Senile plaques in an aged two-humped (Bactrian) camel (Camelus bactrianus)

Senile plaques with -protein as a major constituent are a conspicuous feature in the brains of aged humans, monkeys, dogs, and bears. We found cerebral senile plaques of the diffuse and primitive type, but not the classical type, in an aged female camel of more than 20 years old. The senile plaques and a few cortical capillaries were immunoreactive with anti--protein serum. Congophilic amyloid deposition was detected in a small number of the capillaries, but not in the senile plaques. We believe this to be the first detailed report of senile plaques in a herbivore, and these findings suggest the ossibility of senile plaque formation in a wide variety of mammlian species.     

An unusual cause of depressed skull fracture: case report

BACKGROUND: Camel collision accidents are a common occurrence in Saudi Arabia, with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Isolated injuries are rare because of the nature of impact sustained by the person. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 4-year-old child with an isolated depressed skull fracture resulting from a camel collision is described. The other occupants of the car were crushed to death. The child sustained only an impact to his head, causing a compound depressed skull fracture with localized cortical damage. CONCLUSIONS: Camel collision accidents are a common cause of mortality and morbidity in Saudi Arabia. Isolated skull injuries are rare and result from a localized impact. This is the first report of a compound depressed skull fracture from such an incident. The extent of the problem and efforts toward prevention are described.     

新疆北部骆驼源细粒棘球绦虫成虫扫描电镜观察

从新疆北部地区感染囊型包虫病的骆驼肝，肺包囊中收取细粒棘球蚴原头节，实验感染家犬后，分别于第３５天和第４５天收集成虫进行扫描电镜观察。骆驼源细粒棘球绦虫成虫的外部形态特点；整个虫体表面被覆着微毛，与其他来源的成虫相比其微毛相对浓密柔细，成熟体节的生殖孔有两种不同的形态；有雄茎伸出的生殖孔凹陷不明显，孔周区没有感觉乳头出现，在雄茎表面密布丝状微绒毛，没有雄茎伸出的生殖孔凹陷明显，孔周区有许多大小不等     

Natural exposure of Dromedary camels in Sudan to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (bovine herpes virus-1)

The occurrence of bovine herpes virus-1 (BHV-1) in camels was studied. A total of 186 pneumonic camel lungs were collected from slaughter houses at four different areas in Sudan during 2000-2006. Using sandwich ELISA 1.6% of 186 tested lungs were found positive for BHV-1 antigen, all were from Tambool at Central Sudan. Direct fluorescent antibody test (FAT) was used to confirm the BHV-1 ELISA positives, all ELISA positives were also positive. PCR was used to detect BHV-1 genome with three positive results. BHV-1 was isolated from two camel lungs in MDBK cells. Isolates were identified using ELISA and FAT. Indirect ELISA was used to detect antibodies to BHV-1 in 260 camel sera; 76.9% were found positive. Highest prevalence was observed in sera from Kordofan (84%) then Blue Nile (80%) and Tambool (76.3%). This is the first report for the detection of BHV-1 antigen, genome using PCR, isolation in cell culture and antibodies in camels in Sudan.     

Occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in raw milk of five dairy species in Ahvaz,Iran

During November 2007 to December 2008, 311 samples of raw milk from cow, water buffalo, camel, sheep, and goat were collected in the Ahvaz (southwest Iran). All of the samples were analyzed for presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by competitive ELISA technique. AFM1 was found in 42.1% of the samples by average concentration of 43.3 ± 43.8 ng/kg. The incidence rates of AFM1 in raw cow, water buffalo, camel, sheep, and goat milks were, 78.7%, 38.7%, 12.5%, 37.3%, and 27.1%, respectively. The concentration of AFM1 in all of the samples were lower than Iranian national standard and FDA limit (500 ng/l), but in 36% of raw cow milk, 8% water buffalo milk, 3.9% sheep milk, and 5.7% raw goat milk samples were higher than maximum tolerance limit accepted by European union/Codex Alimentarius Commission (50 ng/l). The results showed that the milk of camel, goat, and sheep is safe respect to AFM1 contamination in this area.     

Induced Minor Malformations in the Neocortex of Normal Mice do not Alter Immunological Functions

The interactive relationship between the CNS and the immune system is well established. Major lesions in the brain have been shown to affect immune response. However, whether minor, focal lesions (ectopias), as seen in autoimmune mice, may induce alterations in the immune system is unknown. To address this point, ectopic lesions in the neocortex were induced in neonatal DBA/2 mice (Induced minor malformations; IMM) and their immune capabilities were assessed at adulthood. Serum was collected from each animal and analyzed for the presence of autoantibodies. In addition, splenic lymphocytes and thymocytes were collected to ascertain proliferative capabilities and to assess for possible phenotypic changes in lymphocyte subsets. Mice with IMM did not manifest IgG autoantibodies against cardiolipin, dsDNA or brain membrane antigens. Total lymphocyte cellularity was not affected. The induction of cerebrocortical ectopias did not impair the ability of splenic and thymic lymphocytes to proliferate in response to anti-CD3 antibodies or Concanavalin-A (Con-A) as determined by non-radioactive (Alamar Blue) and radioactive (³H-thymidine) assays. Moreover, no difference in proliferation of instimulated and anti-CD3-stimulated splenic lymphocytes exposed to rIL-2 or rIL-7 was observed. Flow cytometric analysis of a variety of cell surface antigens, indicated that there was no difference in lymphocyte subsets between control and IMM groups. Therefore, we conclude that induced IMM lesions in the CNS of normal DBA/2 mice lo not alter immune functions.     

Immunohistochemical expression of apoptosis-related biomarkers in normal tissues of camel (Camelus dromedarius): A survey in a desert-dwelling mammalian model

Programmed cell death is a fundamental event that takes place during organ development and plays an important role in cellular homeostasis. Since various body organs of the camel are under high ecological and physiological stress during food and water deprivation, desiccation, and the long exposure to solar radiation in these desert nomads, we aimed to examine the immunohistochemical expression of apoptosis-related biomarkers in some of its normal body organs to illustrate a basic track for further pathological investigation. Regarding apoptosis, the present study has revealed that the higher expression of cleaved caspase-9 (CC9) [initiator of the intrinsic pathway] and CC3 (effector caspase), and the scanty expression of CC8 (initiator of the extrinsic pathway), highlight the role of the caspase-dependent, intrinsic apoptotic pathway particularly in the intestines and lymphoid organs. The apoptosis- inducing factor (AIF)-immunoexpression was completely missing in the cell nuclei of the examined tissues, indicating the absence of the caspase-independent pathway. The nuclear overexpression of the phospho-histone H2AX (γ H2AX) and the occasional expression of single-stranded DNA, particularly among the CNS neurons, suggest an efficient, protective DNA-repair mechanism in such cells. Thus, despite efficient anti-apoptotic mechanisms intrinsic apoptotic pathways exists in brain, intestine and lymph organs of adult desert camels.