Veterinary Biosciences - Research Publications
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePicornaviridae(ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, 2017)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableProtein histochemistry using coronaviral spike proteins: studying binding profiles and sialic acid requirements for attachment to tissues.(Springer New York, 2015)Protein histochemistry is a tissue-based technique that enables the analysis of viral attachment patterns as well as the identification of specific viral and host determinants involved in the first step in the infection of a host cell by a virus. Applying recombinantly expressed spike proteins of infectious bronchitis virus onto formalin-fixed tissues allows us to profile the binding characteristics of these viral attachment proteins to tissues of various avian species. In particular, sialic acid-mediated tissue binding of spike proteins can be analyzed by pretreating tissues with various neuraminidases or by blocking the binding of the viral proteins with specific lectins. Our assay is particularly convenient to elucidate critical virus-host interactions for viruses for which infection models are limited.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableParasites of the Giant Panda: A Risk Factor in the Conservation of a Species(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2018)The giant panda, with an estimated population size of 2239 in the world (in 2015), is a global symbol of wildlife conservation that is threatened by habitat loss, poor reproduction and limited resistance to some infectious diseases. Of these factors, some diseases caused by parasites are considered as the foremost threat to its conservation. However, there is surprisingly little published information on the parasites of the giant panda, most of which has been disseminated in the Chinese literature. Herein, we review all peer-reviewed publications (in English or Chinese language) and governmental documents for information on parasites of the giant pandas, with an emphasis on the intestinal nematode Baylisascaris schroederi (McIntosh, 1939) as it dominates published literature. The purpose of this chapter is to: (i) review the parasites recorded in the giant panda and describe what is known about their biology; (ii) discuss key aspects of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and control of key parasites that are reported to cause clinical problems and (iii) conclude by making some suggestions for future research. This chapter shows that we are only just 'scratching the surface' when it comes to parasites and parasitological research of the giant panda. Clearly, there needs to be a concerted research effort to support the conservation of this iconic species.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableA Perspective on Cryptosporidium and Giardia, with an Emphasis on Bovines and Recent Epidemiological Findings(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2015)Cryptosporidium and Giardia are two common aetiological agents of infectious enteritis in humans and animals worldwide. These parasitic protists are usually transmitted by the faecal-oral route, following the ingestion of infective stages (oocysts or cysts). An essential component of the control of these parasitic infections, from a public health perspective, is an understanding of the sources and routes of transmission in different geographical regions. Bovines are considered potential sources of infection for humans, because species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infecting humans have also been isolated from cattle in molecular parasitological studies. However, species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia of bovids, and the extent of zoonotic transmission in different geographical regions in the world, are still relatively poorly understood. The purpose of this article is to (1) provide a brief background on Cryptosporidium and Giardia, (2) review some key aspects of the molecular epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in animals, with an emphasis on bovines, (3) summarize research of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from cattle and water buffaloes in parts of Australasia and Sri Lanka, considering public health aspects and (4) provide a perspective on future avenues of study. Recent studies reinforce that bovines harbour Cryptosporidium and Giardia that likely pose a human health risk and highlight the need for future investigations of the biology, population genetics and transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in cattle, water buffaloes and other ruminants in different geographical regions, the fate and transport of infective stages following their release into the environment, as well as for improved strategies for the control and prevention of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, guided by molecular epidemiological studies.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableNext-Generation Molecular-Diagnostic Tools for Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Livestock, with an Emphasis on Small Ruminants: A Turning Point?(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2013)Parasitic nematodes of livestock have major economic impact worldwide. Despite the diseases caused by these nematodes, some advances towards the development of new therapeutic agents and attempts to develop effective vaccines against some of them, there has been limited progress in the development of practical diagnostic methods. The specific and sensitive diagnosis of parasitic nematode infections of livestock underpins effective disease control, which is now particularly important given the problems associated with anthelmintic resistance in parasite populations. Traditional diagnostic methods have major limitations, in terms of sensitivity and specificity. This chapter provides an account of the significance of parasitic nematodes (order Strongylida), reviews conventional diagnostic techniques that are presently used routinely and describes advances in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for the specific diagnosis of nematode infections. A particular emphasis is placed on the recent development of a robotic PCR-based platform for high-throughput diagnosis, and its significance and implications for epidemiological investigations and for use in control programmes.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableEquine Rhinitis Virus Infection(W B Saunders Company, 2015)This new volume brings you thorough coverage and authoritative advice on selected topics in areas that have seen significant advances in the last five years.
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ItemUnderstanding Haemonchus contortus Better Through Genomics and Transcriptomics(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2016)Parasitic roundworms (nematodes) cause substantial mortality and morbidity in animals globally. The barber's pole worm, Haemonchus contortus, is one of the most economically significant parasitic nematodes of small ruminants worldwide. Although this and related nematodes can be controlled relatively well using anthelmintics, resistance against most drugs in common use has become a major problem. Until recently, almost nothing was known about the molecular biology of H. contortus on a global scale. This chapter gives a brief background on H. contortus and haemonchosis, immune responses, vaccine research, chemotherapeutics and current problems associated with drug resistance. It also describes progress in transcriptomics before the availability of H. contortus genomes and the challenges associated with such work. It then reviews major progress on the two draft genomes and developmental transcriptomes of H. contortus, and summarizes their implications for the molecular biology of this worm in both the free-living and the parasitic stages of its life cycle. The chapter concludes by considering how genomics and transcriptomics can accelerate research on Haemonchus and related parasites, and can enable the development of new interventions against haemonchosis.
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ItemRecent Advances in Elucidating Nematode Moulting - Prospects of Using Oesophagostomum dentatum as a Model(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2016)There are major gaps in our knowledge of many molecular biological processes that take place during the development of parasitic nematodes, in spite of the fact that understanding such processes could lead to new ways of treating and controlling parasitic diseases via the disruption of one or more biological pathways in the parasites. Progress in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and bioinformatics now provides unique opportunities to investigate the molecular basis of key developmental processes in parasitic nematodes. The porcine nodule worm, Oesophagostomum dentatum, represents a large order (Strongylida) of socioeconomically important nematodes, and provides a useful platform for exploring molecular developmental processes, particularly given that this nematode can be grown and maintained in culture in vitro for periods longer than most other nematodes of this order. In this article, we focus on the moulting process (ecdysis) in nematodes; review recent advances in our understanding of molecular aspects of moulting in O. dentatum achieved by using integrated proteomic-bioinformatic tools and discuss key implications and future prospects for research in this area, also with respect to developing new anti-nematode interventions and biotechnological outcomes.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableHarnessing the Toxocara Genome to Underpin Toxocariasis Research and New Interventions(ELSEVIER ACADEMIC PRESS INC, 2016)Parasitic worms, such as flatworms (platyhelminths) and roundworms (nematodes), cause substantial morbidity and mortality in animals and people globally. The ascaridoid nematode Toxocara canis is a zoonotic parasite of socioeconomic significance worldwide. In humans, this worm causes toxocariasis (disease) mainly in underprivileged communities in both the developed and developing worlds. While reasonably well studied from clinical and epidemiological perspectives, little is understood about the molecular biology of T. canis, its relationship with its hosts and the disease that it causes. However, a recent report of the draft genome and transcriptomes of T. canis should underpin many fundamental and applied research areas in the future. The present article gives a background on Toxocara and toxocariasis, a brief account of diagnostic approaches for specific identification and genetic analysis, and gives a perspective on the impact that the genome of T. canis and advanced molecular technologies could have on our understanding of the parasite and the diseases that it causes as well as the design of new and improved approaches for the diagnosis, treatment and control of toxocariasis.