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Background: Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) remains a serious threat to the Indian livestock sector due to significant economic loss associated with it. Systematic vaccination of large ruminants over the years has lead to a gradual reduction in the number of disease outbreaks in India. However exposure to FMDV infection in small ruminants has been recorded during the past few years (Rout et al. 2013). Sheep and goat population have not been vaccinated so far against FMD under the FMD-Control program (FMD-CP). The present study highlighted the outbreak of FMD in small ruminants in Karnataka, India. Methods: During the period 2018-19, seven suspected FMD outbreaks among sheep population in Bellary and Tumakuru districts of Karnataka state were investigated. Tongue epithelium (oral swabs) and foot lesions (n=23) from clinically affected sheep and tissues such as heart, lung, liver, spleen, lymph nodes and kidneys from lambs during post mortem (n=67) were collected. All the samples were processed in the laboratory for the detection of FMD virus antigen by employing Serotype differentiating antigen detection ELISA and by multiplex PCR. Heart tissue samples were also collected in buffered formalin for histopathology study and processed by routine paraffin embedding technique and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H and E). Serum samples from the recovered animals were collected and screened by NSP-ELISA and LPB-ELISA to check the antibody status in the affected herd. Result: A total of seven suspected outbreaks of FMD involving 688 small ruminants was investigated. The outbreak of FMD due to FMDV serotype O was confirmed by ELISA and multiplex PCR assays. Clinically, the affected adult sheep showed typical signs of FMD, while mortality in young lambs was observed without apparent signs of disease. Histologically, heart tissues from FMD affected lambs showed myocardial necrosis with marked aggregations of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the myocardium and perivascular spaces. History of FMD outbreaks in cattle and common grazing land for the livestock, as well as sheep within the reach of these villages, may be the major contributing factors for the outbreaks in sheep populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) belongs to a member of the Cuculiforme order of birds, the Cuculiformes and like other birds they are prone to many infectious and non-infectious conditions. In the present study, various pathological conditions observed during necropsy of Asian koels were summarized. A total of 15 Asian koels of different age groups were received from the Wild Animals Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Bannerghatta for necropsy during the year 2014 to 2016. Gross and microscopic findings observed were suggestive of various pathological conditions affecting various systems towards the probable cause of death. Most of the avian diseases were also prevalent in Asian koels and hence warrants proper attention towards their prevention and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study related to characterization of Listeria Monocytogenes isolated from brain tissues of goats from an outbreak due to feeding of spoiled fruits. Topics include the post-mortem showing septecemic lesions on vital organs and injected blood vessels with areas of congestion on brain, the growth of Listeria spp on selective media on the brain tissues, and sequencing of the 1450 basic pairs polymerase chain reaction amplicon showing that isolate was Listeria monocytogenes.

The article discusses research that describes a storm of abortions in 64 cattle in 45 days due to feeding of mouldy mulberry hay in Southern Karnataka, India. Topics presented include the identification of fungal species based on the colony morphology and staining characters of fungal hyphae and fungal spores, the attribute pure culture growth of Aspergillus fumigatus fungi on corn meal agar, and characteristic appearance of A. fumigatus with lactophenol cotton blue stain.

The article presents a study that evaluates the applicability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the diagnosis of goat pox and the isolation of goat pox virus. The study is undertaken by investigating twelve outbreaks of goatpox disease in goats in the Kolar region of Bangalore in India wherein the animals had classical papules/pustular lesions on their bodies. The results of the study reveal that the affected animals exhibited characteristic stages of pox viral infections.

Retrospective quantitative analysis of epidemiological data on peste des petits ruminants (PPR) from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences in Karnataka, southern India, revealed significant information about the disease in this area. In the nine years between April 1998 and March 2007 a total of 624 outbreaks were reported in the state. With the exception of the 12-month period between April 2001 and March 2002 the disease occurred every year. The study shows clearly that incidences were highest during the rainy season and in the dry agro-climatic zones. The density of the PPR-susceptible population in different districts of the state played a major role in disease incidences. Environmental factors also influenced disease occurrence. Vaccination programmes are slowly being taken up in the state. The disease data documented in this study provide information about the endemicity of the disease that can help to formulate an effective strategy for a PPR-control programme in the state.