Morphological and molecular analyses of larval taeniid species in small mammals from contrasting habitats in Denmark

2013 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.N.S. Al-Sabi ◽  
P.M. Jensen ◽  
M.U. Christensen ◽  
C.M.O. Kapel
Keyword(s):  
Multiplex Pcr ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Morphological Examination ◽  
Species Determination ◽  
North East ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractTaeniid infections in intermediate hosts manifest themselves as extraintestinal larval stages which, in early development, lack species-specific characteristics. The inability to distinguish infections of zoonotic importance such as Echinococcus multilocularis from other taeniid infections that have mainly veterinary significance stimulated the development of species-specific molecular diagnostics. In this study, the prevalence of taeniid infections in potential intermediate hosts was evaluated using both morphological diagnosis and a newly described multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for species determination. Small mammals (N= 719) were trapped in three different types of habitats in north-east Zealand, Denmark. The sensitivity of the multiplex PCR (90.5%) exceeded that of morphological examination (57.9%) for identifying 95 taeniid infections. The use of the multiplex PCR resulted in higher prevalence rates due to improved detection of immature liver infections with Hydatigera taeniaeformis and Versteria mustelae, but did not affect the observed prevalence rates of peritoneal metacestodes of Taenia polyacantha. The prevalence of taeniid infections showed a significant difference according to habitat type, potentially identifying a ‘sylvatic’ transmission and an ‘urban’ transmission, with marked variation among different taeniid species. Versteria mustelae and T. polyacantha were more prevalent in rural forests, while infections with H. taeniaeformis were dominant in urban parks/forests and in residential and farm gardens. The multiplex PCR facilitated a better utilization of wildlife samples by yielding a higher number of definitive diagnoses of ambiguous taeniid infections in liver lesions, allowing for more accurate epidemiological data and, hence, a more accurate risk assessment.

The effect of habitat type and seasonal conditions on fauna in two areas of the Tanami Desert

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Paltridge ◽  
Richard Southgate
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Central Australia ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Track Counts ◽  
Capture Rates

Australian deserts are characterised by highly patterned plant productivity and an extremely unpredictable climate. The Tanami Desert in central Australia is dominated by vast sandplains interspersed with more productive habitats such as palaeodrainage lines. During 1996 and 1997 fauna surveys were conducted in two areas of the Tanami Desert to investigate the relative importance of palaeodrainage habitat for fauna under different seasonal conditions. The two areas were at latitudes separated by approximately 400 km, and during the study period the northern study area (Tennant) received considerably more rainfall than the southern study area (Kintore). The species richness and abundance of a range of taxonomic groups were compared between the two study areas and between palaeodrainage habitat and adjacent sandplain habitat. The only significant difference between habitats was that small reptiles were more abundant in sandplain than palaeodrainage habitat. Overall, bilbies, bustards and macropods were significantly more abundant at Tennant than Kintore, but significantly more small mammals were captured at Kintore. In both habitats and areas, capture rates, track counts and species richness of reptiles varied significantly with season. The biomass of invertebrates captured also showed significant temporal fluctuations. Burrowing frogs were active only after rain, and birds showed significant fluctuations in abundance and species richness associated with rainfall. The abundance of small mammals did not vary significantly during this study. Overall, local seasonal conditions were generally more important determinants of the abundance of fauna in the spinifex grasslands of central Australia than was habitat type.

scholarly journals Flower Density Is More Important Than Habitat Type for Increasing Flower Visiting Insect Diversity

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Scriven ◽  
M. J. Sweet ◽  
G. R. Port
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Type ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Insect Diversity ◽  
Insect Community ◽  
Community Interactions ◽  
North East ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Flower Density ◽  
Flower Visiting ◽  
Specific Management

Declines in flora and fauna are well documented and highlight the need to manage available habitats to benefit local biodiversity. Between May and September in 2011 the number, composition, and diversity of flower visiting insects were assessed across eight sites, representing a range of habitats within an industrial site in the North East of England, UK. There was no significant difference in insect assemblages between the sites selected, but there was a significant difference between the months surveyed. Flower density was highlighted as the most important factor driving these changes between months and indicates that flower density is more important to a site for insect diversity than the presence of specific habitats. Analysis of the insect communities each month allowed comparison of dominant insects to the flower density data, highlighting sites where management intervention could be initiated to benefit insect diversity, or alternatively specific management plans to encourage target species. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of correct data interpretation to answer specific management objectives and recommends analysing the insect community interactions to determine the dominant species present prior to undertaking any management of the site in question.

