Esma Kozan

Prevalence of coccidia in beef cattle in western Turkey

A total of 504 bovine faecal samples collected from intensively managed beef farms in Afyon province of Turkey were examined to determine the types and prevalence of coccidian parasites present. Coccidian oocysts were found in 20.04% of all the samples examined by sucrose-flotation. The species detected and their prevalence were Eimeria bovis (34.55%), E. auburnensis (23.03%), E. canadensis (14.55%), E. brasiliensis (10.91%), E. zuernii (6.67%), E. bukidnonensis (3.03%), E. cylindrica (2.42%), E. ellipsoidalis (1.21%), E. illinoisensis (1.21%), E. alabamensis (1.21%) and Isospora sp. (1.21%). Mixed infections of two to four species were found in 43.6% of the animals. The overall prevalence of coccidial oocysts in faecal samples was 27.23% for calves, 15.65% for cows. Linear regression analysis showed that there is a significant reduction in the OPG (the number of oocysts per gram of feces) levels (P < 0.05) in cows infected with Eimeria. No cases of clinical coccidiosis were observed in this survey.

Efficacy of selamectin against mites (Myobia musculi, Mycoptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera) and nematodes (Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata) in mice

The effects of selamectin were studied in mice naturally infected with the mites Myobia musculi, Myoceptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera and with the oxyurid nematodes Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata. The mice were divided into three treated and three control groups (n=9). Selamectin in the range 10–12.4 mg/kg was applied topically to the skin in a single spot at the base of the neck in front of the scapulae. The mice of treated and control groups were necropsied on the 4th, 7th and 21st day after the treatment. While selamectin was 100% effective in removing M. musculi, M. musculinus and R. ensifera by the seventh day, its effect against S. obvelata and A. tetraptera was 36.7% and 49.2%, respectively on the 21st day.

In vitro anthelmintic effect of Vicia pannonica var. purpurascens on trichostrongylosis in sheep.

Vicia species are used for the treatment of malaria, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, kidney problems and infertility in Turkish traditional medicine. The present study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effects of Vicia pannonica Crantz. var. purpurascens (DC). Ser. extracts. Larval motility test was used to determine anthelmintic activity of this plant. Motility of the larvae is measured by observation. The methanol, n-hexane, chloroform, acetone, and aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of the plant including the leaves and flowers were applied to developing trichostrongylus larvae at 1, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, 0.2 and 0.1 mg/ml doses. Thiabendazole and distilled water with 5% DMSO was used as positive and negative control. All of the extracts were 100% effective. Two flavone and flavonol glycosides; luteolin-7-β-O-glucopyranoside (1) and quercetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside (2) were isolated from the acetone extract and their structures were elucidated by spectral techniques. The solutions prepared from two flavonoid fractions at several doses were performed in vitro to larvae in the same way. Both of them were 100% effective at 1 and 0.8 mg/ml doses. Results of the present study support the utilization of these plant species employed in Turkish folk medicine.

Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs: unusually located and unusual findings

Clinical, blood, serum biochemistry, and parasitological assessments were performed on four hospitalized dogs, not in good general condition, in a study carried out to determine the prevalence of general parasitic infections. Hematological and biochemical parameters and electrocardiographic recording of the animals were determined during the general clinical examinations. Four dogs were indicated to have been infected with Dirofilaria immitis by using modified Knott’s method, and the microfilarial density was determined. Mild to moderate anemia and decrease in sedimentation velocity were established in dogs. Differences in other hematological and biochemical values between the dogs were determined. Right axis deviation was determined in a dog. D. immitis was encountered in the right ventricle, bronchus, and the pericardial sac at the end of the necropsy. On the other hand, in the histopathological examinations, pulmonary adenocarcinoma deriving from bronchial epithelium was identified in a dog, and microfilaria was encountered in bronchial and bronchiolar lumens, interstitium of the lungs, and bile ducts. D. immitis has not been considered in the diagnosis of dogs with pneumonia and tumors. The requirement of parasitological examination with respect to D. immitis in the diagnosis of dogs with tumor or pneumonia has been considered vital.

The in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of some Verbascum species growing in Turkey

Verbascum L. (Scrophulariaceae) species are used for desiccating wounds and as a fish poison in Anatolia as well as for diarrhea and dysentery of animals in several countries. To further evaluate their activity, methanolic extracts obtained from 13 Verbascum species growing in Turkey, including V. chionophyllum Hub.-Mor., V. cilicicum Boiss., V. dudleyanum (Hub.-Mor.) Hub.-Mor., V. lasianthum Boiss., V. latisepalum Hub.-Mor., V. mucronatum Lam., V. olympicum Boiss., V. pterocalycinum var. mutense Hub.-Mor., V. pycnostachyum Boiss. & Heldr., V. salviifolium Boiss., V. splendidum Boiss., V. stachydifolium Boiss. & Heldr. and V. uschackense (Murb.) Hub.-Mor. were evaluated for their in vivo anthelmintic activity. The extracts from V. lasianthum, V. latisepalum, V. mucronatum and V. salviifolum showed the highest inhibitory rates against Aspiculuris tetraptera at 100mg/kg in mice. Additionally, extracts from V. dudleyanum and V. pterocalycinum var. mutense were found generally highly effective. The remaining species did not show any activity. Results of the present study support the utilization of these plant species employed in Turkish folk medicine.

The effect of levamisole and levamisole+vitamin C on oxidative damage in rats naturally infected with Syphacia muris.

