Serological, bacteriological and molecularbiological survey of paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in Austrian cattle

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) is a chronic infectious disease of ruminants, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Because of its long incubation period, high economic losses, difficulties in diagnosis and possible links to Morbus Crohn in humans, paratuberculosis is one of the most important diseases of ruminants today. An abattoir-based nationwide survey on the occurrence of MAP in the Austrian cattle population was performed using serology (SVANOVIR-ELISA) as well as culture, ZN-stain and IS900-PCR on faeces and lymph node samples. A total of 756 Austrian slaughter cattle were serologically, bacteriologically and molecularbiologically tested for the occurrence of MAP and specific antibodies respectively. Samples were collected following a statistical plan to obtain balanced specimens from the whole country. Nineteen per cent of the animals tested were serological positive, 10.1% gave an inconclusive result and 70.9% showed no specific antibodies against MAP. Only in four individuals MAP could be detected by stain, bacteriology or Polymerase Chain Reaction. The calculated prevalence of 19.0% positive cattle, each representing one farm, showing specific antibodies against MAP is rather high in terms of animal-level but low in herd level prevalence compared with other countries. When this study is compared with a similar study performed in Austria 1999, a significant increase of positive cattle and farms could be seen in Austria.     

Impact of research on water use for irrigation in Israel

The decrease of annual irrigation application rate observed since 1950 was reversed in 1988 as a result of a sudden increase of the amount of treated effluents used for irrigation. Intensification of research on irrigation with effluents and marginal water starting in 1994 resulted four years later in the renewal of the decrease of irrigation application rate. Contribution No. 614/06 from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel.

---

Partial purification and some properties of polyphenol oxidase extracted from litchi fruit pericarp

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit peel polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was partially purified 21 fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration. Pyrogallol, catechol, and 4-methylcatechol were good substrates for the enzyme; with no activity observed with chlorogenic acid, p-cresol, resorcinol, or tyrosine. The optimal pH for PPO activity was 7.0 with 4-methylcatechol, with the enzyme being most stable at pH 7.4. The enzyme was relatively temperature stable with maximum activity at 70 °C and requiring a little less than 10 min at 90 °C for 50% loss of activity. The K_m and V_max for the enzyme, with 4-methylcatechol, were 10 mM and 1.47 × 10⁴ units/min per mg protein, respectively. The enzyme was not activated by SDS. Reduced glutathione, -cysteine, tropolone, thiourea, FeSO₄, and SnCl₂ markedly inhibited PPO activity, whereas MnSO₄ and CaCl₂ enhanced PPO activity. Data obtained in this study might help to better understand and control commercially, litchi fruit peel browning.     

A draft genome assembly of “Cas” (Psidium friedrichsthalianum (O. Berg) Nied.): an indigenous crop of Costa Rica untapped

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Psidium friedrichsthalianum (O. Berg) Nied. is a tropical tree species in the Myrtaceae family, natively distributed from southern Mexico to eastern Venezuela...     

A spatial assessment of Culicoides spp. distribution and bluetongue disease risk areas in Austria

Bluetongue disease (BT) was introduced into Central Europe in the summer of 2006 and has since affected most European countries. In this study we analysed the distribution of the biting midge vector Culicoides spp. in Austria and modelled Bluetongue disease risk zones. Culicoides spp. abundance data was collected from weekly catches of 14 months from 54 trapping locations. The corresponding weather data mean temperature (p < 0.001), wind (p < 0.001), relative humidity (p = 0.019) and altitude (p = 0.059) were identified as predictors on Culicoides spp. distribution in a regression model (R 2.8.0). The majority of catches were detected at temperatures above 10 degrees C and at relative humidities between 65-80%. The point data of these parameters originating from 186 meteorological stations were interpolated using the Geostatistical Analyst Kriging tool (ESRI ArcGIS 9.3). To create seasonal risk maps we overlaid regions with optimal temperature and humidity conditions with domestic ruminants density data. Our results show that the summer season holds the greatest risk of a BT epidemic with 25.9% of the analysed area providing optimal conditions for vector abundance and 12.4% showing contact risk with ruminant hosts. This project (1) provides fundamental data on the Culicoides spp. distribution in Austria, (2) determines limiting climatic parameters on vector abundance and (3) identifies risk areas by including areas of possible host-parasite-interactions. These high-risk areas can subsequently be given special attention for precautionary monitoring and surveillance measures.