Use of Aspiration Method for Collecting Brain Samples for Rabies Diagnosis in Small Wild Animals

In developing countries such as Brazil, where canine rabies is still a considerable problem, samples from wildlife species are infrequently collected and submitted for screening for rabies. A collaborative study was established involving environmental biologists and veterinarians for rabies epidemiological research in a specific ecological area located at the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The wild animals’ brains are required to be collected without skull damage because the skull’s measurements are important in the identification of the captured animal species. For this purpose, samples from bats and small mammals were collected using an aspiration method by inserting a plastic pipette into the brain through the magnum foramen. While there is a progressive increase in the use of the plastic pipette technique in various studies undertaken, it is also appreciated that this method could foster collaborative research between wildlife scientists and rabies epidemiologists thus improving rabies surveillance.     

毛皮动物野生习性调查与驯化技术

毛皮动物一般指那些能提供高档裘皮产品的动物,属于野生或经过人工驯化饲养的哺乳类动物。作者对毛皮动物的栖息环境、采食习性、行为等野生习性及驯化的关键问题和方法进行了综述。     

Review of Rabies Epidemiology and Control in South,South East and East Asia: Past,Present and Prospects for Elimination

Rabies is a serious public health problem in Asia. It causes substantial animal welfare, economic and human health impacts, with approximately 39 000 human deaths each year. Domestic dogs are the main reservoir and source of rabies in Asia. Common constraints for the control of rabies in the countries of Asia include inadequate resources; lack of political commitment to control programs; lack of consensus on strategy; weak intersectoral coordination and inadequate management structure; insensitive surveillance systems; limited accessibility to modern rabies vaccine and supply problems; lack of public awareness and public cooperation; and the existence of myths and religious issues. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of rabies in both human and animals in each South and South East Asian country, the past and current approaches to control and the prospect for rabies elimination. We conclude that defining the cost of rabies to society and communicating this to decision‐makers might be the key to achieving such an advance.     

Predictive qualitative risk model of bovine rabies occurrence in Brazil

Bovine rabies remains endemic in Brazil and despite control efforts, the disease still spreads insidiously. The main vector is the hematophagous bat, Desmodus rotundus. The present work aimed to create a predictive qualitative model of the occurrence of bovine rabies in each municipality in 25 of the 27 Brazilian States. The risk of rabies transmission from bats to bovine was estimated using decision-tree models of receptivity and vulnerability. Questionnaires, which covered a number of questions related to the surveillance of possible risk factors, such as bovine rabies outbreaks in the previous year, the presence of bat roosts, bat rabies positivity and environmental changes, were sent to the local veterinary units of each State. The bovine density and geomorphologic features were obtained from national databases and geographic information systems. Of the 433 municipalities presenting bovine rabies outbreaks in 2010, 178 (41.1%) were classified by the model as high risk, 212 (49.0%) were classified as moderate risk, 25 (5.8%) were classified as low risk, whereas the risk was undetermined in 18 municipalities (4.1%). An ROC curve was built to determine if the risk evaluated by the model could adequately discriminate between municipalities with and without rabies occurrence in future years. The risk estimator for the year 2011 was classified as moderately accurate. In the future, these models could allow the targeting of rabies control efforts, with the adoption of control measures directed to the higher risk locations and the optimization of the field veterinary staff deployment throughout the country. Additionally, efforts must be made to encourage continuous surveillance of risk factors.     

