Mehmet Erman Or

Total oxidant and antioxidant capacities, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde levels in cats seropositive for the feline coronavirus.

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a highly contagious virus that is ubiquitous in multicat environments and may induce oxidative stress. This virus commonly causes an asymptomatic infection, which can persist in certain individuals. Sporadically and unpredictably, FCoV infection leads to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly fatal systemic immune-mediated disease. There are no data in the veterinary literature relating to oxida - tive stress in FCoV. Antioxidant capacity (TAC) can be attributed to single components in the defence systems against free radicals. The measurement of the total oxidant status (TOS) accurately reflects the oxidative status of blood plasma or serum. Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a free radical and contributes to host defences against oxida - tion. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a reliable and commonly used marker of overall lipid peroxidation levels and the presence of oxidative stress. This study aimed to determine levels of oxidative stress markers, serum TAC, total oxidant capacity (TOC), NO and serum MDA in 24 cats seropositive for FCoVs and 15 cats seronegative for FCoVs. Significantly higher serum TOC, NO and MDA levels were found in seropositive animals ( P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) than in seronegative animals. In contrast, serum TAC levels were found to be significantly lower in seropositive cats compared with seronegative cats ( P < 0.001). The results of the present study suggest that FCoV seropositivity is associated with oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant status.

Evaluation of Trace Element Levels and Antioxidant Metabolism in Cattle with Cutaneous Papillomatosis

Background: Cutaneous papillomas are benign proliferative neoplasms. The aetiology and pathogenesis of the disease are very complex. Papillomatosis lesions can be detected anywhere on the body, frequently appearing on the surface of the head, neck, teats, udder, external genital mucosa and upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is not life threatening but due to loss of productivity, owners often cull animals with papillomatosis. The relationships between trace elements, heavy metals and cancer are still researching. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the relationships between trace elements and antioxidant metabolism, and cutaneous papillomatosis, in cattle. Materials, Methods & Results: Eleven cattle with cutaneous papillomatosis and 10 healthy cattle constituted the study group and control group, respectively. Clinical examinations were performed on all animals. Blood samples were collected and Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se, Zn, As, B, Ni, Si and Co levels were determined. The analyses were conducted with an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrophotometer. In addition, catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) concentrations were measured. The Ni, Si and MDA levels of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05) but the Se levels of the study group were significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.05). The normality of the data was determined with the Shapiro-Wilk Test and the Independent Samples t-Test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical comparison of the groups. Discussion: Trace elements are essential components of biological systems. The levels of trace elements, such as Cu, Co, I, Se, Zn and Mn, which are affected by grazing activity, influence ruminants’ reproductive performance and other production parameters. The elements Al, As, Cr, Ni and Sn are also presumed to be essential for ruminant metabolism, although sufficient research data are not available. In the present study, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, As, B and Co levels were not significantly different between the papilloma and control groups. Se is an important trace element for skin health. This study revealed a mean serum Se level in animals with papillomatosis that was significantly lower than in the healthy group. Although the mode of anticancer activity of Se is not clear, some factors, such as antioxidant protection, improved immune system surveillance, carcinogen detoxification, modulation of cell proliferation and inhibition of tumour cell invasion and angiogenesis, are important. Ni is classified as a toxic heavy metal. In addition, it could be carcinogenic to humans. Ni level was two times higher in the papillomatosis group than in the healthy animals, in the present study. This result may indicate that Ni has a role in the genesis of papillomatosis in cattle. Si injection can cause inflammation, granulomas and cancer. There are few reports about Si levels in animals and the significant difference in the Si levels in cattle with cutaneous papillomatosis reported in this study may be a new indicator for the disease. The skin contains antioxidant molecules that include GSH, alpha-tocopherol or vitamin E, ascorbic acid or vitamin C, glutathione peroxidases, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), superoxide dismutases (SODs), CAT and quinine reductase. There is strong interaction between ROS and/or their oxidant products and antioxidant molecules in the skin. In this study, although MDA levels were higher in the study group than in the control group, there was no significant difference between the groups in their CAT levels, and also in the GSH and CP levels. In conclusion, these results may evidence the systemic effects of papillomatosis on trace element levels and on oxidant metabolism in cattle.

Köpek ve Kedi Rektal Svablarından İzole Edilen Ampisilin-Dirençli Enterokokların İncelenmesi

Saglikli hayvanlar ve insanlarin barsak florasinin bir parcasi olan Enterekok turleri, kazanilmis direnc profilleri nedeniyle hem insan hem de hayvan hekimliginde onemli birer patojen olarak taninmaya baslanmistir. Bu calismada, kedi ve kopeklerde ampisiline direncli enterokok (ARE) turlerinin dagilimini, antimikrobiyal duyarlilik profillerini ve bu izolatlarin virulans ile iliskili ace, gelE, efaA, agg ve esp genleri incelendi. Bu amacla evcil hayvanlardan (86 kopek, 71 kedi) toplanan yuz elli yedi svap ornegi ampisilin direncli enterokok izolasyonu yonunden incelendi. ARE 18 kedi ve 18 kopek orneginden izole edildi. Izolatlarin antimikrobiyal duyarliliklari disk difuzyon metodu ile belirlendi. Butun izolatlar PCR ile E . faecium olarak saptandi. Izolatlar ampisilin, penisilin ve tetrasiklin (%100), rifampisin ve eritromisin (%97), streptomisin (%92), gentamisin (%81), siprofloksasin (%61) ve nitrofurantoin’e (%19) direncliydi. Sadece iki izolat vankomisine, bir izolat kloramfenikole direncliydi. Butun izolatlarda coklu-antibiyotik direnci (direnc ≥4 antimikrobiyal) saptandi. Virulens genleri ace, agg ve esp test edilen hicbir izolatta saptanmadi. efaA ve gelE genlerinin saptanma oranlari sirasiyla %13,8 ve %11,1 di. Pet hayvanlarinda ARE izolasyon orani %22,9 olarak saptandi. Evcil hayvanlar arasinda antimikrobiyal direncli Enterokoklarin taranmasi halk sagligi ile iliskilidir. Ayrica hayvan ve insanlarda antimikrobiyal direnc sorununu tespit etmek ve zamaninda onlem alabilmek konusunda yapilan calismanin aydinlatici olabilecegi dusunulmektedir.

Prevalence of systemic disorders in cats with oral lesions

Oral disorders of small animals constitute a problem for veterinarians. Chronic oral infections are commonly seen in domestic cats. The objectives of this study were to characterise feline oral lesions, common feline dental problems, and especially the association of oral disease and systemic disease in cats. Two hundred and twenty cats referred over a period of 33 months to the Internal Medicine Department of our University with signs of oral disorders were included in this prospective study and were examined for the occurrence of the most commonly seen diseases. Infectious diseases which frequently cause ulcers and/or erosions within the mouth and on the tongue, constituted a significant proportion of the cases identified in this study. Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) infection was diagnosed in 36 cats (16%), Feline Calicivirus (FCV) in 17 cats (8%) and 16 cats (7%) had three viral infections (FCoV + Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) + Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)) at the same time. We conclude that oral disorders may be a sign of underlying systemic diseases in cats, especially in those diagnosed with feline viral infections. Other diagnosed diseases included immune-mediated disorders, eosinophilic granuloma complex, gastrointestinal system disorders, nutritional disorders, diabetes mellitus, hepatic disorders and chronic renal failure. Therefore, the first step in preventing oral disease in animals must be routine physical examination which includes a comprehensive oral exam.