Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

The aim of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of the disease by using milk production records and to
determine the serotypes circulating in the region during 2015. Sampling was done from different outbreaks initially on the
basis of clinical signs and later reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed for the conformation
of FMDV genome. Out of total 88 samples, 73 were found positive which were then serotyped into type O (n=44), Asia1
(n=18) and A (n=06). The economic impact was analyzed by recording milk loss at four affected farms. Their average milk
yield was observed 9.2 liters before the onset of disease that decreased dramatically after the disease. Milk loss of 225 and 195
liters was recorded for buffalo and cattle respectively, during 70 days of the study period

The soft white cheese is considered one of the most popular locally manufactured cheese in Iraq, a kind of traditional
cheese that is mainly produced from sheep milk. It usually becomes available in the markets of Mosul between the months of
February and July. To investigate the microbiological quality, 25 samples of white, soft, un-salted fresh locally produced sheep
cheese were collected from the market in Mosul. These cheese samples were examined by the quantity method to determine
the total viable bacterial counts (TVC) and the total counts of coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria. The minimum, maximum
and average results of the aforementioned bacterial counts were 1.0x106, 1.4x103, 1.4x102 CFU g-; 2.9x108, 6.0x107, 12.6x105
CFU g- and 18.0x107, 5.8x106, 3.1x105 CFU g-1, respectively. Corresponding to the ‘International Microbiological Reference
Criteria’ for cheese, it could be clear from these results that the samples were highly contaminated. Hence, it can be concluded
that the sanitary conditions were inadequate either during the milk production and cheese manufacturing process or throughout
their distribution in the local market. Therefore, it is recommended to comply with the public health and sanitary measures
during the process of local cheese production. In consequence, it is essential to follow the annual screening of local cheese in
terms of bacterial counts to determine the degree of contamination and in order to develop a national standard microbiological
criteria and quality control for local cheese.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of different ways of barley germination including natural, barley sprout
powder and hydroponic planting in university of Sulaimani/ Faculty of Agricultural Sciences/ Fisheries lab. on some blood
parameters of common carp Cyprinus carpio L. The study was conducted for 56 days and a total of 175 fingerlings common
carp with mean initial weight was 34.71±4.59 gm. Seven experimental diets were fed with the control as 0% (T1), Hydroponic
Planting 2.5 and 5 gm/ kg diet (T2 and T3), Barley sprout powder BSP (2.5 and 5 gm/kg) (T4 and T5), Natural planting (2.5
and 5 gm/kg) (T6 and T7). According to the results significant differences observed among the treatments when compare with
the control in RBC counts, Hb and PCV. In general BSP (5gm/ kg diet) was higher numerically than other treatments,
especially when compared with control and hydroponic planting in both levels. No significant differences noticed in both of
WBC counts and the counts of each of Monocytes, numerically, Barley sprout powder in both levels were more effects on
WBC counts while T2 Hydroponic Planting 2.5gm/ kg diet was higher numerically in monocytes, T6 natural planting in
Eosinophils and Basophils without significance. The statistical analysis of the Lymphocyte data showed no significance in
Heterophil all the treatments were significantly differ than T7 natural planting 5gm/ kg diet.

