Communicating the risks of handling bats: analysing approaches used by Australian stakeholders in the context of Australian bat lyssavirus

Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a member of the Lyssavirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family and is found in Australian bat species. It is of public health concern because of the rabies-like syndrome it causes in humans, resulting in government health and wildlife agencies using varied communication approaches to inform targeted audiences about zoonotic risks associated with handling bats. Despite these warnings, the number of reports of human-bat interactions remains high. This paper details a survey conducted to analyse the approaches utilised by a range of stakeholders to educate and communicate warnings to their target audiences. The survey focused on identifying the target audiences, communication methods used, along with the message frequency, content, and perceived effectiveness. Analysis of the top three messages delivered by stakeholders revealed that over half were information-focused messages and over a third, instruction-focused. Stakeholders identified the need to balance messaging about bat handling risks with information regarding the vulnerable status of bats and their environmental significance. Whilst the most common and (perceived) effective method of communication was one-on-one discussions, it was also identified to be ineffective for targeting mass audiences leading stakeholders to recognise the need to adapt to more efficient means of communication. The outcomes of this study may be useful to improve risk communication strategies regarding ABLV in Australia.     

Vertical Flux of Biogenic Carbon in the Ocean: Is There Food Web Control?

Models of biogenic carbon (BC) flux assume that short herbivorous food chains lead to high export, whereas complex microbial or omnivorous food webs lead to recycling and low export, and that export of BC from the euphotic zone equals new production (NP). In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, particulate organic carbon fluxes were similar during the spring phytoplankton bloom, when herbivory dominated, and during nonbloom conditions, when microbial and omnivorous food webs dominated. In contrast, NP was 1.2 to 161 times greater during the bloom than after it. Thus, neither food web structure nor NP can predict the magnitude or patterns of BC export, particularly on time scales over which the ocean is in nonequilibrium conditions.     

Growth Hormone Receptors in the Porcine Testis During Prepuberty

Supplementation of exogenous growth hormone (GH) during prepuberty advances onset of spermatogenesis in boars, but the mechanism of action is unknown. The present study is an investigation of the presence and characteristics of testicular growth hormone receptors (GHR). A total of 36 boars were castrated, three boars every 10 days, between the ages of 10 and 120 days. Testicular membrane preparations of 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 100 and 120‐day‐old boars were used to determine ¹²⁵I‐bGH binding and Scatchard analysis. Liver from a 60‐kg barrow was used for comparison. Specific ¹²⁵I‐bGH binding to testicular membrane preparations occurred in all age groups with the exception of 20‐day‐old boars at levels of 30–40% of liver binding. At 30 days of age the unlabelled bGH at 1.1 ng/tube achieved half maximal inhibition (ID₅₀). Results of Scatchard analysis indicated a single class of binding sites. Binding affinity was 2.89 × 10⁹m with a binding capacity of 12 fmole/mg membrane protein. The results from this study suggest that GH may act directly on the cells of the prepubertal boar testis.     

Experimental Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar hardjo infection of pregnant cattle

Objective To observe the effect upon the foetus of experimental infection of pregnant cattle with Leptospira borg-petersenii serovar hardjo .
Design A disease transmission study using pregnant cattle.
Procedure Fourteen heifers serologically negative to L hardjo were artificially inseminated and later challenged with a north-Queensland isolate of L hardjo by conjunctival inoculation. The heifers were serologically monitored and their urine examined for the presence of leptospires using culture and fluorescent-antibody tests at appropriate intervals. Elective caesarean sections were performed on pregnant heifers at 6.5 weeks after the challenge. Foetuses were examined using serological, histopathological, microbiological and fluorescent-antibody tests.
Results Ten of the heifers became pregnant, but three subsequently aborted before challenge. After challenge, all 14 heifers seroconverted and L hardjo was isolated from the urine of 6 of the 7 pregnant heifers. No evidence of foetal L hardjo infection was detected. Two of the foetuses had histopatho-logical lesions consistent with Neospora s p infection.
Conclusion It is likely that the isolate of L hardjo used in this study does not normally infect the foetus. Neospora s p may be a more significant cause of bovine reproductive wastage.     

The case for routine fluid administration.

Because the risks associated with fluid administration are small, but the effects of fluid withdrawal during anesthesia can be significant, routine fluids should be considered in all cases in which general anesthesia exceeds 45 minutes.     

Effect of inspired air heat and humidification on anesthetic-induced hypothermia in dogs

Dogs were evaluated for efficacy of inspired air heating and humidification in maintenance of body temperature during general anesthesia. Three separate trials were conducted: (i) a control group without thermal support (n = 5), (ii) a group supported only by a heated humidifier device placed in the inspiratory limb of an anesthesia circle delivery system (n = 7), and (iii) a group supported by combination of inspired air humidification and recirculating water blanket (n = 7). A significant difference (P greater than 0.4) was not noticed in temperature changes between control and humidifier-supported groups. A significant advantage (P less than 0.05) was noticed between the combined support and the humidifier or control groups. Seemingly, during general anesthesia, use of combined thermal support is significantly better than airway humidification for maintenance of normothermia in the dog.     

