Bulgarian Journal of Veterinary Medicine (BJVM)
ISSN 1311-1477
Bulgarian Journal of Veterinary Medicine
VOL. 2, No 1, march, 1999
CONTENTS
Published by the Trakia University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Volume 2, Number 1, March 1999, Summaries
D. Goundasheva, 1999. Some new aspects on the immune-inflammatory-neuroendocrine interactions. Bulg . J. Vet. Med., 2, No 1, 1-8.
The relationships between immune and nervous systems are discussed. Closely examined here are the effects of cytokines (mediators of immune and inflammatory reactions) on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as its response. The latter comprises the release of glucocorticoids, as factors preventing organism from the potentially lethal effects of cytokines, induced during immune reaction, infection, injuries and tumors.
Key words: pro-inflammatory cytokines, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroendcrine immune interactions.
Popova, M. and Ch. Popov, 1999. Changes in the stability and functional parameters of rat erythrocytes and leucocytes induced by heavy metals. Bulg. J. Vet. Med. 2, No 1, 9-16.
Changes in the resistivity of rat erythrocytes against some unfavourable influences induced by salts of heavy metals (HMS) Cu, Fe and Pb were examined in vivo. In addition, the effects on the aerobic glycolytic activity as well as on the rate of superoxide production by rat peritoneal polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) due to these xenobiotics were also studied.
It was shown that HMS examined increased mechanical and hyperthermic erythrocyte lysis. They were found to have no effect under moderate hypoosmotic exposure of cells. However, Pb enhanced the stability of erythrocyte membranes against drastic osmotic shock. When studying the rate of red blood cell lysis during their storage at 0-4oC, bilateral deviations from the control were established - Cu accelerated while Fe retarded the rate of erythrocyte lysis.
Heavy metal salts, especially Cu, were found to be effective in causing activation of aerobic glycolyse of rat peritoneal PMNL. Amongst these chemical agents only Pb induced a sharp inhibiting effect on the superoxide production by the same cells.
Key words: heavy metal salts, erythrocytes, hemolysis, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, superoxide.
Tcherneva E. K., M. Ljutzkanov and P. Ivanov, 1999. Typing of Brucella species by application of different PCR Techniques. Bulg. J. Vet. Med. 2, No 1, 17-32.
The six species in the Brucella genus are highly related as found by DNA hybridization. This makes the DNA-based diagnosis of Brucella infections difficult. The aim of this work was to compare 4 PCR-based techniques for discrimination between Brucella species. The methods used in the study were: 1. Normal PCR with two pairs of primers deduced from the BCSP 31 protein gene sequence. 2. Multiplex PCR (AMOS-PCR). 3. Rep- PCR and 4. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profiles (RAPD). Collection of 50 Brucella strains, including 24 clinical isolates of B. canis, 4 B. ovis, 6 B. suis and 1 B. melitensis and 12 representatives of the a-2 subdivision of Proteobacteria as controls. Results: The pair of primers OLI I/III yielded a fragment of 1600 bp specific for B. ovis. The multiplex PCR using 5 primers in a single tube, discriminates between B. abortus bt.1, B. melitensis, B. ovis and B. suis bt.1. B. suis bt.2 showed abend of 380 bp, different from B. suis bt.1. It was shown that AMOS-PCR might be a useful tool in the diagnosis of Brucella infections in Bulgaria. The strain collection was analyzed using rep-PCR. PCR-amplification with REP 1R-I/REP 2-I provided distinct patterns for Brucella spp. All Brucella strains could be identified at least on the species level. Brucella strains were characterized by two 10-mer primers: OPL O4 and P5. A discrimination between Brucella spp. and all a2 subdivision representatives was established for both primers. The reproducibility of RAPD and the application of the technique for diagnostical purposes was commented. RAPD patterns were analyzed by PHYLIP 3.1 computer program. The digitized patterns were stored and a data base was created which could help in the process of Brucella infections diagnosis.
Key words: Brucella, PCR, rep-PCR, RAPD, typing, clustering.
Bachvarova, Y., G. Kostov, S. Savova, Iv. Bardarov and Zh. Baitchev, 1999. Ocurrence of the non-specific tuberculin reactions in cattle and nature of the accompanying pathomorphological and bacterial findings. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 2, No 1, 33-39.
Allergic, bacteriological and patho-morphological studies on cattle, coming from safe or in a process of recovery diary or private farms from different regions in the country, were carried out. It was found out that the non-specific tuberculin reactions persisted as a problem. They were most often found in animals from the Bourgas region, and then in the Veliko Tarnovo, Dobritch, Varna, Sofia, Gabrovo and Shumen regions.
