Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research

Lactuca serriola L. is commonly used as medicine for therapeutic purposes in different conditions, including digestive, respiratory, and other conditions, regardless of its neurotoxicity. Therefore, the study aimed to determine how the alcoholic extract Lactuca serriola L. affected the brain and behavior. Thirty male rats were used. The rodents were divided into five groups: the first group without treatment; the second, third, fourth, and fifth group received dosages of 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg b. w. of Lactuca extract via oral administration, respectively, for fourteen days. We recorded the behavioral data after allowing the rats to explore freely for 10 minutes. To collect the data, the scan sampling method was used at one-minute intervals for twenty-eight hours on fourteen consecutive days, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. The effect of time on the behaviors was also evaluated. Results revealed 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b dosages. w. decreased running (walking) and climbing behaviors, and improved rearing, paw licking, and grooming behaviors, which indicates reduced stress in rats. The dose of 800 mg/kg b. w. increased immobility and immobile sniffing affected the rats' mood and central nervous system, especially the brain. Time also affected the behavioral components of all groups, especially group 5. The study results suggest that Lactuca's range of phenolic dosages (100-400 mg per kg body weight) are harmless to use in animals experimentally without any toxicity and behavioral changes.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful statistical tool used to reduce the complexity of large datasets while preserving significant variations. In this study, PCA was applied to explore the morphological traits of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), specifically focusing on skull measurements to identify key components affecting skull weight. A total of 112 quails (64 males and 48 females) were measured for various skull features, which were then analyzed through PCA. The analysis extracted three principal components for both sexes, explaining 52.76% of the variance in males and 56.52% in females. Key features such as Cerebellar Prominentia and Paraoccipital Process were significant contributors to skull morphology. PCA was used on the skull measurements of male and female Japanese quail to find the parts that might explain most of the difference in skull weight. In this way, PCA may help us determine which morphological features are most responsible for the observed differences in skull weight. This could lead to interesting new information about the shape of avian skulls. This study aims to better help us understand the parts of the body that have a significant effect on skull structure. These parts are also vital for evolutionary biology, studies in veterinary medicine, and programs that breed chickens. These findings highlight the applicability of PCA in anatomical studies and provide a deeper understanding of avian skull morphology.

The present study aims to diagnose the multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from human and animal diarrheal cases and environmental samples. The results of bacterial culturing methods revealed that out of 250 collected samples, 53 the isolates exhibited characteristic greenish metallic sheen colonies on EMB agar with bright pink lactose fermenting capabilities on MacConkey agar. Additionally, the conventional PCR assay was used to identify the E. coli species based on. T had the uidA gene, and the results showed that all isolates (100%) had the uidA gene. The results showed that all isolates (100%) had the uidA gene, and all isolates (100%) had the target gene. The results also revealed that the incidence rate of MDR Escherichia coli is isolated among cattle, humans, and the environment, which have similar rates of resistance for the five classes of antibiotics. Furthermore, MDR E. coli isolated from humans, animals, and the environment exhibited a high 100% resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, as well as (66.66, 83.33, and 72.72) resistance to aminoglycosides (gentamicin and streptomycin), 56.66%, 66.66%, 81.81% resistance to tetracycline (tetracycline), and 66.66%, 50%,100% resistance to dihydrofolate (trimethoprim). In contrast, it showed less resistance to quinolones (Nalidixic acid) 20%, 25%, and 18.18% respectively.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of coccidiosis in broiler farms in Duhok Province, Iraq. A cross-sectional study was performed in Duhok province from June to October 2023. A total of six hundred intestines and cecal specimens were randomly collected from 20 farms in different regions of Duhok City and its surrounding regions, such as Botia, Mangishk, Zaiwa, Amediy Sumel, Zako, and Shekhan. A total of 600 fresh fecal samples were collected from the intestine and ceca after slaughtering chickens of different ages ranging between 2-6 weeks old, and the parasitological examinations were carried out using standard methods by using both direct fecal and flotation fecal methods for searching for coccidian oocysts. In addition, a total of 600 intestines with ceca were collected from the chickens of the same farm for the gross examination and detection of any pathological changes in the intestine and the ceca. The study findings revealed a high prevalence rate of coccidiosis (60%) among broiler farms in Duhok Province Regarding ages, 4-6 weeks were observed to be the most prevalent for infection (66.56%) compared to other age groups. This study revealed that the infection rate of coccidiosis in the months of October, September, and August was highly prevalent with coccidiosis (31.5%, 28.2%, and 21.6%, respectively), and the infection rate was lower in July and June (9.8% and 8.9%). According to the gross examination, most cases showed positive for Eimeria tenella (44.33%), which indicates cecal coccidiosis, and (55.7%) were positive with other Eimeria spp. Mixed infections with coccidian species were recorded. In conclusion, the prevalence of coccidiosis among broiler farms was high in this study, especially cecal coccidiosis, and this is associated with several risk factors, such as poor management, bad ventilation systems, humidity, and inadequate biosecurity systems on the farms.

The oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. were investigated in backyard chickens, and study the effect of age and sex on the infection rate. All samples taken from feces and intestinal contents were examined microscopically by staining methods, including modified acid-fast stain, Malachite Green Stain at a concentration of 5%, 1%, Nigrosin Stain (1%), and Safranin methylene blue staining. The overall infection rate was 48.7%. The oocyst appeared in an oval to spherical shape with a bright red color in the modified acid-fast stain and without stain with a green background in malachite green stain 5% and light malachite green 1%. The oocyst appeared brighter while in an orange color when using a safranin methylene blue stain, which found the highest infection rate (48.7%). Its efficiency reached 100%, Nigrosin stain (47%), malachite green stain (45.2%), and safranin blue stain (43.5%), while the lowest infection rate was in the light malachite green stain (30.4%). The oocysts were divided into two types of cysts depending on the size of the cysts (large and small cysts) and the wall thickness (thick and thin-walled cysts). The highest infection rate was in young ages less than three months (60.8%), while in adults, the infection rate was 29.2%. No significant difference was recorded between the infection rate in females and males,

The current study was designed to know the effects of the Potassium dichromate (chromium) on the histological structure of ovaries and thyroid glands in adult female rats. Twenty-one adult female rats were divided into three groups. The first group (n=7) animals received distal water as the control group, the second group (n=7) animals received potassium dichromate dissolved in distal water at a dose (n= 8.5 mg\kg), and the third group (n=7) animals received potassium dichromate at a dose (n= 4.25 mg\kg) dissolved in distal water. Animals received chromium orally by gavage for 30 days. The animals were sacrificed at the last experiment, and the ovaries and thyroid were isolated for histological study. According to the results, the control group had normal ovarian histological structure, and the collagen fibers around the vascular tissues were also normal. The potassium dichromate-treated group showed cysts, hemorrhage, distortion of granulose cells, and collagen fibers not appearing with high doses. In the group that was given a low dose of chromium, histological sections of the ovaries showed a normal structure with few fibroblasts. Normal thyroid follicles appeared in the control group. Thyroid gland structure in the treatment group at high doses of chromium showed the epithelium follicles have hyperplasia with distortion of follicle cells and walls. The follicles in the low-dose chromium group showed damage to follicle cells, vacuolated, and limited hyperplasia. Therefore, chromium directly or indirectly affects the ovaries and thyroid glands.

This study aimed to assess the contamination of heavy metals in Cyprinus carpio, a commonly consumed fish species, and evaluate the potential health risks for humans. The research analysed metal concentrations in different parts of the fish over several months across various locations: Sirwan station, Darbandikhan dam, and Tanjaro River. The focus was on the fish's dorsal part (below the dorsal fin) and the caudal region (caudal peduncle) from August 2021 to January 2022. Six heavy metals: Co, Cr, Cd, Cu, Hg, and Pb, were investigated using an ICP-OES (Spectro across) multi-element system. The results revealed that metal concentrations were generally low in the dorsal flesh, with Hg often below the detection limit, especially in August, September, and October. Elevated Hg levels were detected only in November and January, likely due to minimal regional contamination, seasonal variations, and low bioaccumulation in carp. Cd levels were significantly higher in the dorsal part during August, September, and October. In August, Cd was elevated only in the caudal part. Pb was detected in August, September, and October, while Cu levels were significantly elevated in November across both flesh sections, with the highest concentrations observed in the Sirwan River. Co levels were elevated in October in both portions. Cr was undetectable across all months and locations. The study indicates varying heavy metal concentrations in Cyprinus carpio across different locations and months, with Cu being the highest in Sirwan River and Hg mostly undetectable.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease that poses a significant threat to public health in Iraq. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of CCHF in humans, focusing on occupational exposure, mortality rates, and temporal distribution. The retrospective analysis identified 290 confirmed cases reported between 2022 and 2023, with a total incidence case estimate of 13.5 per 100,000 individuals. The highest proportion was found among housewives (36%), followed by animal' ' owners (21%) and animal' ' sellers (16%). The mortality rate was estimated to be 2.1 per 100,000 individuals, with a case fatality rate of 15.5%. The temporal analysis revealed a peak incidence in June 2022 (1.86 per 100,000 individuals) and May 2023 (1.53 per 100,000 individuals), highlighting the seasonal patterns in disease transmission. The suggested control program should include the application of acaricides to reduce tick infestations, enforcing regulations to prevent illegal animal slaughtering, and public awareness campaigns to improve knowledge about the disease.

