Search

This study investigates influence of the anti-anthrax vaccination on blast transformation capacity of the leukocytes and also the possible in vitro influence of two, taxonomically different, autochthonous plants, Calendula officinalis and Vaccinium mirtyllus in promoting post-vaccinal proliferation. For that, blood was sampled on heparine (50 IU/ml) before and two weeks after the anti-anthrax vaccination (R 1190 Stamatin strain) of twenty-three dairy cows and 11 calves raised extensively. Blood samples were subjected to the in vitro blast transformation test, where glucose consumption was read after 72 hours of incubation at 37oC by the o-toluidine test. The experimental variants included samples treated with alcoholic extracts of the plants (7.5 µ/ml). There was a statistically significant increase in all the stimulation indices after the vaccination of the animals in cows, including those for Vaccinium myrtillus (48.57±13.27 to 53.53±12.49, p=0.02) and Calendulla officinalis (56.39±12.57 and 61.51±13.85, p=0.01). The increase induced in the growth of calf lymphocytes by the two plants was non-significant post vaccination. Both extracts could be used to enhance cell mediated immunity but there was an age dependent improvement of their in vitro response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytotherapy used various preparations in both human and veterinary medicine over time, due to their increased bioavailability and lower costs. Taraxacum officinale of Compositae family, well-known for its therapeutic effects, abundantly grows on Romanian pastures. The research aimed to investigate its alcoholic extract's effects on cell-mediated immunity in anti-anthrax vaccinated, grazing sheep. Local Turcana ewes kept on pasture from spring to fall were sc vaccinated with R1190 attenuated anthrax strain, and blood was sampled before and 14 days after the vaccination. In vitro cell-mediated immunity was monitored employing phagocytosis and blast transformation tests in the presence of T. officinale alcoholic extract. The extract increased phagocytosis two weeks after the vaccination (p<0.001), while the blastogenic response also showed significant variations (p<0.05) over time. There was a positive effect of T. officinale extract on the cellular immunity, suggesting its stress alleviating effects in anti-anthrax vaccinated sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed at investigating the presence of various variants of the IBV by RT-PCR in Romania, the territory being divided into four main regions: Q1-North West (n=78), Q2-North East (n=68), Q3-South East (n=173) and Q4-South West (n=53) to provide information for improvement of vaccination protocols and IBV infection overall control strategies. Two types of RT-PCR were applied to characterise the strains from the 33 farms. Numerous variants of the IBV virus were identified in different farms of the four major regions of Romania, with the obvious dominance of 4/91. Nevertheless, the identified pathotypes, of which some not mentioned in Romania, like Xinandi which might have been "imported" from Turkey or D1466, mentioned elsewhere in Europe, did not overlap the vaccine strains, leading to the clinical expression of the disease with different degrees of severeness, which stands for IBV versatile character and potential re-combinations occurring in spite of affiliation of certain variants to various geographical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti anthrax immune prophylaxis is a stressful operation, with a positive protective outcome but also impacting negatively on the immune system. The research aimed to investigate the post vaccination changes in humoral and cell mediated immunity, other than the specific anti anthrax ones, and quantify the restorative potential of the bilberry and marigold extracts in vaccinated animals. The experiment was carried out on extensively raised lactating cows (n=34) and young cattle (n=21), blood being sampled before and two weeks after the injection of live attenuated R 1190 Stamatin vaccine and processed by blood picture, calculation of N/L index as a stress indicator, total Ig and circulating immune complexes as well as the in vitro blast transformation of leukocytes. The results indicated that the N/L ratio allows an estimate of the stress level subsequent to vaccination, in relation to the diminished adaptive cell mediated response in the young cattle. The lower level of total Ig connected with a significantly (p<0.05) lower rate of complexation in young animals versus older ones stresses the beneficial influence of repeated vaccinations in the latter category. Similarly, there was an increased adaptive cell mediated response in older animals. The stimulating activity of extracts from Vaccinum myrtillus and Calendula officinalis was better expressed in cell cultures from younger animals, supporting the possible therapeutic use of these in restoring the diminshed overall immune responsein this category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of immunomodulatory effects have been attributed to the medicinal plants Calendula officinalis and Echinacea angustifolia; however, little is known about whether treatment with these plants can enhance non-specific humoral and antibody mediated immunity. The purpose of the present project was that of establishing the role played by Calendula officinalis and Echinacea angustifolia extracts, containing mainly carotenoids, in augmenting of the non-specific and specific immune responses in Newcastle disease virus primed hens. The experiment was carried out on 28 Leghorn hens, divided into four equal groups (n=7), subjected each, for seven days, to a differentiated treatment, starting on day 0 and using the same pattern (0.5 ml/bird/day), as follows: group I was injected with an alcoholic Calendula officinalis extract; group II - with an alcoholic Echinacea angustifolia extract; group III, a control for the extracts - with 70° alcohol and group IV, control for environmental and injection stresses - with saline. On