scholarly journals Determination of zones at risk for fasciolosis in the department of Haute-Vienne, central France: a retrospective study on natural infections detected in 108,481 Galba truncatula for 37 years

Parasite ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Vignoles ◽  
Daniel Rondelaud ◽  
Gilles Dreyfuss

A retrospective study on the natural infection of Galba truncatula by Fasciola hepatica was carried out in the French department of Haute-Vienne to determine whether there are areas at risk for fasciolosis. Adult snails included in this analysis came from samples collected from pastures on 259 farms and from 121 wild watercress beds between 1970 and 2006. Fasciola hepatica infection rates were examined in relation to altitude and climatic data (mean annual rainfall, mean annual temperature) of each municipality. In a total of 108,481 snails collected in 151 municipalities, the overall prevalence of infection was 3.8% but varied according to the municipalities from which samples were taken (from 1% to 7.4%). The prevalence of F. hepatica infection in snails significantly decreased when the mean altitude of municipalities or their mean annual rainfall increased. However, this prevalence significantly increased with increasing mean annual temperatures. Studying the prevalence of infection in these snails makes it possible to delineate zones at risk for fasciolosis on the acid soils of Haute-Vienne. The risk of infection for livestock would be greater in areas of Haute-Vienne below 400 m above sea level and would gradually decrease when the altitude of the land increases.

Author(s):  
Gilles Dreyfuss ◽  
Philippe Vignoles ◽  
Daniel Rondelaud

A retrospective study on 7407 populations of Galba truncatula found in the department of Haute Vienne for 37 years (1970–2006) was carried out to determine if altitude and climate on acid soils had an effect on the distribution of populations and the characteristics of their habitats. Out of a total of 13 478 water points surveyed in 179 municipalities, the overall frequency of snail populations was 54.9% but varied with the habitat type and the municipality on which these water points are located. The frequency of snail populations significantly decreased when the mean altitude of municipalities or their mean annual rainfall increased. Conversely, this frequency significantly increased with increasing mean annual temperature. The characteristics of habitats were analysed for 6281 populations in relation to the mean altitude of municipalities. The area of G. truncatula habitats and the density of overwintering snails per m2 of habitat significantly decreased with increasing altitude. On the acid soils of Haute Vienne, the distribution of G. truncatula populations is closely related to the altitude and climatic conditions of municipalities.


1958 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 469-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Russak ◽  
J. W. Easley

In evaluating the environmental limitations on microwave signal transmission, it was necessary to determine the occurrence of rainfall rates for a number of regions in different parts of the world. Clock-hourly precipitation data were used where available. Where these data were not available, a known empirical technique was employed which correlates clock-hourly rainfall at individual rates to a climatological index. This index uses parameters which are almost universally obtainable—namely, mean annual rainfall and number of days with measurable rain. In the course of this work, the authors found a more general relation between clock-hourly rainfall rate frequencies and the climatological index. Using this relation, rainfall frequencies at any rate are obtained directly from a linear equation and two nomograms. It is also possible to synthesize the complete frequency distribution of rainfall rates and obtain, as a check, the mean annual rainfall. Examples, supplemented by illustrations, are given in the development of this technique and its utilization.


1971 ◽  
Vol 103 (9) ◽  
pp. 1217-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Hardwick ◽  
L. P. Lefkovitch

AbstractIn an attempt to evaluate the importance of physical and biotic factors affecting the distribution of species of the cutworm genus Euxoa, a multivariate regression analysis, as based on a light-trapping survey in western North America, has been conducted. The possible contributory factors have been grouped into four major categories relating to geography, habitat, period of flight, and sample size. Sample size is a composite value reflecting both suitability of habitat and suitability of weather conditions at the time the sample was taken. Geographic factors considered were latitude, altitude, and longitude; habitat factors were mean annual temperature, mean July temperature, mean January temperature, mean annual rainfall and plantform; factors relating to period of flight were calendar date, mean temperature on date of sample, photoperiod, and the phenological date. Except for photoperiod, the variables listed were considered in a quadratic as well as a natural function in the regression analysis. With the number of species of Euxoa as the dependent variable and the factors listed above as the independent variables a total reduction of 76.0% in the residual variance was obtained. When only four variables, sample size, mean annual temperature, mean annual rainfall, and phenological date were employed in a similar regression analysis, however, a reduction of 68.7% in the residual variance was obtained. On the basis of present evidence, it appears that temperature and rainfall are primary factors governing the abundance of species of Euxoa in a given habitat.


