Quarantine requirements for the importation of black rhinoceros from Zimbabwe into Australia

SUMMARY The proposal by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales to import 10 southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Zimbabwe as part of an international project for conservation of the species presented the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) with a unique challenge. This importation is, at least in the modern era, the first importation of live herbivores from the African continent. Many of the serious animal diseases in the world are endemic in parts of Africa. Knowledge of which of these diseases infect wild species and may be transmitted from the wild species to domesticated species, is limited. This paper describes the strategies adopted by AQIS to facilitate the importation of rhinoceros while maintaining protection of Australian consumers, rural industries, domestic livestock and fauna against the entry and spread of unwanted pests and diseases.     

Viral diseases of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus var. domesticus)

The ostrich is an important animal in many livestock industries. A significant threat to this industry is losses from diseases. Newcastle disease is a notifiable, highly contagious viral infection of ostriches. Avian influenza may be transmitted from waterfowl, shorebirds and gulls to ostriches. Borna disease virus is a viral neurotropic infection spread mainly by rodents and felines. Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever is a viral disease transmitted by Hyalomma ticks to humans. Avipoxvirus afflicts ostrich chicks and is transmitted by mosquitoes or by direct contact with a pox lesion. Maintenance of a healthy and profitable enterprise requires the implementation, with assistance from the local veterinary authority, of comprehensive, practical and effective methods of health management and preventative medicine.     

Cherry leaf roll virus causing a disease of Betula spp. in the United Kingdom

A virus, serologically related to isolates of cherry leaf rollvirus (CLRV) from Prunus avium (L.) L. and Sambucus nigra L.was transmitted to a range of herbaceous plants from leavesor roots of thirty-one of forty-seven trees of Betula spp. growingat two heathland sites in Berkshire. Ageing leaves of virus-infectedindividuals which had mild chiorotic blotches or ring and linepatterns in July showed bright yellow ring and line patternsin October. In the season after B. verrucosa seedlings wereinoculated with CLRV isolates, leaves developed chlorotic ringand blotch patterns; the symptoms being similar whether theinocula were originally isolated from S. nigra, P. avium orB. verrucosa. Palisade and mesophyll cells of naturally infectedleaves of B. verrucosa contained chloroplasts in which granalorganization was appreciably less distinct than that of chloroplastsfrom virus-free leaves. In many instances, virus-infected leafcells had spherical virus-like particles about 30 mn in diametercontained within tubular structures in cell wall projections;these structures were not seen in virus-free material. An isolate of CLRV from B. verrucosa, purified from systemicallyinfected leaves of Nicotiana clevelandii Gray by ammonium sulphateprecipitation and differential centrifugation, contained twomajor components having sedimentation coefficients of 118s and130s. Each component was composed of spherical particles withdiameters in the range 26–30 nm and having buoyant densitiesin caesium chloride of 1·460 and 1·493 gm/cm³.Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of preparations from bothbuoyant components indicated that they each contained a singlespecies of protein whose molecular weight was in the range 53,000–54,000daltons.     

A veterinary approach to pigeons

Pigeons of many species may be presented to the veterinary surgeon for examination and treatment. In this paper the basic approach to these birds is outlined. Diseases are not discussed in detail; instead the practical aspects of biology, examination, restraint and diagnosis are presented and explained.     

Comparison of virulence of isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. elaeidis from Africa and South America

The virulences of three isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. elaeidis from West Africa were compared with that of a Brazilian isolate. The Brazilian strain was more virulent and caused disease in all oil-palm lines tested, even those which had been selected for resistance to, and were generally unaffected by, African strains. Differential interactions between hosts and isolates of the pathogen could have serious implications for selection of breeding material and for the extension of oil-palm cultivation in South America.     

A survey of the incidence of the Bromus species as weeds of winter cereals in England, Wales and parts of Scotland

