The combined data of milk composition of 14 African elephants over 25 months of lactation are pre... more The combined data of milk composition of 14 African elephants over 25 months of lactation are presented. The milk density was constant during lactation. The total protein content increased with progressing lactation, with caseins as the predominant protein fraction. The total carbohydrates steadily decreased, with the oligosaccharides becoming the major fraction. Lactose and isoglobotriose reached equal levels at mid lactation. The milk fat content increased during lactation, as did the caprylic and capric acids, while the 12 carbon and longer fatty acids decreased. The fatty acid composition of the milk phospholipids fluctuated, and their total saturated fatty acid composition was low compared to the triacylglycerides. The milk ash and content of the major minerals, Na, K, Mg, P, and Ca, increased. Vitamin content was low, Vitamin E occurred in quantifiable amounts, with traces of vitamins A, D3, and K. The energy levels of African elephant milk did not change much in the first ten...
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 2012
A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence of canine leptospirosis in ur... more A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence of canine leptospirosis in urban Harare and five selected rural communities in Zimbabwe and to assess public awareness of the disease. Sera from randomly selected dogs were tested for antibodies to the serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pomona of Leptospira interrogans using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical chemistry was performed on all seropositive and selected seronegative sera to screen for hepatic and renal insufficiency. A questionnaire- based survey was conducted in Harare to assess dog owners’ awareness of leptospirosis and other zoonoses. Overall, 15.6% of sera samples tested (39 out of 250; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.0% – 20.2%) were positive for leptospiral antibodies. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) seroprevalence was recorded in urban dogs than in rural dogs (25% vs. 11.2%). No significant difference in seroprevalence was observed amongst dogs from differe...
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 2014
A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to detect antibodies for Brucella canis (B. canis)... more A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to detect antibodies for Brucella canis (B. canis) in dogs from urban Harare and five selected rural communities in Zimbabwe. Sera from randomly selected dogs were tested for antibodies to B. canis using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall, 17.6% of sera samples tested (57/324, 95% CI: 13.5–21.7) were positive for B. canis antibodies. For rural dogs, seroprevalence varied from 11.7% – 37.9%. Rural dogs recorded a higher seroprevalence (20.7%, 95% CI: 15.0–26.4) compared with Harare urban dogs (12.7%, 95% CI: 6.9–18.5) but the difference was not significant (p = 0.07). Female dogs from both sectors had a higher seroprevalence compared with males, but the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Five and two of the positive rural dogs had titres of 1:800 and 1:1600, respectively, whilst none of the positive urban dogs had a titre above 1:400. This study showed that brucellosis was present and could be considered a risk to...
The Rhipicephalus sanguineus group includes some of the most widespread dog ticks, whose identifi... more The Rhipicephalus sanguineus group includes some of the most widespread dog ticks, whose identification currently represents a difficult task due to the morphological similarities of these ixodid species. Recently, following the morphological and molecular characterization of tick specimens collected from dogs in all continents, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Rhipicephalus turanicus and three different operational taxonomic units (namely Rhipicephalus sp. I-III) have been identified. Therefore, a comprehensive molecular study has been herein carried out to detect selected canine vector-borne pathogens (i.e., Anaplasma platys, Cercopithifilaria spp., Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis) in ticks belonging to the R. sanguineus group. A total of 204 tick specimens from dogs were examined and identified as R. sanguineus s.l. (n = 81), R. turanicus (n = 17), Rhipicephalus sp. I (n = 66), Rhipicephalus sp. II (n = 37), and Rhipicephalus sp. III (n = 3). PCR assays were performed to detect mitochondrial and ribosomal target genes of Cercopithifilaria spp., A. platys, E. canis and H. canis. Out of 204 specimens examined, 2.5%, 7.4% and 21.6% scored positive to A. platys, H. canis and Cercopithifilaria spp., respectively. In addition, co-infections with two pathogens (i.e., Cercopithifilaria bainae and A. platys or H. canis) were detected in four tick specimens. This study suggests a relationship between ticks belonging to the R. sanguineus group and the geographical distribution of A. platys, H. canis and Cercopithifilaria spp. However, the role of each representative tick species within the R. sanguineus group in the transmission of these canine pathogens needs to be further investigated.
