Incidence of Salmonellae in Captive and Wild Free‐Living Raptorial Birds in Central Spain

A total of 595 faecal samples from raptorial birds, either captive or free‐living, residing in GREFA Wildlife Hospital were bacteriologically examined using various selective media and an Automated Diagnostic Assay System for Salmonella detection. Serotype and phage type of the strains identified as Salmonella was determined. In the captive group, of the 285 samples examined, 21 (7.36%) were positive for Salmonella. Serotyping revealed that most of the individuals were infected by Salmonella serotype Havana. This result suggested that there could be a source of contamination in the Hospital although it could not be established. In the wild free‐living group, over 310 samples examined (4.19%) were positive for Salmonella. The Salmonella isolates showed a major variety of serotypes: Enteritidis, Adelaide, Brandenburg, Newport, Typhimurium, Hadar, Saintpaul and Virchow. Most of them are similar to those commonly described in isolates from human and domestic animals. These results indicate that wild birds could be involved in the dissemination of Salmonella in humans or domestic animals or vice versa.     

Laboratory diagnosis and disease occurrence in the current African swine fever eradication program in Spain, 1989–1991

The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of decline and geographical distribution by municipality of clinical and subclinical African swine fever (ASF) in the affected areas of Spain. A second aim was to evaluate the performance of diagnostic tests in the Spanish ASF eradication program. Clinical outbreaks were confirmed using both the direct and indirect immunofluorescence test (and if both were negative, by the hemabsorption test). The serological status of swine was determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and suspect serum samples were confirmed by the immunoblot assay.

The number of clinical outbreaks (herds) of ASF for 1989, 1990 and 1991 was 170, 347 and 207, respectively. The numbers of municipalities within each affected province experiencing acute outbreaks for the same time periods were 49, 69 and 48, respectively. Serologically diagnosed animals positive for ASF were 1.1% of animals tested in 1989, 0.5% in 1990 and 0.8% in 1991. The corresponding positive predictive values of the standard ELISA test used were 99.0, 97.9 and 98.8, respectively. Similarly, the number of municipalities within each affected province experiencing serologically positive subclinically infected animals was 269, 178 and 147 for each of the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively.     

Some determinants of the spatio-temporal fire cycle in a mediterranean landscape (Corsica,France)

Based on recent needs to accurately understand fire regimes and post-fire vegetation resilience at a supra-level for carbon cycle studies, this article focusses on the coupled history of fire and vegetation pattern for 40 years on a fire-prone area in central Corsica (France). This area has been submitted since the beginning of the 20^th century to land abandonment and the remaining land management has been largely controlled by frequent fires. Our objectives were to rebuild vegetation and fire maps in order to determine the factors which have driven the spatial and temporal distribution of fires on the area, what were the feed backs on the vegetation dynamics, and the long-term consequences of this inter-relationship. The results show a stable but high frequency of small fires, coupled with forest expansion over the study period. The results particularly illustrate the spatial distribution of fires according to topography and vegetation, leading to a strong contrast between areas never burnt and areas which have been burnt up to 7 times. Fires, when occuring, affect on average 9 to 12% of the S, SE and SW facing slopes (compared to only 2 to 5% for the N facing slopes), spread recurrently over ridge tops, affect all the vegetation types but reburn preferentially shrublands and grasslands. As these fire-proning parameters have also been shown to decrease the regeneration capacity of forests, this study highlights the needs in spatial studies (both in terms of fire spread and vegetation dynamic) to accurately apprehend vegetation dynamic and functionning in fire-prone areas.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Use of two doses of cloprostenol in different intervals for estrus synchronization in hair sheep under tropical conditions

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study evaluated the effect of two doses of prostaglandin at different intervals on reproductive parameters of crossbred ewes. In Experiment 1, 30 ewes...     

Early resynchronization protocols for goats: Progestogens can be used prior to an early pregnancy diagnosis without affecting corpus luteum functionality

This study aimed to evaluate the exogenous progesterone (P4) effect on the luteal function from Day 16 to Day 21 of the oestrous cycle in inseminated goats with unknown pregnancy status. A total of 54 does passed through a short progestin-based synchronization protocol and, on Day 16 of the following oestrous cycle, 27 does received a new P4 device which was retained until Day 21. Blood samples were collected daily from all does during this period, as well as on Day 24. Pregnancy diagnoses were performed on Day 30. Serum P4 values from 26 animals (G_NPSP: Group of non-pregnant does with second sponge: n = 8; G_NPNSP: Group of non-pregnant does without second sponge: n = 6; G_PSP: Group of pregnant does with second sponge: n = 5; G_PNSP: Group of pregnant does without second sponge: n = 7) were determined by radioimmunoassay commercial kits. No P4 differences were found between groups (G_NPSP: 3.1 ± 2.8; 1.7 ± 1.8; 0.4 ± 1.0; and 0.0 ± 0.0 vs. G_NPNSP: 4.4 ± 1.8; 3.0 ± 2.2; 0.8 ± 0.8; and 0.0 ± 0.0 or G_PSP: 4.2 ± 1.0; 3.4 ± 0.6; 3.3 ± 1.6; 3.2 ± 0.9; 3.6 ± 1.2; 3.5 ± 1.3; 2.7 ± 1.3 vs. G_PNSP: 4.4 ± 1.6; 3.6 ± 1.5; 3.7 ± 1.5; 3.8 ± 1.4; 3.2 ± 1.2; 3.1 ± 1.2; 3.6 ± 1.1; D16, D17, D18, D19, D20, D21, D24, respectively) or for the interaction of group and time. In conclusion, a second progestogen device had no effect on luteolysis or early pregnancy in the following oestrous cycle.     

