Implications and challenges of tuberculosis in wildlife ungulates in Portugal: a molecular epidemiology perspective

Mycobacterium bovis and, more rarely, Mycobacterium caprae, may cause zoonotic bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in an extensive range of animal species. In Portugal, during 2009, a remarkable raise of bTB incidence was registered in cattle along with an increase of new cases in wildlife. In this work, we reassess and update the molecular epidemiology of bTB in wild ungulates by including 83 new M. bovis and M. caprae isolates from wild boar and red deer obtained during 2008-2009. Spoligotyping identified 27 patterns in wild ungulates, including 11 patterns exclusive from deer and five from wild boar. The genetic relatedness of wildlife and livestock isolates is confirmed. However, the relative prevalence of the predominant genotypes is different between the two groups. Contrasting with the disease in livestock, which is widespread in the territory, the isolation of bTB in wildlife is, apparently, geographically localized and genotypic similarities of strains are observed at the Iberian level.     

Non-accidental injuries found in necropsies of domestic cats: a review of 191 cases

Animal cruelty is defined as a deliberate action that causes pain and suffering to an animal. In Brazil, legislation known as the Environmental Crimes Law states that cruelty toward all animal species is criminal in nature. From 644 domestic cats necropsied between January 1998 and December 2009, 191 (29.66%) presented lesions highly suggestive of animal cruelty. The main necroscopic finding was exogenous carbamate poisoning (75.39%) followed by blunt-force trauma (21.99%). Cats from 7 months to 2 years of age were the most affected (50.79%). In Brazil, violence is a public health problem and there is a high prevalence of domestic violence. Therefore, even if laws provide for animal welfare and protection, animals are common targets for violent acts. Within a context of social violence, cruelty toward animals is an important parameter to be considered, and the non-accidental lesions that were found are evidence of malicious actions.     

Germination in five shrub species of Maritime Pine understory—does seed provenance matter?

? Context

Maritime Pine forests cover important mountain areas in Portugal and are known to be a particularly fire-prone forest type. Understory composition plays an important role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services after recurrent wildfires.

? Aims

This study aims to improve the knowledge on the germination ecology of understory species of Maritime Pine forests, focusing on the importance of seed provenance, including in relation to germination enhancement by heating.

? Methods

The selected species were Cistus ladanifer L., Erica australis L., Erica umbellata L., Pterospartum tridentatum L. (Willk), and Genista triacanthos Brot. Seeds were collected from two or three distant populations. Besides a control treatment, two heating regimes were applied, i.e., 100°C during 5?min and 80°C during 30?min.

? Results

Heating treatments significantly enhanced germination in four out of the five species. Differences between provenances were most evident for C. ladanifer and E. australis, especially following the heating treatments. Overall, the seeds from the southern provenances germinated better and, at the same time, were smaller.

? Conclusion

The present results confirmed that seed provenance should not be ignored as a key factor in germination ecology, so that further work is needed to untangle the roles of environmental and genetic factors in the observed differences between provenances.     

Diarrhoea during Lactation:Coccidiosis

1生活周期 了解猪等孢子球虫的生活周期对于了解球虫病的诊断方法、治疗手段和预防措施是非常重要的.在这个生活周期中,猪等孢子球虫有一个环境生活阶段(卵囊),在条件适当的情况下,卵囊的生活力可以保持长达一年,这一特性有利于该感染在产仔栏中的持续存在.     

Diarrhoea during lactation_Infection in pigs due to Rotavirus

轮状病毒是影响新生仔猪的几种重要的肠道致病因子之一.它们可导致仔猪爆发肠胃炎. 1病原学 轮状病毒是一种RNA病毒,其特点是有一个二十面的衣壳结构(图1),衣壳外无覆盖物.研究表明,该病毒至少有7种不同的血清群(A、B、C、D、E、F和G血清群).