Current study aimed to identify the gross and microscopic lesions and their percentage in liver of cattle slaughtered in
Kirkuk province abattoir. A total of 6211 liver sample were examined during period from 01/08/2016 until 01/12/2016 with
total cattle liver that showed gross lesions 738 cases. A gross examination was applied to affected liver and tissue sample were
taken from lesions for histopathological examination. The result of current study showed that the total liver lesions in cattle is
about 11.88% (738/6211) which distributed as liver fluke infestation 3.34% (213/6211), hydatid cyst 3.12% (194/6211), liver
abscess 2.29% (142/6211), cholangiohepatitis 2.01% (125/6211), and hepatic hemorrhage with congestion 1.03% (64/6211).
The results of gross and microscopic examination of liver infested with liver fluke showed presence of thickening in bile ducts
with adult fluke as well as liver atrophy with hyperplasia of epithelial cell in affected bile ducts with dystrophic calcification.
While in case of hydatid cyst the lesions composed from presence of larval stage in form of white cyst in different size and
their walls composed from hyperplasia of fibrocytes and fibrin strands. In case of hepatic hemorrhage and congestion the result
showed sever congestion with staining of liver tissue by blood color, with presence of red blood cells in association with
inflammatory cells between hepatocytes. While in case of hepatic abscess we noticed presence of white to yellow solid lesions
that randomly distributed in different shape and size composed from necrotic center with infiltration of mononuclear
inflammatory cells and hyperplasia of fibrocytes. While in case of cholangiohepatitis the affected area showed paleness with
accumulation of bile material inside bile ducts, as well as hyperplasia of affected ducts and fibrosis in portal areas with
infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells in liver tissue with dystrophic calcification in bile ducts. We concluded from
current study that wide spread of hepatic lesions in liver of cattle in Kirkuk province and this result should be taken in more
serious action which can result in economic losses as well as possibility of zoonosis of these pathogens to human, also the
gross lesions described by current study were identically similar to microscopic lesions.

This research was carried out to find out the treatment impact of aqueous and hexane extracts of sweet almond (Prunus
amygdalus) on some histopathological indicators of heart, aorta and liver related to hyperlipidemia that induced in mice and
compare them with Atorvastatin. Sweet almond was dried and grinded by an electrical grinder to form fine crude powder that
extracted by two ways: by using 95% hexane and water by using the distilled water with Soxhlet apparatus. Forty mature mice
were randomly divided into 8 groups (5 mice per group) and treated every day for 60 days, the first group was fed and drank
normally and regarded as a negative control group, a second group was given polypropylene glycol offered as negative control
group, third group was given tap water containing 0.5% of hydrogen peroxide and 1% of cholesterol in the feed for 60 days for
induction of hyperlipidemia and offered as positive control group. Hyperlipidemia was induced in the other five groups as in
the third group. The treatment of hyperlipidemia was done by using hexane extract at a dose of 500 mg/ kg of body weight and
aqueous extract of sweet almond with three different doses (500, 750 and 1000) mg/ kg of body weight and compared with the
other group that treated with atorvastatin 20 mg/ kg B.W. as antihyperlipidemic drug. The outcomes discovered that
histopathological changes of heart, aorta and liver exposed to hydrogen peroxide and cholesterol revealed congested blood
vessels with inflammation relevant cells in their lumen with necrosis of hepatic cells and inflammation relevant cells collected
in sinusoids and inner surfaces of the blood vessels and infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes in the liver moreover to
the infiltration of mononuclear cells in the heart while in the aorta showed the vacuolation in the sub intimae and vacuolation
and increase the thickness of intimate layer. Furthermore, inflammation relevant cells particularly infiltration around aorta.
While therapy with almond extracts and Atorvastatin lead to valuable changes in therapy of damaging happened in the heart,
aorta and liver induced with hyperlipidemia. In addition a dose of 1000 mg/kg of aqueous extracts of sweet almond was the
best in treatment of hyperlipidemia.

The current study aimed to identified the pathological changes of oral toxicity induced by Di (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate
(DEHP) in Japanese common quail. To a chief this aim a pilot study conducted to determine the median lethal dose (LD50) of
DEHP. Forty male quails one day old were divided randomly into two equal groups, the first group was orally administrated
by 10% of LD50 of DEHP daily for fourteen days, while second group was considered as control group and left without
treatment all over the experimental time. The result of pilot study showed that the LD50 of DEHP in quails is 5574,1 mg/kg of
body weight and the dose used in experiment to induced the acute oral toxicity was 557.4 mg/kg of quail's body weight. The
result of gross pathological appearance of euthanized quails at fourteen days of experiment revealed presence of sever
congestion in kidney lobules as well as congestion of liver with hemorrhagic ecchymotic patches while at other case the liver
appear pale in color. The histopathology of kidney revealed presence of degenerative changes represented by cloudy swelling
of the cell lining renal tubules lead to narrowing the lumen of affected tubules as well as interstitial edema with coagulative
necrosis associated by infiltration of inflammatory cells as well as interstitial hemorrhage. The liver sections revealed presence
of fatty change in hepatocytes in which the liver cell contained vacuoles of different size and shape also hepatocytes suffered
from coagulative necrosis with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells as macrophages with presence of hemorrhage.
We conducted from current study that the oral administration of plasticizer DEHP in fourteen days at dose of 557.4 mg/kg of
quail body weight induced degenerative and coagulative necrosis in both kidney and liver tissue in Japanese common quail.

