BACKGROUND: FMD is one of the most important animal health problems in the world and is ranked at the top of the list A of potentially epidemic infectious diseases of livestock (OIE). FMD virus infects a wide range of domestic and wild cloven hooved animals and causes clinical signs. The disease is mild zoonotic and 70 wild mammal species from 20 animal families are susceptible to infection. Also, birds are mentioned as transferring agent of FMD virus in several references. OBJECTIVES: The motivation of this study was due to observation of a significant presence of pigeons in FMD involved farms in the epidemic of serotype O2016 in the first months of 2016. METHODS: After hunting of six pigeons gathering food in FMD involved farms, their blood samples were collected. In the laboratory, FMDV genome was traced by RT-PCR with aphtovirus universal primers and final product was sequenced. RESULTS: The 328 bp band indicating a positive result was observed in electrophoresis of all samples. These results were also confirmed in repeated experiments. Then the RT-PCR products were sequenced in both directions. Alignment and BLAST results indicated more than 97% identity of virus from samples with FMD registered viruses in Genebank, demonstrating the presence of FMD virus genome in the blood of the pigeons. CONCLUSIONS: This result indicates FMD virus genome viremia in the blood of pigeons. It is worth noting that pigeons’ infection is very important because this species is a free flight bird and has the possibility of transmitting the virus over long distances, thereby causing new epidemics. Finally, it is necessary for further studies to investigate the possible presence of clinical signs in the pigeons, the possibility of shedding, routs and virus titers of shedding from any of the possible ways.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes severe infection in livestock and makes considerable economic impacts. Therefore, a rapid, highly specific, and accurate method for the diagnosis of FMDV infections is required to ensure that appropriate treatment is administered to reduce economic losses. In this study, the diagnostic tests for FMDV detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (Ag-ELISA), reverse transcription–PCR (RT-PCR), and real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) were carried out as the World Organization for Animal Health recommended and were based on the VP1 gene. Positive samples were detected by RT-PCR and rRT-PCR (73.16%) and by ELISA test (55.99%). According to the information obtained from the present study molecular methods provide much more reliable and definitive results than Immune assay methods.

FMD is one of the most highly contagious diseases of animals, caused by RNA virus belong to Picornaviridae family and Aphtovirus genus. A broad host range and occurrence of FMDV as seven serotypes and also intratypic antigenic variation without clear cut demarcations, which interferes with a concept of sub typing these factors make difficult conditions to diagnosis, control and eradication of disease. Therefore it is very important to characterize virus strains and monitoring the field virus to determine the relationship between field viruses and vaccine strains. The objective of this study was to characterize FMD type 0, A, virus isolated from Iran between 2005 and 2006. 13 FMD type A and 6 type 0 viruses isolated from Iran between 2005 and 2006 were used in this study. All viruses adapted to IBRS2 cells and the clarified infected cell culture supernatants were used for typing by sandwich capture ELlSA and extraction of viral RNA for RT-PCR reaction with the specific primer for each type. The PCR products were purified for sequencing. Sequence of 600 nucleotides at the 3' end of ID gene of all samples subjected to phylogenic analysis and determine the antigenic relationship ("r" Value). All type A viruses that isolated from different province of Iran, sequenced in this study, were closely related to each other and A/iran/05 virus group. The sequencing results of type 0 isolated from Iran between 2005 and 2006 showed the close genetic relationship between field isolates and the Iranian vaccine strain. The result of average "r" Value detected by two dimensional virus neutralization test, for type A87JR was 0.46 (46%), type A051R 0.78 (78%), type 0 Shabestar 0.81 (81%) and type 0967 0.90 (90%).

Background: Atherosclerosis has a high prevalence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and the vascular endothelial dysfunction is the earliest stage of the atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of vascular endothelial dysfunction and its risk factors in SLE women and then to identify its correlation with the disease activity, duration and concomitant conditions in these patients.Methods: Eighty four female SLE patients and 18 healthy young female were included in the study. The vascular endothelial function was evaluated via ultrasonographic assessment of the brachial artery diameter to determine flow mediated dilation (FMD) and Post TNG dilation-FMD gap (PFG) indexes. The FMD index, one standard deviation lower than mean FMD of the control group was considered as impaired FMD and PFG index one standard deviation more than mean PFG of the control group was defined as impaired PFG.Findings: SLE patients had higher prevalence of impaired FMD than healthy subjects (48.8 vs. 5.5%). The prevalence of impaired PFG in SLE cases and healthy subjects was 25 and 5.5%, respectively. FMD and PFG impairment did not have any significant correlation with disease activity, duration, the presence of the anti-dsDNA, anticardiolipin antibodies, antiphospholipid syndrome, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, history of lupus nephropathy, and history of receiving cyclophosphamid pulses.Conclusion: The vascular endothelial dysfunction is very prevalent in SLE patients and no specific factor alone can explain this finding.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is the most contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals, causing significant economical losses in livestock animals. In this study FMD Virus type A87/IRN was cultured and multiplied on BHK21 cells. The FMD virus was titrated by the Tissue Culture Infection Dose50 method (TCID50 /ml), the virus titration was 107.5. The FMD virus samples were irradiated and inactivated by gamma ray from a 60Co source at -20oC. A safety test was done by the IBRS2 monolayer cell culture method, also antigenicity of irradiated and un-irradiated virus samples was studied by Complement Fixation Test. The Dose/Survival curve for irradiated FMDV was drawn. According to the curve and D10 Value factor, the optimum dose range for the inactivation of FMDV type A87/IRN and unaltered antigenicity was obtained (40-44 kGy). The inactivated virus samples by irradiation and ethyleneimine (EI) were formulated respectively as a vaccine with Al (OH) 3 gel and other substances. The vaccines were inoculated to Guinea pigs and the results of the Sero-Neutralization Test for both the normal vaccine and radio-vaccine showed protective titre after 8 months. The potency test of the inactivated vaccines was done, Protective Dose50 Value (PD50 Value) of the vaccines were calculated to be 7.06 and 5.6 for the inactivated vaccine by EI and gamma irradiation respectively.