scholarly journals Molecular detection of cattle Sarcocystis spp. in North-West Italy highlights their association with bovine eosinophilic myositis

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selene Rubiola ◽  
Tiziana Civera ◽  
Felice Panebianco ◽  
Davide Vercellino ◽  
Francesco Chiesa
Keyword(s):  
18S Rdna ◽  
Inflammatory Myopathy ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Diaphragm Muscle ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Slaughter Cattle ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pcr Targeting

Abstract Background Cattle are intermediate hosts of six Sarcocystis species, among which Sarcocystis hominis and Sarcocystis heydorni can infect humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat. In addition to the zoonotic potential, there is increasing interest in these protozoa because of the evidence supporting the role of Sarcocystis spp. in the occurrence of bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM), a specific inflammatory myopathy which leads to carcass condemnation and considerable economic losses. Actually, all the prevalence studies carried out on cattle in Italy have been based on either morphological or 18S rDNA-based molecular techniques, most likely leading to misidentification of closely related species. Therefore, there is a strong need for new data on the prevalence of the different Sarcocystis spp. in cattle in Italy and their association with bovine eosinophilic myositis. Methods To reach our aim, individual striated muscle samples from BEM condemned carcasses (N = 54) and diaphragm muscle samples from randomly sampled carcasses (N = 59) were obtained from Northwest Italy slaughterhouses. Genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed by multiplex-PCR targeting 18S rDNA and cox1 genes. PCR products amplified using the genus-specific primer set in absence of the specific fragment for S. hirsuta, S. cruzi, S. hominis or S. bovifelis were sequenced to achieve species identification. Results Sarcocystis DNA was detected in 67.8% of the samples from slaughter cattle and in 90.7% of the samples from BEM condemned carcasses. S. cruzi was identified as the most prevalent species in slaughter cattle (61%), followed by S. bovifelis (10.2%), S. hominis (8.5%) and S. hirsuta (1.7%). Notably, among the different Sarcocystis spp. detected, the presence of S. bovifelis and S. hominis was significantly higher in samples isolated from BEM condemned carcasses (46.3% and 40.7% respectively), while there was no statistically significant difference between the presence of S. cruzi or S. hirsuta in BEM condemned carcasses (42.6% and 1.8%, respectively) and randomly sampled carcasses. Furthermore, DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of a putative new species in two carcasses. Conclusions Our study contributes to updating the data on the prevalence of the different Sarcocystis spp. in cattle in Italy, highlighting the presence of three Sarcocystis spp., S. cruzi, S. hominis and S. bovifelis, in BEM lesions and allowing us to speculate on the possible role of S. hominis and S. bovifelis as the major sarcosporidian species involved in bovine eosinophilic myositis. Graphic Abstract

scholarly journals Responses of Bat Communities (Mammalia: Chiroptera) to Forest Loss and Habitat Conversion in Southern Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 194008292110103
Author(s):  
Patrick Jules Atagana ◽  
Eric Moïse Bakwo Fils ◽  
Sevilor Kekeunou
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Habitat Transformation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Southern Cameroon ◽  
Habitat Conversion ◽  
Species Specific

We aimed to assess how bats are affected by habitat transformation by comparing bat assemblages in four habitat types: primary forest, secondary forest, cocoa plantations and human habitations in the Dja Biosphere Reserve of southern Cameroon. Bats were sampled in the four habitat types using mist nets. During 126 nights, a total of 413 bats were captured, belonging to four families, 16 genera and 24 species. Ninety three individuals (17 species) were captured in the primary forest, followed by plantations (105 individuals, 14 species), human habitations (159 individuals, 10 species), and secondary forest (55 individuals, eight species). Megaloglossus woermanni was recorded in all the four habitats, and was the most abundant species (105 individuals). The analysis of bat assemblage between habitat types showed a statistically significant difference in species composition. The distribution of the six most abundant species ( Epomops franqueti, Megaloglossus woermanni, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Dohyrina cyclops, Hipposideros cf. caffer and Hipposideros cf. ruber) was influenced by habitat types. Our results suggest that the decrease in species richness observed in disturbed habitats may be due to habitat perturbations of primary forest habitats. Therefore, it is important to examine the effects of habitat conversion at species level, as responses are often species-specific.