days 0 and 7 the birds were subcutaneously primed with Newcastle disease vaccine and blood samples were taken on days 0, 7 and 14. Hemagglutination inhibition test, zinc sulphate precipitation and PEG precipitation were performed to monitor the anti Newcastle antibody synthesis, total Ig and CIC levels. The C. officinalis extract induced a gradually increasing specific humoral activity, persistent after the stimulation, during both primary and booster vaccination while the Echinacea extract induces an increase during the first phase, but the stimulating effect was not persistent. The active principles in the Calendula extract positively influenced the anti-Newcastle antibody titers, without attaining the values in the control groups. Injecting the birds with the Echinaceea extract seems to negatively influence the antibody synthesis, especially during the primary response. The results obtained for total Ig levels and CIC suggested that the active principles from the Calendula officinalis and Echinacea angustifolia extracts influence different steps in Ig synthesis and complexation/clearance of CIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marek's disease provides excellent opportunities for the study of a herpesvirus-induced tumour both experimentally and under natural conditions in the field. The mechanism of protection against this disease is mainly through an antiviral cell mediated immune response. Over the last decades, Marek's disease viruses have been evolving greater oncogenicity, some of which are not adequately controlled by the vaccines that are currently available (Biggs, 1997; 2001). The experiment aimed to monitor during a naturally occuring episode of Marek's disease, the changes in phagocytosis and blast transformation capacity of 65 weeks old Rosso hens (n=20) under field conditions. The influence of certain vegetal extracts on these two functions was observed in order to evaluate their restoring potential. Heparinized blood samples were taken on a farm where the disease appeared spontaneously. The birds in the experimental group were selected based on the changes of the iris and pupilla, characteristic to the eye affection during the disease as well as their progressive weight loss, worsening of general condition and abdominal distension. Total leukocytes, with a dominance of lymphoblasts and myeloid cells, varried from 35,000 to 66.000/mm3 . The birds were subjected to blod sampling twice, 11 days apart. Heparinized blood was used to perfom the in vitro carbon particle inclusion and blast transformation tests. Spontaneous phagocytosis and blast transformation were recorded and afterwards the effects of Calendula officinalis, Symphitum officinale, Echinaceea angustifolia and E. purpureea was monitored by the same techniques. The phagocytosis was diminished at the begining of the experiment and increased as a compensatory mechanism towrds the end of the experiment. The spontaneous blast transformation capacity was slightly increased at the first sampling in infected birds, when compared to that of healthy birds of the same category, but it degraded to day 11 as a consequence of the progressive disease. While during the first phases of the infection, the active principles from Echinaceea stimulated the phagocytosis, as the disease evolved, the stimulating effects became weaker. E. purpureea extract increased the in vitro growt of leukocytes from Marek's disease virus infected birds when compared to controls. Nevertheless, by day 11 none of the extracts acted stimnulating, pleeding for the lack of responsiveness of the lymphocytes to restoring treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of three different oral administration protocols of a H. rhamnoides whole fruit preparation on xenograft rejection in vaccinated rabbits (n=21) was investigated. Although statistically non significant (p<0.05, d=9.8±3.27mm), the increase in the group treated from day 0 to day 14, indicated the potential of both the extract and this protocol in augmenting the adaptive response in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multitude of bioactive herbal extractions or constituents are currently being investigated as intermediates for use in the development of chemotherapeutic agents that may be applied in the management or treatment of infections, especially for those determined by multiresistant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial properties of some herbal alcoholic extracts and essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from animal clinical cases. In this study the antimicrobial properties screening for some essential oils and alcoholic extracts obtained from the following herbal species: Lavandula officinalis, Mentha piperita, Thymus vulgaris, Pelargonium graveolens, Coriandrum sativum, Mellisa officinalis, Hippophae rhamnoides, Salvia officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis was performed. In order to evaluate the level of the bacteriostatic activity manifested by the herbal extracts, two difusimetric assays were used: the disc difusion assay and well diffusion method. The ability of the screened herbal products to inhibit bacterial growth varied significantly and proved to be dependent mostly on herbal source and type of extract, but also on the bacterial species. Thus, some extracts case of Thymus vulgaris, Lavandula officinalis, Mentha piperita, Pelargonium graveolens, Coriandrum sativum and Mellisa officinalis, proved to be active only as conditioned as essential oils, Hippophae rhamnoides was efficient only as alcoholic extract, while Salvia officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis exhibited antibacterial effect both as essential oils and alcoholic extracts. The antimicrobial potential was expressed more intense on the Staphylococcus aureus strains and relatively modest on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further in vitro and in vivo assays are required to consider these extracts as an alternative to the current antimicrobial therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marek's