The potential of natural extracts in cancer treatment has garnered significant attention, particularly for their ability to target cancer cell proliferation. This study investigated the cytotoxic effects of bile juice extracted from the Iraqi Eastern Green Frog on two cancer cell lines: SK-GT-4 (esophageal cancer) and AMGM (glioblastoma). This research showed that Iraqi frog bile juice can kill cancer cells of the SK-GT-4 and AMGM types, but only at certain doses. The MTT assay results showed that bile juice significantly slowed down the growth of cells, with 6000 and 2000 µg/ml showing the most significant inhibition. For SK-GT-4 cells, the inhibition reached 79.35% at 6000 µg/ml, while for AMGM cells, the inhibition was 67.54% at the same concentration. At lower concentrations (500 µg/ml), inhibition was minimal, with SK-GT-4 cells showing only a 7.85% inhibition and AMGM cells showing 2.02%. The IC50 values were calculated as 1674 µg/ml for SK-GT-4 and 1879 µg/ml for AMGM cells. The findings show that bile juice from the Iraqi Eastern Green Frog has strong anticancer properties, especially against esophageal cancer (SK-GT-4) and glioblastoma (AMGM) cells, with a clear response that depends on the dose.

This work was conceived as a contribution to the study of the cytotoxicity of different concentrations of cerium ‎oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) (10, 30, 60, 90, and 120 µg/ml) against two cell lines involving human breast epithelial HBL-100 and Rat's Embryonic Fibroblast (REF) in Vitro, by using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay technique. The nanoceria made it much less likely for HBL-100 cells to survive at all concentrations than the control. The only concentration that did not significantly reduce cell viability compared to the control was 60 µg/mL. This concentration had an IC50 value of 81.00 µg/mL for HBL-100.Meanwhile, the cell viability of REF was reduced with a high significant difference by all nanoceria concentrations compared with control, and the IC50 value of the nanoceria was 1.56 µg/mL. So, we ‎may conclude that nanoceria with the >25nm particle size has high cytotoxicity for REF cell line at low and high concentrations compared with the HBL-100 cell viability that decreased exponentially with the concentration.

This study looked at what happens to the innate immune system when lab mice are regularly given probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Bacillus claus). It looked at the total number of lymphoid cells in a mesenteric lymph node, mucus production, physiological parameters, and blood biochemical levels. It also looked at how these things might affect the results of experiments. This study utilized sixty female mice. All animals were placed under the same conditions and treated daily for seven days with a combination of probiotics, including Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Bacillus clause (100 ul oral gavage). Blood samples were collected to evaluate biochemical and hematological parameters such as (Hb, PCV, RBCs, WBCs, ALT, AST enzymes, and urea ). In contrast, colon tissue and monistic lymph nodes were collected, and cell counting was performed to evaluate the innate lymphoid cell level through the experimental period.There were no notable significant variations in the Hb and RBC readings values. However, the WBC count in peripheral blood and local lymph nodes of animals increased significantly after 7 days of treatment. Also, a significant change in mucus secretion in colon mucosa is associated with probiotic administration. In determining the biochemical parameters of blood, including Creatinine, Urea, AST, and ALT. These results notably showed that there were no significant changes in these parameters in all experimental layouts.The regular treatment of probiotics is one of the most important elements that may affect laboratory mice's general immune conditions, especially the WBCs and innate immune responses. This is represented by increasing mucosa and submucosa colon tissue thickness and immune cell infiltration and increasing the level of innate lymphoid cells type three in the colon mucosa, which both represent the essential elements of innate immunity of the digestive tract