scholarly journals Control trial of porcine cysticercosis in Uganda using a combination of the TSOL18 vaccination and oxfendazole

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Nsadha ◽  
Chris Rutebarika ◽  
Chrisostom Ayebazibwe ◽  
Bukenya Aloys ◽  
M. Mwanja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Taenia Solium ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Porcine Cysticercosis ◽  
Intervention Area ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Village Communities

Abstract Background Neurocysticercosis caused by Taenia solium when the parasite lodges in the central nervous system, is an important cause of human seizures and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The parasite is prevalent in many regions of Uganda. Pigs are intermediate hosts for T. solium, and we evaluated a T. solium control program in pigs, involving vaccination of pigs with the TSOL18 vaccine and treatment with oxfendazole. Methods The study was conducted in two districts of Eastern Uganda involving the rural village communities of Bukedea (intervention area) and Kumi (control area) during 2016–2017. Seven hundred and thirty-four households were enrolled in the study. Pigs in the intervention area received intramuscular immunizations with TSOL18 (Cysvax™) and an oral medication with 30 mg/kg oxfendazole (Paranthic™) at approximately 3-monthly intervals for 18 months. Porcine cysticercosis was evaluated by post-mortem examination. At the beginning of the study, 111 pigs were examined. In an interim evaluation in the intervention area, 55 pigs were evaluated 12 months after starting the project. At the end of the study approximately 3 months after the final intervention, 55 pigs from the intervention area and 56 pigs from the control area were evaluated. Results The prevalence of porcine cysticercosis for the two sites was 16.2% at the beginning of the study (17.2% in the intervention area and 15.1% in the control area) with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.759) between the two study sites. Among the 110 animals assessed from the intervention site (55 at the interim evaluation and 55 at the final evaluation), no pig with viable T. solium cysts was found. There was a statistically significant difference between the prevalence at baseline (17.2%) and at the end of the study (0%) in the intervention area (P = 0.001) and a statistically significant difference between the intervention (0%) and control areas (5.4%) (P = 0.041) at the end of the study. Conclusions Three-monthly concurrent vaccination of pigs with the TSOL18 vaccine and medication with oxfendazole eliminated T. solium transmission by the animals involved in the study. Application of vaccination with medication in pigs has the potential to reduce transmission of T. solium in Uganda and other endemic countries.

scholarly journals Perceived quality of care among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the north east region of peninsular Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noorfariza Nordin ◽  
Suhaily Mohd Hairon ◽  
Najib Majdi Yaacob ◽  
Anees Abdul Hamid ◽  
Seoparjoo Azmel Mohd Isa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
East Region ◽  
Perceived Quality Of Care ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background People with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are best managed by a chronic care model that is associated with enhanced quality of care and improved patient outcome. Assessing patients’ perceived quality of care is crucial in improving the healthcare delivery system. Hence, this study determined the perceived quality of care among people with T2DM and explored its associations with (i) sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and (ii) types of healthcare clinics to guide future planning. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 20 primary healthcare clinics in the North East Region of Peninsular Malaysia and people with T2DM as the sampling unit was conducted from February to May 2019. The pro forma checklist, interview-guided Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan-11, and Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (Malay version; PACIC-M) questionnaire were used for data collection. Univariate analysis and linear regression were used to determine the status of perceived quality of care and the factors associated with the perceived quality of care, respectively. Results Overall, data from 772 participants were analyzed. The majority was from the Malay ethnic group (95.6%) with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level of 8.91% (2.30). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of the number of medical officers available at each clinic was 6 (7), with Family Doctor Concept (FDC) clinics having a higher number of medical officers than non-FDC clinics (p = 0.001). The overall mean (SD) PACIC-M score was 2.65 (0.54) with no significant difference between scores of patients treated in the two clinic types (p = 0.806). Higher perceived quality of care was associated with lower number of medical officers (adjusted regression coefficient [Adj.β], − 0.021; p-value [p], 0.001), and greater doctor–patient interaction in all domains: distress relief (Adj.β, 0.033; p, < 0.001), rapport (Adj.β, 0.056; p, < 0.001), and interaction outcome (Adj.β, 0.022; p, 0.003). Conclusion Although there was no significant difference found between clinic type, this study reflects that patients are comfortable when managed by the same doctor, which may support a better doctor-patient interaction. A larger specialized primary care workforce could improve diabetes care in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Serological Evidence of Filovirus Infection in Nonhuman Primates in Zambia