The combined data of milk composition of 14 African elephants over 25 months of lactation are pre... more The combined data of milk composition of 14 African elephants over 25 months of lactation are presented. The milk density was constant during lactation. The total protein content increased with progressing lactation, with caseins as the predominant protein fraction. The total carbohydrates steadily decreased, with the oligosaccharides becoming the major fraction. Lactose and isoglobotriose reached equal levels at mid lactation. The milk fat content increased during lactation, as did the caprylic and capric acids, while the 12 carbon and longer fatty acids decreased. The fatty acid composition of the milk phospholipids fluctuated, and their total saturated fatty acid composition was low compared to the triacylglycerides. The milk ash and content of the major minerals, Na, K, Mg, P, and Ca, increased. Vitamin content was low, Vitamin E occurred in quantifiable amounts, with traces of vitamins A, D3, and K. The energy levels of African elephant milk did not change much in the first ten...
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 2012
A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence of canine leptospirosis in ur... more A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence of canine leptospirosis in urban Harare and five selected rural communities in Zimbabwe and to assess public awareness of the disease. Sera from randomly selected dogs were tested for antibodies to the serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pomona of Leptospira interrogans using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical chemistry was performed on all seropositive and selected seronegative sera to screen for hepatic and renal insufficiency. A questionnaire- based survey was conducted in Harare to assess dog owners’ awareness of leptospirosis and other zoonoses. Overall, 15.6% of sera samples tested (39 out of 250; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.0% – 20.2%) were positive for leptospiral antibodies. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) seroprevalence was recorded in urban dogs than in rural dogs (25% vs. 11.2%). No significant difference in seroprevalence was observed amongst dogs from differe...
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 2014
A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to detect antibodies for Brucella canis (B. canis)... more A cross-sectional study was conducted in order to detect antibodies for Brucella canis (B. canis) in dogs from urban Harare and five selected rural communities in Zimbabwe. Sera from randomly selected dogs were tested for antibodies to B. canis using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Overall, 17.6% of sera samples tested (57/324, 95% CI: 13.5–21.7) were positive for B. canis antibodies. For rural dogs, seroprevalence varied from 11.7% – 37.9%. Rural dogs recorded a higher seroprevalence (20.7%, 95% CI: 15.0–26.4) compared with Harare urban dogs (12.7%, 95% CI: 6.9–18.5) but the difference was not significant (p = 0.07). Female dogs from both sectors had a higher seroprevalence compared with males, but the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Five and two of the positive rural dogs had titres of 1:800 and 1:1600, respectively, whilst none of the positive urban dogs had a titre above 1:400. This study showed that brucellosis was present and could be considered a risk to...
The Rhipicephalus sanguineus group includes some of the most widespread dog ticks, whose identifi... more The Rhipicephalus sanguineus group includes some of the most widespread dog ticks, whose identification currently represents a difficult task due to the morphological similarities of these ixodid species. Recently, following the morphological and molecular characterization of tick specimens collected from dogs in all continents, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.), Rhipicephalus turanicus and three different operational taxonomic units (namely Rhipicephalus sp. I-III) have been identified. Therefore, a comprehensive molecular study has been herein carried out to detect selected canine vector-borne pathogens (i.e., Anaplasma platys, Cercopithifilaria spp., Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis) in ticks belonging to the R. sanguineus group. A total of 204 tick specimens from dogs were examined and identified as R. sanguineus s.l. (n = 81), R. turanicus (n = 17), Rhipicephalus sp. I (n = 66), Rhipicephalus sp. II (n = 37), and Rhipicephalus sp. III (n = 3). PCR assays were performed to detect mitochondrial and ribosomal target genes of Cercopithifilaria spp., A. platys, E. canis and H. canis. Out of 204 specimens examined, 2.5%, 7.4% and 21.6% scored positive to A. platys, H. canis and Cercopithifilaria spp., respectively. In addition, co-infections with two pathogens (i.e., Cercopithifilaria bainae and A. platys or H. canis) were detected in four tick specimens. This study suggests a relationship between ticks belonging to the R. sanguineus group and the geographical distribution of A. platys, H. canis and Cercopithifilaria spp. However, the role of each representative tick species within the R. sanguineus group in the transmission of these canine pathogens needs to be further investigated.
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Papers by Lisa Marabini