The Epidemiological Importance of Bats in the Transmission of Rabies to Dogs and Cats in the State of São Paulo,Brazil, Between 2005 and 2014

In Brazil, rabies control in dogs and cats was pioneered by the state of São Paulo with the adoption of the Pan American Health Organization recommendations for prophylaxis and control, which led to a reduction in rabies cases from 1994 onwards. As a result of these measures, the rabies virus (RABV) genetic lineage associated with dogs has not been found in the state since 1998, and all the cases in domestic animals reported since then have been caused by bat‐associated lineages of RABV. In the light of this, this study sought to investigate rabies cases in dogs and cats in the state of São Paulo between 2005 and 2014 and identify the associated transmission cycles by characterizing the RABV lineages responsible for these cases. Nine samples from dogs (n = 5) and from cats (n = 4) were collected between 2005 and 2014. The tenth animal, a rabid cat, was analysed by a different laboratory. The N gene nucleotide sequences obtained were analysed with the neighbor‐joining algorithm and Kimura 2‐parameter model using the MEGA 6 program. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the genetic lineages identified in all the samples were those circulating in Brazilian bats. The findings of this study demonstrate that bats play an important role in the transmission of rabies to domestic animals in São Paulo state and that emphasis should be placed on the implementation of public policies to support surveillance of chiropterans for rabies.     

野鸟在禽流感流行病学中的作用研究进展

作者对中国特别是辽宁省野鸟存在和迁移情况进行了详细总结;同时结合野鸟的迁移,携带禽流感病毒情况,深入分析、探讨野鸟在禽流感传播中的作用,明确预防控制野鸟禽流感的重要性,为野鸟禽流感的防控提供参考。     

应用电镜技术对狂犬病不同毒株的形态学研究

将狂犬病固定毒ＣＴＮ株（中国济南株）、ＣＶＳ株（国际标准攻击毒株）、ＥＲＡ株（兽用疫苗弱毒株）,分别在小鼠脑组织增殖及ＥＲＡ毒株在ＢＨＫ２１传代细胞增殖,通过超薄切片和负染色制备样品,电镜观察。结果发现,在相同鼠脑组织中,ＣＴＮ株病毒粒子比较难查找,而ＣＶＳ株和ＥＲＡ株较易被发现。另外,在不同毒株的脑组织和细胞培养物另还发现了大量的非典型粒子,诸如削了顶的粒子以及锥形、柱形等形态,同时还发现了胞浆包涵体。通过试验,我们认为：⑴典型病毒数量与免疫原性呈正相关。⑵在观察鼠脑细胞中的病毒时,发现有神经髓鞘部位是难以找到病毒粒子的。⑶狂犬病病毒粒子存在于宿主细胞浆内,核内未发现。     

Re‐emergence of rabies virus maintained by canid populations in Paraguay

Paraguay has registered no human cases of rabies since 2004, and the last case in dogs, reported in 2009, was due to a variant maintained in the common vampire bat “Desmodus rotundus”. In 2014, a dog was diagnosed as positive for rabies with aggression towards a boy and all required measures of control were successfully adopted. Epidemiological investigation revealed that the dog was not vaccinated and had been attacked by a crab‐eating fox, “zorro” (Cerdocyon thous). The sample was diagnosed by the Official Veterinary Service of the Country and sent to the Center on Rabies Research from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, for antigenic and genetic characterization. A second sample from a dog positive for rabies in the same region in 2015 and 11 samples from a rabies outbreak from Asuncion in 1996 were also characterized. The antigenic profile of the samples, AgV2, was compatible with one of the variants maintained by dogs in Latin America. In genetic characterization, the samples segregated in the canine (domestic and wild species)‐related group in an independent subgroup that also included samples from Argentina. These results and the epidemiology of the case indicate that even with the control of rabies in domestic animals, the virus can still circulate in wildlife and may be transmitted to domestic animals and humans, demonstrating the importance of continuous and improved surveillance and control of rabies, including in wild species, to prevent outbreaks in controlled areas.     