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1283
Author(s):  
Katendi Changula ◽  
Edgar Simulundu ◽  
Boniface Pongombo Lombe ◽  
Eri Nakayama ◽  
Hiroko Miyamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nonhuman Primates ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Vervet Monkeys ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Positive Rate ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
Reston Virus

Ebolaviruses and marburgviruses are filoviruses that are known to cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates (NHPs). While some bat species are suspected to be natural reservoirs of these filoviruses, wild NHPs often act as intermediate hosts for viral transmission to humans. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we screened two NHP species, wild baboons and vervet monkeys captured in Zambia, for their serum IgG antibodies specific to the envelope glycoproteins of filoviruses. From 243 samples tested, 39 NHPs (16%) were found to be seropositive either for ebolaviruses or marburgviruses with endpoint antibody titers ranging from 100 to 25,600. Interestingly, antibodies reactive to Reston virus, which is found only in Asia, were detected in both NHP species. There was a significant difference in the seropositivity for the marburgvirus antigen between the two NHP species, with baboons having a higher positive rate. These results suggest that wild NHPs in Zambia might be nonlethally exposed to these filoviruses, and this emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of filovirus infection in wild animals to better understand the ecology of filoviruses and to assess potential risks of outbreaks in humans in previously nonendemic countries.

Small mammal mycophagy in hemiboreal forest communities of Lithuania

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Kataržytė ◽  
Ernestas Kutorga
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Hypogeous Fungi ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Significant Difference

AbstractThe diets of small mammals in different hemiboreal spruce-dominated, oak-dominated and mixed forests in western part of Lithuania were studied by examination of fungal spores in fresh fecal pellets of caught animals. In the diets of mice (Apodemus spp.), bank voles (Myodes glareolus), and common and pygmy shrews (Sorex araneus and S. minutus), 22 different fungal taxa were identified, 15 of which were hypogeous fungi. The sporocarp abundance and the spores in fecal samples of Elaphomyces fungi prevailed in study area during this investigation. Although most of the captured individuals consumed fungi, the consumption varied among small mammal species. The data show that the fungi were more frequent and taxonomically diverse in Myodes glareolus than in Apodemus spp. diets. The study provided evidence that the fungal component in the diets of insectivorous Sorex species is more diverse than previously known. The availability of sporocarps and the fungal component in the diets of small mammals showed seasonal effects. Annual hypogeous and epigeous sporocarp abundances did not vary significantly across forest types. The significant difference in mycophagy was observed across all forest cover types, with the greatest fungal diversity in fecal samples collected in mixed coniferous-deciduous tree stands.

Duplex DNA barcoding allows accurate species determination of morphologically similar limpets (Patella spp.) from non-destructive sampling

2016 ◽  
Vol 97 (7) ◽  
pp. 1479-1482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Ashton ◽  
Meriem Kayoueche-Reeve ◽  
Andrew J. Blight ◽  
Jon Moore ◽  
David M. Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Species Determination ◽  
Destructive Sampling ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Non Destructive

Accurate discrimination of two morphologically similar species of Patella limpets has been facilitated by using qPCR amplification of species-specific mitochondrial genomic regions. Cost-effective and non-destructive sampling is achieved using a mucus swab and simple sample lysis and dilution to create a PCR template. Results show 100% concurrence with dissection and microscopic analysis, and the technique has been employed successfully in field studies. The use of highly sensitive DNA barcoding techniques such as this hold great potential for improving previously challenging field assessments of species abundance.

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