Equine conidiobolomycosis: A review and case study

Conidiobolus coronatus is one of the most commonly identified upper respiratory fungal pathogens in horses. This article includes a review of clinical signs, diagnostics, treatment and outcomes in previously reported cases of equine conidiobolomycosis, as well as six additional cases seen at our hospital. Each of the six horses presented with a complaint of serosanguinous or haemorrhagic nasal discharge and conidiobolomycosis was confirmed by histopathology and fungal culture. Five horses recovered after administration of antifungal drugs alone (n = 4) or in combination with extensive nasal septum resection (n = 1). Surgical treatment alone was ineffective. One horse was euthanised without treatment because of the extent of the disease.     

Thermal biology and locomotor performance in Phymaturus calcogaster: are Patagonian lizards vulnerable to climate change?

Behavioral and physiological traits of ectotherms are especially sensitive to fluctuations of environmental temperature. In particular, niche-specialist lizards are dependent on their physiological plasticity to adjust to changing environmental conditions. Lizards of the genus Phymaturus are viviparous, mainly herbivorous, and inhabit only rock promontories in the steppe environments of Patagonia and the Andes. Herein, we examine the vulnerability of the southernmost Phymaturus species to global warming: the endemic Phymaturus calcogaster, which lives in a mesic environment in eastern Patagonia. We studied body temperatures in the field (T_b), preferred body temperatures in a thermogradient (T_pref), the operative (T_e) and environmental temperatures, and the dependence of running performance on body temperature. P. calcogaster had a mean T_b (27.04°C) and a mean T_e (31.15°C) both lower than their preferred temperature (T_pref = 36.61°C) and the optimal temperature for running performance (T_o = 37.13°C). Lizard activity seems to be restraint during the early afternoon due high environmental temperatures. However, both, the high safety margin and warming tolerance suggest that the expected increase in environmental temperatures due to global warming (IPCC report in 2018) would not threaten, but indeed enhance locomotor performance in this population.     

The effect of induced forelimb lameness on thoracolumbar kinematics during treadmill locomotion

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Lameness has often been suggested to result in altered movement of the back, but there are no detailed studies describing such a relationship in quantitative terms. OBJECTIVES: To quantify the effect of induced subtle forelimb lameness on thoracolumbar kinematics in the horse. METHODS: Kinematics of 6 riding horses was measured at walk and at trot on a treadmill before and after the induction of reversible forelimb lameness grade 2 (AAEP scale 1-5). Ground reaction forces (GRF) for individual limbs were calculated from kinematics. RESULTS: The horses significantly unloaded the painful limb by 11.5% at trot, while unloading at walk was not significant. The overall flexion-extension range of back motion decreased on average by 0.2 degrees at walk and increased by 3.3 degrees at trot (P<0.05). Changes in angular motion patterns of vertebral joints were noted only at trot, with an increase in flexion of 0.9 degrees at T10 (i.e. angle between T6, T10 and T13) during the stance phase of the sound diagonal and an increase in extension of the thoracolumbar area during stance of the lame diagonal (0.7degrees at T13, 0.8 degres at T17, 0.5 degres at L1, 0.4 degrees at L3 and 0.3 degrees at L5) (P<0.05). Lameness further caused a lateral bending of the cranial thoracic vertebral column towards the lame side (1.3 degrees at T10 and 0.9 degrees at T13) (P<0.05) during stance of the lame diagonal. CONCLUSIONS: Both range of motion and vertebral angular motion patterns are affected by subtle forelimb lameness. At walk, the effect is minimal, at trot the horses increased the vertebral range of motion and changed the pattern of thoracolumbar motion in the sagittal and horizontal planes, presumably in an attempt to move the centre of gravity away from the lame side and reduce the force on the affected limb. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Subtle forelimb lameness affects thoracolumbar kinematics. Future studies should aim at elucidating whether the altered movement patterns lead to back and/or neck dysfunction in the case of chronic lameness.