Nowadays, one of the most common groups of diseases in veterinary medicine is the urinary system pathology. Urolithiasis
is widespread disease, could be found in many species, including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea-pigs, turtles etc. Despite the large
scale of this pathology in animal world, there are some challenges with diagnostic process and diagnosis’s verification. The
aim of our study is estimation of diagnostic value of advanced urine tesiocrystalloscopy in urolithiasis (by the example of
cats). We studied crystallogenic and initiated properties of 24 healthy cats and 32 animals with urolithiasis. Own and initiated
crystallogenesis of the urine specimens was studied. For teziographic test we used sodium chloride solution (0.45%, 0.9%, 3%
consequently), hydrochloric acid solution (0.1H) and sodium hydroxide (0.1H) as a crystal-forming substances. We used the
original criterions to estimate crystalloscopic and tezigraphic facias. As the main parameters structure index (SI),
crystallizability (Cr), facia's destruction degree (FDD) and edge belt intensity (EB) were used to describe free crystallogenesis,
and main tezigraphic coefficient (Q), belt coefficient (B) and FDD were used for the comparative tezigraphy data. Results
showed that Cat’s urine in normal conditions has moderate crystallogenic activity, but in urolithiasis it acquires high level of
crystallizing, with intermedium value of structure index, and significant destruction of crystal-forming elements. A similar
changes of physical-chemical biomedium properties are detected during analysis of tezigraphic microslides of urines of cats
with urolithiasis, that was prepared using 0.9% sodium chloride as basis substance. In conclusion, we fixed that
tesiocristalloscopic „pattern“ of cats’ urine in urolithiasis significantly transforms into activation of crystal formation and
increasing of biomedium’s initiating potential. So, the investigation of free or initialized urine crystallization in urolithiasis has
diagnostic value.

Effect of metronidazole on the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol were examined in chicks. Chicks were dosed orally with
metronidazole at 350 mg\kg of body weight daily (10 -13 days of age). On the last day of metronidazole dosing, chicks
injected intraperitoneally with paracetamol at of 50 mg\kg of body weight. Paracetamol appeared in chick plasma at 52.00,
45.00, 40.75, 32.75, 23.25 µg \ml after 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1, 2, 4 hours of injection respectively. A significantly decreased the
concentration paracetamol at times of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1, 4 hours post injection and appeared at concentrations of 36.62, 35.37,
25.62, 20.50, 11.00 µg\ml. These was reflected by changes in the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol as show by the increase
elimination rate constant (48%) and decrease in the half-life (32 %) and increase in volume distribution (29%) and increase in
clearance by (96%) and decrease in the area under the plasma curve (33%) and decrease in the area under moment curve 65%
and lack mean residence time (33%). These results indicate that oral dosing of chicks with metronidazole for four consecutive
days and this effect increase in the elemination rate of paracetamol and this effect must be considered when therapy with
paracetamol when given during metronidazole therapy

