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Biomedical subjects

M A Awan

Publications and source records attributed to M A Awan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Review of photodynamic therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an emerging treatment for a variety of conditions including ocular and extra ocular diseases. The porphyrins have been used extensively, as dyes, which are laser-activated to achieve desired clinical effects. Commonly used agents are verteporfin and porfimer sodium. METHODS: We performed a literature search of the PubMed database using the medical search headings: photodynamic therapy, photosensitizer verteporfin, visudyne, porfimer sodium and photofrin. We also performed a manual search using references from these articles, review articles and manufacturers' product monographs. RESULTS: Verteporfin and porfimer sodium are commonly used photosensitizing agents with their wide applications in different fields of medicine. Both have well established safety profiles. They are most commonly used in wet age-related macular degeneration, gastrointestinal diseases and bronchial cancers. CONCLUSION: PDT is a well established treatment entity in ophthalmology and other medical fields. In ophthalmology, it has rekindled interest and hopes in the common yet sight-threatening problem of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This problem is still considered to be a serious issue as far as management is concerned. However in selective cases of AMD, it has shown success in restoring sight, especially in the 'classic' form of the disease. PDT is also being used to treat a range of solid cancers and non malignant conditions

Dihematoporphyrin Ether↗
PubMed1998

Heterogeneity of staphylococci and other bacteria isolated from six-week-old broiler chickens.

In broiler operations, various health problems develop during the final 2 wk of the growing period, resulting in increased mortality and condemnation losses. At this stage, sickly birds were found to be systemically infected by various bacteria regardless of varied clinical signs, and the purpose of this study was to carry out thorough microbiological investigations on this problem. Thirty-one 6-wk-old broilers showing signs of illness were obtained from three farms, and bacterial isolations were carried out from the blood, liver, and hock joint. Bacteria were isolated from 87, 90, and 71% of the blood, liver, and hock joint samples, respectively. Mean bacterial counts in log10 of the blood (per milliliter) and liver (per gram) were 2.15 and 2.93, respectively. Among 132 bacterial isolates, major species were Staphylococcus (60%), Corynebacterium (18%), Escherichia coli (5%), and Stomatococcus (4%). Among 79 Staphylococcus isolates, 77 were coagulase-negative. Major species of staphylococci were S. lentus (19%), S. simulans (18%), S. cohnii (13%), S. gallinarum (10%), and S. captis (7%). In addition, six species of gram-positive and five species of gram-negative organisms were isolated. Thus, the apparent systemic infections were not caused by predominant pathogenic bacterial species, and adequately described as mixed infections. There were some significant relationships between isolated bacterial species and sampling sites, suggesting that certain organisms were abundant in the environment of a particular poultry house. These results indicate that systemic infections in market age broilers are caused by mixed bacterial species and suggest that they are caused by suppressed host antibacterial systems rather than pathogenic factors of microorganisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Oestrus ovis myiasis in Libyan sheep and goats.

The heads of 1,489 sheep and 320 goats were examined for larvae of Oestrus ovis at 17 abattoirs in northern Libya in July to November 1988. The prevalence of O. ovis in sheep was 22.6% and in goats it was 18.4 per cent. Up to 14 and 11 larvae were collected from individual sheep and goats respectively. All larvae were recovered from the nasal passages and frontal sinuses, but only second and third instars were seen.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Lice of farm animals in Libya.

This first report on the lice of farm animals in Libya lists a total of fifteen species, as follows: Haematopinus quadripertusus and Linognathus vituli from cattle, Bovicola ovis, Linognathus pedalis, L. africanus and L. ovillus from sheep, L. stenopsis, L. africanus and Bovicola caprae from goats. Poultry harboured Lipeurus caponis, L. heterographus, Menacanthus stramineus, Menopon gallinae, Goniocotes gallinae, Goniodes gigas and G. dissimilis.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

A survey of mites on farm animals in Libya.

In 1985-1988, 2287 farm animals (cattle, camels, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, dogs and rabbits) suspected of carrying parasitic mites were examined at 58 farms throughout Libya. Mites were identified on 1303 of these animals. The commonest parasites on cattle were Psoroptes and Chorioptes, on camels and sheep were Sarcoptes and Psoroptes, and on goats were Sarcoptes and Demodex. Infested horses carrier Psoroptes or Chorioptes, and one donkey carried Sarcoptes. Otodectes was common on dogs, but Sarcoptes was rare and no Demodex were seen. Rabbits often had psoroptic ear mange or sarcoptic body mange. Dermanyssus gallinae and Ornithonyssus bursa were seen on chickens, but no mites were found on pigeons, ducks or turkeys.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

A survey of ticks on farm animals in Libya.

