N. Jeyathilakan

In vitro evaluation of anthelmintic property of ethno-veterinary plant extracts against the liver fluke Fasciola gigantica

The present study was envisaged to evaluate the efficacy of ethno-medicinal plant aqueous extracts such as Allium sativum, Lawsonia inermis, and Opuntia ficus indica in vitro in comparison with the chemotherapeutic agent, Oxyclozanide on Fasciola gigantica adults. The efficacy was evaluated by gross visual motility and mortality of F. gigantica with score index, light microscopic examination of carmine stained flukes and histopathology of treated flukes. Based on the in vitro trials conducted using above plant extracts at 1 percent, 2.5 percent and 5 percent concentration, the extracts of O. ficus indica showed flukicidal effect at 2.5 and 5% concentration. However A. sativum and L. inermis were effective at 5% concentration only. The study indicated the potential for developing herbal-based anthelmintics to control F. gigantica in livestock.

Development and evaluation of flow through technique for diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis in sheep

A novel in vitro flow through technique was developed and evaluated for immunodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis in sheep using hydatid specific non-cross reactive 8-kDa protein. The 8-kDa protein was prepared from hydatid cyst fluid by DEAE-Sepharose fast flow anion exchange chromatography. In this flow through technique, the 8-kDa antigen was coated on the nitrocellulose membrane of flow through device. Protein A colloidal gold was used as detector. The evaluation of the technique was performed by comparing 150 known positive hydatid serum and known negative serum collected from sheep. The test was shown to be high sensitivity and specificity that were closely correlated with those of EITB. Furthermore the immunofiltration-based assay is rapid (2 min) and easy to perform with no requirement of special skill, reagent and instrumentation. This suggests the flow through technique is an acceptance alternative to be used in clinical laboratories lacking specialized equipments as well as large scale screening of cystic echinococcosis both in the field with animal and human populations.

Occurrence of the pentastomid Porocephalus crotali (Humboldt, 1811) in an Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosus): a case report

The occurrence of the pentastomid Porocephalus crotali in an Indian rat snake (Ptyas mucosus) at Chennai, India is reported. The worms were found in the lungs and they were identified as females. The worms were cylindrical and annulated with a centrally located mouth surrounded by four hooks. The worms were rounded in cross section with tapering ends. Eggs were composed of two shell membranes. This is one of the new reports from rat snakes in Southern India.

Occurrence of Camallanus trispinosus in a captive Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

Camallanoids are spirurid round worms known to occur in stomach and intestine of lower vertebrate animals such as fishes and reptiles. This paper records the occurrence of Camallanus trispinosus in a captive Indian star tortoise of Guindy snake park, Chennai, India for the first time during necropsy and identified on the basis of morphology of male and female worms, including eggs.

Occurrence of Laemobothrion maximum in Greater Coucal

External examination of free range abandoned dead Greater Coucal in a veterinary dispensary, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India revealed presence of a large sized louse in the feathers and was identified as Laemobothrion maximum on the basis of morphology and size of the louse.