The present study was carried out to record the clinical signs of equine herpesviruses (EHVs) infection
and to detect the prevalence of EHVs infection among working equids in different provinces of Egypt. A total number of 115 working equids (92 horses and 23 donkeys) were clinically examined and sampled from November 2018 till November 2019 for this study. Two samples were collected from each animal (nasal swab and blood sample) and were subjected to multiplex-PCR to detect the prevalence of different EHVs infection among equids. In the current study, the overall prevalence of EHVs infection among equid populations in Egypt was 80% by using multiplex-PCR. Moreover, the most prevalent equine herpesvirus (EHV) among equids in Upper Egypt was EHV-2 (61.74%), followed by EHV-5 (43. 48%), EHV-1 (20%) and EHV-4 (13. 04%). The recorded clinical signs of the examined equids harbored EHVs (PCR-positive) can be summarized as follows: a higher percentage was detected among equids with a history of acute onset (59. 78%), pyrexia (57. 61%) and/or systemic illness (45. 65%) with or without respiratory signs (56. 52%) and ocular signs (35. 87%). Furthermore, 4. 35% and 1. 09% of EHV-1 PCR-positive equids displayed neurological signs and abortion, respectively
 

The current work was carried out to reveal the probable cause that increases the seriousness of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in crossbred dairy cattle in villages of Assiut and Sohag Governorates, Upper Egypt. The serious form of LSD infected twenty-eight crossbred dairy cows. Diagnosis is based on the clinical background and histopathology. All cows were adult and previously vaccinated against LSD using the sheep pox “Romanian-strain” vaccine. Clinically, enormous numbers of hideous necrotic dermal lesions, similar to starred-shaped craters, were the prominent signs of the diseased cases in association with systemic reactions anorexia pyrexia, tachycardia, tachypnea, and edematous lymphadenitis in superficial nodes. Detailed clinical findings are described. Histopathologically, fibrinoid vasculitis, with severe perivascular mononuclear inflammatory cellular infiltration and ambulance of eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions in the dermis were conspicuously histopathological findings. Blood films and lymph smears of the diseased cases revealed both erythrocytic and lymphocytic forms of Theileria infection. Theileria annulata was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Theileria annulata infection and LSD interactions were discussed. This tick-borne-protozoan is an endemic infection in our villages and plays a pivotal role in the frustration of the humoral and cell-mediated immune statuses of the infected cattle inducing reduction of the efciency of the applied vaccine, and increasing the seriousness of the endemic lumpy skin disease. A national strategy for reducing or minimizing the infection rate with Theileria infection should be warranted in paralleling vaccination programs to avoid the insufficiency of immune responses. The current work concludes that bovine theileriosis is an endemic disease in our villages and the existence of Theileria annulata infection minimizes the efficiency of the vaccination programs and increases the seriousness of LSD in crossbred cattle. The existence of sporadic cases of cattle infected by LSD precipitates the disease as a circulating disease in our villages in Egypt.
 

Intestinal nematode parasites of equines have emerged as a pressing and urgent challenge due to their worldwide impact on health performance and economy; therefore, implementing a deworming regimen has become vital to keep a horse's parasite load at an acceptable level. The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of nematode infection, and associated risk factors and evaluate the chemotherapeutic efficacy of two anthelmintic drugs by enrolling 195 fecal samples of working equines by using the flotation concentration technique the positive cases were 137 working equines with the overall prevalence of intestinal nematode parasites in working equines 70.25%. Accordingly, animals were divided into four groups; Group 1 received albendazole orally, Group 2 received doramectin injection, Group 3 received a combination of albendazole and doramectin, and Group 4 was left untreated as a positive control. The recovered nematodes were Strongylus species, 87.17% followed by Parascaris equorum 30.76%, and Oxyuris equi 12.82%. Concerning treatment efficacy, the highest cure rate was among Group 3 (77.14%), followed by Group 2 (68.57%) and Group 1 (40%), but the difference between Groups 2 and 3 was statistically insignificant. Interestingly, the effect of doramectin injection was more significant than others, especially for the reduction of Strongylus spp. and Parascaris equorum eggs according to Cohen's D test. Translating such a potent combination of drugs into endemic areas will provide significant support for deworming and control programs against intestinal parasites of equines, especially those in the migratory phase, more than albendazole alone, which has poor absorption as it requires a full stomach during administration.
 

The recognition and elimination of invading pathogens are vital for host survival. Macrophages play a central role in host protection and cells functionally reminiscent of vertebrate macrophages are present in all multicellular organisms. A pattern responsible for bacterial recognition found on the surface of macrophages is CD14. These cells possess a repertoire of antimicrobial molecules stored in their granules and lysosomes. Polarization states observed in mammalian macrophages termed M1 and M2 also likely exist in fish macrophages. Markers for macrophage subtypes are slowly but definitively emerging in fish species. In the present study cell markers such as CD14, acetylcholine, alpha 7 acetylcholine nicotinic receptor (nAChR) subtype, the inducible nitric oxidase synthase (iNOS), and the antimicrobial peptide piscidin 1 are reported for the first time in the intestinal macrophages of both catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) and the African bonytongue Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier, 1829) along the anterior and the posterior axis and the concentric muscle layers. Many antimicrobial effector responses of vertebrate macrophages including respiratory burst and NO induction are similar across the diverse animal taxa. Antibodies against calbindin coupled with ones to VAChT and tubulin revealed the localization of myenteric and submucosal plexuses, which are made up of enteric neurons, glial cells, and nerves near macrophages. Current studies allow for the elucidation of multiple roles of macrophages in disease models providing an insight into their in vivo function in fish.

Background

Fascioliasis is a significant vector-borne disease that has emerged in numerous tropical and subtropical countries causing severe health problems. Egypt is one of the fascioliasis endemic regions; however, the current situation in Upper Egypt is understudied, with only sporadic human cases or outbreaks. This study aims to highlight the sociodemographic characteristics of human fascioliasis in a newly emerged endemic area in Upper Egypt, along with risk factors analysis and the molecular characteristics of the fasciolid population in humans, animals, and lymnaeid snails.

Methodology/Principal findings

The study reported Fasciola infection in patients and their close relatives by analyzing the risk of human infection. Morphological and molecular characterization was performed on lymnaeid snails. Multigene sequencing was also used to characterize fasciolids from human cases, cattle, and pooled snail samples. The study identified asymptomatic Fasciola infection among family members and identified the presence of peridomestic animals as a significant risk factor for infection. This is the first genetic evidence that Radix auricularia exists as the snail intermediate host in Egypt.

Conclusions/Significance

This study revealed that Assiut Governorate in Upper Egypt is a high-risk area for human fascioliasis that requires additional control measures. Fasciola hepatica was the main causative agent infecting humans and snail vectors in this newly emerged endemic area. In addition, this is the first report of R. auricularia as the snail intermediate host transmitting fascioliasis in Upper Egypt. Further research is required to clarify the …