohydrates and fatty acids in it, this diet can be considered as an efficient diet for fattened sheep but more studies are need. Study on production's quality in animals are receiving Gundelia diet is suggested as a subject for next studies.