Thirteen species of ixodid ticks and two species of argasid ticks were collected during a three-year survey of 58 farms in Libya. These included Boophilus annulatus, B. microplus, B. decoloratus, seven species of Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rh. evertsi, Rh. bursa, Argas persicus and Ornithodoros foleyi. This is the first recording of B. microplus, B. decoloratus and Rh. bursa in Libya. Of 20,391 animals examined by random sampling, 2020 (9.6%) had ticks; particularly common were Hy. dromedarii on camels, Hy. impeltatum on sheep and Hy. excavatum on cattle. The tick found most frequently overall was Hy. dromedarii.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Experimental infection of Libyan sheep with Echinococcus granulosus.

The growth rate of unilocular hydatid cysts over a two-year period was studied in Libyan sheep dosed orally with gravid segments of Echinococcus granulosus taken from stray town dogs. Seven of the eight sheep dosed with 20-100 gravid segments (say 4000-20,000 eggs) had developed only infertile hydatid cysts after 107-611 days. Sheep dosed with 1000 gravid segments (say 200,000 eggs) had developed only sterile cysts when examined 358 days after dosing. Fertile cysts were recovered from the lungs after 428 days, and after 584 days from the liver. Only sterile cysts were seen in the heart, spleen and kidneys.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Echinococcosis in Libya. III. Further studies on the prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in dogs.

Of 92 dogs examined for Echinococcus granulosus at five sites in Libya from April 1985 to September 1988 33 (35.9%) were infected, the prevalences ranging from 60% (Zawiyah) and 52.0% (Tripoli) in the north-west, to 28.6% (Benghazi) and 28.5% (Darna) in the north-east. None of eight dogs at Al-Kufra, in the south-eastern desert, were infected. Twenty dogs each had two to 200 worms, nine had 201-1000 worms and four each had over 1000 worms (one dog in Tripoli had 17,120 worms). Most infections were seen in dogs aged three to four years; 45.4% of bitches and 35.4% of males were infected.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Echinococcosis in Libya. IV. Prevalence of hydatidosis (Echinococcus granulosus) in goats, cattle and camels.

During a survey of 14 Libyan abattoirs in 1985-1987 the carcasses of 4316 locally-bred goats, cattle and camels were inspected for cysts of Echinococcus granulosus. Of 2295 goats, 35 adults (1.5%) had cysts; no kids were infected. Thirty-one adult goats had infected livers, 28 had lung infections, and four each had cysts in their kidneys and spleens. Most (59.7%) of the infections were light, with medium infections in 31.3% and heavy infections in 8.9%; 85.7% of the cysts in the lungs and 38.7% of those in the livers were fertile; three of the four kidney infections and two of the four spleen infections were fertile. Of the 1023 cattle carcasses, mild infections with E. granulosus were seen in 55 (5.4%); all the cysts were sterile and confined to the liver. Of 998 camels, 358 (35.9%) had hydatid cysts. These involved the lungs in 96.9%, either as the sole site (74.3%) or jointly with the liver (22.6%). Lung cysts (57.6%) and liver cysts (41.2%) were fertile.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The screwworm fly in Libya: a threat to the livestock industry of the Old World.

The screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is the most serious insect pest of cattle in the New World. It has recently been recorded in Libya, where it appears to have become established. This article documents these recent finds, and provides background information on the recognition of the fly, its biology, distribution and importance.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Echinococcosis in Libya. II. Prevalence of hydatidosis (Echinococcus granulosus) in sheep.

The incidence and geographical distribution of hydatidosis was examined in sheep from ten localities in Libya. A total of 402 cases of hydatid disease (7.85%) were confirmed in a total of 5118 sheep examined; 12.74% of adult sheep were infected, but only 0.29% of lambs. The liver was the organ most commonly infected (97.26% of all infections), followed by the lungs (58.70%), kidneys (1.76%), spleen (0.74%) and heart, mesentery and muscles (0.24% each). The intensity of infection varied from one to more than ten fertile or sterile cysts. Infections were light in 43.73% of livers and 47.03% of lungs, medium in 33.24% of livers and 42.79% of lungs, heavy in 13.55% of livers and 7.62% of lungs, and very heavy in 9.96% of livers and 2.54% of lungs. A total of 73.13% of the infections were found to be fertile, 18.90% sterile and 7.96% both sterile and partly calcified. Lung hydatids tended to be more fertile than liver cysts.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Identification by the blood incubation infectivity test of Trypanosoma brucei subspecies isolated from game animals in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia.

A total of 7 stocks of Trypanosoma brucei subspecies, isolated from naturally infected game animals in the Luangwa Valley, Eastern Province, Zambia were examined using a modified version of the Blood Incubation Infectivity Test (BIIT). One stock giving consistent BIIT responses typical of T.b. rhodesiense, was obtained from warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus). Four other stocks, 2 from hyaena (Crocuta crocuta), 1 from a waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) and 1 from a lion (Panthera leo) responded like T.b. brucei. One stock from a waterbuck and 1 from a giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) failed to infect mice after incubation in human serum for 30 min at 37 degrees C when first tested, but after 5 or 6 further serial passages in mice and even with serum incubation time increased to 5 h, they retained infectivity.

Animal Population Groups↗