Master's Thesis Defended at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Shatrah

A master's thesis by the student Zainab Abdul-Ameer was defended at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Shatrah, entitled

“A Comparative Molecular Study of Stress Factors and Some Enzymes in Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Strains of Infected Calves”,

in the Discussion Hall of the University Presidency today, 7 October 2025.

The study dealt with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMD), one of the highly contagious viruses that infect cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer, causing foot-and-mouth disease, which leads to major economic losses in livestock.

The study aimed at the molecular identification and genetic sequencing of foot-and-mouth disease virus in infected animals, its diagnosis using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, and the analysis of genetic molecules to determine the prevailing serotypes of the virus using specific primers.

The study included collecting blood samples and swabs from 150 calves infected with foot-and-mouth disease from different areas, ages and sexes, in addition to 20 healthy samples used as a control group for comparison.

After an extensive discussion of the research topic and its scientific content, the examination committee decided to make some amendments to the thesis, praising the student's efforts and her defence of her research, and at the end of the defence she was awarded the master's degree with the grade of (Excellent).

Government Media and Communication Division

College of Veterinary Medicine

7 October 2025