In June 1989, a survey was made of 733 fields of winter cereals, 627 in England and Wales and 106 in Fife and the Lothian regions of Scotland. The occurrence of Bromus species was noted in three areas of each field: the uncropped field margin, the cropped headland and the field centre. Three arbitrarily defined infestation levels were recorded: severe, light and intermediate. The most common species recorded was Bromus sterilis L., which accounted for almost 87% of all sightings. Most of the other occurrences were almost equally distributed between B. hordeaceus L., and B. commutatus Schrad. Two other species were found, on one field each: B. diandrus Roth and B. × pseudothominii Hard. Surveyors were briefed to recognize B. secalinus L, but none was reported. The brome grasses were widespread throughout the surveyed regions. They were most common in the Lothians (81 % of surveyed fields) and in the South East (60%) and the South West (52%) of England and least common in the English West Midlands, Fife and Wales (17%, 15% and 4% of surveyed fields). Distribution was biased towards the uncropped margins and field headlands. In England and Wales, there were 146 fields where Bromus species occurred in the field margins only, 179 in margins and headlands only and 63 with infestations in all three areas. In contrast, there were only 26 fields where they were restricted to the cropped areas. A similar pattern occurred in Scotland. The correlations between incidence of the Bromus species and management practices were much weaker than had been anticipated. The standard advice for control is to plough rather than use non-inversion tillage systems, to delay sowing and to avoid long runs of winter cereals. The conclusion of this survey is that, although these practices may be reducing or preventing increase of these weeds, they are not effective at eliminating infestations. Incidence des espèces Bromus comme mauvaises herbes des céréales d'hiver en Angleterre, au Pays de Galles et dans certaines parties de I'Écosse En juin 1989 une enquête a été réalisée dans 733 champs de céréales d'hiver, 627 en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, et 106 dans les régions d'Écosse Fife et Lothian. La présence d'espèces Bromus a été notée sur trois zones de chaque champ: la bordure non-cultivée ('field margin'), la bordure cultivée ('headland') et le centre du champ. Trois niveaux d'infestation arbitraires ont eAté notés: sévère, léger et moyen. Les espèces les plus communément rencontrées étaient Bromus sterilis L. qui représentait presque 87 % de l'ensemble des présences. Dans la plupart des autres relevés, B. hordeaceus L. et B. commutatus Schrad se distribuaient presque également. Deuxautres espèces ont été trouvées, chacune dans un champ: B. diandrus Roth et B. × pseudothominii Hard. On avait appris aux enquêteurs à reconnaître B. secalinus L. mais cette espèce n'a pas été rapportée. Les bromes se rencontraient sur tout le territoire des régions étudiées. Elles étaient les plus communes dans les Lothians (81 % des champs étudiés) ainsi que dans le Sud Est (60 %) et dans le Sud Ouest (52 %) de l'Angleterre; les moins communes dans les West Midlands, en Fife et au Pays de Galles (17, 15 et 4 % des champs examinés). Leur distribution était biaisée en faveur des bordures non-cultivées et des bordures cultivées. En Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, dans 146 champs les bromes ne se rencontraient que dans les bordures non-cultivées, dans 179 ils ne se rencontraient que dans les bordures cultivées et non-cultivées, et dans 63 ils se rencontraient dans les trois secteurs du champ. Inversement, il n'y avait que 26 champs oü ils ne se trouvaient que dans la partie cultivée. Une répartition semblable s'observait en Écosse. Les corrélations entre la présence de bromes et la conduite des cultures étaient plus faibles qu'anticipé. Le conseil habituel est de labourer plutôt que de pratiquer des façons culturales sans renversement de la terre, de retarder le semis et d'éviter les longues successions de céréales d'hiver. La conclusion de cette étude est que, bien que ces pratiques peuvent réduire ou prévenir la prolifération de ces mauvaises herbes, elles ne sont pas efficaces pour les éliminer en cas d'infestations. Verbreitung von Bromus spp. in Wintergetreide in England, Wales und Teilen Schottlands Im Juni 1989 wurde auf 733 Wintergetreidefeldern, 627 in England und Wales und 106 in Fife und in den Lothian-Gebieten in Schottland, das Auftreten von Bromus spp. aufgenommen, getrennt nach dem nichtkultivierten Feldrand, dem Vorgewende und dem Feldinnern. Die Befallsstärke wurde nach schwer, mittel und leicht unterschieden. Die häufigste Trespen-Art war Bromus sterilis L. mit fast 87 % aller Beobachtungen. Die übrigen Vorkommen waren zu fast gleichen Teilen Bromus hordeaceus L. und Bromus commutatus Schrad. Aufje l Feld wurde Bromus diandrus Roth und Bromus × pseudothominii Hard, gefunden. Trotz intensiver Suche wurde kein Bromus secalinus L. festgestellt. Die Trespen traten im Beobachtungsgebiet verb-reitet auf, am häufigsten in den Lothians (81 % der untersuchten Felder) und im Südosten (60 %) und Südwesten (52 %) Englands, am wenigsten in dem englischen West Midland, in Fife und Wales (17, 15 bzw. 4 %). Die Verteilung konzentrierte sich in England und Wales auf 146 Feldern auf die kulturfreien Feldränder, in 179 Fällen auf die Feldränder sowie die Vorgewende, und auf 63 Feldern waren alle 3 Bereiche mit Trespen verunkrautet; nur auf 26 Feldern waren die Arten auf das Feldinnere beschränkt. In Schottland wurde eine ähnliche Verteilung beobachtet. Zwischen der Bewirtschaftung und dem Auftreten der Bromus spp. bestand eine weit schwächere Korrelation als erwartet. Die generelle Bekämpfungsempfehlung ist Pflügen statt nichtwendender Bodenbearbeitung, spätes Säen und Vermeidung von Fruchtfolgen mit hohem Wintergetreideanteil. Aus den Untersuchungsergebnissen folgt, daß diese Bekämp-fungsmaßnahmen Trespen wohl zurückdrängen oder ihre Zunahme verhindern, aber nicht eliminieren können.     

Comparative immunology

As a discipline, comparative immunology enhances zoology and has gained wide acceptance in the biological sciences. It is an offshoot of the parent field, immunology, and is an amalgam of immunology and zoology. All animals from protozoans to humans have solved the threat of extinction by having evolved an immune‐defense strategy that ensures the capacity to react against foreign, non‐self microorganisms and cancers that disturb the homeostatic self. Invertebrate‐type innate immune responses evolved first and they characterize the metazoans. These rapid natural responses act immediately and are often essential for the occurrence of slower, more specific, adaptive vertebrate‐type immune responses. As components of the innate immune system, there is an emphasis on several major steps in the evolutionary process: (i) recognition; (ii) the phagocytic cell; and (iii) the natural killer cell. When vertebrates evolved, beginning with fish, thymus‐controlled T cells first appeared, as did bone marrow‐derived B cells (first found in amphibians with long bones). These were the precursors of the plasma cells that synthesize and secrete antibodies. Confirming the concept of self/non‐self, invertebrates possess natural, non‐adaptive, innate, non‐clonal, non‐anticipatory immune responses, whereas vertebrates possess adaptive, acquired, clonal, and anticipatory responses. This symposium concerns: (i) aspects of the immune spectrum in representative groups; (ii) specific findings (in particular models; e.g. earthworms); (iii) clues as to the possible biomedical application of relevant molecules derived from animals, notably invertebrates; and (iv) some views on the more practical applications of understanding immune systems of invertebrates and ectotherms, and their possible role in survival.