四川省家犬狂犬病免疫抗体监测

为了解四川省各市州犬只的狂犬病抗体水平,本试验采集了四川省南充市、绵阳市、广元市等14个市州的犬只血清样(共计258份),利用荷兰EVL公司的酶联免疫吸附试剂盒进行狂犬病血清抗体检测。结果表明,14个市州的犬只抗体阳性率在20%~50%之间,其中有3个市州的血清阳性率为0。     

Canine Rabies in Australia: A Review of Preparedness and Research Needs

Australia is unique as a populated continent in that canine rabies is exotic, with only one likely incursion in 1867. This is despite the presence of a widespread free‐ranging dog population, which includes the naturalized dingo, feral domestic dogs and dingo‐dog cross‐breeds. To Australia's immediate north, rabies has recently spread within the Indonesian archipelago, with outbreaks occurring in historically free islands to the east including Bali, Flores, Ambon and the Tanimbar Islands. Australia depends on strict quarantine protocols to prevent importation of a rabid animal, but the risk of illegal animal movements by fishing and recreational vessels circumventing quarantine remains. Predicting where rabies will enter Australia is important, but understanding dog population dynamics and interactions, including contact rates in and around human populations, is essential for rabies preparedness. The interactions among and between Australia's large populations of wild, free‐roaming and restrained domestic dogs require quantification for rabies incursions to be detected and controlled. The imminent risk of rabies breaching Australian borders makes the development of disease spread models that will assist in the deployment of cost‐effective surveillance, improve preventive strategies and guide disease management protocols vitally important. Here, we critically review Australia's preparedness for rabies, discuss prevailing assumptions and models, identify knowledge deficits in free‐roaming dog ecology relating to rabies maintenance and speculate on the likely consequences of endemic rabies for Australia.     

A telemetric aid in establishing the cause of death in semidomesticated or wild animals.

Calf mortality among wild and semidomesticated animals, especially reindeer, is established to be high. The authors describe a telemetric method with subcutaneously implanted transmitters which are activated by the lowered body temperature in connection with the death of the animal, enabling it to be found and brought in for pathological examination. Frequency selection, implantation technique and design of transmitter, power source, antenna and surveillance methods are discussed, with a background of commercially available equipment.     

Increased detection of rabies virus in bats in Ceará State (Northeast Brazil) after implementation of a passive surveillance programme

The intensification of dog, cat and livestock vaccination campaigns significantly reduced rabies cases in humans and domestic animals in Ceará State, Brazil. However, sylvatic animals—bats (order Chiroptera), wild canids, raccoons and non‐human primates— remain as reservoirs for the virus. Our hypothesis is that surveillance and monitoring of rabies virus in bats, especially passive surveillance, is of fundamental importance, besides the implementation of health education and strengthening of surveillance actions in humans exposed to aggressions. Thus, we assessed the occurrence of rabies virus in animals focusing on bats, before and after launching of the Sylvatic Rabies Surveillance Program in 2010. Surveillance data from the 184 municipalities of Ceará State were analysed, collected during the periods 2003–2010 (active surveillance) and 2011–2016 (passive surveillance), respectively. A total of 13,543 mammalian samples were received for rabies diagnosis from 2003 to 2016. Of these, 10,960 were from dogs or cats (80.9%), 1,180 from bats (8.7%), 806 from other sylvatic animals (foxes, marmosets, raccoons; 6.0%) and 597 from herbivores (cattle, goats, sheep, equines, pigs; 4.4%). A total of 588 (4.3%) samples were positive for rabies. About 8.4% (99/1,180) of the bat samples were infected with rabies virus, 92 (92.9%) of these were from non‐haematophagous bat species and 7 (7.1%) from haematophagous species. The number of bat samples received and infection rates increased considerably, after a shift from active surveillance (9/355 [2.5%] samples positive), to passive surveillance (90/825 [10.9%] samples positive). Surveillance of rabies virus in bats is fundamental for human and domestic animal health in Ceará State. Bats have to be considered as targets in surveillance and control programmes. Virus lineages should be characterized to increase knowledge on transmission dynamics of sylvatic rabies virus to domestic animals and the human population, and to provide additional evidence for planning and implementation of improved control measures.     

