To determine the effect of different doses of Salmonella enteritidis on immunocompetent cells, the thymus, bursa of Fabricius, and peripheral blood were examined. One-day-old chickens were orally infected with 2 × 102CFU/ml (low dose) and 2 × 108 CFU/ml(high dose) of S. enteritidis PT4. Subsets of T lymphocytes (CD3, CD4, and CD8), and BU1b cells using an indirect immunofluorescent method and flow cytometry were analysed on days 7, 10, 14, 21, and 27 postinoculation (dpi). The actual number of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood showed a significant increase in the low dose group (P < 0.05) on day 21 pi, and in the high dose group on day 27 pi (P< 0.001) compared to controls. The increase of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was observed in both infected groups compared to the controls from day 14 pi, significant on day 21 pi (P < 0.05) in the high dose group. The subpopulation of CD8+ was higher also on day 27 pi (P < 0.01) compared with the values of the control group. The subpopulation of BU1b+ B cells in both infected groups showed higher values, but without significant differences from controls. The thymus T lymphocytes showed a significant decline in CD3+ T cells on day 7 pi, whereas CD4+ T cells were significantly (P < 0.05) increased on day 7 pi in both infected groups. The bursal lymphocytes showed a decrease in BU1b+ B cells in both infected groups compared with the control group, significant in the high dose group on day 21 pi (P < 0.05). These results indicate that S. enteritidis infection induced the changes in immunocompetent cells, included cellular and humoral immune response. Salmonella infection accelerated the maturation and differentiation of thymus T cells in the first phase of infection, what was secondarily reflected by increased number of studied T lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood from day 14 to 27 after infection. Similarly, it appears that the activation of B cells in bursa of Fabricius caused the decrease number of bursal B lymphocytes and increased number of these cells in the peripheral blood from day 14 to 27 pi in both infected groups.
A. A. Asheg(3-2003)

Geospatial database of farm locations and biosecurity measures are essential to control disease outbreaks. A study was conducted to establish geospatial database on poultry farms in Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi region of Libya, to evaluate the biosecurity level of each farm and to determine the seroprevalence of mycoplasma and its relation to biosecurity level. A field team of 7 Veterinarians belongs to the National Center of Animal Health was assigned for data recording and collection of blood samples. Personal information of the producers, geographical locations, biosecurity measures and description of the poultry farms were recorded. The total number of poultry farms in Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi Region is 461 farms distributed in 13 cities. Out of these, 102 broiler farms and one broiler breeder farm (10 houses) which were in operation during team visit were included in this study. Following collection of blood, sera were separated and tested by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies against Mycoplasma (General antigen for M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae). The seroprevalence of Mycoplasma in the region was 28% (29 poultry farms out of 103 were infected). About 50% (23 out of 47) of poultry farms located in Garian city were infected with Mycoplasma and one significant cluster of Mycoplasma infection in the city was identified. Low level of biosecurity was found in poultry farms of the region. Out of the 103 farms included, 63% of poultry houses has a ground of soil and 44% of them has uncoated walls which may influence the proper cleaning and disinfection. Almost 100% of the farms are at risk of exposure to diseases transmitted by wild birds such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease due to absence of wild birds control program. Although, 81% of the farms have entry restrictions, only 20% have disinfectants at entry which increase the risk of exposure to pathogens. The results of this study highlight the weakness points of biosecurity measures in poultry farms of Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi region and high seroprevalence of mycoplasma. Data collected in this study will assist the Veterinary authorities to apply effective disease control strategies.
Abdulwahab Kammon(3-2017)

Foot-and-mouth disease viruses are often restricted to specific geographical regions and spread to new areas may lead to significant epidemics. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences of the VP1 genome region of recent outbreak viruses from Libya and Saudi Arabia has revealed a lineage, O-Ind-2001, normally found in the Indian subcontinent. This paper describes the characterization of field viruses collected from these cases and provides information about a new real-time RT-PCR assay that can be used to detect viruses from this lineage and discriminate them from other endemic FMD viruses that are co-circulating in North Africa and western Eurasia.
Abdulwahab Kammon(1-2014)