This study examined effect of mycotoxin binder administered to female mice exposed to zearalenon on apoptosis incidence
by observe at MDA, Caspase 9 and 3 levels in mice uterus. Negative control group (K−) was not exposed to zearalenon and
without the administration of mycotoxin binders, positive control group (K+) exposed to zearalenon of 0.1 mg/head/day and
without the provision of mycotoxin binders; and treatment groups (P1, P2, P3) were exposed to zearalenon 0.1 mg/head/day by
providing mycotoxin binders each 0.5; 1; 2 mg/head/day. Zearalenon and mycotoxinbinders administration was conducted for
10 days. Results on MDA level were as follows 15.48 ± 0.50 (K−), 45.59 ± 0.50 (K+), 34.92 ± 3.38 (P1), 27.72 ± 1.25 and
23.89 ± 3.74. Caspase 9 levels showed the following results: 0.3 ± 0.60 (K), 8.3 ± 0.90 (K+), 3.6 ± 0.41 (P1), 3.3 ± 0.34 (P2)
and 2.8 ± 0.28 (P3), while the levels of Caspase3 were as follows: 3.35 ± 0.44 (K−),12.5 ± 0.66 (K+), 3.6 ± 0.41 (P1), 4.80 ±
0.43 (P2) and 3.85 ± 0.50 (P3). In conclusion, mycotoxin binders may lower malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the expression
of caspase 9 and caspase3 in the uterus of mice exposed to zearalenon

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolated from slaughtered broilers in retail market that sell
live chickens in Erbil city, Iraq. Forty-one cloacal fecal samples from broiler caecum were investigated from January to April
2016. ESBLs strains were isolated using MacConkey agar supplemented with cefotaxime 1 mg/l and the isolates were
identified phynotypically by biochemical tests, TBX agar and VITEK-2 compact system. A total of 34 Escherichia coli and 4
Proteus mirabilis were analysed for determination of ESBL/AmpC by disc diffusion test using antimicrobial 68DC MAST®
ESβL discs group including cefpodoxime, cefpodoxime + ESBL inhibitor, cefpodoxime + AmpC inhibitor and cefpodoxime +
ESBL inhibitor + AmpC inhibitor and 67DC MAST® ESβL discs group including cefpodoxime, cefpodoxime + clavulanate,
ceftazidime, ceftazidime + clavulanate, cefotaxime and cefotaxime + clavulanate. The phenotypic results showed that in group
68DC discs 23.7% E. coli were resistant to cefpodoxime and in group 67DC discs 73.7% of E. coli and 7.9% of P. mirabilis
were resistance to one or more of the cefpodoxime, ceftazidime and ceftazidime. Final results revealed that 78.0% of samples
were ESBLs/ AmpC positive. This study is the first examination to determine phenorypically E. coli producing ESBLs/AmpC
in broiler chickens in Iraq. Conclusion, the healthy broiler can be a major source of ESBLs/AmpC and the possibility that
transmitted to humans through the food chain, direct contact and the surrounding environment raises the concerns about public
health and safety of poultry meat and the negative consequences of drug therapy that causes the spread of antibiotic resistance.

