Isolation and Identification of Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida Species from Ruminants in Six Different Regions in Morocco

Pasteurella species is considered the principal pathogen of the respiratory tract.Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were investigated and typed from nasal swabs and tissues taken from sheep,goat and cattle.Indeed,41 lung and 121 nasal swabs samples were collected from animals with respiratory diseases during 2015 to 2017 in six different regions in Morocco.At first,a screening of Pasteurella species using the real time PCR(RT-PCR)was carried out,then all isolated strains on agar blood were confirmed by PCR gel based assay specific for M.haemolytica and P.multocida.Pathogenicity was evaluated in mice and histopathological examination was done on some of lung tissue.The results revealed that 34 samples of which 28(55%)from nasal swabs and six(38%)from lungs were positive for M.haemolytica and nine samples of which seven(14%)from nasal swabs and two(13%)from lungs were positive on P.multocida serogroup A.Seventy-two percent(72%)isolates were highly pathogenic to mice,which is in accordance with the results obtained by histopathology examination.This is the first report for widespread infections of Pasteurella(M.haemolytica&P.multocida)in ruminants in Morocco.Therefore,measures including development of vaccines are highly required to mitigate the impact of the bacteria in animals.

Characterization of the Biodegradation of Kasbahs of the Gharb Region (Mehdia and Kenitra Kasbahs, Morocco)

With the aim of contributing to the solutions linked to the problems of the preventive preservation and the restoration of the Kasbah of Mehdia or the Kasbah of Moulay El Hassan, a study of the flora populating the facades of these historical monuments was realized and showed the presence of a varied and diverse vegetation populating these buildings left to the ravages of time. The inventory of this flora showed the existence of 70 species among which 48were exclusively detected at the Kasbah of Mehdia, 11 other species were only discovered at the Kasbah of Kenitra and 11 vegetal species were inventoried at both Kasbahs. These plant species are divided into 28 families. Four families clearly dominate the flora inventoried at both Kasbahs of the Gharb region. These are the Asteraceae (15.7%),Poaceae (10%), Apiaceae (8.6%) and Scrophulariaceae (5.7%). These families alone account for 41.4% of the specific size of the flora of the studied sites. The most dominant vegetal type is the therophytes with 61.4% of the total specific size, followed by hemicryptophytes with 17.1%. Located at the top or the base of walls, these plants, fitting into joints or cracks, have a chemical action on the stones by acids which they release and also have a mechanical action on the stones by the growth of roots inside cracks. This vegetation remains one of the most important biological factors of the degradation of historical monuments.

Diagnosis of Clinical Cases of Infectious Bursal Disease Using a Modified Rapid Taq Man-MGB Real-Time RT-PCR Assay

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)is an important contagious viral infection of immune system of poultry.This infection possesses a permanent threat to the profitability of poultry industry worldwide.The aim of this work was to modify the Taq Man-MGB real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(rRT-PCR)in one step involving two fluorogenic Taq Man labeled probe and using this protocol for detection of infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV)collected from suspected cases distributed in different regions of the country during the period 2013-2016.The intralaboratory validation of modified method was realized for specificity,linearity,repeatability,sensitivity and reproducibility.It allowed reducing the test running time by six folds.This method was applied on 102 pools of bursa of fabricius(BF)samples collected from affected broiler farms suspected to be infected by IBDV.Birds showing macroscopic lesions including muscle petechial hemorrhages,hypertrophy and hemorrhage of BF,were subjected to molecular analysis using modified protocol“Taq Man-MGB rRT-PCR”.The validation satisfied all criteria and the assay developed could be a useful tool for a very rapid diagnosis of IBDV and permit to detect and to discriminate in one-step very virulent(vv)from non-vv(classic and variant)IBDV strains.Out of 84 IBDV positive samples,a prevalence of 39%for vv strains and 61%for classical strains was noted.These results indicate that despite the vaccination against IBDV,the vv form of this pathologie continues to cause serious problems for Moroccan broiler chickens.The obtained results indicate the successfully detection of IBDV and differentiated all vvIBDV strains from non-vvIBDV strains;Avian infectious agent RNA viruses tested are negative,demonstrating great specificity of the assay.The results obtained indicate that this method is suitable as a routine laboratory test for the rapid detection and differentiation of IBDV strains in samples of avian origin.

Predicting Cork Oak Suitability in Maâmora Forest Using Random Forest Algorithm

Maamora is considered the most important cork-oak forest in the world with regard to surface. Therefore, anthropic pressure, including cork harvesting, grazing and soft acorn picking up by local communities, has harmful consequences on forest regeneration and the forest become older exceeding harvesting age. Thus, its sustainability depends on the managers’ ability to succeed cork oak plantations. This work presents an assessment approach to evaluate Quercus suber suitability to its plantation which is based on a random forest algorithm (RF). In fact, this suitability has been assessed through analyzing management data related to previous plantation success rates (SR). Then a relationship between SR and a set of environmental and social factors has been investigated using the RF. Application of the fitted model to continuous maps of all involved factors enabled establishment of suitability maps which would help managers to make more rational decisions in terms of cork oak regeneration, ensuring Maamora forest sustainability.