This study was performed to determine the effects of levamisole and levamisole+vitamin C against Syphacia muris naturally infection in rats and to detect its effect on the oxidative parameters in blood and tissues of host. For this purpose, natural infection was diagnosed using the cellophane tape method on the perianal region of rats. Infected rats (total 18) were divided into three groups. On the other hand six without helminth rats were used in this study as negative control group. Group 2 was given an orally levamisole HCl treatment with gastric gavage at a dose level of 20mg/kg body weight in distilled water, every alternate day. Group 3 was given levamisole HCl via gastric gavage at a dose level of 20mg/kg and vitamin C was given 1g/L added to the drinking water. All the treatments continued for a period of 7 days. As a result; levamisole administered to rats at dose of 20mg/kg orally 98.34% was found to be effective against adult S. muris in the rats. In addition to levamisole+vitamin C is effective to alleviate the oxidative damage in rats infected with S. muris.

Effect of parasitosis on allergic sensitization in rats sensitized with ovalbumin: Interaction between parasitosis and allergic sensitization

Some helminthic infections, especially nematode infections, may behave as allergens and induce allergic sensitization. In this study, the investigators explored whether infections withSyphacia muris andAspiculuris tetraptera have any effect on the development of allergen-induced cytokine responses and serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized rats. Four groups of male Wistar rats were studied. OVA sensitization was generated in 2 groups of rats; the rats in 1 group were infected and those in the other group were not. On day 21 after sensitization, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10, and total IgE levels in serum samples of rats were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that average concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 were significantly greater in the group of rats infected with parasites and sensitized to OVA compared with the group uninfected with parasites and sensitized to OVA (P=.043 and P=.046, respectively). Upon comparison of total IgE concentrations, the group of rats infected with parasites and given saline solution showed higher levels compared with the group uninfected with parasites and given saline (P=.004). In conclusion, the investigators were unable to show a protective effect of an existing parasitic infection against the development of allergic sensitization upon exposure to OVA.

Potential anthelmintic activity of Pelargonium endlicherianum Fenzl.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The decoction prepared from the roots of Pelargonium endlicherianum Fenzl. has been used for the treatment of gastrointestinal parasitism in small ruminants in Turkish Folk Medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the present study is to investigate in vitro anthelmintic activity of the extracts prepared from the roots of Pelargonium endlicherianum Fenzl. (Geraniaceae). MATERIALS AND METHODS So as to determine the potential anthelmintic effect of the roots of the plant, n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts were successively prepared. In vitro test methods were used for the determination of the anthelmintic effect of the extracts on eggs, larvae and adults of Haemonchus contortus. The extracts were prepared in three increasing concentrations by using Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) for egg hatch, larval development assay and adult motility inhibition assay. PBS was used as negative control, levamisole (in PBS) was used as a reference. RESULTS The extracts exerted significant anthelmintic activity on three lifecycle stages of Haemonchus contortus when compared to the negative control group (P<0.05). The activity was proportional to the concentrations of the plant extracts for egg hatching and the first stage larvae but not for the adult worms. Moreover, the results have shown that the MeOH extract was found to have higher ovicidal and larvicidal effects than the other extracts. CONCLUSIONS Results of the present research have revealed that MeOH extract obtained from P. endlicherianum demonstrated in vitro anthelmintic effect against the eggs, the first stage larvae and the adult stage of H. contortus. These results confirmed the folkloric use of the plant. It was suggested that the tannin content of the plant could be responsible for the anthelmintic activity.

The acute effects of single-dose orally administered doramectin, eprinomectin and selamectin on natural infections of Syphacia muris in rats

This study was designed to determine the acute effects of a single-dose of orally administered doramectin, eprinomectin and selamectin on Syphacia muris infection in rats. Rats, naturally infected with S. muris, were divided into four groups: three different treatment groups (n=7) and one positive control (n=7). Cellophane tape preparations were obtained from the treated rats on day 0 pre-treatment and on days 2, 4 and 6 post-treatment. Syphacia sp. eggs were counted. Eprinomectin was found to be 100% effective in eliminating eggs on two post-treatment. However when egg counts on day 6 post-treatment were compared with pre-treatment egg counts, doramectin and selamectin were found to be 99.32 and 98.77% effective in eliminating eggs, respectively. On day 7 post-treatment, blood samples were obtained from all groups, and then the rats were necropsied. Doramectin, eprinomectin and selamectin were found to be 100% effective in eliminating adult S. muris, when compared with the positive control group.

Helminths Found by Faecal Examination in the Equine in Afyonkarahisar Region

Bu calisma Afyon yoresi tektrinaklilarinda helmint enfeksiyonlarinin durumunun belirlenmesi amaciyla yapilmistir. Bu amacla toplam 104 tektirnaklidan (70 esek, 34 at) taze diski ornekleri alinmis ve flotasyon, sedimentasyon ve Baermann Wetzel teknikleriyle incelenmistir. Strongylid tip yumurta gorulen diski orneklerinden diski kulturu hazirlanarak 3. donem larvalar elde edilmis ve cins veya tur duzeyinde teshisleri yapilmistir. Incelenen 70 esegin 44’u (% 62.86), 34 atin da 24’u (%70.59) en az 1 turle ile enfekte bulunmustur. Enfekte atlarin % 100’unde strongylid tip yumurta gozlenirken, % 33.33’unde Parascaris equorum yumurtasina, enfekte eseklerin ise % 95.45’inde strongylid tip yumurta gozlenirken, sadece % 4.54’unde Parascaris equorum yumurtasina rastlanmistir. Mevcut durum Afyonkarahisar yoresi tektirnaklilarinin onemli oranda helmintlerle enfekte oldugunu ve etkili bir parazit kontrolunun yapilmasi gerektigini ortaya koymaktadir.