During the period between February, 2004 and December, 2006, a cross-sectional study was performed to investigate some epidemiological aspects related to camel brucellosis in Jordan. Four hundred twelve camel sera from 37 herds were randomly collected and analyzed using Rose Bengal plate test and complement fixation test. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was administered to collect information on camel herd health and management. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to investigate risk factors associated with seropositivity to Brucella antigens. Moreover, the incidence of Brucella-specific abortion was investigated in 7 camel herds located in different locations in Southern Jordan. The true prevalence of Brucella-seropositive in camels was 12.1%. Thirteen (35.1%) herds had at least one positive camel. The seroprevalence ofbrucellosis in camels was significantly higher in the southern part of Jordan than that in central or northern Jordan. The multivariable logistic regression model on both individual and herd levels revealed large herds and contact with small ruminants as risk factors for Brucella seropositivity. On the other hand, using disinfectants was identified as a protective factor (OR = 0.8; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.9) only on the camel herd level. The incidence of Brucella-caused abortion was 1.9%. Brucella melitensis biotype 3 was isolated from 4 aborted camel fetuses.

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This investigation was conducted to study the effect of dietary formic acid (FA) and propionic acid (PA) mixture on inhibitory effect of Salmonella pullorum in layer chicks. Nine equal groups of 1-day-old layer chicks, in addition to positive and negative controls, were fed on day 3 of age with acid-treated feed containing mixture of both acids at concentrations, from 0.5 to 1.5%. Positive and negative controls were fed untreated feed. All groups except the negative control were challenged orally on day 3 with 104 CFU/ml/bird S. pullorum. Cloacal swabs were taken at three successive days and at 7, 14 and 21 days of challenge. After 1, 2 and 3 weeks after challenge, four chicks from each group were killed, and crop and caecal contents were examined for S. pullorum and pH. The numbers of S. pullorum re-isolation from all treated groups, 'except groups treated with mixture of 0.5% and 0.5%, 1% and 0.5% as well as 0.5% and 1% FA and PA', decreased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the positive control. The mortality rates of all treated groups except the group treated with 0.5% FA and 0.5% PA decreased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the positive control. The treatment significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the pH of the crop and caecal contents in all groups except the group treated with 0.5% FA and 0.5% PA compared with the control. Also, the treatment significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the pH of the crop and caecal contents in all groups after 3 weeks of treatment compared with the first and second weeks. The treatments significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the frequency of S. pullorum recovery from crop and caecal contents in six groups treated with 1.5 and 0.5, 1 and 1, 1.5 and 1, 0.5 and 1.5, 1 and 1.5, 1.5% and 1.5% FA and PA, respectively. These results indicate that addition of FA and PA mixture in a total concentration of 2% or more to the diet of newly hatched infected layer chicks significantly decreases the crop and caecal colonization by S. pullorum and significantly decreases S. pullorum faecal excretion and reduced the chick mortality rate.

The pharmacokinetics and systemic bioavailability of amoxycillin were investigated in clinically healthy, broiler chickens (n = 10 per group) after single intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.), and oral administrations at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. The plasma concentrations of amoxycillin were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the data were subjected to compartmental and non-compartmental kinetic analyses. Following single i.v. injection, all plasma amoxycillin data were described by a two compartment-open model. The elimination half-lives of amoxycillin were 1.07 h, 1.09 h and 1.13 h after single i.v., i.m. and oral administration, respectively. The total body clearance (Cl(B)) of amoxycillin was 0.80 (L/h)/kg and the volume of distribution calculated as V(d(area)) was 1.12 L/kg, respectively after i.v. administration. Substantial differences in the resultant kinetic data were obtained by comparing the plasma concentration profiles after i.m. injection with that after oral administration. The systemic i.m. bioavailability of amoxycillin was higher (77.21%) than after oral (60.92%) dosing. In vitro, the mean plasma protein binding of amoxycillin amounted to 8.27%. Owing to high clearance of amoxycillin in birds in our study, a plasma level was maintained above 0.25 microg/ml for only 6 h after i.m. and oral routes of administration and consequently frequent dosing may be necessary daily.

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