تم وصف الحالة الفيزيولوجية في ثالثة أنواع من الحشائش التي تم ترميمھا تحت الظروف اإليكولوجية والمناخية لمنطقة ألتايان
للعوامل البيئية والمناخية أثر على صحة وإنتاجية وتكاثر الماشية. والھدف من ھذا العمل ھو دراسة الوضع الفسيولوجي لثيران الخدمة
االختالفات بين الستيبي االحمر والسيمنتال األسود واألبيض
من ناحية تكوين الحيوانات المنوية والھرمونية والبيوكيميائية والدراسة الدموية. أخذت عينات من الدم المحيطي والقذف من ٤٨ ثور من
تيران الخدمة حيث كان (متوسط العمر ٥,٦ ± ٠,٣) في فترة الخريف. وقد ثبت أن ثيران الستيبي الحمراء لديھا تركيزات أعلى من
الفوسفور غير العضوي، الكريات البيض، كريات الدم الحمراء، الھيموغلوبين، الھيماتوكريت ومعدل ترسيب كريات الدم الحمراء
بالمقارنة مع الحيوانات من ساللة سيمنتال، كما كان تركيز الھيموغلوبين والھيماتوكريت أعلى بالمقارنة مع األسود واالبيض. ولوحظ أن
الثيران من ساللة األسود واألبيض لديھم مستوى أعلى من الكورتيزون بالمقارنة مع السالالت األخرى. وقد لوحظ أدنى مستوى من
اليوريا في الدم والبروتين الكلي وزيادة نشاط المصل من الكرياتنين و γ-غلوتاميل ترانسفيراز، والزيادة في وزن الجسم في ثيران
سيمنتال. ان االختالفات بين السالالت في مجموعة واسعة من المعايير الفسيولوجية التعكس الحالة الوراثية الجينية فقط، ولكن أيضا قد
تعكس قدرة مختلفة على التكيف مع الظروف البيئية والمناخية المحلية لمنطقة التاي. ان قياسات النشاط المنوي والكيمياء الحياتية والدموية
في الثيران الموجودة في منطقة التاي ھي مشابھة لسالالت الثيران الموجودة في مناطق اخرى من روسيا والعالم. ان القياسات التي تم
التوصل اليھا في ھذه الدراسة قد تكون ذات فائدة مرجعية للدراسات االخرى في مناطق اخرى من روسيا وفي بعض البلدان االخرى حيث
يمكن االستفادة منھا في دراسات للرصد الشامل المخزون لتربية الماشية في مناطق بيئية ومناخية مختلفة كما ھو الحال في منطقة سيبريا
في روسيا.

The aim of this survey is to collect data relating to antibacterial drugs used to treat different animals in the veterinary
teaching hospital in the province of Kirkuk, which is taking place for the first time at the province level for the purpose of
knowing the types of drugs most commonly used and the outcome whether these drugs used are optimal. Data were collected
from the veterinary teaching hospital in Kirkuk province for 6 consecutive months and for the period between 1/7/2016 and
until 1/1/2017 period included both the summer and autumn and winter seasons. The results show that the most commonly
used drugs were Oxytetracycline, Oxytetracycline, Doxycycline-Colistin compound by 26, 57 and 36% in cattle, sheep-goats
and Poultry, respectively. While the least commonly used drugs were Tylosin, Gentamicin and Gentamicin-Tylosin compound
by 10, 5 and 4% in cattle, sheep-goats and poultry, respectively. Based on the results obtained from this survey, we
recommend the use of Penicillin-Streptomycin compound because it has a synergistic effect against most of the resistant
bacteria and not to increase usage of Oxytetracycline because of its side effects and lack of effectiveness in recent times due to
the abundance of resistant germs. Also, using antibacterial drugs, we would like to note the need for optimal scientific use of
these drugs and to give attention to the period in which it takes the medicine to withdraw from the animal body before milking
animals or slaughtering it, so that the bacterial resistance does not develop against these drugs in the future.

Toxoplasmosis is a protozoan infection of humans and animals caused by Toxoplasma gondii, and it’s continuous public
health and food safety issue. The tachyzoites (Tg) of T. gondii are the most important stage, as they come in direct contact with
immune cells such as a macrophage. Tg can modulate and prevent apoptosis of immune cells while promoting survival of the
pathogen. Infections caused by Tg can be eradicated if immune cells could stimulate apoptosis and kill pathogens upon
exposure. Apoptosis is characterized by the release of mediators, namely Caspases (Cas). New means are required for inducing
apoptosis and enhance immunity in the infected host cell to control toxoplasmosis. The present study investigated whether
Synthetic Immuno-stimulatory Glycans (SIGs) influence Cas and Nitric oxide (NO) release and led to Tg damage. Galβ1-
3Gal-PAA-fluor (SIG1), Fucα1-4GlcNAcβ-PAA-fluor (SIG2) and GlcNAcβ1-3GalNAcα-PAA-fluor (SIG3) constituted
samples studied principally. Murine macrophage had been exposed to the Tg then the SIGs effects on Cas and NO production
were determined after 20 hours of pathogen phagocytosis. Here we report that the SIGs had potent in vitro activity against T.
gondii; SIG2 was more effective than SIG1 and SIG3, representative by SIG2 treated infected macrophages can induced
infected macrophages to release Cas1, 3, and 9. Maximum production of NO by infected macrophages was noticed following
the expoxure to all SIGs. Therefore the present study provided the method for the selection of SIGs ligands bearing
immunostimulatory factor and apoptotic stimuli properties.

