1.Epidemiological investigation and risk factors of Peste des petitis ruminants (PPR) in yaks (Bos grunniens) and cattle in five regions of China
Li, X.H. ; Li, K. ; Zhang, H. ; Gan, P. ; Luo, H.Q ; Han, Z.Q ; Mehmood, K. ; Shahzad, M.
Tropical Biomedicine 2018;35(3):736-743
To investigate the prevalence of Peste des petitis ruminants in yaks and cattle in
poorly studied areas of China. A total of 1202 and 560 blood samples were collected from
yaks and cattle, respectively and processed using a commercial ELISA kit. Multivariable
logistic regression model was piloted to find the variables, potentially associated with exposure
of PPR infection in yaks and cattle. Results indicated that the overall prevalence of PPR in
yaks was 11.2%. A total 66 (11.8%) out of 560 were examined out to be positive to PPR in
cattle in Jiangxi province. According to conditional stepwise logistic regression, region, age
and gender were found to be the more influencing risk factors in yaks, while region and age
were found to be the potential risk factors in cattle. The current results reported the prevalence
and associated risk factors of PPR in bovine for the first time in China.
2.Evaluation of the inhibitory effects of drugs on the growth of Babesia gibsoni using relative quantification real-time PCR
He, W.H. ; Feng, X.X. ; Wu, X. ; Zhai, X.H. ; Li, Y.Y. ; Zhang, B. ; Yao D.W.
Tropical Biomedicine 2020;37(No.4):871-876
To evaluate the inhibitory effects of drugs on the growth of Babesia gibsoni,
relative quantification real-time PCR method was developed in this study. The 18S rRNA gene
was used as a target gene for the 2–ΔΔCt method analysis. Additionally, chicken RNA was
added to the parasitized blood before total RNA extraction. The chicken β-actin gene was
selected as an internal control gene for the 2–ΔΔCt method analysis. The 100 µL parasitized
blood samples with different percentages of parasitized erythrocytes (PPEs) (3%, 1.5%, 0.75%,
0.375% and 0.1875%) were prepared for relative quantification of B. gibsoni. Regression
analysis results revealed significant linear relationships between the relative quantification
value and parasitemia. 18S rRNA gene expression was significantly decreased after treatment
with diminazene aceturate and artesunate in vitro drug sensitivity test. This result suggested
that this relative quantification real-time PCR method can be used to evaluate the effects of
drug inhibition.