安徽地区野生大豆饲用价值研究

一直以来,我国研究者对野生大豆的研究多集中在对其遗传基因的开发利用方面,对其饲用价值的研究偏少,且多集中在野生大豆种子的营养成分和饲用价值上,对于野生大豆全株饲用价值的分析近乎空白。该试验在安徽省境内22个地市（县）共采集野生大豆样本22份,在半野外环境下种植,并对其全株的主要营养成分和刈割价值进行分析,发现野生大豆蛋白质含量较高,与饲用苜蓿草粉相当,野生大豆的生物学产量也很高,有良好的抗旱性,是一种优良的饲草资源。     

Study for Trend of genetic Resource on Wild Yak in China

In this paper, comprehensively studied inhabit environments, population size, population density and distribution regions on wild yak, the results showed that genetic resource of wild yak has been decreased from 1950' to 1980 ', after that, and its genetic resource began to show increasing trend in nature reserves due to protection measures strengthened.     

狂犬病病毒分子流行病学研究进展

介绍了狂犬病病毒的流行特点、基因型和检测方法 ,综述了狂犬病病毒核蛋白和糖蛋白基因的研究进展 ,并简要概述了我国学者对狂犬病病毒N基因和G基因的序列分析比较结果 ,表明我国狂犬病病毒的街毒存在着地域差异。     

东北平原引草信信入田、粮草轮作的初步研究

在吉林省长岭县和农安县通过田间试验研究了东北平原区主要粮食、牧草及经济作物轮作对土壤养分状况、土壤酶活性、土壤微生物组成和数量以及主要粮食、牧草及经济作物生物产量的影响。结果表明，豆科牧草对提高土壤有效养分水平有显著作用。大豆对土壤有效氮的影响较大，但对有效磷、有效钾的影响不如玉米，而马铃薯、烟草和向日葵等经济作物则对土壤养分的消耗较多，容易造成土壤养分单项缺失，不宜连作。此外，豆科牧草茬口的酶活性指标及其生物产量均优于其他供试作物。粮食-牧草-经济作物三元轮作体系是提高东北平原区土壤肥力，获得良好的生态效益和经济效益的有效途径。     

First Report on the Efficiency of Oral Vaccination of Foxes against Rabies in Serbia

Rabies is one of the oldest known zoonotic diseases that has significant impact on public health, but still remains neglected in Serbia. Rabies virus can infect humans and other mammals and causes inflammation of the brain associated with encephalomyelitis and neurological symptoms. In 2010, Veterinary Directorate (national Competent Authority for animal health in Serbia) has started multi‐annual project of oral rabies vaccination of foxes and other wild carnivores (e.g. jackals), as support of long‐term programme of eradication of rabies in Serbia, co‐funded by EU (financed by Instrument for Pre‐Accession Assistance). Monitoring of the effectiveness of oral vaccination campaigns has been carried out in continuation from 2011 and was based on: (i) post‐mortem laboratory examination of brain tissue of target animals (foxes, jackals and other carnivores) by fluorescent antibody test (FAT), (ii) detection of antibodies against rabies virus in serum samples by ELISA and (iii) detection of tetracycline biomarker in the mandibles for the evaluation of vaccine bait uptake. From September 2011 to May 2014, the total number of 4943 brain tissue samples, 4241 sera and 4971 mandibles were analysed. Confirmed rabies‐positive brains decreased from 10 in 2011/2012 to 6 in 2012/2013 and eventually to 1 positive case in 2013/2014. The seroconversion rate increased from 10.48% (133/1269) in 2011/2012 to 20.11% (362/1800) in 2012/2013 and 42.23% (495/1172) in 2013/2014. Along with the seroconversion, the number of detected tetracycline‐positive mandibles demonstrated an increasing tendency in the same period, being 49.67% (682/1373) in 2011/2012, 62.60% (1294/2067) in 2012/2013 and 90.33% (1383/1531) in the monitoring programme carried out in 2013/2014. Presented results confirmed that ORV of foxes and other wildlife in Serbia against rabies was successful and characterized by steady increase of vaccine baits uptake and immunization of animals.     