2016 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Vignoles ◽  
A. Titi ◽  
A. Mekroud ◽  
D. Rondelaud ◽  
G. Dreyfuss

AbstractA retrospective study on differentLymnaea glabrasamples collected from central France between 1993 and 2010 was carried out to determine the prevalence of natural co-infections withCalicophoron daubneyiandFasciola hepatica, and to specify the composition of redial burdens. Experimental infections ofL. glabraperformed during the same period of time were also analysed to study metacercarial production of each digenean in co-infected snails. Controls were naturally or experimentally co-infectedGalba truncatula. In natural co-infections, prevalence was 0.7% inL. glabra(186/25,128) and 0.4% inG. truncatula(137/31,345). Low redial burdens were found in these snails, withF. hepaticarediae significantly more numerous inL. glabrathan inG. truncatula(7.5 per snail instead of 5.2). In contrast, the total numbers ofC. daubneyirediae in both lymnaeids were close to each other (4.3 and 3.0 rediae, respectively). In experimentally co-infected groups, prevalence was greater inG. truncatulathan in the other lymnaeid (6.3% instead of 3.0%). Significantly shorter patent periods and lower metacercarial production for each digenean were noted inL. glabrathan inG. truncatula.However, in both lymnaeids, the two types of cercariae were released during the same shedding waves and several peaks during the patent period were synchronous. In spite of a greater shell height forL. glabra, metacercarial production of both digeneans in co-infected snails was lower than that inG. truncatula, thus indicating a still incomplete adaptation between these FrenchL. glabraand both parasites.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ru Chen ◽  
Bofu Yu ◽  
Graham Jenkins

Rainfall intensity–frequency–duration curves are used extensively for storm runoff estimation. It is generally assumed that rainfall intensity would increase with global warming irrespective of the underlying changes to rainfall. This study analyzed rainfall and temperature from six sites in Eastern Australia. Two non-overlapping 30-year periods with the greatest difference in the mean annual rainfall were selected at each of the six sites to test for significant changes in the mean annual temperature and rainfall. Changes in the mean rainfall intensity for different frequencies of occurrence and storm durations for each site were also analyzed. Temperature has increased at all sites, and significantly at five out of the six sites. The mean annual rainfall has significantly changed between the two non-overlapping periods at the sites with the exception of Cairns (latitude – 16.87° south). The changes in rainfall intensity for longer durations (≥1 h) positively correlate with changes in the mean annual rainfall. There is evidence to suggest that the 6 min rainfall intensity would increase irrespective of the changes in the mean annual rainfall.


BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Guest ◽  
Yvonne Tran ◽  
Bamini Gopinath ◽  
Ian D Cameron ◽  
Ashley Craig

ObjectiveTo determine whether psychological distress associated with musculoskeletal injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash (MVC), regardless of time of onset, impacts compensation outcomes such as claim settlement times and costs. Second, to identify factors routinely collected by insurance companies that contribute to psychological distress during the compensation process.DesignStatewide retrospective study.Data sourceAnalysis of the New South Wales statewide (Australia) injury register for MVC survivors who lodged a compensation claim from 2011 to 2013.Participants6341 adults who sustained a musculoskeletal injury and who settled a claim for injury after an MVC. Participants included those diagnosed with psychological distress (n=607) versus those not (n=5734).Main outcome measuresTime to settlement and total costs of claims, as well as socio-demographic and injury characteristics that may contribute to elevated psychological distress, such as socio-economic disadvantage, and injury severity.ResultsPsychological distress in those with a musculoskeletal injury was associated with significantly longer settlement times (an additional 17 weeks) and considerably higher costs (an additional $A41 575.00 or 4.3 times more expensive). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for psychological distress including being female, social disadvantage, unemployment prior to the claim, not being at fault in the MVC, requiring ambulance transportation and rehabilitation as part of recovery.ConclusionsResults provide compelling evidence that psychological distress has an adverse impact on people with musculoskeletal injury as they progress through compensation. Findings suggest that additional resources should be directed toward claimants who are at risk (eg, the socially disadvantaged or those unemployed prior to the claim), the major aim being to reduce risk of psychological distress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and associated risk of increased settlement times and claim costs. Prospective studies are now required that investigate treatment strategies for those at risk of psychological distress associated with an MVC.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1583-1590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhui Liu ◽  
Chaoyong Hu

Abstract. The 8.2 ka BP event could provide important information for predicting abrupt climate change in the future. Although published records show that the East Asian monsoon area responded to the 8.2 ka BP event, there is no high-resolution quantitative reconstructed climate record in this area. In this study, a reconstructed 10-year moving average annual rainfall record in southwest China during the 8.2 ka BP event is presented by comparing two high-resolution stalagmite δ18O records from Dongge cave and Heshang cave. This decade-scale rainfall reconstruction is based on a central-scale model and is confirmed by inter-annual monitoring records, which show a significant positive correlation between the regional mean annual rainfall and the drip water annual average δ18O difference from two caves along the same monsoon moisture transport pathway from May 2011 to April 2014. Similar trends between the reconstructed rainfall and the stalagmite Mg ∕ Ca record, another proxy of rainfall, during the 8.2 ka BP period further increase the confidence of the quantification of the rainfall record. The reconstructed record shows that the mean annual rainfall in southwest China during the central 8.2 ka BP event is less than that of present (1950–1990) by  ∼  200 mm and decreased by  ∼  350 mm in  ∼  70 years experiencing an extreme drying period lasting for  ∼  50 years. Comparison of the reconstructed rainfall record in southwest China with Greenland ice core δ18O and δ15N records suggests that the reduced rainfall in southwest China during the 8.2 ka BP period was coupled with Greenland cooling with a possible response rate of 110 ± 30 mm °C−1.


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