Identification of Sperm-Head Morphometric Subpopulations in Iberian Red Deer Epididymal Sperm Samples

Computer-assisted sperm morphometry analysis (CASMA) was used in this study to identify sperm morphometric subpopulations in Iberian red deer epididymal sperm samples. Epididymal sperm samples were collected from 37 mature stags and were divided. One portion was diluted in a Tris–citrate–egg yolk medium. A microscope slide was prepared from single extended sperm samples prior to freezing. The remainder of each sample was frozen in nitrogen vapours using a conventional protocol. After thawing, sperm smears were prepared as described for extended samples. All slides were air-dried and stained with Hemacolor^®. The sperm-head dimensions for a minimum of 145 sperm-heads were analyzed from each sample by means of the Sperm-Class Analyser^®, and the mean measurements recorded. Each sperm-head was measured for four primary sperm-head parameters, and five parameters of head shape. All sperm morphometric parameters evaluated were placed in a statistical database and a multivariate cluster analysis was performed. The clustering analyses, based on 10 867 individual spermatozoa, revealed the existence of three subpopulations (SP₁, SP₂, SP₃) of spermatozoa with different morphometric characteristics (p  <  0.001). The proportion of spermatozoa present in any of the three subpopulations remained constant (p  >  0.05) through the cryopreservation process. Pre-freeze and post-thaw sperm quality was in vitro evaluated by microscopic assessments of individual sperm motility and of plasma membrane and acrosome integrities. In conclusion, our results show that applying the CASMA techniques and multivariate cluster analyses, it was possible to determine that three subtle subpopulations of spermatozoa with different morphometric characteristics coexist in red deer semen.     

Immunohistochemistry Diagnosis of an Ovarian Dysgerminoma in One Bitch

An ovarian enlargement (diameter, 8 cm) was identified and surgically excised from a 5-year-old female dog. Microscopic examination of the multinodular neoplasm revealed sheets of polygonal neoplastic cells with large nuclei, frequent mitosis, necrosis and haemorrhage. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and alkaline phosphatase but were negative for CD3, CD79a, cytokeratin, alpha-fetoprotein, inhibin-α and S-100. The histopathological diagnosis of the mass was unilateral ovarian dysgerminoma.     

Development of a Multiplex PCR for the Identification of Major Pathogenic Bacteria of Post‐Partum Endometritis in Dairy Cows

Post‐partum period has an important role in cows' breeding due to its effects on reproductive efficiency and subsequent pregnancy. Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes (Arcanobacterium pyogenes), Fusobacterium necrophorum and Prevotella melaninogenicus are recognized as major pathogens associated with uterine endometrial lesions. The objective of this study was to identify these pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a culture‐independent sensitive method. A total of 172 cows were examined 25–35 days post‐partum, and 128 cows were examined at 2 weeks later (39–49 days post‐partum). Uterine discharges were collected by covered plastic infusion pipettes. The prevalence of endometritis was greater in the first examination than the second (35.5% vs. 16%). E. coli was detected in eight of the samples, T. pyogenes was detected in 13 of the samples and F. necrophorum was detected in 11 of the samples. There was no positive sample of P. melaninogenicus. Uterine contamination by T. pyogenes and F. necrophorum in the first examination was higher than the second examination. T. pyogenes affected as a tendency the prevalence of clinical endometritis in first examination. Primiparous cows showed 4.02 times higher odds of clinical endometritis compared with second‐parity cows in first examination. A multiplex PCR protocol as a simple, less expensive, fast assay was introduced to identify E. coli, T. pyogenes and F. necrophorum.     

Candida albicans infection in free-living populations of hihi (stitchbird; Notiomystis cincta)

Abstract

AIM: To describe the occurrence of candidiasis in hihi (stitch-bird; Notiomystis cincta) nestlings, and investigate the carriage and impact of Candida albicans infection in a free-living population of hihi.

METHODS: Mortality of nestlings was investigated in a reintroduced population of the endangered, endemic hihi at Zealandia: Karori Sanctuary, Wellington, New Zealand. Oral and faecal samples were collected from live hihi nestlings, for microbiological examination, between October 2008 and April 2009. All hihi that died and could be recovered were submitted to the New Zealand Wildlife Health Centre (NZWHC) at Massey University, for post-mortem examination. The results were compared with data obtained retrospectively from the National Wildlife Mortality (NWM) database for two other reintroduced populations of hihi on Mokoia and Tiritiri Matangi Islands.

RESULTS: Fifty chicks fledged from 82 eggs hatched during the 2008–2009 breeding season at Zealandia: Karori Sanctuary. Thirty-four live nestlings were sampled from 11 nests, and C. albicans was isolated from gastrointestinal swabs of 13 live nestlings from four nest sites. Eight (62%) of those nestlings survived to fledge, compared with 17/21 (81%) of those that tested negative (p=0.254; Fisher's exact test). Of the 32 hihi nestlings that died during the period of the study, 25 were recovered for necropsy. Histopathological examination revealed candidiasis was a factor in the deaths of four nestlings. An adult hihi that died during the period of the study at Zealandia: Karori Sanctuary was also found to have candidiasis. Retrospective analysis of data from the NWM database revealed candidiasis was also a factor in the deaths of five nestlings aged between 1 and 10 days from Mokoia Island, and of three nestlings <5 days old and one adult from Tiritiri Matangi Island.

CONCLUSIONS: Candida albicans was isolated from 38% of hihi nestlings sampled in this study, and vertical transmission of this organism from parent to offspring is likely to occur. Some colonised nestlings developed ventriculitis associated with Candida spp., but survival to fledging was not significantly different between nestlings that tested positive or negative, although the fate of birds following fledging was unknown.