ĎUREČKO, R., SALADIOVÁ, D., PLEVA, J., MÁTÉ, D.:
Alimentary diseases from the view point of veterinary-hygienic and foodstuff supervision.
Recently, our legislation, orienting towards support and protection of the people health and consumer protection on the foodstuff market, has been strengthened. This responsibility was undertaken by the authorities of the foodstuff supervision, where the authorities of health protection and veterinary administration can act most qualifiedly.
The foodstuff supervision is carried out by the authorities of the state administration that are competent to inspect if corporate bodies or physical individuals adhere to conditions and meet duties conformable to the law on foodstuffs and other generally obligatory rules, legal rules adapting production of foodstuffs, manipulation with them and their bringing out.
Despite the initiative approach to realization of the presented tasks, the number of alimentary diseases does not have a decreasing tendency. The transmission factors do not correlate with the results of microbiological examinations performed by the interested institutions.
The final consumer is shown to be the weakest point in the foodstuff chain. There are, however, some defects occurring from the production through manipulation and bringing out, but they are not adequate to the range and diversity of the incidence of diarrhoeic diseases.
In conclusion, we state that a greater emphasis should be laid on the communal hygiene and on the education to strictness of the hygienic regime in personal hygiene and at culinary preparation of foodstuffs.
Key words: foodstuff microbiology; diarrhoeic diseases in people; authorities of foodstuff supervision
In the Slovak republic during the years 1996-1999, 29,470 blood sera of cattle were investigated for the presence of the antibodies against Chlamydia psittaci using the method of complement-binding reaction. The antibody occurrence had an annual increasing tendency: in 1996 - 3.72%; 1997 - 10.02%; 1998 - 9.15% and 1999 - 15.99%. The number of seropositive animals without any clinical symptoms of the disease was pronouncedly increased. In most cases (7.80% of total 9.87 positive animals) the antibodies in low titres from 1:20 to 1:40 were proved The higher levels of antibodies in dilution of 1:320 were sporadically caught in 1998 and 1999 (0.23%).
A serological survey of the antibodies against Chlamydia psittaci within the years of 1996-1999 indicates to a relative stable epizootological situation. Positive serological reactions in diluting the serum 1:20 and 1:40 do not confirm the clinical disease of cattle; they are an immune response of the host organism to the contact with the Chlamydia psittaci antigen. Higher titres of chlamydial antibodies that were confirmed in 1998-1999, or their dynamics indicate to the chlamydial infections.
Regarding the favourable epizootological situation and higher occurrence of seropositive animals with low levels of antibodies, which may be in such dilutions non-specific, we suggest to consider the titre of 1:64 and higher to be a limit of the positivity.
Key words: cattle; Chlamydia psittaci; complement-binding antibodies; serology of chlamydioses
Histological analysis of foodstuffs is a special analysis for differentiation and identification of individual ingredients not only of animal but also of herbal origin. Products of poultry meat present a great part of the whole meat production; besides classical products as a frankfurter, flaccid salami, and pies, durable products (sausages, durable salami) and aspic products have been manufactured too. The aim of our work was to describe the composition of poultry meat products on the base of histological examination.
The histological examination by microscopy showed the poultry meats to be similar to the meat products of the same type, e. g. durable salami or sausages. The histological examination for falsification of meat or poultry products have to be compared to the concrete production norms.
Key words: food falsification; food histology; poultry products
Clinical ethology as a modern discipline in veterinary medicine is competent to study these consequences, using its complementary position in biologico-medical and psychological sciences. By this approach it optimizes the veterinary care, contributes to improving the relationship man - animal as well as it is helpful at modernization of veterinary medicine and increasing its professional and social prestige.