Factors Associated with Dog Rabies Vaccination in Bhol,Philippines: Results of a Cross‐Sectional Cluster Survey Conducted Following the Island‐Wide Rabies Elimination Campaign

The Philippines has a long history of rabies control efforts in their dog populations; however, long‐term success of such programmes and the goal of rabies elimination have not yet been realized. The Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program was developed as an innovative approach to canine rabies control in 2007. The objective of this study was to assess canine rabies vaccination coverage in the owned‐dog population in Bohol and to describe factors associated with rabies vaccination 2 years after implementation of the programme. We utilized a cross‐sectional cluster survey based on the World Health Organization’s Expanded Programme on Immunization coverage survey technique. We sampled 460 households and collected data on 539 dogs residing within these households. Seventy‐seven per cent of surveyed households reported owning at least one dog. The human‐to‐dog ratio was approximately 4 : 1, and the mean number of dogs owned per household was 1.6. Based on this ratio, we calculated an owned‐dog population of almost 300 000. Overall, 71% of dogs were reported as having been vaccinated for rabies at some time in their lives; however, only 64% of dogs were reported as having been recently vaccinated. Dogs in our study were young (median age = 24 months). The odds of vaccination increased with increasing age. Dogs aged 12–23 months had 4.6 times the odds of vaccination compared to dogs aged 3–11 months (95% CI 1.8–12.0; P = 0.002). Confinement of the dog both day and night was also associated with increased odds of vaccination (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 0.9–4.9; P = 0.07), and this result approached statistical significance. While the programme is on track to meet its goal of 80% vaccination coverage, educational efforts should focus on the need to confine dogs and vaccinate young dogs.     

野外收蜂的技巧与方法

无论是对蜜蜂研究爱好者还是养蜂人,收取野外蜜蜂都具有一定的研究价值和经济价值。野外收蜂需掌握一定的收蜂技巧与方法才能事半功倍。野外收蜂的技巧不仅体现在将蜜蜂安全、高效地收入自己“囊中”,还需掌握根据野生蜂的飞行方式和归巢路线找到其蜂巢以及如何准确辨别归巢蜜蜂是野生蜂还是家养蜂。在此基础上,对找到的蜂巢和蜜蜂进行收取才会有显著成效。     

Epidemiology of Subclinical Salmonellosis in Wild Birds from an Area of High Prevalence of Pig Salmonellosis: Phenotypic and Genetic Profiles of Salmonella Isolates

The epidemiology of subclinical salmonellosis in wild birds in a region of high Salmonella prevalence in pigs was studied. Three hundred and seventy‐nine faecal samples from 921 birds trapped in 31 locations nearby pig premises, and 431 samples from 581 birds of 10 natural settings far from pig farms were analysed for the presence of Salmonella spp. Positive samples were serotyped and analysed for antimicrobial resistance (AR). Phage typing and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) on Salmonella Typhimurium isolates were also carried out. The overall proportion of Salmonella‐positive samples was 1.85% (95% CI = 0.93, 2.77). Salmonella isolation was positively associated with samples collected from birds in the proximity of a pig operation (OR = 16.5; 95% CI = 5.17, 52.65), and from non‐migratory (or short‐distance migration) birds (OR = 7.6; 95% CI = 1.20, 48.04) and negatively related to mostly granivorous birds (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.15, 1.13). Salmonella Typhimurium was the most prevalent serotype and four different XbaI PFGE patterns were observed that matched the four phage types identified (U310, U311, DT164 and DT56). Only 20% of the strains showed multi‐AR. In three farms, a high degree of homogeneity among isolates from different birds was observed. These findings suggested that pig farms may act as amplifiers of this infection among wild birds, and the degree of bird density may have much to do on this transmission. Some of the Salmonella serotypes isolated from bird faeces were of potential zoonotic transmission and associated with AR. Monitoring salmonellosis in wild bird is advised.