The recent study was designed to estimate the effect of season on dogs' semen parameters in mature and pubertal males,
before and after hormonal adding and precede the sperms viability after collection. Twenty local dogs were divided into two
equal groups the first one aged between 2-3 years which represent the mature dogs group, and the second group aged 9-12
months which considered as newly pubertal males. This study was done in dogs cages in College of Veterinary Medicine –
University of Baghdad from 1/2/2015 to 1/2/2016. The semen was collected by using artificial vagina twice weekly. The
physical examination (semen volume, colour, odour, debris and pH) and also the microscopical examination (mass motility,
individual motility, sperm numbers, viability and deformities) and precede both the viability of sperms every hour till ceased
of individual motility and the effect of adding of oxytocin and prostaglandine f2α. The herein study indicated that there were a
significant decrease in sperms mass motility, individual motility, sperms numbers and viability during summer season,
nevertheless, the deformities increased significantly during the summer in both males groups. The deformities show significant
differences between mature and pubertal males. The individual motility indicated an increase after hormonal adding to the
semen, the individual motility also ceased after 12 hrs from collection in all seasons. This study concluded that the male dogs
could breed during the different seasons of the year, and the summer season had negative effect on male reproductive fertility
The hormonal adding lead to increase the individual motility also the maximum period of survival of the sperms after
collection not extended more than 12 hrs

In July 2010 outbreak was occurred in wild goat in Barzan, Sherwin mizzen and Mergasur in Kurdistan Region- Iraq.
There were over 2700 deaths (both young and adult) during the period of July 2010 to October 2011. Based on the clinical
signs and post-mortem findings, the involvement of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) was suspected. This was
confirmed by Real Time PCR technique using TaqMan®probes for the detection of Peste des petits ruminants. The results of
Real-Time PCR for the 9 sample taken from 9 Wild goat there are 6 sample positive and 3 sample negative and 76 sample
from domestic ruminants (sheep and goat) 63 samples was negative for PPR. This result confirms the diagnosis domestic
ruminants in the region are routinely vaccinated with an attenuated vaccine based on the ‘Nigeria/75/1’ strain of PPRV

The aim of this study is designed to evaluate the best methods for cow oocytes collection from abattoir specimens which is
the cheapest, easily obtained and bulky number. Forty five fresh cow genitalia specimens and testicle were collected directly
after slaughter from Al-Shoáalla abattoir north-west of Baghdad the capital early morning, transported in cool box under (4-8)
°C to the laboratory of theriogenology in the college of veterinary medicine/Baghdad University during the period from
November 2016 to February 2017. Ovaries were separated from the surrounding tissues, washed thoroughly with dis. water
repeatedly, then with normal saline and finally with MEM medium containing Antibiotics and Nystatin for contaminant
elimination. Oocytes were collected with four methods aspiration, slashing, slicing after aspiration and slicing. The result
showed that; the collected oocytes were 55, 68, 87 and 106 oocytes respectively; slicing methods yield more oocytes count.
Period of time between slaughtering and samples processing significantly affect oocytes collected percentage and quality,
periods as 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours yield 75%, 68%, 61% and 55% oocytes counts of good, fair, poor to aged and bad quality
oocytes respectively. Two hours period yield an elevated oocytes count with good quality. Maturation index of oocytes
according to the type of collected methods showed 44, 37, 39 and 42 with 12, 8, 6 and 6 good oocyte quality for the four
methods respectively. In conclusion slicing methods yield more oocytes count with a moderate quality and embryos production
while aspiration methods yield a moderate oocytes count with an elevated quality and good embryos production.