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The use of counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) in the diagnosis of Johne's disease was investigated in flocks of sheep in Iran and Libya. In 50 sheep with no history of paratuberculosis none had antibodies to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Animals vaccinated as neonates were either negative or had reciprocal titres (RT) of less than 4 at 18 months of age unless exposed to infection. Among 105 non-vaccinated adults in an infected flock 91% had antibodies. Twenty-one animals that either died or were slaughtered were autopsied. Eight animals with RT of 8 or above and one with RT of 4 had gross lesions with demonstrable acid-fast organisms. Two animals with RT of 2 had clinical disease while three with RT of 4 and one with RT of 2 had histopathological lesions only. All animals found negative for M. paratuberculosis infection had RT of 2 or below. The critical interpretation of the test is discussed.

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A total of 86 abscesses (45 and 41) abscesses of sheep and goats, respectively) were examined for their causal agents; 44 of these abscesses were located subcutaneously, and the remaining 42 were in lungs, livers, intestines, and udders. A total of 23 different types of microorganisms were isolated from 78 abscesses; bacteria were not detected in the remaining eight abscesses. Microorganisms isolated were: species of the genera Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus and Pasteurella, Escherichia coli, and other gram-negative rods. Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Eubacterium tortuosum were isolated in pure culture from one abscess each in goats. Two to four different microorganisms were associated with 25 of the 86 abscesses. It was determined that 11 isolates of Corynebacterium pyogenes, 2 isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica, 1 of P multocida, and 1 of C pseudotuberculosis were lethal to mice. Two of the C pyogenes isolates from subcutaneous spreading abscesses of goats were pathogenic for rabbits; these two isolates produced similar suppurative inflammation in goats experimentally, but did not cause death. As determined by experimental inoculation, goats were more susceptible than sheep to the two isolates. In nature, subcutaneous abscesses of goats associated with C pyogenes were of a more diffusive type which resulted in generalization of the infection and death of the animals. Postmortem examination of ten goats dying of field infection showed the presence of larvae of the warble-fly Przhevalskiana silenus at the site of infection.

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The prevalence of antibodies to Mycobacterium johnei in pre-colostral lambs in a flock of sheep infected with Johne's disease was investigated. Blood from 134 ewes and their 143 lambs were collected immediately after lambing. Double immunodiffusion and counterimmunoelectrophoresis tests were used to detect antibodies to M johnei. Four (3 per cent) of 135 lambs born to 127 ewes with serological evidence of exposure to M johnei had detectable antibodies in their sera. All lambs fed colostrum from serologically positive ewes had serum antibodies.

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Two hundred and eighty one soil samples from different provinces of Kenya were examined for dermatophytes by the hair baiting technique. Dermatophytes were recovered from 84 samples. Microsporum gypseum constituted 75.8% of the total isolates while Keratinomyces ajelloi and M. cookei formed 21% and 3.2%, respectively. The distribution of the dermatophytes was influences by soil pH, being more prevalent in acidic than in alkaline soils.

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Counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) was applied in the detection of antibodies to Mycobacterium johnei in 110 sheep, 11 goat and 31 cattle sera and compared to immunodiffusion (ID) test. One per cent Noble agar, 7 ml per slide of 5 cm x 10 cm; barbitone-tris buffer, mu = 0.03, pH 8.6; a constant current of 5 mA per slide and M johnei protoplasmic antigen at 4 mg per ml were found to impart high sensitivity to CIE and give rapid results. CIE detected 97 sheep, 11 goat and 31 cattle positive sera, a total of 139, as compared to 44, 11, 28 and 83 respectively, detected by ID. Strongly positive sera could be demonstrated within 30 minutes by CIE and the test was run for only 90 minutes while earliest reactions were not observed before 18 hours and some reactions took 144 hours to develop in ID test.

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The 12 known serotypes of P. haemolytica and two biotypes A and T were found to occur in Kenya. Biotype T was more common in disease conditions than biotype A, which was more common in the nasal passages of healthy animals. Only biotypes A strains were recovered from cattle and the majority were serotypes 1 and 2, but serotypes 4 and 11 were also isolated. All serotypes were found to occur in sheep and goats, but serotypes 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 were more commonly associated with pneumonia. It was observed that chickens could harbour both biotypes A and T in pathological conditions. Biotype A serotype 2 was isolated from an adult wildebeest, but the prevalence of P. haemolytica in wild animals needs furter investigation.

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The fruits of Solanum incanum Linnaeus are extensively used in Kenya for the treatment of cutaneous mycotic infections and other pathological conditions. The therapeutic activity of the berries has been attributed to their content of solanine and related glycoalkaloids, which are saponins and cytostatic poisons. In the present study, however, a simpler more potent antimicrobial substance with a phosphorylated structure similar to the purine adenine was isolated from the berries. The crystals of this compound were effective inhibitors of the growth of gram-positive and -negative bacteria, yeasts, dermatophytes, and some pathogens of agricultural produce. High concentrations of the substance caused hemolysis of erythrocytes.

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A study was made of the effects of serum and gamma-globulins from vaccinated cattle (donor cattle) given to cattle (principals) exposed to Theileria parva infection (East Coast fever (ECF)). The principals were treated with normal serum, with serum containing high antibody titer against T parva (as evaluated by the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) technique), or with globulins prepared from normal and from immune serums. For exposure, the principals were inoculated with standardized suspension of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus containing T parva infective particles. Comparison was made between treatments with normal serum and globulin and treatments with immune serum and globulin, using observations of time lapse after exposure to febrile response (39.5 C), to appearance of T parva macroschizonts, and to death. In addition, hematologic changes were determined. Neither the establishment of infection nor the clinical and hematologic changes in the principals were influenced by their treatment with immune serum or concentrated globulins; all died of ECF. Humoral antibodies did not protect cattle against fatal ECF, nor was enhancement of T parva infection observed.

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Twenty Romney Marsh ewes, some 5 to 40 days pregnant, were inoculated with a strain of Brucella ovis onto the scarified mucous membrane of the vagina. Establish of infection was ascertained by recovery of the organisms from blood; supramammary and inguinal lymph nodes; the vagina, after initial disappearance of the organism from this organ; and the complement fixation tests. The bacteremia was transitory or intermittent, but organisms could not be recovered from blood, or any other tissue examined, after 98 days of infection. Abortions or placentitis were not observed. It is recommended that in countries where sheep breeding is aseasonal a sexual rest of infected ewes for at least 4 months must be part of any program for the control and eradication of ram epididymitis.

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