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The article presents a study which identifies Brucella isolated from goats through the use of Pst I site polymorphism at outer membrane protein (Omp2) gene loci. The isolated brucellae cultures were isolated from different tissues of goats. Brucella's Omp2 gene was used as a locus of two nearly homologous repeated copies. The study indicates that DNA fragments obtained from B. melitensis 16M strain isolated from goats strain produced three bands.

The article presents a study that investigated the possibility of using a recombinant outer membrane proteins31 based milk ELISA for the diagnosis of caprine brucellosis in milk. The study focused on milk samples collected from 980 goats of different breeds located in the western Uttar Pradesh in India. It revealed the sensitivity of m-ELISA, serum-ELISA, SAT and RBPT at 95.45, 90.1, 54.54, and 68.18 percent, respectively.

The article discusses a study which developed a diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for diagnosis of brucellosis in goats. The assay examined the serum and whole blood samples from brucellosis suspected field goats. The serum PCR seems to be specific as none of the 10 culture negative animals in a separate controlled experiment was positive. The optimal clinical specimen for the test was serum, which leads to assay simplification. The use of serum samples provides advantages for nucleic acid amplification methods. The PCR assay sensitivity was higher with serum than with whole blood samples.

The article discusses a study which examines the indigenous practices for treating diarrhoea in goats and their scientific validation. For the study, three indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) were chosen for scientific cross-validation under the National Agriculture Technology Project (NATP) in India. Results showed that extract of urhul flowers did not manifest antibacterial property against Escherichia coli. Juices of urhul flower, paste of bark of pojo and takala flower juice were validated as antidiarrhoeal in goats.

The article discusses a study which evaluated indigenous plants for in vitro and in vivo activity against Haemonchus contortus infection in goats. The plants used were Azadirachta indica, Embelia ribes, Melia azedarach, and Pongamia glabra. To prepare the cold extracts, 100 grams of dry powder from the plants were dissolved in 200 milliliters of methanol, ether and 250 milliliters of distilled water, and kept at room temperature for 24 hours.

The article discusses a study which evaluated the efficacy of combined adjuvant to that of single adjuvant for eliciting better antibody response against Mycoplasma mycoides so that is can be exploited for development of suitable future prophylaxis. Mycoplasma is known to be the etiological agent of caprine pleuropneumonia. Findings showed that the animals vaccinated with Saponin-algel exhibited higher antibody titre than animals vaccinated with saponin.

The article focuses on a study which examined the seroprevalence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) in migratory goat flocks in India. CCPP, which is caused by M. mycoides subspecies capri (Mmc) bacteria, is considered as one of the significant diseases affecting goats. Its seroprevalence was analyzed in goats that show typical pneumonic symptoms, using Latex agglutination and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study utilized 466 serum samples, 78 percent of which were CCPP positive and the remaining were negative.

The article discusses a study which evaluated an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using purified recombinant outer membrane protein 31 (rOmp31) isolated from Brucella melitensis in sheep. The study included 1,152 samples of rOmp31 taken from sheep with history of Brucella melitensis-induced abortions. It was designed to develop an ELIDA for the serological diagnosis of ovine brucellosis with purified rOmp31. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test were computed in related to the samples used. Results from the ELISA were compared with Rose Bengal Plate test, which proved the relevance of Omp31 to the serological diagnosis of ovine brucellosis.

The article presents a study which examined serum enzymes and thyroid hormone profiles in sub-clinical ketotic goats and sheep. Goats and sheep raised under organized farming system were screened for pregnancy toxemia/lactational ketosis. In healthy goats and sheep, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values dropped in pregnancy but increased during lactation, while alanine transaminase (ALT) values increased in both pregnancy and lactation. Serum cortisol values dropped in pregnancy and lactation in Barbari goats, while values were slightly increased in pregnancy and decreased in lactation in Jamunapari goats. In sheep the values dropped in dry, pregnancy and lactation periods.

The article presents a discussion about a study on the disease profile in Zalawadi goats of Surendra nagar district of Gujarat in India following a heavy flood during the monsoon season. The study involved around 1,640 goats which were reared on free range grazing. The study found an overall morbidity of 36.63 percent. A number of goats developed lameness and other conditions such as diarrhea, pneumonia and mastitis. It was also discovered that the goats have high endoparasitic load at an average of 4,500.

Present study is the first attempt to evaluate an indigenous milk ELISA with milk culture, standardize milk PCR, estimate lacto-prevalence of Map and genotype Map DNA from milk samples in few Indian dairy herds. In all 115 cows were sampled from 669 lactating cows in six dairy herds from three districts of North India. Fifty milk samples (four herds) were screened by three tests (milk culture, m-ELISA and m-PCR). Lacto-prevalence of Map in four dairy herds was 84.0% (50.0% in fat and 62.0% in sediment). Screening of both fat and sediment increased the sensitivity of culture. Colonies appeared between 45 and 120 DPI. In indigenous m-ELISA, protoplasmic antigen derived from native Map 'Bison type' strain of goat origin was used. Screening of 115 lactating cows by m-ELISA ('herd screening test') detected 32.1% positive lactating cows (lacto-prevalence). Sensitivity of ELISA was 28.5% and 42.8% in single point cutoff and S/P ratio, respectively. Lacto-prevalence of JD was high in dairy herds (66.6-100.0% by culture and 20.0-50.0% by m-ELISA). DDD farm, Mathura had very high (95.8%) and moderate prevalence of Map and lacto-antibodies, respectively. All cows were clinically suffering from JD. Specific IS 900 PCR was standardized in decontaminated fat and sediment of milk samples. DNA isolated from decontaminated pellets was amplified and characteristic 229 bp band was confirmatory for Map. Of the 50 milk samples, 6.0% were positive in m-PCR. The test needs further standardization. Map DNA were genotyped as Map 'Bison type' by IS 1311 PCR-REA. Of the three tests, milk culture was most sensitive followed by m-ELISA and m-PCR. Map DNA isolated from milk samples of dairy cattle were first time genotyped as Map, 'Bison type' in India. High prevalence of Map in milk of dairy herds, posed major health hazard for calves and human beings.

