New data about home range and movements of Oligoryzomys flavescens (Rodentia: Cricetidae) help to understand the spread and transmission of Andes virus that causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is an emerging infectious disease caused by viruses of the genus Orthohantavirus. The rodent Oligoryzomys flavescens is distributed along four countries of South America. In Argentina, O. flavescens acts as a reservoir of three genotypes of ANDV orthohantavirus. The aims of this work were to estimate home range size and movements—with spool‐and‐line and radiotelemetry—of infected and non‐infected O. flavescens in order to understand the spread and transmission of the virus. O. flavescens use a wide area to satisfice its requirements, reaching a home range of 1.82 ha during spring. Orthohantavirus infection did not change the behaviour of individuals. We observed a great overlapping in the home range of infected and non‐infected individuals resulting in a high probability of virus dispersion on rodent population. These results show that human health risks could be high on island environments and knowledge about the movement ecology of O. flavescens provides useful information on prevention.     

Pathogenicity of two recent Western Mediterranean West Nile virus isolates in a wild bird species indigenous to Southern Europe: the red-legged partridge

ABSTRACT: West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen whose geographic spread and incidence in humans, horses and birds has increased significantly in recent years. WNV has long been considered a mild pathogen causing self-limiting outbreaks. This notion has changed as WNV is causing large epidemics with a high impact on human and animal health. This has been particularly noteworthy since its introduction into North America in 1999. There, native bird species have been shown to be highly susceptible to WNV infection and disease with high mortalities. For this reason, the effect of WNV infection in North American bird species has been thoroughly studied by means of experimental inoculations in controlled trials. To a lesser extent, European wild birds have been shown to be affected clinically by WNV infection. Yet experimental studies on European wild bird species are lacking. The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) is a gallinaceous bird indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula, widely distributed in South Western Europe. It plays a key role in the Mediterranean ecosystem and constitutes an economically important game species. As such it is raised intensively in outdoor facilities. In this work, red-legged partridges were experimentally infected with two recent WNV isolates from the Western Mediterranean area: Morocco/2003 and Spain/2007. All inoculated birds became viremic and showed clinical disease, with mortality rates of 70% and 30%, respectively. These results show that Western Mediterranean WNV variants can be pathogenic for some European bird species, such as the red-legged partridge.     

Pathogenesis and transmissibility of highly (H7N1) and low (H7N9) pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

ABSTRACT: An experimental infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) was carried out in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in order to study clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions, and viral distribution in tissues and viral shedding. Birds were infected with a HPAIV subtype H7N1 (A/Chicken/Italy/5093/1999) and a LPAIV subtype H7N9 (A/Anas crecca/Spain/1460/2008). Uninoculated birds were included as contacts in both groups. In HPAIV infected birds, the first clinical signs were observed at 3 dpi, and mortality started at 4 dpi, reaching 100% at 8 dpi. The presence of viral antigen in tissues and viral shedding were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRRT-PCR), respectively, in all birds infected with HPAIV. However, neither clinical signs nor histopathological findings were observed in LPAIV infected partridges. In addition, only short-term viral shedding together with seroconversion was detected in some LPAIV inoculated animals. The present study demonstrates that the red-legged partridge is highly susceptible to the H7N1 HPAIV strain, causing severe disease, mortality and abundant viral shedding and thus contributing to the spread of a potential local outbreak of this virus. In contrast, our results concerning H7N9 LPAIV suggest that the red-legged partridge is not a reservoir species for this virus.     

Cardiorespiratory and blood gas alterations during laparoscopic surgery for intra-uterine artificial insemination in dogs

Cardiorespiratory and blood gas alterations were evaluated in 6 healthy dogs that underwent a laparoscopic procedure using isoflurane anesthesia and carbon dioxide (CO(2)) pneumoperitoneum for 30 min. Heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, venous blood pH, partial pressure of CO(2) and oxygen, oxygen saturation, total carbon dioxide (TCO(2)) and bicarbonate were monitored. Significant alterations were hypercapnia, hypoventilation, and respiratory acidosis.     

