The aim of this study was to evaluate the blood serum protein profile separated by electrophoresis in 10 lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus and to describe the changes in the distribution of serum protein fractions over a 107-day postinfection period. These lambs were a part of a previous experiment that examined the effects of alternative treatment on the H. contortus infection. Blood samples were collected from 10 lambs infected with H. contortus on Days 0 (before infection), 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 98, and 107 postinfection. Total serum protein concentrations were analyzed using the biuret method, and the major protein fractions were separated with agarose gel electrophoresis. Only one lamb showed clinically observable signs of haemonchosis; these results were excluded from the statistical analysis. Changes in the analyzed parameters in animals without clinical signs (n = 9) were highly significant, except for the relative values of β1-globulins. The most notable changes after infection were observed between Days 14 and 42, where the absolute concentrations of total proteins, albumin, α2-, β1-, and γ1-globulins decreased significantly (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Conversely, the relative concentrations of α1-and α2-globulins increased (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively), and γ1-globulin decreased (p<0.01). From Day 56 onward, several parameters showed a steady trend toward baseline values before infection. The changes observed in the lamb with clinical signs were more severe, characterized by extremely low total protein and albumin levels and markedly higher relative values of α- and γ-globulin fractions on Days 98 and 107 postinfection. These results suggest that alterations in the protein profile and serum protein fraction distribution occur even in animals infected with H. contortus without clinical symptoms, which should be considered when addressing this health issue.
Background Infections caused by parasites in the gastrointestinal tract pose a significant health problem, negatively impacting the productivity and reproductive abilities of sheep and goats in Ethiopia. Materials and Methods A cross‐sectional study was carried out in Farta District, located in the South Gondar Zone of Northwest Ethiopia, between October 2024 and August 2025, to estimate the prevalence of common gastrointestinal parasite infections in small ruminants. A total of 384 small ruminants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Faecal samples were examined microscopically using Floatation and sedimentation techniques. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding the potential risk factors. Data were analysed using Stata/MP 19.5. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result The overall prevalence of common gastrointestinal parasites was 73.4% in the study area. The prevalence of parasitic infection associated with the species was 79.0% and 63.57% in sheep and goats respectively. This study showed that sheep were more affected than goats, indicating a statistically significant difference ( p = 0.025) between the species. The likelihood of gastrointestinal parasitic infection was increased by two‐fold (AOR = 2.16, CI = 1.36, 3.44, p = 0.001) in ovine than caprine. The prevalence of common gastrointestinal parasites was 77.2% in females and 68% in males, and there was no significant difference between sex ( χ 2 = 12.38, p = 0.135). The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites by age group was 72% in young animals, 59% in adults and 95.6% in older animals. There was a notable difference in infection rates across different age groups ( χ 2 = 33.65, p = 0.006). The parasites found in ovine were Trichostrongylus species (10.24%), Strongyloides species (14.75%), Haemonchus species (11%), Nematodirus species (6.7%), Fasciola species (11.5%), Eimeria species (6.1%), Trichuris species (6.1%) and mixed infection (12.3%). The gastrointestinal parasite prevalence based on season was 88.5% in autumn, 63.9% in winter, 70.5% in spring and 70.6% in summer ( χ 2 = 104.19, p = 0.000). Conclusion This study found that common gastrointestinal parasites are the main economic challenges faced by small ruminants in the study area. The current study found that sheep had a higher rate of gastrointestinal parasites compared to goats. Therefore, proper strategic deworming of small ruminants should be carried out in the study area.
