A comparative evaluation of parasitological tests and a PCR for Trypanosoma evansi diagnosis in experimentally infected water buffaloes

In this study five parasitological methods and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were compared for the diagnostic sensitivity for Trypanosoma evansi in experimentally infected water buffaloes over a period of 15 weeks. The combined estimates of sensitivity (CE(se)) of the PCR proved to be highest at 78.2%, closely followed by the mouse inoculation (MI), the micro-haematocrite centrifugation technique (MHCT) and the mini-anion-exchange centrifugation technique (MAECT) with CE(se) of, respectively, 74.0, 69.6 and 62.4%. The CE(se) of the buffy-coat technique (BCT) at 38.6% and the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) clarification technique at 25.1% were considerably lower. PCR detected consistently all buffaloes infected from week 3 post-infection (PI) onwards. For MI this occurred after 5 weeks PI while for MHCT and MAECT these sustainable high levels were reached in the 7th week PI. BCT and SDS never detected all buffaloes infected. The influence of time and temperature on the viability of T. evansi in heparinized blood from water buffalo was also studied. In general we observed that the survival time tends to be longer when blood is kept at 4 degrees C. In samples kept in direct sunlight parasites became undetectable with the MHCT after 30min. After treatment of the water buffaloes with diminazene aceturate, the PCR signal disappeared within 24h.     

General expression of RoTat 1.2 variable antigen type in Trypanosoma evansi isolates from different origin

The variable surface glycoprotein of Trypanosoma evansi RoTat 1.2 variable antigen type (VAT) is used as an antigen in different antibody detection assays for T. evansi. To obtain more information on the predominant character of RoTat 1.2 and its diagnostic potential in antibody detection tests, we checked its expression in 10 different T. evansi stocks and clones from different parts of the world. Cryostabilates were injected into mice and the trypanosomes of the first peak parasitaemia were screened for the presence of RoTat 1.2 by VAT specific immunofluorescence. To monitor the appearance of RoTat 1.2 specific antibodies during infection, rabbits were infected and serologically tested at different time intervals with VAT specific immune trypanolysis, CATT/T. evansi, LATEX/T. evansi and ELISA/T. evansi.Test results confirm the predominant character of RoTat 1.2.     

A Model for Evaluating the Feasibility of an Extraction Procedure for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Soils

A model was developed that allowed for the evaluation of a soil metal cleaning technique in a rapid and cost effective manner. Metal flow (Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd) during a counter-current soil-acid extraction procedure, consisting of a decarbonation, solubilisation, and washing step, was determined. Required input data are total soil metal content and metal equilibrium distribution coefficients, derived from batch equilibration experiments. The model was calibrated and validated against experimentally obtained results. Model predictions adequately described metal behaviour and removal in each of the extraction steps. Based on the results, optimum operating conditions for the steps involved in the extraction procedure were determined and the feasibility of the counter-current extraction procedure for heavy metal removal from a contaminated soil evaluated.     

Tertiary treatment of the liquid fraction of pig manure with Phragmites australis

Since 2003, the pig industry in Flanders (Belgium) is obliged to process a portion of the nutrient overproduction. In general, pig manure processing occurs as follows: i) separation into liquid and solid fractions, ii) conversion of the solid fraction to an exportable product (e.g. composting) and iii) reduction of nutrient contents in the liquid fraction before discharge into surface water or spreading on arable land. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of constructed wetlands (CWs) planted with Phragmites australis to reduce nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the liquid fraction to levels below discharge criteria. In addition, the removal efficiency of heavy metals (Cu, Zn) present at elevated levels in the liquid fraction was evaluated. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with subsurface flow (SSF) reed beds (2 × 0.125 × 0.11 m) filled with sand, loam, clayey sand or expanded clay (argex). The liquid manure load was set at 1 mm per day. Removal efficiencies varied between 64–75% for COD, 73–83% for N and 71–92% for P, depending on the matrix material used. However, effluent levels still remained significantly above the Flemish legal discharge criteria of 2 mgl^?1, 15 mgl^?1 and 125 mgl^?1 for P, N and COD respectively.     

Risk analysis of the spread of classical swine fever virus through "neighbourhood infections" for different regions in Belgium

Risk factors associated with the occurrence of "neighbourhood infections" [Epidemiology of classical swine fever. In: Truszczynski, M. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Workshop on Diagnostic Procedures and Measures to Control Classical Swine Fever in Domestic Pigs and the European Wild Boar. Pulaway, Poland, pp. 119-130] during classical swine fever (CSF) outbreaks were examined based on information collected during a CSF-epidemic, which occurred in the East Flanders Province of Belgium in 1994. The only risk factor that was associated with the occurrence of "neighbourhood infections" was a kernel estimation of the intensity of neighbouring herds (P=0.055) [Interactive spatial data analysis. Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex], i.e. the higher the kernel estimation, the higher the risk for the occurrence of neighbourhood infections. In a second part of the study, the likelihood for the occurrence of neighbourhood infections within an area with a 1 km radius was predicted for every Belgian pig herd, assuming that the herd was infected with CSF-virus. For the prediction of these likelihoods, the model resulting from the risk assessment was used. Finally, the predicted likelihoods were transformed into a raster map after applying a smoothing technique. As a result, different areas in Belgium of higher or lower risk for CSF-virus spread through "neighbourhood infections" could be identified on the map. The areas in Belgium where CSF-outbreaks including "neighbourhood infections" occurred in the past decades were all predicted by the model to be of high risk.     

