Enterotoxaemia is a severe disease caused by Clostridium perfringens and render high mortality and huge economic losses in livestock. However, scanty information and only few cases are reported about the presence and patho-physiology of enterotoxaemia in camels. The bacterium induces per-acute death in animals due to rapid production of different lethal toxins. The necropsy of camels (per-acute = 15, acute = 3) was conducted at 18 outbreaks of enterotoxaemia in camels in the desert area of Bahawalpur region. At necropsy, the serosal surfaces of visceral organs in the abdominal, peritoneal and thoracic cavities were found to have petechiation with severe congestion. Moreover, both the cut-sections of different visceral organs and the histo-pathological analysis revealed the pathological lesions in heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, small and large intestines. Grossly, the kidneys were severely congested, hyperemic, swollen and softer in consistency. Under the microscope, different sections of kidneys indicated that the convulated and straight tubules were studded with erythrocytes. In the intestines, there were stunting fusion of crypts and villi. Similarly, various histo-pathological ailments were also observed in the heart, lungs and spleen. At blood agar, the collected samples showed beta hemolytic colonies of C. perfringens that appeared as medium sized rods microscopically and stained positively on Gram staining. Multiplex PCR revealed C. perfringens type A (α and β2 genes) and D (epsilon gene) and the deaths were found to be significantly higher due to C. perfringens type D compared to those by C. perfringens type A. Hence, it has been concluded that enterotoxaemia in camel affects multiple organs and becomes fatal, if occurred due to C. perfringens type D.
Thiram is a widely used fungicide in agricultural practices as spraying on crops and grains storage but its potential adverse effects on non-target aquatic organisms have raised serious concerns. In this study, firstly LC50 value of thiram has been determined as 0.744 mg/L for the first time in Labeo rohita and then, the fish were exposed to different sub-lethal concentrations of thiram (40 μg/L, 80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) to evaluate the effects on tissue growth, oxidative stress, anti-oxidant enzymes and histo-pathological parameters at days-20, 40 and 60 of the experiment. There observed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the body weight while a significant increase in the relative (p < 0.05) and absolute (p < 0.05) weights of kidneys, heart and brain was found. Hematological analysis showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in leukocytes and neutrophils while lymphocytes and monocytes, RBCs and hemoglobin concentration were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. Serum biochemical parameters revealed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in urea and hepatic enzymes while a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in total proteins, albumin and creatinine were observed at higher doses (80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) of thiram. Oxidative stress parameters; ROS and TBARS were increased significantly (p < 0.05) while antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, POD, GSH) showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the treated groups compared to the control. Moreover, comet assay revealed significant (p < 0.05) DNA damage in the isolated cells of kidneys, heart and brain at higher doses (80 μg/L and 120 μg/L) of thiram that was further confirmed by histo-pathological alterations in these tissues. The findings demonstrate that thiram severely pollute the marine eco-system and is quite hazardous for aquatic species by causing severe health effects even at sub-lethal concentrations and thus, render the apparently clean water to be unfit for animal and human consumption.
Lindane is a broad-spectrum insecticide widely used on fruits, vegetables, crops, livestock and on animal premises to control the insects and pests. The extensive use of pesticides and their residues in the soil and water typically join the food chain and thus accumulate in the body tissues of human and animals causing severe health effects. The study was designed to determine the toxicity effects of sub-lethal concentrations of lindane on hemato-biochemical profile and histo-pathological changes in Rohu (Labeo rohita). A significant increase in the absolute (p<0.05) and relative (p<0.05) weights was observed along with severe histo-pathological alterations in liver, kidneys, gills, heart and brain at 30μg/L and 45μg/L concentration of lindane. A significant (p<0.05) decrease in RBCs count, PCV and Hb concentration while a significant (p<0.05) increased leukocytes were observed by 30μg/L and 45μg/L concentrations of lindane at 45 and 60 days of the experiment. Serum total protein and albumin were significantly (p<0.05) decreased while hepatic and renal enzymes were significantly (p<0.05) increased due to 30μg/L and 45μg/L concentrations of lindane at days-45 and 60 of experiment compared to control group. The observations of thin blood smear indicated significantly increased number of erythrocytes having nuclear abnormalities in the fish exposed at 30μg/L and 45μg/L concentrations of lindane. ROS and TBARS were found to be significantly increased while CAT, SOD, POD and GSH were significantly decreased with an increase in the concentration and exposure time of lindane. The results showed that lindane causes oxidative stress and severe hematological, serum biochemical and histo-pathological alterations in the fish even at sub-lethal concentrations.