A review of alpha2 adrenoreceptor agonists and the development of hypoxemia in domestic and wild ruminants.

Alpha2 agonists are commonly used in combination with other anesthetic agents to chemically immobilize wildlife and may cause potentially serious hypoxemia in wild ruminants. In some domestic ruminants, they are associated with significant changes to the pulmonary parenchyma, increased venous admixture, pulmonary edema, and hypoxemia. Effective and safe immobilization of these animals requires knowledge of the mechanisms behind these changes and the methods that offset their effects, including the use of supplemental oxygen.     

A survey of the transmission of infectious diseases/infections between wild and domestic ungulates in Europe

ABSTRACT: The domestic animals/wildlife interface is becoming a global issue of growing interest. However, despite studies on wildlife diseases being in expansion, the epidemiological role of wild animals in the transmission of infectious diseases remains unclear most of the time. Multiple diseases affecting livestock have already been identified in wildlife, especially in wild ungulates. The first objective of this paper was to establish a list of infections already reported in European wild ungulates. For each disease/infection, three additional materials develop examples already published, specifying the epidemiological role of the species as assigned by the authors. Furthermore, risk factors associated with interactions between wild and domestic animals and regarding emerging infectious diseases are summarized. Finally, the wildlife surveillance measures implemented in different European countries are presented. New research areas are proposed in order to provide efficient tools to prevent the transmission of diseases between wild ungulates and livestock.     

Rabies vaccination trial in wild ruminants

Twenty fallow-deer (Dama dama) and 10 Sardinian mouflons (Ovis ammon musimon) were vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated vaccine; all animals developed high titres.This research is part of a joint research programme co-ordinated by the Direzione Generale dei Servizi Veterinari and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.     

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined for Campylobacter sp. and Salmonella sp. with negative results. The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable for Yersinia sp.: Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice, Y. kristensenii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times, Y. frederiksenii and Y. intermedia were isolated once. Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.     

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined forCampylobacter sp. andSalmonella sp. with negative results.The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable forYersinia sp.:Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice,Y. kristen-senii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times,Y. frederiksenii andY. intermedia were isolated once.Antibiotic-resistantEscherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.This article was presented as a paper at the 8th International Symposium Enteric Infections and their Control of the World Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in Infectious Diseases (Perth, Western Australia, 20 August 1983).     

A study of antibody levels in wild ruminants vaccinated against rabies

The authors have vaccinated 22 fallow deer (Dama dama) and 10 mouflons (Ovis ammon musimon) against rabies with an inactivated vaccine: 4 fallow deer with 1 ml, 14 fallow deer and 10 mouflons with 2 ml, 4 animals were kept as controls (fallow deer). The antibody responses were checked by fluorescent foci inhibition carried out on blood samples collected during a two-year period. All the animals developed antibody titres and were still protected after 24 months.     

BTV infection in wild ruminants, with emphasis on red deer: a review

The distribution of bluetongue virus has changed, possibly related to climate change. Vaccination of domestic ruminants is taking place throughout Europe to control BT expansion. The high density of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) in some European regions has raised concerns about the potential role that unvaccinated European wild ungulates might play in maintaining or spreading the virus. Most species of wild ruminants are susceptible to BTV infection, although frequently asymptomatically. The red deer population density in Europe is similar to that of domestic livestock in some areas, and red deer could account for a significant percentage of the BTV-infection susceptible ruminant population in certain regions. High serum antibody prevalence has been found in red deer, and BTV RNA (BTV-1, BTV-4 and BTV-8) has been repeatedly detected in naturally infected European red deer by means of RT-PCR. Moreover, red deer may carry the virus asymptomatically for long periods. Epidemiological studies suggest that there are more BT cases in domestic ungulates in those areas where red deer are present. Vector and host density and environmental factors are implicated in the spatial distribution of BT. As in domestic ruminants, BTV transmission among wild ruminants depends almost exclusively on Culicoides vectors, mainly C. imicola but also members of the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complex. However, BTV transmission from red deer to the vector remains to be demonstrated. Transplacental, oral, and mechanical transmissions are also suspected. Thus, wild red deer contribute to the still unclear epidemiology of BTV in Europe, and could complicate BTV control in domestic ruminants. However, further research at the wildlife host-vector-pathogen interface and regarding the epidemiology of BT and BT vectors in wildlife habitats is needed to confirm this hypothesis. Moreover, red deer could be used as BT sentinels. Serum and spleen tissue of calves sampled from late autumn onwards should be the target samples when establishing a BTV surveillance program.     

Peste des petits ruminants in wild ungulates

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious viral disease of domestic small ruminants. It also affects wild ungulates but there are comparatively few studies of the incidence of natural infection, clinical signs and pathology, and confirmation of the virus, and in these species. In this article, we list the wild ungulates in which PPRV infection has been confirmed and summarize available information about the presentation of the disease, its identification, and impact of virus on wildlife populations. Considering recent reports of outbreaks by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), it is important to understand the transmission of this disease within wildlife populations in PPR endemic regions.     

Field evaluation of the efficacy of fenbendazole in captive wild ruminants

The efficacy of in-feed fenbendazole at a dose rate of 7.5 mg/kg bodyweight for three consecutive days was assessed in five Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), six scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), 14 slender-horned gazelles (Gazella leptoceros), eight Soay sheep (Ovis aries aries soay), 13 alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex), six red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) and 11 Nelson's elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) kept in five herds in a zoo. The efficacy was assessed by means of repeated faecal egg count reduction (fecr) tests and in vitro egg hatch assays. Fenbendazole was highly effective against nematodes in five of the seven species, consistently reducing egg shedding by more than 90 per cent. In the egg hatch assays of the five herds, 50 per cent inhibition of hatching (ld50) was observed at a concentration of thiabendazole below 0.1 microg/ml. In the Arabian oryx and alpine ibex the efficacy of fenbendazole was less than 90 per cent, and the ld50 in the egg hatch assays was between 0.1 and 0.2 microg/ml thiabendazole.     

野生草食动物腹围异常膨大的诊治

腹围异常膨大是圈养野生草食动物常见的疾病 ,该病致病因素多 ,有原发和继发两种。 1 998年至今 ,笔者先后遇斑马、角马、斑鼻羚、长角白沙羚、骆驼、野驴、果下马、亚洲象等草食动物患此病。经迅速诊治 ,绝大多数痊愈。现就草食动物腹围异常膨大的病因及诊治叙述如下。1　病因1 .1　动物采食过多易发酵的饲草 ,食物在瘤胃微生物的参与下过度发酵产生大量气体 ,造成瘤胃内气体生成和嗳出不平衡而引起臌气 ,多为原发。1 .2　因前胃机能减弱 ,嗳气机能障碍 ,胃内容物形成的气体不能排出而积聚于瘤胃中 ,导致发生慢性瘤胃臌气 ,多为继发。1 .3…