Prevalence and molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in lambs and goat kids in Belgium

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia was studied on 10 intensively reared sheep and goat farms in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Random faecal samples were collected and examined using the Merifluor((R)) immunofluorescence assay. Cryptosporidium positive samples were withheld for molecular identification using primers targeting the 18S rDNA, 70 kDa heat shock protein and 60 kDa glycoprotein gene. For the molecular identification of Giardia the beta-giardin gene and a recently developed assemblage specific PCR based on the triose phosphate isomerase gene were used. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in lambs was 13.1% (18/137), on 4 out of 10 farms. In goat kids the Cryptosporidium prevalence was 9.5% (14/148), on 6 out of 10 farms. The molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium positive isolates indicated that in lambs (n=10) the cervine genotype was predominant, whereas in the goat kids (n=11) only C. parvum was identified, with subgenotypes IIaA15G2R1 and IIdA22G1. The Giardia prevalence was 25.5% (35/137) in lambs with all 10 farms being positive, and 35.8% (53/148) in goat kids with 8 out of the 10 farms being positive. Both in the goat kids and in the lambs the host specific assemblage E was most commonly identified. However, the zoonotic assemblage A was identified in 6 out of 28 goat kids and in 2 out of 8 lambs, based on the beta-giardin sequence alignment. Using the assemblage specific PCR, mixed assemblage A and E infections were additionally identified in 2 lambs and in 5 goat kids. The results of the present study indicate that both Cryptosporidium and Giardia are common parasites on intensively reared sheep and goat farms in the province of East Flanders, Belgium, and that they are a potential source for zoonotic infections.     

A Bayesian evaluation of four immunological assays for the diagnosis of clinical cryptosporidiosis in calves

A Bayesian approach was used to evaluate four immunological assays for the clinical diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis in calves: an immunofluorescence assay (IFA), two ELISA tests and an immunochromatographic (dipstick) assay. Faecal samples from 287 calves aged less than 6 weeks with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. The high prevalence (63%) of Cryptosporidium spp. indicated the relevance of this agent in the aetiology of diarrhoea in calves. All diagnostic assays were found to be relatively specific (IFA: 94.8%; Tetra ELISA: 95.9%; Techlab ELISA: 92.7%; dipstick assay: 91.5%) and sensitive (IFA: 97.4%; Tetra ELISA: 93.6%; Techlab ELISA: 95.4%; dipstick: 87.8%). Despite a lower sensitivity, the dipstick assay provided a practical alternative to laboratory diagnosis of clinical cryptosporidiosis in calves.     

Magnetic stimulation of peripheral nerves in dogs: a pilot study

A model for magnetic stimulation of the radial and sciatic nerves in dogs was evaluated. Onset-latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes of magnetic and electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve were compared, and the effect of the direction of the current in the magnetic coil on onset-latencies and peak-to-peak amplitude of the magnetic motor evoked potential was studied in both nerves. The results demonstrate that magnetic stimulation is a feasible method for stimulating the radial and sciatic nerves in dogs. No significant differences were observed in onset-latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes during magnetic and electrical stimulation, indicating conformity between the techniques. Orthodromic or antidromic magnetic nerve stimulation resulted in no significant differences. This pilot study demonstrates the potential of magnetic stimulation of nerves in dogs.     

Incomplete endothelialization of an intravascular implant and fatal late‐onset bacterial ductal arteritis in a dog with occluded patent ductus arteriosus

An 18‐month‐old male Akita Inu dog developed fever and lameness 8 months after successful transcatheter closure of a patent ductus arteriosus with an Amplatz Canine Duct Occluder (ACDO). Corynebacterium species were cultured from 3 blood samples. Echocardiography showed a vegetative process on the aortic valves. The dog died spontaneously 3 days after development of the initial signs. Necropsy confirmed the presence of bacterial ductal arteritis and myocarditis, and revealed an incomplete endothelialization of the intraductal metal implant. The reason for the lack of (neo)endothelialization of the ACDO remains unknown. We conclude that late‐onset bacterial device‐related ductal arteritis can develop in dogs where the implant is incompletely covered by a protective endothelial layer.     

Evaluation of three strategic parasite control programs in captive wild ruminants.

