Introduction: A total of 32 young (1-3 months-old) lambs suffered from mortal neurological signs in a period of three months. The lambs were among the offspring of a herd of 300 sheep, in Tarhouna city, Libya. The affected lambs were initially treated with antibiotics, multivitamins and mineral supplements, however, none of these treatments attenuated the death toll among the small lambs. Methods: Three lamb carcasses were submitted to the National Center for Animal Health (NCAH) for post mortem examination. Gross pathological examination of the brains detected hydatid cysts and yellowish lesions within the cerebral cortex. Results: The histopathologic examination of the brain showed the presence of inflammatory lesions and necrotic features surrounded by granulomatous inflammatory patterns, which are accompanied by a few parasitic cysts. Ordinary and modified Ziehl-Neelsen stains for bacterial infection were performed, but the results did not strongly indicate bacterial infection. Toxoplasmosis, particularly T. gondii, and Neospora were first suspected. Immunohistochemistry testing for T. gondii did not show any conclusive indication for the presence of this pathogen. However, meticulous microscopic examination (100x) of the histopathologic features and the patterns of host-pathogen interaction of toxoplasmosis indicate that these lambs may have suffered from necrotic encephalitis associated with a different type of toxoplasmosis.
Abdulwahab Kammon(10-2021)

On March 2013, the Libyan poultry industry faced severe outbreaks due to mixed infections of APMV-1 (Newcastle disease) and low pathogenic avian influenza (AI) of the H9N2 subtype which were causing high mortality and great economic losses. APMV-1 and H9N2 were isolated and characterized. Genetic sequencing of the APMV-1/chicken/Libya/13VIR/ 7225-1/2013 isolate revealed the presence of a velogenic APMV-1 belonging to lineage 5 (GRRRQKR*F Lin.5) or genotype VII in class II, according to the nomenclature in use. Three AI viruses of the H9N2 subtype, namely A/avian/Libya/13VIR7225-2/2013, A/avian/Libya/13VIR7225-3/2013, and A/avian/Libya/13VIR7225-5/2013, were isolated and found to belong to the G1 lineage. Analysis of amino acid sequences showed that the analyzed H9N2 viruses contained the amino acid Leu at position 226 (H3 numbering) at the receptor binding site of the HA, responsible for human virus-like receptor specificity. On March 2014, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus of the H5N1 subtype was diagnosed in a backyard poultry farm in an eastern region of Libya. The H5N1 isolate (A/chicken/Libya/14VIR2749-16/2014) was detected by real time RT-PCR (rRTPCR). Genetic characterization of the HA gene revealed that the identified subtype was highly pathogenic, belonged to the 2.2.1 lineage, and clustered with recent Egyptian viruses. This study revealed the presence of a velogenic APMV-1 genotype and of two influenza subtypes, namely HPAI H5N1 and H9N2, which are of major interest for public and animal health. Considering these findings, more investigations must be undertaken to establish and implement adequate influenza surveillance programs; this would allow better study of the epidemiology of APMV-1 genotype VII in Libya and evaluation of the current vaccination strategies.
Abdulwahab Kammon(5-2015)

Effect of organic acids on cecal bacteria count in chicken under heat stress
Abdulatif Asheg(1-2013)