Diseases of young captive crocodiles in Papua New Guinea

To identify causes of mortality in young captive crocodiles, detailed necropsy and laboratory examination was done on 54 (30 Crocodylus porosus, 22 C. novaeguineae, 2 of unrecorded species). Although multiple infections often confounded interpretation it was concluded that the major infectious diseases, of approximately equal importance, were coccidiosis, bacterial septicaemia with Gram-negative organisms, and metazoan parasitism including ascariasis and pentastomiasis. A range of other lesions and agents was recognised, including keratitis, enteritis of unknown aetiology, non-suppurative encephalitis, traumatic peritonitis and trematodes located in renal tubules, gut and blood vessels. Some crocodiles in poor condition had only mild lesions associated with metazoan parasites and the cause of death or illness could not be clearly determined, although it was considered likely that adaptation failure was a contributing factor.     

Rotavirus excretion by village pigs in Papua New Guinea

Cohort studies were conducted on 29 pigs from 3 villages in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Animals ranged in age from 9 d to 5 m old. Three hundred and twenty nine faecal samples were collected from individual pigs followed over 3 to 6 w periods, and were examined for group A rotavirus antigen by ELISA, and rotaviral genomic RNA by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Electron microscopy was also conducted on selected samples. Group A rotavirus was detected in the faeces of 16 pigs with infected individuals coming from all villages. Non-group A rotavirus resembling group C was found in faeces from pigs from 2 villages. All of the group A rotaviruses examined had the same electrophoretype and this was distinct from that of the common type infecting humans in the area at the time of the study. None of the group A positive samples reacted with monoclonal antisera specific for human group A rotaviruses of serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, or 8. The non-group A rotaviruses also all had identical electrophoretypes. In contrast to previous findings in intensive piggeries, rotavirus infection did not occur in all young pigs and was not limited to young animals under 2 m of age. Infected pigs varied in age from 12 days to 20 weeks of age. This pattern of infection was attributed to the non-intensive husbandry situations in the villages, with less opportunity for transmission to occur than in intensive piggeries.     

猪犬旋毛虫在豚鼠体内的低温耐受性试验

黑龙江省旋毛虫病的主要宿主动物是猪和犬，旋毛虫猪肉是人感染旋毛虫的重要传染来源。对旋毛虫猪肉进行低温无害化处理是防止旋毛虫病发生的重要而又经济有效的办法，国外已广泛采用，美国和加拿大等国还将此制定成为法规。同时，旋毛虫对低温耐受性是人们用来区分旋毛虫各隔离种常用的生物学方法，而国内对旋毛虫的低温耐受性尚缺乏系统研究。     

The epidemiology of fasciolosis in Papua New Guinea

Fasciola hepatica metacercariae were present on pasture throughout the year at the trial site. The highest infection rate in trial sheep occurred in the first year after the beginning of the wet season, in December/January, when contamination of the pasture was maintained by other sheep. Variation in rates of infection in consecutive years was linked to differences in grazing pressure and to a change from sheep to cattle as accompanying grazing stock. A minimum precipitation of 125 mm over 4 consecutive weeks appears to be necessary for infected snails to move from their normal habitats and to contaminate wet pasture with cercariae. Infection of sheep can occur during a dry season if pasture has permanent seepage sites or swampy areas where infected snails can remain active and continue to liberate cercariae.     

First report of a Trichinella papuae infection in a wild pig (Sus scrofa) from an Australian island in the Torres Strait region

Multiple Trichinella species are reported from the Australasian region although mainland Australia has never confirmed an indigenous case of Trichinella infection in humans or animals. Wildlife surveys in high-risk regions are essential to truly determine the presence or absence of Trichinella, but in mainland Australia are largely lacking. In this study, a survey was conducted in wild pigs from mainland Australia's Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait region for the presence of Trichinella, given the proximity of a Trichinella papuae reservoir in nearby PNG. We report the detection of a Trichinella infection in a pig from an Australian island in the Torres Strait, a narrow waterway that separates the islands of New Guinea and continental Australia. The larvae were characterised as T. papuae (Kikori strain) by PCR and sequence analysis. No Trichinella parasites were found in any pigs from the Cape York Peninsula. These results highlight the link the Torres Strait may play in providing a passage for introduction of Trichinella parasites from the Australasian region to the Australian mainland.     

Surveys in Papua New Guinea to detect the presence of Trypanosoma evansi infection

OBJECTIVE: To confirm serological evidence that Trypanosoma evansi is present in Papua New Guinea. DESIGN: Three surveys were undertaken in PNG during 1997/1998. Animals were selected for sampling on the basis of convenience. Samples of blood were examined for the presence of T evansi by the haematocrit centrifugation technique (HCT) and mouse inoculation test (MI). Sera were tested in the field using the card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis/T evansi (CATT). Bovine sera were tested at James Cook University using an antibody-detection ELISA (Ab-ELISA). Results from testing bovine sera with the Ab-ELISA and sera from wallabies with the CATT were analysed using FreeCalc to determine the probability that animals in these populations were infected with T evansi. RESULTS: A total of 545 serum samples were collected, during the three surveys of which 39 cattle, two pig and three agile wallaby samples were positive with the CATT. All bovine sera collected were negative when tested with an Ab-ELISA. T evansi was not isolated using the HCT or the MI from any of these animals. CONCLUSION: Based on the Ab-ELISA results it was concluded that T evansi infection was not present in cattle in villages around Balimo at a minimum expected prevalence of 10% (P < 0.05) and, based on the CATT results, that infection was not present in wallabies on the Bula plain at a minimum expected prevalence of 10% (P < 0.1). These results indicate that it is unlikely that T evansi is endemic in PNG.     