Key words: clinical ethology; stress; ethopathies; welfare; immune system
Both scrotal and abdominal testes of 10 sexually mature natural cryptorchid boars were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), histologically and histochemically for lipids. TEM revealed a different morphology of the Leydig cells in the following 3 types of cryptorchids: (a) bilateral intraabdominal cryptorchids; (b) unilateral intraab-dominal cryptorchids without scrotal testis; and (c) unilateral intraabdominal cryptorchids with scrotal testis. The amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) was used as a principal marker of the hormonal activity of the Leydig cells, mitochondria with tubular cristae, and the amount of lipid droplets were also taken into account. The size of the abdominal testis, the number and size of Leydig cells and their ultrastructure depended on the presence of the scrotal testis in the unilateral cryptorchids. If the scrotal testis was missing, the intraabdominal testis was nearly normal in size weighing 121-250g (without epididymis) and it contained a large number of hypertrofied Leydig cells rich in SER and poor in lipid droplets. The ultrastructure of the Leydig cells in cryptorchids without scrotal testis indicated the stimulation of their hormonal activity. In unilateral cryptorchids with scrotal testis, the weight of the intraabdominal testis was greatly reduced to 14-41g (without epididymis). The absolute number and proportion and size of the Leydig cells were also decreased significantly. This indicated the inhibition of hormonal activity of the Leydig cells of the intraabdominal testis in cryptorchids with scrotal testis. The ultrastructure of the Leydig cells in the contralateral scrotal testis of unilateral cryptorchid boars appeared to be normal.
Key words: Leydig cells; natural cryptorchidism; boar; electron microscopy
Salmonella typhimurium organisms present in the solid fraction of pig slurry from agricultural wastewater treatment plant (WTP) survived for 26 days in summer and for 85 days in winter. The summer decimation time T90 was 2.35 days on a leather carrier and 2.33 days in a PVC bottle. During the winter, the values of decimation time T90 reached 0.96 day on a leather carrier and 12.91 days in a PVC bottle. In the summer period, we recorded a decrease in all investigated physical-chemical parameters. In the winter period, we observed a decrease in pH, ammonia nitrogen and an increase in total nitrogen and phosphorus. The dependence of the length of survival of coliform microorganisms on temperature and faecal streptococci on pH and ammonia nitrogen was proved statistically for the summer period; in winter, the survival of faecal coliform microorganisms was a function of total nitrogen and that of faecal streptococci and faecal coliforms was dependent on temperature and pH. The length of storage of the solid fraction affected significantly the survival of coliform microorganisms and faecal streptococci. In the winter period, the influence of the length of storage on psychrophilic and faecal coliform microorganisms and on faecal streptococci was observed.
Key words: pig farm; wastewater treatment plant; solid fraction; Salmonella typhimurium; indicator microorganisms; survival
The fluorometric methods for determination of vitamin E in the blood of animals were tested and compared to the spectrophotometric method. At both methods, their basic characteristics were found out and the returnability was determined by the method of the standard addition and errors of the methods on the basis of the scattering coefficient. Furthermore, regression analysis was carried out, sensitivity of the methods was compared and the test of fluorometry for detection of the interference of beta-carotene was performed. From the results it follows that returnability of both methods does not differ significantly, however, the error of fluorometry is significantly lower than that of spectrophotometry (p < 0.01); both methods are highly dependent on the concentration of alpha-tocopherol standards within the range of 5-20 µg/ml. The fluorometric determination was marked with a higher sensitivity than spectrophotometric that did not catch the alpha-tocopherol concentrations below 1 µg/ml. Unlike spectrophotometry, the interference of beta-carotene at fluorometry does not occur; this considerably simplifies analyses of the blood samples in ruminating cattle. Measurement of the vitamin E concentration in animals showed that fluorometry in most cases exhibits significantly higher values than spectrophotometry. On the other hand, in cases when vitamin E levels in the serum were very low spectrophotometry recorded only zero concentrations or values lower than fluorometry. Comparison of time and material demands showed that fluorometry is more advantageous for routine laboratory diagnostics. Time demand at the fluorometric method is lower about by 50%.
Key words: vitamin E; fluorometric analysis; spectrophotometric analysis