At the laboratory analyses of materials from cattle that had shown non-specific tuberculin reactions, the most frequently found accompanying pathological states varying in nature and frequency, were: parasite infestations /13.58%/, Echinococcosis / 10.55%/, Sarcocystosis / 1.53%/, Paramphystomatosis /0.63%/, Fasciolosis /0.43%/, enzootic leucosis /11.3%/, actinomycosis /0.72%/, infections with atypical mycobacteria /1.03%/ and Actinomyces pyogenes /0.07%/, abscesses in the parenchymal organs /0.72%/, pleuritis /0.6%/, pericarditis /0.4%/ and mixed infections /1.89%/. The participation of various etiological agents in inducing of non-specific tuberculin reactions has also been discussed.
Key words: tuberculosis, non-specific tuberculin reactions, cattle, infection, parasitism, Actinomyces pyogenes /Corynebacterium pyogenes/ and Mycobacterium.
G. Kostov, Y. Bachvarova, M. Stephanov and A. Arnaoudov, 1999. Occurrence of antibodies against Actinomyces pyogenes in blood sera from cattle showing non-specific tuberculin reactions. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 2, No 1, 41-45.
Investigations for detection of antibodies against Actinomyces pyogenes through the agglutination reaction (AR) in blood sera from cattle showing non-specific tuberculin reactions have been carried out. It was found out that in some of the blood sera, taken from animals coming from certain locations, antibodies were proved in a diagnostic titre /1:80/, while in the blood sera from animals, coming from other locations, such antibodies were not found.
In some of the animals, where a diagnostic titre of agglutinins against A. pyogenes was present, antibodies were also found through the complement-fixation reaction (CFR), with antigens from Mycobacterium bovis and M. avium, as well as with crossed serological reactions between M. bovis and A. pyogenes in cattle naturally infected with tuberculosis.
The possibility for the use of the detection of antibodies against A. pyogenes in combination with some other methods of serological differentiation of the non-specific tuberculin reactions in cattle, has also been discussed.
Key words: reaction of agglutination, complement-fixation test, tuberculosis, non-specific tuberculin reactions, antibodies, Actinomyces pyogenes.
Tzvetkov, Y., I. Todev, B. B. Georgiev and V. Biserkov, 1999. Enzootic gnathostomiasis of the polecat, Mustela putorius L. in Bulgaria. Bulg. J. Vet. Med. 2, No 1, 47-52.
The presence of tumorlike lesions associated with Gnathostoma spinigerum was revealed in 10 out of 14 specimens (prevalence 71.4%) of Mustela putorius in the valley of the Topolnitsa river, South Bulgaria (new host and geographical record). The histological studies demonstrated chronic productive inflammation with fibrous thickening of the submucosa. No granulomas of epitheloid and giant cells were observed. On this basis, the presence of benign helminthomas is assumed.
Key words: Gnathostoma, gnathostomiasis, Mustela putorius.
Daskalov, H. and A. Pavlov, 1999. β-Hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activity of unfrozen and frozen-thawed eel (Anguilla anguilla) meat. Bulg. J.Vet. Med., 2, No 1, 53-57.
Changes in the β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HADH) activity for differentiation of frozen-thawed and fresh (unfrozen) eel meat were investigated. Freezing treatment at -18 and -35oC has been used. The enzyme was extracted by immersion of the meat in phosphate buffer 0.1 M and pH 6.0 at 25oC for 15 min. The enzyme activity was assessed by using acetoacetyl-CoA as substrate after juice filtration and measured spectrophotometrically at 340 nm.
No significant differences were found between HADH activity values of eel meat frozen at
-18 and -35oC. The HADH activity was significantly higher in frozen-thawed samples than that in unfrozen meat. That could be explained by a release of HADH during freezing. Storage time at 0oC in crushed ice did not influence release of HADH up to day 4 of the storage. After that there was an increase of the enzyme activity accompanied by spoilage both in unfrozen and frozen samples. This increase could be explained by a progressive meat deterioration.Determinating the HADH activity could be a useful method to differentiate between frozen and fresh eel meat stored for 1 - 4 days at 0oC.
Key words: β-Hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activity, eel meat.
H. Daskalov, D. Stoikov and N. Grozeva, 1999. A preliminary hygienic view in case of lernaeosis in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) based on clinical and pathomorphological observations. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 2, No 1, 59-64.
Clinical, pathomorphological and ultrastructural changes in one-year-old carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) after outbreaks of lernaeosis in three fish farms in South Bulgaria are described. Liver, kidney, spleen, heart, intestine and surface tissues from ten fish were histologically studied after staining with haematoxylin-eosin. Ultrastructure of liver, kidney and surface tissues was studied using transmission electron microscopy. In areas of parasite localization strong inflammatory and necrotic changes were observed. Ultrastructural damage in liver and kidney occurred. A preliminary hygienic view based on clinical and pathomorphological changes is discussed. Some necessary measures for prevention in case of lernaeosis in carp are proposed.
Key words: common carp, lernaeosis, fish inspection, histological changes