Aflatoxicosis in rabbits: Effectiveness of Egyptian raw bentonite in prevention or diminution the detrimental effects of naturally aflatoxin contaminated diets

Thirty five females and 15 males of New Zealand White mature rabbits about 6 months of age, were assigned to 1–5 dietary treatments (7 does+3 bucks for each): uncontaminated control diet, naturally aflatoxin contaminated diet without or with 1,2 and 3% bentonite. Rabbit fed with the aflatoxin-diet had a decreased (P<0.01 or 0.05) physical semen characteristics of bucks and a reproductive performance traits of does. The values of conception rate (%), gestation length (days), litter size (n) and litter weights (g) at birth and viability (%) of litters of doe rabbits, fed with the aflatoxin-diet, recorded, respectively: 64.5; 31.0; 4.4; 275.0 and 57.1 versus 85.6; 30.3; 7.9; 508.0; and 100 for those fed with the uncontaminated diet. Addition of bentonite to the aflatoxin contaminated diet improved in general the physical semen characteristics of buck and reproductive performance traits of doe rabbits. The results of the study demonstrate that adding 1% of Egyptian raw bentonite to the naturally aflatoxin contaminated rabbit diets can provide an effective, cheap and safe practical technique for preventing the aflatoxicosis in mature rabbits.     

Preparation of peroxidase: antiperoxidase (PAP) complexes for immunohistological labeling of monoclonal antibodies

The production of mouse peroxidase:antiperoxidase (PAP) complexes suitable for immunohistological use in conjunction with monoclonal antibodies is described. Three approaches were explored: 1) production of conventional polyclonal PAP complexes; 2) conversion of rabbit PAP to "pseudo-mouse PAP" by incubation with monoclonal mouse anti-rabbit immunoglobulin; 3) formation of PAP complexes from monoclonal mouse antiperoxidase. PAP complexes prepared by the latter technique gave the best immunohistological labeling reactions, being stable on storage and compatible with a wide range of human monoclonal antibodies. Gel filtration revealed that monoclonal PAP is of lower molecular weight than conventional PAP complexes (fulfilling theoretical predictions based on the monospecificity of monoclonal antibodies).     

Sugars in the gut of the sandfly Phlebotomus orientalis from Dinder National Park, Eastern Sudan

The sandfly Phlebotomus orientalis Parrot (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in eastern and Upper Nile regions of Sudan, where vector infection rates of over 7% have been reported. Sugars are known to be important for development of the parasite and for increasing the survival and oviposition rates of several species of sandflies. In the present study we have analysed the sugars present in the guts of individuals and groups of male and female P. orientalis and compared these with sugars from several potential local plant sources: Acacia seyal, Balanites aegyptiaca and Combretum kordofanum. The distribution of these trees in Sudan is closely correlated with that of P. orientalis. Only 20% of individually analysed female sandflies had significant amounts of sugars present suggesting that P. orientalis either digest their sugar meal quickly or do not require regular sugar meals. Interestingly, the sugars present in the males were significantly different to those found in the females, indicating that they had fed on different sugar sources. There was evidence that fruit sugars from Balanites aegyptiaca, Combretum kordofanum and aphid or coccid honeydew are utilized by male and female P. orientalis. There was evidence to indicate that female P. orientalis feeds directly on honeydew. There was no evidence to indicate that direct feeding on leaves is a typical source for the sugar meal. There was no melizitose and only a very small amount of turanose present in the male, suggesting that honeydew was not an important sugar source for males.