Johne's disease (JD) is endemic in goatherds located at Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, since 1979 and lately it has been reported from farmer's herds in equal frequencies. Despite using test and slaughter method for the control of JD for more than 25 years in these herds, incidence of JD has not been reduced. Efficacy of 'indigenous vaccine' containing native 'Bison type' genotype of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was compared with commercial vaccine using challenge studies with homologous strain of MAP. Goat kids (85) were randomly divided in to three groups. Kids were vaccinated with 1 ml of vaccine subcutaneously and Sham-immunized with 1 ml of sterile PBS. All kids except 3 in each group were challenged twice at 75- and 275-day post-vaccination (DPV). Four goats each from three groups were sacrificed at 200-day post-challenge to evaluate carcass and histopathologically for vaccine and challenge response in kids of different groups. Samples (blood, serum and fecal) were screened for LTT, ELISA and shedding of bacilli and data on live animal traits, mortality and experimental sacrifice were compared. Average body weights gained by goats in three groups at different stages of trials (0, 1-75, 76-275, 276-425 DPV) showed marked improvements in performance of vaccinated groups over 'Sham-immunized' group. Effect of vaccines against challenge became visible in terms of body weights gained at 276-425 DPV ('Bison' group gained significantly higher body weights than 'Sham-immunized'). Mortality was significantly less in two vaccinated as compared to 'Sham-immunized'. Vaccinated groups also had significant stimulation and sero-conversion for cell mediated and humoral immune response, respectively as compared to 'Sham-immunized'. Results of post-challenged fecal culture showed significant reduction in shedding of MAP in both vaccinated groups than in 'Sham-immunized'. There was significant improvement in external and internal body traits and histological lesions in case of vaccinated than 'Sham-immunized' group.

Brucellosis causes serious economic losses to goat farmers by way of reproductive losses in the form of abortions and stillbirths. Nucleic acid vaccines provide an exciting approach for antigen presentation to the immune system. In this study, we evaluated the ability of DNA vaccine encoding the omp31 protein of Brucella melitensis 16M to induce cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. We constructed eukaryotic expression vectors called pTargeTomp31, encoding outer membrane protein (omp31) of B. melitensis 16M. pTargeTomp31 was injected intramuscularly three times, at 3-week intervals in groups of mice 6 weeks of age. pTargeTomp31 induced good antibody response in ELISA . pTargeTomp31 elicited a T-cell-proliferative response and also induced a strong gamma interferon production upon restimulation with either the omp31 antigen or B. melitensis 16M extract. We also demonstrate that animals immunized with this plasmid elicited a strong and long-lived memory immune response. Furthermore, pTargeTomp31 elicited a typical T-helper 1-dominated immune response in mice, as determined by immunoglobulin G isotype analysis. This vaccine also provided the moderate degree of protection to the mice. This study for the first time focuses on DNA immunization of a gene from B. melitensis. These results may lead to the development of a DNA-based vaccine for the control of brucellosis in goats.

Country lacks indigenous diagnostic kits against Johne's disease in animals. Indigenous ELISA and IS 900 PCR kits, originally developed for goats and sheep, have been adapted for screening of lactating cows. Multiple diagnostic tests were used to screen 26 lactating dairy cows against Johne's disease. Milk ELISA was evaluated with fecal culture, milk culture and fecal PCR. Of the 26 samples from lactating cows, 84.6, 96.1, 88.4 and 23.0% were positive in fecal culture, milk culture, m-ELISA and m-PCR, respectively. Comparatively milk sediment and milk fat culture detected 84.6 and 76.9% cows positive, respectively. Comparatively fecal culture and milk culture detected 84.6 and 96.1% cows positive, respectively. M-ELISA detected 11.5, 0.0, 11.5, 61.0 and 15.3%, cows as negative, suspected, low positive, positive and strong positive, respectively. There was good correlation between milk and fecal culture with m-ELISA. Three negative cows in m-ELISA were also detected in milk and fecal culture. Of the 26 decontaminated fecal samples, 23.0% cows were positive using specific IS 900 f-PCR. Comparative evaluation of m-ELISA with fecal and milk culture showed agreement in 80.7 and 84.6% cows, respectively. Sensitivity of m-ELISA with respect to fecal and culture was 90.9 and 95.6%, respectively. Comparative evaluation of four tests (milk culture, fecal culture, m-ELISA and f-PCR) showed that only 15.3% cows were detected in all the four tests. In three tests (fecal and milk culture and m-ELISA), 57.6% cows were detected positive. None of the cow was exclusively detected in f-PCR. Of the four diagnostic tests used milk culture was most sensitive (96.15%), followed by fecal culture (86.6%), m-ELISA (76.9%) and IS 900 PCR (23.0%) for the diagnosis of bovine Johne's disease (BJD). Milk ELISA detected only one cow extra, which was negative in milk culture. In view of the simplicity, rapidity and efficacy present milk ELISA kit employing soluble protoplasmic antigen from native Map 'Bison type' genotype of goat origin can be reliable for screening of bovine population against Johne's disease in India.