Parasite control in wild ruminants is based mainly on anthelmintics. The objective of the present study was to evaluate three parasite control programs in seven herds of captive wild ruminants in 3 consecutive years. In the first year, a biannual spring-summer treatment regime with fenbendazole at 7.5 mg/kg body weight p.o. for 3 days was applied. The next year, an early-season treatment program with three administrations of fenbendazole at the same dosage at 3-wk intervals was used. In the third year, an early-season treatment program with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg p.o. for 3 days), applied three times at 5-wk intervals, was evaluated. Effectiveness of these control programs was assessed by fecal egg counts and by scores of body condition and fecal consistency at weekly intervals. Involved animal species were Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), slender-horned gazelle (Gazella leptoceros), Soay sheep (Ovis aries soay), ibex (Capra ibex), red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), and Nelson's elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). With the spring-summer regime, fecal egg counts remained low during the first 5 mo, but from September onward, they slowly increased to significant levels in all seven herds. The early-season program with fenbendazole resulted in fecal egg counts near zero during the entire year in four herds but a significant egg shedding from August onward was noted in Arabian oryx, scimitar-horned oryx, and Soay sheep. The early-season program with ivermectin resulted in very low to zero egg shedding in gazelle, adult Soay sheep, ibex, red deer, and Nelson's elk during the entire grazing season, but failed to prevent high shedding in October in Arabian oryx and scimitar-horned oryx. High contamination of grassy pastures with infective larvae/eggs in the previous year or before the first treatment may explain failure of the treatment regimes in some herds.     

Seroprevalence of antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis in humans and animals

The presence of antibodies against Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) and Encephalitozoon intestinalis (E. intestinalis) was examined in 215 samples from humans and in 488 samples from five different species of domestic and companion animals in Slovakia. The 215 human samples and samples from 90 swine, 123 non-infected cattle (cattle), 24 cattle infected with bovine leukosis virus (BLV-positive cattle), 140 sheep and 111 dogs were examined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples with serum titres 1:200 or higher were considered as positive. Specific anti-E. cuniculi antibodies were found in humans (0.9%), swine (52%), cattle (2%), sheep (9%) and dogs (15%) except for the BLV-positive cattle at the titre of 1:200. The titre of 1:400 was detected only in humans (0.5%). The presence of specific anti-E. intestinalis antibodies at the titre of 1:200 was confirmed in humans (6%), swine (51%), cattle (11%), BLV-positive cattle (13%) and dogs (6%) but not in sheep. The anti-E. intestinalis antibodies reached the 1:400 in humans (1%), swine (4%) and BLV-positive cattle (17%). The presence of specific anti-E. intestinalis antibodies at the titre of 1:600 was observed only in one swine (1%). Significant differences were observed in animals at titres 1:200 and 1:400 (chi-squared test: p < 0.0001) for both pathogens and in humans only for E. cuniculi at the titre of 1:400 (chi-squared test: p < 0.0075).     

猪蛔虫病的诊断

现场工作 猪的蛔虫感染没有什么临床症状表现。表情委顿、增重减慢、饲料效率低下,是主要的临床特征,但这些表现都过于一般因而没有诊断价值。猪场卫生条件恶劣以及有时候因圆虫移行而发生咳嗽,可能是猪场蛔虫感染的最好表现。     

Household livelihood strategies and forest dependence in the highlands of Tigray,Northern Ethiopia

Forest environmental resources provide substantial contributions to the wellbeing of many rural dwellers. However, the level of forest use and the degree of reliance on forest environmental products differ across households. The factors that condition a household’s economic reliance on a particular economic activity in general and on forest environmental resources in particular may vary depending on the resource endowment of the household, the household’s demographic and economic characteristics, and exogenous factors such as markets, prices and technologies. This paper identifies the factors that condition a household’s livelihood strategy choice with a particular focus on forest products. For this, we use the livelihood approach as a framework of analysis. Environmentally augmented household income data were collected from 360 sample households in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. On the basis of the share of forest environmental income in total household income, sample households were clustered into distinct livelihood strategies. Student’s t-test and ANOVA were used to test income differences among the clusters. Multinomial logit (MNL) regression on asset-based explanatory variables was run to identify the main factors that determine households’ livelihood strategy choice and forest dependence. The analyses indicate that differential access to, or endowment of, livelihood assets determines the choice of a household’s strategy. Asset-poor households should be encouraged to engage in activities with higher economic return.     

The economic contribution of forest resource use to rural livelihoods in Tigray,Northern Ethiopia

By explicitly incorporating forest environmental products (FEPs) in household income accounting, this paper examines the role and significance of FEPs in household income and in rural poverty and inequality. As most conventional household surveys do not incorporate income from environmental sources, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of the actual functioning of rural economies and the extent of rural poverty and inequality. Using data from 360 randomly sampled rural households from 12 villages in Tigray (northern Ethiopia), we measure forest environmental resource use with a monetary yardstick and compares the value of FEPs with other household economic activities. We found that products from environmental sources represent an important component in rural livelihoods. Our analyses indicate that in the study area income from forest environmental sources occupies the second largest share in average total household income next to crop income. Poverty and inequality analyses show that incorporating forest environmental incomes in household accounts significantly reduces measured rural poverty and income inequality. Therefore, we suggest that sustainable forest management schemes should be adopted to maintain and enhance the flow of economic benefits to the surrounding communities without damaging the natural resource system.