Emre Ozan

Molecular detection of pestiviruses in aborted foetuses from provinces in northern Turkey

All pestiviruses are important veterinary pathogens causing economic losses in cattle, sheep and pigs. Besides the important economical losses, pestiviruses may compromise the normal immune response to other pathogens and increase the severity of other infections in sheep. In this study, aborted foetuses (cattle and sheep) in either coastal or inland Black Sea region of Turkey were surveyed for the presence of RNA from pestiviruses (bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), border disease virus (BDV)). The presence of BVDV RNA was found in 6 of 21 aborted calves (28.57%), although BDV RNA was detected in 14 of 21 aborted lambs (66.66%) by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. This study also investigates the distribution of viral RNA within the brain, liver and lung of aborted foetuses. The viral RNA positivity rates for the organs varied and were as follows: brain 40.47% and liver and lung 38.09%. The results revealed that pestiviruses are important abort pathogen in the provinces of northern Turkey.

Serosurvey and molecular detection of Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in northern Turkey

In this study, the hard ticks, whole blood and serum samples collected from small ruminants (sheep and goat) in middle Black Sea region of Turkey where Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) human cases were observed in the past years were surveyed for the presence of RNA and specific IgG antibodies from CCFH virus (CCHFV). CCHFV RNA was found in 30 of 255 tick pools (11.76%) and nine of 105 (8.57%) leucocyte samples. No CCHFV genomic RNA was detected from animals in Yildizeli and Vezirkopru. However, CCHFV RNA was found from animals in Gerze and Resadiye. Seventy-eight of 105 goat and sheep blood serum samples tested were antibody-positive for CCHFV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (goat: 42/63; sheep: 36/42). Viral RNA was detected from tick samples in all of four provinces. Positivity rates for the provinces varied and were as follows: Gerze 13.04%, Resadiye 35.41%, Vezirkopru 1.61% and Yildizeli 6.06%. CCHFV genomic RNA was detected in four of seven tick species tested. These results suggest that these hard ticks may act as a reservoir for CCHFV in northern Turkey.

Investigation of the effect of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruit extract against cisplatin-induced renal cell injury in vitro

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of cornelian cherry fruit extract against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vitro. Materials and methods: African green monkey kidney epithelial cells (Vero) were incubated with 100 mg/mL of cornelian cherry fruit extract, 50 μmol/L of cisplatin or 50 μmol/L of cisplatin plus 100 mg/mL of cornelian cherry fruit extract for 4 h. The wells containing cells without any supplementation served as control. Cell viability was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide assay. Culture mediums were collected, centrifuged and analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Results: The cell viability was 59% in cells co-treated with cisplatin and cornelian cherry fruit extract simultaneously and 42% in cisplatin treated cells. The cellular damage ratio was elevated in cells treated with cisplatin. However, when cisplatin combined with cornelian cherry fruit extract the deleterious effects of cisplatin were significantly decreased. The MDA concentration was significantly higher (p<0.05), GSH concentration and GPx and SOD activities were significantly lower (p<0.05) in cisplatin treated group when compared with control group, cornelian cherry group, and cisplatin+cornelian cherry group. Conclusion: The present study indicated that cornelian cherry fruit extract exert protective effects on oxidative damage in vitro induced by cisplatin.

Maedi-visna virus infection in Karayaka and Amasya Herik breed sheep from provinces in northern Turkey

Maedi-visna is an important virus infection of sheep having prolonged incubation period (slow disease) and reflecting two distinct forms clinically and pathologically. In this study, the presence of MVV was investigated serologically in 58 Amasya Herik sheep breed and 525 Karayaka sheep breed. Seropositivity rates in Amasya Herik sheep breed and Karayaka sheep breed were detected as 69.0% and 18.5%, respectively. MVV antibodies were found in 137 of 583 serum samples (23.5%). Positivity rates for the provinces varied and were as follows: Samsun 19.4%, Sinop 15.4%, Ordu 25.8%, Trabzon 26.7%, Rize 36.7%, Amasya 69.0% and Tokat 35.0%, however no antibody response was detected in all of the sheep in Giresun province.