Michael Pelst graduated as Master in Veterinary Medicine, specialization Research at Ghent University in July 2015. His master thesis focused on the effect of allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy on the immune system of dogs and was awarded the prize for best master thesis of the specialization research 2015 by Ecuphar. Having successfully applied for a PhD grant at the Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology, he is currently working on his PhD-project at the laboratory of Veterinary Immunology which is focused on characterizing allergen-specific immune responses and homing-receptor expression by lymphocytes in dogs with allergies

The prevalence of adverse food reactions (AFR) in dogs is increasing; it is therefore important to explore novel causal pathways. Results of studies in human and mice have shown that increasing n-6 PUFA-rich oils in the diet enhances the risk to develop allergic diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate the association of AFR with vegetable oils n-6 PUFA-rich intake in dogs, with food preparations (homemade versus commercial diet or both) and with regular use of treats. Data on dietary intake of 204 privately owned dogs with skin disease were obtained from a food survey. The use of oil was recorded in 24 of 204 (11.8%) dogs included in the study, in 4 on 19 dogs with FA (21%), 2 on 10 (20%) with FA and DA, 5 on 35 (14.3%) with DA and 13 on 134 with other conditions (9.7%). The frequency of the oil consumption was significantly higher in dogs with AFR than in dogs with other diagnoses (P<0.05). 62 of 204 dogs (30.1%) were fed homemade diet, 96 (47.1%) commercial diet and 46 (22.6%) both of them. No statistical difference was found between dogs that developed AFR and the others. 46 dogs of 204 (25.6%) received regularly treats. The frequency of dogs with treats was significantly higher in dogs with AFR (37.9%) than in other diseases (20%; p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary vegetable oils rich in n-6 PUFA and the regular administration of treats may enhance the susceptibility to AFR in dogs.

Mohammad Reza Siavashi is currently working at the Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran. His research interest is immunology and infection. He has published many articles in reputed journals.

The potential roles of specific antibodies of different immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses and IgE in serological diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (CE) were investigated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on Antigen 5 (Ag5). Presence of IgG1 was demonstrated in all sera from 58 patients with CE. The most discriminatory and specific antibodies found in this study belonged to IgG4 and IgE. Only one false-positive reaction was observed with IgG4 and no IgE cross-reactivity occurred with 40 sera from healthy controls. In 36 sera from patients infected by parasites other than CE two false-positive reactions with IgG4 were observed but none occurred with IgE. In immunoblotting, it was shown that IgG1 subclass was responsible for cross-reactivity of human antibodies that reacted with a 38 kDa subunit of Ag5. IgG4 and IgE antibodies could not recognize 38 kDa of subunit and under non-reducing conditions reacted with the 57 kDa of subunit without any cross-reactivity to other parasites. The results demonstrated that IgG4 and IgE are the most important antibodies for serological diagnosis of hydatid cyst in an Ag5 bases immunoassay system.