In this research FMD virus type A87/IRN was used. The virus was multiplied on a BHK2I cell line. Then, the virus titration was detected by TCID50% (Tissue Culture Infection Dose 50%) method, and it was 107.5/ml. The FMD virus was irradiated by gamma ray from 60CO source in-4 till 4oC. The gamma cell, model Issledovapel-PX-30, with the dose rate of 0.551 Gy/sec was applied. Different doses of gamma ray were applied and 6 times were repeated for each dose. Antigenicity and infectivity of the irradiated and control virus samples were studied by Complement Fixation, and Cell Culture methods, respectively. The dose/survival curve for the FMD virus was drawn, according to the curve and D10 Value factor (Dose of gamma ray that decrease one logarithmic cycle of virus population) was obtained, and the optimum dose for inactivation of FMDV type A87/IRN and the unalteration its antigenicity of 40-44kGy was obtained.

After about one hundred year after its identification, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is the first viral disease in animals that impose a major risk to the world's livestock industry.The main method to identify animals vaccinated from animals infected with FMD is using of non-structural 3ABC protein as antigen in the ELISA kit. Hence, 3ABC gene of FMDV serotype O was isolated with PCR using specific primers containingBamHI and HinDIII restriction sites. The isolated fragment was then inserted in pTZ57R/T vector for cloning and nucleotide characterization. In order to produce recombinant antigens, 3ABC was inserted in pET21a (+) vector and then transform toE. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant protein production was induced with 1.5 mM IPTG. Production of recombinant proteins confirmed with SDS electrophoresis and Western blotting. The molecular weight of recombinant protein was determined approximately 50 kDa. The results showed that the produced protein can be used as an antigen in the ELISA kit for animals.

Background: Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven - hoofed animals and has severe economic consequences. FMD causes painful sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and teats of animals.Objective: Clinical evaluation of Myrtle oil (Myrtus communis L.) caused by foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle.Methods: 76 cows and calves between one and five years of age and weight between 80 to 600 kg with clinical sing of FMD were selected randomly in two groups, receiving myrtle oil and control group. The data recorded during the three stages of clinical examination before treatment, second day and fourth day after treatment was performed.Results: Results indicated that recovery of mouth lesion with myrtle oil was remarkable as compared with control group. This difference was very statistically significant in two stages after treatment (p<0/001). Cases of oral lesions improved in the group treated with the oil in the second and fourth days, respectively, 80.9 and 93.6 percent and the rate control group were 20.6 and 58.6 percent, respectively. The result also indicated that amount of purulent-free secretion in myrtle oil group was 68.1 and 89.4 percent in the 2nd and fourth day respectively. The number was 48.3 and 62.1 percent for control group.Conclusion: The medication of myrtle oil on the wounds of FMD, causes mouth ulcers faster improvement and reduce discharge purulent.

Introduction: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is the most contagious disease in cloven-hoofed animals which causes a lot of economical losses. FMD virus belongs to Picornaviridae family and Aphthovirus genus. The aim of the study is evaluation of humoral and cellular immune responses triggered by a Gamma-irradiated FMD vaccine in the guinea-pig model.Materials and Methods: FMD virus type Asia-1 was multiplied on BHK21 cell line and irradiated by gamma ray in different doses. According to dose/survival curve, D10 value and optimum dose of virus inactivation were calculated 7.69 and 50 kGy, respectively. Antigenic characteristic of irradiated and un-irradiated virus samples were evaluated by complement fixation test (CF test) and safety test was done by four blind passages cell culture on IBRS2 cell line. The inactivated virus sample was formulated as Radio- vaccine and immune responses were evaluated in three groups of ginea-pigs; the first group Radio-vaccine, the second group conventional vaccine and the last one was negative control.Results: The results of neutralizing antibody titration for two vaccinated groups were significant (P<0.05), but between Radio-vaccine and conventional vaccine was no significant. The increase in splenocyte multiplication for two vaccinated groups by MTT test was significant (P<0.05).Discussion and conclusion: The Gamma irradiated inactivated FMD type Asia-1 vaccine is a good candidate for immunization of guinea-pig without the problems such as residue, virus escape and etc. And it can use for vaccination of cattle in the future.