Sodium deficiency of grazing cattle in Papua New Guinea

Summary Sodium deficiency was suspected from low saliva sodium concentrations in cattle at various sites in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea. In an experiment at Erap, Morobe Province crossbred and pedigree Brahman heifers supplemented with copper, cobalt and/or common salt showed no response to copper or cobalt supplementation. There was a significant growth response (P<0·01) to salt supplementation over a 16 week period confirming sodium deficiency in these animals. The response in the crossbreds was twice that in the purebreds. Supplemented crossbred animals grew 0·78 kg/day over the 16 week experimental period.

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Resumen Se sospechó deficiencia de sodio al encontrar valores bajos de este elemento, en la saliva de bovinos que pastoreaban sitios bajos en Pápua. En un experimento en Erap, Provincia de Morobe, novillos Brahman puros y cruzados suplementados con cobre, cobalto y/o sal comun, no mostraron respuesta al cobre o al cobalto. Hubo respuesta significative (P<0·01) a la suplementación con sal en un período de 16 semanas, confirmando así la deficiencia de sodio en estos animales, con major respuesta en los cruces que en los Brahman puros. Los primeros aumentaron 0·78 kg/dia durante el período experimental de 16 semanas.

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Résumé Une carence en sodium a été suspectée en raison de faibles concentrations en sodium dans la salive de bovins paissant à divers endroits dans les plaines de Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée. Dans une expérience conduite à Erap, Province de Morobe, des génisses métissées et de pédigré Brahman recevant un complément de cuivre, cobalt et/ou de sel ordinaire n’ont pas réagi à la complémentation en cuivre ou cobalt. La complémentation en sel a entrainé une réponse de croissance significative (P<0,01) sur une période de 16 semaines, confirmant par là la carence en sodium chez ces animaux, avec une réponse deux fois plus importante chez les métisses que les animaux de race pure. Les animaux métissés recevant un complément ont eu un gain de poids de 0,78 kg par jour pendant la période expérimentale de 16 semaines.

     

Mineral status of beef cattle in Papua New Guinea

Groups of 22 steers grazed eight diverse environments in Papua New Guinea for one year. Haemoglobin, packed cell volume, MCHC, plasma albumen, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and saliva sodium and potassium were measured; half of each group received cobalt supplements. Growth rate was measured. Cobalt deficiency was tentatively diagnosed at two sites, sodium deficiency at five sites and phosphorus at three with two other sites marginal. Sodium supplementation at the three most affected sites corrected sodium status and increased growth rate. Additionally, at two of these sites plasma phosphorus concentration increased to more normal levels presumably due to increased appetite. Statistically significant differences between sites occurred in the concentrations of other minerals but were not related to growth rates. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to assessment of mineral status in beef cattle.     

Incidence and distribution of helminth and arthropod parasites of indigenous owned pigs in Papua Mew Guinea

Summary Twenty-five species of helminth and arthropod parasites were recorded from village reared pigs in Papua New Guinea during a survey carried out during1966–69. Infection with the lungwormMetastrongylus sp. is considered to be a major contributing cause of mortality in highland areas. Other helminths of economic importance under village management systems are the kidney worm (Stephanurus dentatus), Gnathostoma sp.,Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum sp. andMacrocanthorhynchus hirudinaceus. The possible role of the New Guinea village pig in transmission of parasitic zoonoses is briefly discussed.

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Sumario Se han reportado veinticuatro especies de parásitos helmintos y artr’opodos de cerdos criados en caceríos en Papua, Nueva Guinea, durante una encuesta llevada a cabo durante 1966–1969. La infección con el parásito pulmonarMetastrongilus spp. es considerada ser una causa de importancia de la mortalidad observada en areas elevadas. Otros parásitos helmintos de importancia económica bajo sistemas de manejo en caceríos son: el parásito del ri?ónStephanurus dentatus, Gnathostoma sp.,Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomun sp.,y. Macrocanthorhynchus hirudinaceus. Se discute el posible rol del cerdo do cacerío de Nueva Guinea en la transmisión de zoonosis parasíticas.

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Résumé Vingt quatre espèces d’helminthes et d’arthropodes parasites sont rapportées chez les porcs élevés dans les villages en Papouasie et Nouvelle-Guinée pendant une enquête menée de 1966 à 1969. L’infection pulmonaire àMetastrongylus est considérée comme la cause majeure de mortalité dans les zones d’altitude. D’autres helminthes d’importance économique dans le système d’organisation villageois sont le strongle des reins (Stephanurus dentatus), Gnathostoma sp.,Ascaris suum., Oesophagostomum sp. etMacrocanthorhynchus hirudinaceus. Le r?le possible du porc de village en Nouvelle-Guinée dans la transmission de zoonoses parasitatires est brièvement discuté.