disease virus represented all along an important model for researches on the immune response against lymphoma producing herpes viruses, in their natural hosts. The infection in chickens starts with its B cell lytic cycle, followed by the latent infection of T lymphocytes and the appearance, in susceptible birds, of T cell lymphomas (Schat and Xing, 2000). The study aimed to monitor the influence of naturally occuring Marek's disease herpes virus infection in adult hens on the status of certain humoral immune effectors, such as lysozyme, total immuneglobulins and circulating immune complexes. The object of the research was represented by 20, 65 weeks old Rosso hens, from a farm where the disease appeared spontaneously. The selected individuals showed changes of the colour of the iris (depigmentation) and of pupilla (reduced size and excentric position), as well as changes in general status (progressive weight loss) and increased abdomen. Total leukocyte numbers varried from 35,000 to 66,000/mm3 , with a dominance of lymphoblasts and myeloblasts. Blood was sampled twice, at 11 days interval, to obtaind the serum. Lysozyme concentrations were established by radial diffusion test using Micrococcus lysodeicticus as a standard bacteria, while precipitation techniques were involved in establishing the concentrations of total Ig (24%o zinc sulphate precipitation) and circulanting immune complexes (4.2% PEG precipitation). The results indicated an increase of lysozyme concentrations from 37.35 to 53.5 micrograms/ml, from the first to the second sampling, both values being increased when compared to those measured in healthy hens of the same category (10.24 ± 4.76 micrograms/ml). These values were probably due to an increased synthesis and/or cell death (neutrophiles, monocytes) with a subsequent release of the enzyme during the course of the infection. Total immuneglobulins changed non significantly (0.184 ± 0.178 and 0.171 ± 0.138 ODU), while the circulating immune complexes increased significantly (p<0.001), the initial values being almost trippled (0.163 ± 0.150 and 0.410 ± 0.227 ODU), providing a potential explanation for decreasing total immuneglobulins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of vegetal extractions in vivo could offer data on their potential application as adjuvants for vaccines. Delayed type hipersensitivity and graft rejection offer the means to investigate cell-mediated immune response, being subject to adjuvant activities. The experiments aimed to comparatively monitor the effects of seabuckthorn extracts on cell mediated immunity expressed as delayed type hipersensitivity and graft rejection, in animals from two different classes, Aves si Mammalia. Reseraches were carried out on 30 broiler, Rock x Cornish chickens, aged 42 days, and simultaneously in 15 Supercunirom male rabbits", aged 150 days. Botha categories of animals were kept in their original locations, accomodated and fedaccording to the technological procedure, to avoid any suplementarry stressor. Conventional, clinically healthy animals were chosen, which were not treated or injected (vaccinated) during the research period, except for experimental purposes. The animals were primed with a 5% sheep red blood cell suspension in saline, twice, seven days apart. The amount of administered antigen was adjusted to body weight, therefor the birds received 0.5 ml while the rabbits were given 1.5 ml. Both species were fed on day 0 with a single dose of seabuckthorn fruit powder, 0.5 g/kg body mass. The Hippophae rhamnoides extraction used for the injections, consisting of a caroten-lipid-protein complex, was obtained from white seabuckthorn. Graft rejection of sheep lymphocytes and hipersensitivity to a sheep red blood cell lysate was observed in SRBC primed animals. In chickens, the simultaneous injection of the carotenoid-lipid-protein compound and xenogenic lymphocytes induced a statistically significant increase of the reactivity (p<0,01- p<0,001), a phaenomenon absent in case of separate lymphocytes. Nevertheless, the reactivity in chickens was milder tha in rabbits, suggesting an increased stimulating potential of the compound in mammals. The data also indicated a weaker effect of the Hippophae compound on long term, than on short term. Similar results were obtained for the delayed type hipersensitivity reaction, much higer in rabbits than in chickens. The seabuckthorn treatment proved to be stimulating of the in vivo cell mediated reactivity, suggesting its potential immunestimulating selective use in rabbits rather than in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phagocytic function represents one of the important aspects of the innate immunity, while the blast transformation is a measure of the specific cell-mediated reactivity. In the present study we investigated the alterations of the cell-mediated immune response induced by equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) in eight EIAV positive animals compared to eight EIAV negative horses. Carbon particle inclusion test was used to monitor spontaneous innate phagocytosis, and the in vitro blast transformation test was performed with two experimental variants: untreated control and phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) M supplemented cultures (1 microliter/ml of culture). RPMI 1640 was the medium used to cultivate white blood cells. The spontaneous phagocytic activity was decreased in EIAV positive horses when compared to the EIAV negative ones. The spontaneous blast transformation capacity was slightly increased in infected horses (67.55 ± 13.59 %) compared to the healthy ones (68.99 ± 10.06 %), while the response to PHA M was decreased in positive horses (82.77± 7.19 %) versus the healthy individuals (80.37 ± 5.34%). The infection with equine anemia virus led to a decreased innate response while the specific cell-mediated reactivity was stronger, suggesting the activation of lymphocytes versus phagocytes subsequent to the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]