Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

We aimed in the current study to investigate the effect of oxytocin and prostaglandin on the expression level of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRs) in local Iraqi cows at postpartum period. A total of 30 local Iraqi cows were divided randomly into three groups; the first group was considered a control group. The second group was injected with oxytocin 100 IU/IM twice weekly for four weeks postpartum. The third group was injected with PGF2α at a dose of 500 µg/I.M. twice weekly for four weeks postpartum. The blood was collected twice weekly for four weeks from the jugular vein for DNA extraction and to measure the OXTRs receptor gene by real-time PCR. The current study showed that the OXTRs gene expression level was insignificant in the first week between the three groups. In the second, third, and fourth weeks, the oxytocin group showed the highest significant OXTRs expression level, followed by the progesterone group compared to the control group. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that OXTRs expression in bovine blood plasma regulates by oxytocin and prostaglandin hormones during the postpartum period.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is described as a tick-borne viral zoonosis highly prevalent in Africa, Asia, Russia and the Balkans within the distribution range of ticks that belong to the genus Hyalomma. This research aimed to verify the seroprevalence of CCHF in cows employing Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA) in Mosul city / Iraq, to ​​examine some epidemiological risk factors related to the incidence of CCHF. From October 2019 - September 2020, one hundred eighty-four blood samples were taken from 3-8-year-old cattle of both sexes, from several management systems and origins, from various parts in Mosul city, 10 ml of blood was taken from the jugular vein in test tubes without anticoagulant to obtain the sera for I-ELISA test, while epidemiological data were obtained by interviewing the farm-owners. I-ELISA was applied to detect the antibodies of CCHF in the serum. The overall seroprevalence of CCHF in cows was 40/184 (21.7%). As for the risk factors associated with increased seroprevalence of the disease, an increase in seroprevalence rates was observed at ages 6, 7 and 8 years 30.5%, among females 26.3% and imported animals 27.5%. which showed that the serological prevalence in indoor feeding and outdoor feeding, was not significantly different (p<0.05). This study concluded that there is a higher seroprevalence of CCHF in Mosul city along with many risk factors related to its incidence.

Two hundred faeces sample were collected from cattle with different age and sex in Al- Diwaniyah Province. The study was conducted in the period between November 2016 and November 2017. Salmonella typhimurium bacteria identified by routine methods such as culturing on selective media, biochemical test and agglutination test using monovalent and multivalent antisera. PCR was can detection type-1 fimbriae gene coding for fimC of Salmonella typhimurium. Results showed that Salmonella isolates were 14.5% in the bovine fecal samples. Also, the serotyping of isolates by using monovalent and polyvalent antisera revealed that all Salmonella isolates in cows were S. typhimurium. The PCR technique was used for detection of type-1 fimbriae coding gene by specific primer for fimC gene. All S. typhimurium isolates in cows appeared to be contained this gene show one distinct band MW.289 bp when electrophoresed on agarose gel. The results of this score indicated that the PCR technique potentate a loud specify in the disclosing of S. typhimurium especially the serotype that encoded to fimC gene type-1 fimbriae isolated from cows in comparison to other routine diagnostic tests.