Caseous lymphadenitis is a chronic infection caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis that affects the lymphatic system, resulting in abscesses in the lymph nodes and internal organs. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of caseous lymphadenitis among slaughtered sheep in Duhok abattoirs, Duhok, Iraq and to investigate to what extend rabbits can develop caseous lymphadenitis just like that in sheep. A total of 1052 carcasses of sheep were randomly selected (939 males and 113 females) and carefully inspected for detection any suspected caseous lymph adenitis. The isolated Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis from lymph nodes of sheep carcasses were identified by PCR before used in in vivo infection in rabbits. Data revealed that the prevalence rate of caseous lymphadenitis was at 1.9% among the slaughtered sheep and the prevalence rates were higher in females and older ages than that of males and younger ages, respectively. Experimentally infected rabbits developed various clinical signs were ranging from in inappetence to sudden death, mainly during first week of infection. Histopathologically, the infected rabbits developed caseous lymphadenitis and pyogranuloma after a time point of 10 days post-infection. Liver, spleen and lymph nodes of infected rabbits showed caseonecrotic foci with multiple micro-granulomas with presence of thick pyogenic membrane infiltrated with leukocytic cells; these findings are strictly resemblance to that reported in sheep. The obtained preliminary data of using rabbits as an animal model is promising which will enhance a better understanding the pathogenesis of caseous lymphadenitis in animals.

In this study the seroprevalence of active toxoplasmosis represented by T. gondii IgM in angora goats was detected in Zakho and Semel districts of Duhok province-Iraq for the first time. T. gondii antibodies were detected at the laboratory of college of Veterinary Medicine of Duhok University from April 2009 to May 2010. Ninety two (92) serum samples were collected from clinically healthy adults' angora goats (54 and 38 were obtained from Semel and Zakho, respectively). Indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay was applied and the overall infection rate was %13.04. Results show that the infection rate was different between the two regions with a higher rate recorded in Zakho. Female and older animals were affected with higher infection rates than males and younger animals. It can be concluded that toxoplasmosis is an active infection among angora goats of Duhok province, therefore 145

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