Faculty of Veterinary Science
Prof GE Swan, Dean
Telephone number: 012 529 8201
E-mail address: gerry.swan@up.ac.za
Message by the Dean
The research output of the Faculty again showed steady growth over the
past year as measured by the subsidy units earned from the Department of
Higher Education and Training for publications, which increased from 81.6 in
2010 to 82.8. The number of NRF-rated staff members also increased to 23 in
2011, representing an increase of 53% over the past three years. The Faculty
of Veterinary Science has five departments, all of which contribute to the
Faculty's research programme.
In the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, considerable
progress was made in developing diagnostics for tuberculosis in
wildlife. An interferon gamma assay developed and optimised
for rhinoceros showed high specificity when tested in the
Kruger National Park. A similar lion-specific assay developed in
collaboration with the University of Utrecht will be validated as
a diagnostic test during 2012 and 2013. A study conducted in
Swaziland revealed a high incidence of bovine tuberculosis and a
high genetic diversity among isolates of Mycobacterium bovis, partially ascribed to the cattle trade in South Africa. The mechanical
and transstadial transmission of lumpy skin disease virus by Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Amblyomma hebraeum ticks were
demonstrated for the first time, solving an old problem. It also established the capability of a European bluetongue virus serotype 8
strain to infect goat foetuses through the transplacental route.
The Department of Paraclinical Sciences actively pursued diagnostic investigations of disease outbreaks in wildlife throughout
South Africa, inter alia, by building capacity in immunohistochemistry, a useful tool for the identification of target tissues or cells
for infectious disease agents, and by developing cell culture systems for a variety of studies in order to reduce the number of
animals required for experiments. Food safety is an important focus of the department, especially maximising the market access
to safe food for underprivileged consumers. As aquatic animals respond with great sensitivity to changes in their environment, the
Department is using the Nile crocodile and the sharptooth catfish as bio-indicators to assess water pollution that can severely
affect the production of food from animal origin. South Africa has a huge diversity of plants, including poisonous plants affecting
livestock. Both well-known and lesser known poisonings were investigated. The Phytomedicine Programme investigated the use of
medicinal plants as treatment options for microbial and parasitic infections.
The Department of Production Animal Studies had a productive year, contributing 35 journal articles and a number of other
outputs. Health aspects of food-producing animals were the dominant theme, with research ranging from traditional farm animals
through to more exotic species, such as abalone. Epidemiology also featured strongly, enabling quantitative studies of animal
disease, diagnostics and parasite control strategies, as well as transboundary disease control and zoonoses. Animal reproduction is
another focus area, which includes reproductive monitoring, uterine immunology and reproductive interventions in domestic and
game species. The ecology and adaptive physiology of the giraffe was the focus of three papers.
In the Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, four papers in the spirocercosis focus area on malignant transformation
and diagnostic methods in spirocercosis were published in eminent international journals under the guidance of Prof Eran Dvir, who
recently completed his PhD on the subject. Two papers published by the Babesiosis Study Group explored the serial haematological
changes and the breed and gender predisposition in babesiosis - another strong research focus area of the Department. Dr Brighton
Dzikiti published three papers on intravenous anaesthesia in goats in international journals and was awarded an Exceptional
Young Researcher Award by the University. The Wildlife Study Group made great contributions to this newly developing field and
published on muscle fibre types and the ultrasonographic appearance of the female reproductive tract in the African lion and on
the detection of papillomavirus in African antelope and Cape mountain zebra.
Studies on the anatomy of ratite birds form one of the main research focus areas in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology.
The incidence of sperm defects in these commercially important birds are investigated, as well as the comparative structure of the
gonadally active and inactive testis and epididymis, and the role of the various epithelial cells of the epididymis. Small ruminant
research includes the role of pheromones on offspring recognition through studies of the vomeronasal organ, as well as the
identification of protozoa in their digestive tracts. The anatomy and diagnostic imaging of selected zoo animals is a new focus
area. The mechanism of action of agents with anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic properties, as well as aspects of gastroenterology,
cardiovascular physiology, medicinal plant extracts, angiogenesis and nanomedicine are studied in the Physiology section.
Prof GE Swan
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