The study collected 200 milk samples from apparently normal cows in Basrah province from 21 November 2023 to 6 February 2024. 95 (48) % were positive for the CMT test. This study used various techniques to detect the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, including conventional microbiological assays (Mannitol Salts Agar and CHROMagar™ Staph aureus) and Molecular Methods (amplifying the nuc gene using polymerase chain reaction ). The percentage of S. aureus isolates was 38 ( 19 % ). From 38 (19 %) S. aureus isolates, 27 (71%) carried the mecA gene, and 6 (16%) carried pvl. However, none of the isolates had the mecC gene.

This study was performed on 300 sheep in Mosul city from August 2024 to October 2024 to demonstrate Microfilariae in sheep blood using various methods such as Knott's technique, M G G quick stain, and fluorescent acridine orange staining. When detecting microfilaria in the blood. The percentage of microfilaria infection is 56% during investigation by the modified Knott technique. There were three forms of infection: mild, moderate, and severe infection with microfilariae in sheep using the same method, showing significant differences in infection severity below the limit of level (P < 0.05) .Also, we studied risk factors such as age on the intensity of infection. There were significant differences. A high percentage of infection was noticed in animals over three years old (93.1%) while a low rate in sheep below one year old (27.1%). No significant differences were noticed between the females (58%) and males (54%). The animal husbandry indicated increased infection in door systems (61.6%) than indoor systems (45.7%). Also, there were significant differences between breeds of the animals.

The mammary tissue gets inflamed when it is affected by mastitis. Inflammation is indicated by changes in the appearance and color of clots and an increase in milk cell counts. The current study tried to find out how leukocytes change the levels of interleukin (IL) 6 in milk and what role nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) plays as an accusatory agent in subclinical mastitis (SCM). The major screening method for subclinical mastitis in samples of cow's milk was the Modified Whiteside Test (MWT). Prevalence of SCM according to different MWST reaction scores was estimated in 70 cow' milk samples. The SCM was observed in 58 cows (82.9%). The highest prevalence (35.7%) was observed in the cow’s milk sample with MWST reaction scorer 1+, followed by a prevalence (31.5 %) of cow’s milk sample with MWST reaction scorer 3+. The 16s rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used to confirm the existence of NTM spp. in the examined cow's milk samples. Out of 70 milk samples, 8 (11.4%) had positive PCR results. An ELISA test was used to evaluate how the somatic cell counts affected IL-6 levels in cow's milk. The test's findings showed that there had been a significant variation (P<0.05) in the average concentration of IL-6 in SCM milk. Cow's milk samples with MWST reaction scorer 2+ had a higher mean IL-6 concentration (474.5670), while milk samples with MWST reaction scorer 1+ had a lower mean IL-6 concentration (243.2944).

The objective of the present study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the renal anatomy in dogs and cats. A sample of twenty healthy adult subjects (ten domestic cats and ten domestic dogs). Regardless of sex, it was utilized for this investigation. The average weight of the local feline population was recorded at (2 ± 0.4 kg), whereas the local canine average weight was significantly higher at (20 ± 3 kg). The anatomical and morphometric attributes of the kidneys were examined post-slaughter. Observations from the gross anatomical assessment revealed that the canine kidney is characterized as a single, bean-shaped renal organ with a smooth surface, possessing a solitary renal papilla. The renal cortex exhibited a reddish-brown hue, while the renal medulla was distinguished by two zones: an outer, darker zone and an inner, lighter zone. Both kidneys are encapsulated and situated against the dorsal abdominal wall within the lumbar region, lateral to the vertebral column. In contrast, the kidneys of cats may exhibit either an oval or bean shape with a reddish coloration. However, bilaterally, they typically maintain a symmetrical configuration in both size and shape, positioned directly behind the ribcage. The kidney is composed of a fibrous outer capsule, along with an inner cortex and peripheral medulla. In conjunction with the surrounding cortex, the medulla is organized into multiple pyramidal structures, each constituting a renal lobe.