Bangladesh is an agro-based country where goat rearing plays a pivotal role in supporting rural livelihoods because of its relatively low investment requirements and high profitability. However, peste des petits ruminants (PPR) remains a major threat to goat health and productivity. This study investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of PPR in goats presented at the Teaching Veterinary Hospital (TVH) of Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) and in surrounding areas of the Chattogram Metropolitan Area (CMA). A descriptive study was conducted to determine the proportionate prevalence of PPR, assess the frequency of clinical signs, evaluate therapeutic practices, and identify potential risk factors associated with its occurrence. Data from 922 clinically diagnosed PPR cases were retrieved from the TVH database for descriptive analysis. In a separate investigation, 138 suspected PPR cases, including 50 cases at TVH and 88 from diverse sources, were examined clinically and tested using serological and molecular methods. Blood samples were analyzed to determine seropositivity and assess hematological changes, while nasal swabs were subjected to molecular diagnosis. The prevalence of PPR was 21.3%–28.7% based on the descriptive analysis and 21.7% based on molecular testing. The most frequently observed combination of clinical signs was nasal discharge, stomatitis, and diarrhea, which occurred in 17.5% of the cases; sulfadimidine (70.4%) was the most commonly used antimicrobial to treat PPR. Hematological analysis indicated alterations in lymphocyte and neutrophil counts among affected goats. Multivariable analysis revealed that the rainy season, intensive/semi-intensive rearing systems, Black Bengal breed, and cachectic body condition were significantly associated with an increased risk of disease occurrence. In contrast, sex, body weight, and age showed no significant association. This study highlights the clinical patterns, prevalence, and hematological changes associated with PPR in goats in Chattogram, emphasizing the importance of early detection and targeted control measures to reduce the impact on small ruminant health and rural livelihoods.
Objectives To evaluate behavioural traits and overall well‐being in agility dogs in Chile using a standardised questionnaire and to explore how agility participation relates to behaviour patterns such as attachment, trainability and anxiety. Methods A cross‐sectional pilot survey of 10 dog guardians participating in agility competitions in Santiago, Chile, was conducted. Inclusion criteria required adult guardians and clinically healthy dogs aged 1–8 years with recent veterinary examinations. Behavioural assessment was performed using the Mini‐CBARQ, covering aggression, fear, attachment and trainability. Data were analysed descriptively, and associations between traits were explored using Spearman correlations. Results A distinct behavioural profile was observed. High levels of attachment and attention‐seeking behaviours (72.5%) and trainability (70.8%) were observed. Low levels of aggression (9.8%) and separation‐related behaviours (8.3%) were reported overall. A positive correlation was identified between excitability and separation‐related behaviours, suggesting that more excitable dogs may be more prone to separation difficulties. Most dogs were Border Collies (90%) with a mean age of 4.05 years. Clinical Significance Agility participation is associated with strong dog‐handler bonding and high trainability, which may support obedience and performance in clinical and behavioural contexts. However, increased attachment and excitability may predispose some dogs to separation‐related issues, highlighting the need for balanced behavioural management and routine welfare monitoring in active canine patients.
Background Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease with significant impacts on both animal health and public health. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the available data on circulating Brucella species and laboratory identification methods in brucellosis research in Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo. Methods Article selection and examination followed the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) guidelines. Eligible studies published between 2010 and 2025 were identified through systematic searches of PubMed and Google Scholar using predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 162 articles were identified; after removing 25 duplicate records and 57 records published before 2010, 80 records were screened by title and abstract. Of these, 28 were excluded, leaving 52 reports assessed for eligibility. After full‐text reading, 8 reports were excluded, leaving 44 studies included in this review. Data extracted from each study included country, host species, sample type, identified Brucella species or biovars (when available), laboratory diagnostic methods, and study characteristics. Data were analyzed and visualized using R Version 4.5.2 with the tidyverse and ggplot2 packages. Results We included 44 studies, primarily from Nigeria (91%; 40/44). Studies from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Niger met inclusion criteria; no eligible studies were found from Benin. Genus‐level identification ( Brucella spp.) was reported in 75% (33/44) of studies, while species‐level identification was limited to 25% (11/44). Brucella abortus was the most commonly identified species (18%; 8/44). Serological methods predominated, used exclusively in 95.5% of studies (42/44), whereas molecular methods (PCR or qPCR) were used in only 2 studies (4.5%). Most studies (79.5%; 35/44) focused exclusively on animal samples, with limited integration of human (9.1%; 4/44) or food (2.3%; 1/44) samples; a further 4 studies (9.1%) combined animal samples with either human or food samples. Conclusions Current evidence indicates that brucellosis surveillance remains largely dependent on serological diagnosis and animal‐based investigations, with limited application of molecular strain characterization and integrated human–animal surveillance. Strengthening laboratory capacity for molecular diagnostics, expanding genomic characterization of circulating Brucella species, and implementing harmonized One Health surveillance systems are essential to improve epidemiological understanding and guide effective brucellosis control in the region.