Triage and approach to the acute abdomen

The presentation of a patient with acute abdominal pain often is both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the veterinary practitioner. Rapid physical examination and assessment of the patient's cardiovascular status are critical to initiating appropriate and often aggressive medical management as diagnostic tests are being performed. A number of diagnostic tests can be performed, including complete blood count, serum biochemistry profile, serum amylase and lipase, abdominal radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal paracentesis or diagnostic peritoneal lavage, cytology, and fluid analysis. In some cases, surgical exploration may be indicated, depending on each patient's clinical signs and response to therapy. Of the most important aspects of medical management of the patient with acute abdominal pain is to maintain oxygen delivery to tissues and to treat aggressively for pain or discomfort. The initial triage and approach to the patient with acute abdomen are discussed.     

Tetrodotoxins (TTXs) and Vibrio alginolyticus in Mussels from Central Adriatic Sea (Italy): Are They Closely Related?

Tetrodotoxins (TTXs), potent neurotoxins, have become an increasing concern in Europe in recent decades, especially because of their presence in mollusks. The European Food Safety Authority published a Scientific Opinion setting a recommended threshold for TTX in mollusks of 44 µg equivalent kg⁻¹ and calling all member states to contribute to an effort to gather data in order to produce a more exhaustive risk assessment. The objective of this work was to assess TTX levels in wild and farmed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) harvested in 2018–2019 along the coastal area of the Marche region in the Central Adriatic Sea (Italy). The presence of Vibrio spp. carrying the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) genes, which are suspected to be involved in TTX biosynthesis, was also investigated. Out of 158 mussel samples analyzed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS), 11 (7%) contained the toxins at detectable levels (8–26 µg kg⁻¹) and 3 (2%) contained levels above the EFSA safety threshold (61–76 µg kg⁻¹). Contaminated mussels were all harvested from natural beds in spring or summer. Of the 2019 samples, 70% of them contained V. alginolyticus strains with the NRPS and/or PKS genes. None of the strains containing NRPS and/or PKS genes showed detectable levels of TTXs. TTXs in mussels are not yet a threat in the Marche region nor in Europe, but further investigations are surely needed.     

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ROOTSTOCKS ON GROWTH,CHLOROPHYLL A FLUORESCENCE AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF TWO GRAFTED SCIONS OF TOMATO

Two tomato scions (cvs. ‘Raf’ and ‘Gorety’) were grafted on three different rootstocks: S. torvum, ‘Beaufort’ (Lycopersicum esculentum × Lycopersicum hirsutum) and intermediate grafting of eggplant ‘Cristal’ between tomato and S. torvum (double graft). Plants were grown in Mediterranean greenhouse conditions. The response to grafting was measured through growth parameters, F_v/F_m and leaf macronutrients analysis, and it was compared with non-grafted plants. The scions grafted on S. torvum in simple and double graft showed lower fresh and dry weight of leaves, number of commercial fruits, plant height, F_v/F_m and decreased their capacity to absorb several nutrients resulting in a lower mineral concentration in scions leaves, as a result of a thickened graft union. On the other hand, both scions showed a good response when grafted on the rootstock ‘Beaufort’, with which growth parameters, yield and photosynthetic capacity were similar to non-grafted plants.     

Beef

ABSTRACT

The study examines the contribution of women scientists to agricultural development in southwestern Nigeria. It specifically determined the personal and job-related attributes of women scientists in Nigerian agricultural institutions, identified their areas of specialization and research needs, and highlighted the problems confronting women scientists in carrying out their research/teaching activities. The study was conducted using a simple random sampling technique to select 73 women scientists from the National Agricultural Research Institutes, Universities, and Colleges of Agriculture in the southwestern zone. Data were collected from women scientists through the use of pre-tested and validated questionnaires. Data were analysed using frequency distribution and percentages. The results of the analysis showed the integration of women scientists into the various agricultural disciplines and their involvement in research, teaching, and supervision. Major areas of research where training is needed are biometry and data analysis, information communication technology, and genetic engineering. Many of them were not satisfied with the number of women scientists in their institutions and suggested attracting women by providing incentives in the form of training and fellowships and by organizing career talks to young girls to encourage them to pursue the profession. The problems faced by women scientists in the course of carrying out their job schedule were inadequate research/teaching facilities, lack and timely release of funds for research, multiple roles of women as career women with family responsibilities, and gender imbalance in administrative and professorial positions.