Aim:Aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, virulence gene profiles, and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in diarrheic buffalo calves from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States.Materials and Methods:A total of 375 fecal samples from diarrheic buffalo calves of 1-7, 8-30, 31-60, and 61-90 days age were collected from which STEC were isolated, and virulence genes were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The antimicrobial resistance of isolates was tested by disk diffusion method.Results:The prevalence of E. coli associated diarrhea in buffalo calves was 85.04%, of which 35.01% was STEC origin. In STEC, the combination of eaeA and, hlyA virulence genes was highest (42.45%) followed by stx1 (16.04%), stx1, stx2 and hlyA (13.21%), stx2 (12.64%), stx1, eae and hlyA (9.43%) and stx1 and hlyA (6.6%) genes were detected. Highest antimicrobial resistance was observed for tetracycline (63.21%) and ampicillin (48.11%), while chloramphenicol, gentamycin (96.33%) and imipenem (99.06%) antibiotics are susceptible. Multidrug resistance was detected in 69.81% of the STEC isolates from diarrheic buffalo calves.Conclusion:Higher prevalence of eaeA and hlyA genes carrying isolates of STEC may be a serious zoonotic threat and increased prevalence of multidrug resistance in E. coli may necessitate stringent selection of appropriate antimicrobial agent in treating buffalo calf diarrhea cases.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was employed to detect Taenia solium DNA in muscle lesions for validation of the meat inspection results of slaughtered pigs. Two sets of oligonucleotide primers, one targeted against the large subunit rRNA gene (TBR primers) and the other targeted against cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (Cox1 primers) of T. solium were used in this study. On reactivity in PCR test, the TBR primers and the Cox1 primers yielded products of 286 and 984 bp, respectively, in cysticercosis positive cases. Both the sets of primers were found to be highly specific, since they did not yield any PCR product in negative controls. A total of 225 pig carcasses were screened for cysticercosis by meat inspection, out of which 25 carcasses with visible cysts (16 viable and 9 degenerated cysts) were also confirmed to be positive for cysticercosis in PCR test. However, out of the 35 carcasses with suspected lesions on meat inspection, only two were found to be positive for cysticercosis in PCR test. The detection limits for both the primer sets were analyzed. The TBR primer set could detect up to 10 pg of cysticercus DNA, whereas the Cox1 primer set could detect only up to 1 ng. It is evident from the study that PCR test is an efficient tool for validation of meat inspection results and also to rule out ambiguity in carcass judgment of suspected cases of porcine cysticercosis.

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This study was conducted to assess the therapeutic efficiency of antioxidant in subclinical mastitis. Therapeutic trials were conducted in twelve buffaloes affected with subclinical mastitis and were randomly divided into two groups. The buffaloes of Group 1 were treated with intramuscular injection of Inj. Mofoi 5 mg/kg body weight, while Group 2 buffaloes were treated with intramuscular administration of Inj. Mofoi 5 mg/kg body weight along with antioxidant powder orally. The therapeutic efficacy was assessed based on bacteriological cure and the pre and post therapeutic values of somatic cell count, electrical resistance, pH and milk yield. The use of antioxidant along with Moxifloxacin was found to be superior than antibiotic alone by improving udder's natural defence mechanism, early restoration of milk yield and quick recovery.

Background: Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of many economically important diseases in a wide range of hosts. The mechanisms by which these bacteria can invade the mucosa, evade innate immunity and cause systemic disease are slowly being elucidated. Many key virulence factors are yet to be identified, including those required for initial attachment and invasion of host cells and for persistence in a relatively nutrient poor and hostile environment. This has led to intensive research to understand host adaptation mechanisms and virulence factors in order to develop effective vaccines. Methods: The present study was carried out to know the distribution of virulence genes viz., haemoglobin binding proteins (hgbA and hgbB), outer membrane protein (ompH), fimbrial antigen (ptfA), filamentous haemagglutinin (pfhA) and transferrin binding protein (tbpA) by PCR in P. multocida CapA isolates from apparently healthy or carrier animals and CapB isolates from field Haemorrhagic septicemia (HS) cases to monitor the epidemiological associations of virulence genes in Cap A and Cap B isolates. Result: The study revealed that all the six virulence associated genes were present in Cap B isolates. None of the Cap A isolates harboured tbpA and pfhA genes. These two genes were closely related to serotype B causing Haemorrhagic septicemia and were epidemiologically associated with disease status.