Heavy Metal Transport from Dredged Sediment Derived Surface Soils in a Laboratory Rainfall Simulation Experiment

Heavy metals in dredged sedimentdisposal sites may be transported through runoff andpercolation. In the present study metal fluxes byrunoff and percolation were determined under simulatedrainfall at a slope of 19% and a rainfall intensityof approximately 40 mm h^-1. These circumstancescorrespond to half the mean annual erosivity of rainunder Belgian weather conditions. Surface runoff andpercolating water samples were analysed for suspendedsolids, total dissolved carbon and Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn.Runoff rate and sediment yields were highest for asilt loam sediment, characterised by a low clay andorganic matter content. Metal concentrations in runoffand percolating water varied widely between thesediments studied and were related to the total metalcontent in the sediment. In runoff and percolatingwater from the contaminated sediments, metalconcentrations strongly exceeded the Netherlands Areference values for ground water quality. Very highmetal fluxes were observed for the recently oxidiseddredged sediment. Metal transport per unit surfacearea through percolating water was from two to morethan twenty times greater than that in surface runoff.     

Comparing the effects of paper pulp and lime additions to acid tropical soils using batch experiments

Paper mill residuals may beneficially be used to improve the fertility of tropical acid soils. The effects of paper pulp on soil pH, exchangeable Al and soil solution composition of three acid tropical soils were compared with the effects of equivalent rates of lime in two batch experiments. Paper pulp was more effective than lime in increasing soil pH. However, both amendments were equally effective in decreasing exchangeable Al. Paper pulp and lime similarly influenced the composition of the soil solution by increasing soil solution pH, dissolved organic carbon, inorganic carbon, NO₃, SO₄, Ca and Mg. The supply of nitrate by the soil, however, was reduced in paper pulp treatments compared to lime treatments. Nitrate had a major role in controlling nutrient concentrations in the soil solution. Reduced NO₃ concentrations in paper pulp treated soils compared to limed soils could therefore result in lower nutrient availability and limited losses by leaching.     

Accumulation of Metals in the Sediment and Reed Biomass of a Combined Constructed Wetland Treating Domestic Wastewater

This study assessed the accumulation of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in the sediment and biomass of P. australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. in a combined constructed wetland (CW) designed for the treatment of domestic wastewater of 750 population equivalents. The CW consists of two vertical subsurface flow (VSSF) reed beds followed by two horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) reed beds. The sediment in the VSSF reed bed was contaminated with Cu (201 ?±? 27 mg kg^?1 DM) and Zn (662 ?±? 94 mg kg^?1 DM) after 4 years of operation. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the sediment generally decreased along the treatment path of the CW. On the contrary, higher Al, Cr, Fe, Mn and Ni concentrations were observed in the sediment of the inlet area of the HSSF reed bed. Redox conditions were presumably responsible for this observed trend. Metal concentrations in the reed biomass did not show excessive values. Accumulation in the aboveground reed biomass accounted for only 0.5 and 1.4% of, respectively, the Cu and Zn mass load in the influent. The sediment was the main pool for metal accumulation in the CW.     

Effect of Water Table Level on Metal Mobility at Different Depths in Wetland Soils of the Scheldt Estuary (Belgium)

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - Many management strategies to improve the health of Chesapeake Bay focus on reducing losses of sediments and nutrients from agricultural land. Plot-scale studies...     

Estimating the probability of freedom of classical swine fever virus of the East-Belgium wild-boar population

A report of the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare of the European Commission (CEC, 1999.) includes recommendations for setting up monitoring programmes for classical swine fever (CSF) infection in a wild-boar population, based on the assumption that one would detect at least 5% prevalence in a CSF-infected wild-boar population. This assumption, however, is not science based. We propose an alternative method to provide evidence for a wild-boar population being free of CSF and evaluate the efficiency of a surveillance programme that was implemented in Belgium in 1998.

In our study, the probability of freedom of CSF-virus was estimated based on 789 samples; these were collected from wild-boars within the surveillance programme (within the three provinces which include 95% of the Belgian wild-boar population) and examined by three diagnostics methods (antibody detection, virus detection and virus RNA detection). A Bayesian framework was used for the estimation, accounting for the diagnostic test characteristics without the assumption of the presence of a gold standard. The median probability of freedom of CSF-virus was estimated at 0.970, with a 95% credibility interval of 0.149–1.000. Independent on the choice of the prior information, the posterior distributions for the probability of freedom of CSF-virus were always skewed close to the upper boundary of 1. This represents a big gain of knowledge since we did not use any prior information for the probability of freedom of CSF-virus and took the uncertainty about the accuracy of the diagnostic methods into account.