Khaled Sultan

Tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus are the cause of the zoonotic disease known as cystic echinococcosis (CE). This work aimed to detect the prevalence, the fertility of cysts, the viability of protoscolices, as well as the molecular and phylogenetic analysis of CE infecting one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Beheria, Egypt. Between August 2022 and July 2023, 156 camels at the Kom Hamada abattoir were checked for the presence of hydatid cysts during routine meat inspection. Using phylogenetic analysis of the Cox1 and Nad1 sequences, the cysts were molecularly identified. The overall prevalence in slaughtered animals was 16.67%. The prevalence in the liver and lungs was 3.85% and 96.15%, respectively. Spring had the highest prevalence (28.11%). The fertility rate was 72.22%. The viability rate was 87.5% from fertile lung cysts. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of Echinococcus canadensis (E. granulosus G6). The study area had a high prevalence of CE in one-humped camels in the study area, which requires the implementation of an active control program. Moreover, our data confirms that the genotype involved is E. canadensis. Further studies on CE in camels and other ruminants in Egypt should be carried out to illustrate factors associated with this disease.

| Toxopalsmosis is a serious protozoan disease of both medical and veterinary significance. Scanty data exists about its incidence in small ruminants in Saudi Arabia. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats in Al-Baha Province, KSA. One-hundred sixty serum samples (109 sheep and 51 goats) were tested for detecting the antibodies to T. gondii infection using ELISA. The frequency of T. gondii infection in all tested animals was 20.625%. Among tested sheep 20.183%, while 21.56% of tested goats were seropositive respectively. Al-Mandaq region recorded the highest prevalence. Although this work is a preliminary, nevertheless a significant existence of toxoplasmosis in small ruminants in the study area is detected. This prevalence reflects a problem of both economic and public health concern and requires implantation of effective control programs as well as further studies and continuous monitoring of toxoplasmosis status in small ruminants in the region.

The current survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of heterophyids infection in tilapia fish “Orechromaus niloticus”, and the role of cats “Felis catus” as a reservoir for the zoonotic digenetic trematodes “Heterophyid”—particularly Heterophyes hetrophyes—in Egypt. All over a year, 100 tilapia fish “Orechromas niloticus” were collected randomly from local markets at Alexandria city. Fish specimens were examined for the presence of encysted metacercariae (EMC). Furthermore, specimens of infected fish were experimentally fed to cats as well as rats to detect the adult species and infection ratio, and resulted clinical signs. Results showed that 65% (CI: 55.7–74.3%) of examined fish was infected by one or more of flukes EMC. The highest infection was recorded in summer and spring, followed by autumn then winter. Regarding the identified EMC; Heterophyes spp. was the most common adults (50%). Experimental feeding of EMC to cats and rats resulted in identification of 8 adult flukes namely; H. heterophyes, H. dispar, Haplorchis pumilio, Haplorchis taichiue, Pygidiopsis geneta, Centrocestus cuspidatus, Procerum varium and Prohistomum vivax. Experimentally infected cats were more susceptible to infection compared with rats; also showed more severe clinical and pathological signs than rats. In conclusion, the current work clarifies and highlights a high infection rate of EMC in edible tilapia fish in the study area, also the possible role of cats as a reservoir of the digenetic trematodes particularly the zoonotic H. heterophyes, that necessities planning and application of suitable control measures; and continuous monitoring of fish zoonotic parasites as well as cats and its parasites.

Levamisole Hydrochloride as Immunostimulant Drug Synergies the Effect of Eimeria tenella Lab-made Vaccine: Experimental Trial

Molecular and Phylogenetic Study Based on Two Mitochondrial DNA Genes of Rabbit Pinworm “Passalurus ambiguus”

Background In spite of the global economic significance of sheep production, little is known about the prevalence of various Sarcocystis spp. infecting the domestic sheep ( Ovis aries) in Egypt.

The ear mite “Psoroptes cuniculi” is the main cause of ear mange, a highly contagious parasitic skin disease in rabbits all over the world. In the current work, a preliminary therapeutic trial to study the effect of the broad use acaricides doramectin and ivermectin on P. cuniculi was performed on artificially infested rabbits. Twenty five adult New Zealand white rabbits were used in this study. The rabbits were assigned randomly into five groups/ 5 rabbits in each group. Each rabbit was experimentally infested with 100 mites/ ear. The first group was designated the positive control group and was not treated. The second and third groups were treated with doramectin 200 and 400 μg/kg bw, respectively. Groups 4 and 5 were treated by dressing with ivermectin in one dose and 2 doses with a 1 week interval. After the therapy, all rabbits were examined microscopically on the 7th, 14th, and 28th day post treatment and the number of live mites (larvae, nymphs, and adults) on each rabbit was counted at the end of the experiment (28th day). The results showed that the rabbits treated subcutaneously with doramectin at a single dose of 200 μg /kg bw showed a very low effect, although there was significant improvement when the dose was doubled to 400 μg /kg bw, with the number of mites counted decreasing significantly. Rabbits treated topically with ivermectin spot-on, a single dose or 2 doses, showed great improvement of the lesion: the number of mites was reduced to zero. In conclusion, this work showed that ivermectin spot-on applied locally on infested ears proves to be more effective against P. cuniculi than doramectin injected subcutaneously. Further trials on ear mange therapeutics in rabbits are to be encouraged.