The Potential of Systemic Control of Sand Flies Using Fipronil in the Novel Leishmania major (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) Reservoirs Meriones tristrami (Rodentia: Muridea) and Meriones crassus (Rodentia: Muridea)

Leishmania major (Yakimoff & Schokhor, 1914), an important causative agent of Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), is transmitted by sand flies among a limited number of gerbilline reservoir-species. We can take advantage of this strong dependency to break the pathogen transmission cycle by using systemic insecticides that render the host toxic to the blood-feeding vector. We evaluated the potential of this approach with two novel reservoir species, incriminated for CL expansion in several sites in the Middle East. Specifically, we evaluated: 1) the residuality of the systemic insecticide fipronil in Meriones tristrami (Thomas, 1892) fed on fipronil-treated baits and 2) the treatments’ adulticide effect on sand flies that blood fed on treated and untreated M. tristrami and M. crassus (Sundevall, 1842). We fed M. tristrami with food pellets containing 0.1 g/kg fipronil and used gas chromatograph–mass spectrometery analysis and bioassays to examine its residual toxicity to blood-feeding female sand flies. In M. tristrami, fipronil was rapidly metabolized to fipronil sulfone, found in the blood, urine, and feces for ≥31 d after fipronil admission. The survival of sand flies that blood fed on fipronil-treated M. tristrami and M. crassus was significantly reduced for at least 15 and 9 d respectively, after fipronil admission. These results hold promise for the potential contribution of systemic control approaches to CL integrated management strategies against novel CL (due to L. major) outbreaks in Israel and elsewhere.

Change in diet of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) suggests decline in biodiversity in Wadi Al Makhrour, Bethlehem Governorate, Palestinian Territories

The diet of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) was studied in Wadi Al Makhrour, Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories in 2015 with fresh and several year old pellets. Three species of arthropods, one reptile species, at least four bird species, and six species of mammals were recovered from the studied pellets. Black rat (Rattus rattus) was the most common prey (37.0%), followed by the southern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor) (29.4%) and birds (21.8%). Comparison of recent and older pellets showed change in diet composition. Recent pellets contained more Rattus rattus compared to older ones. Older pellets included more naturally-occurring species such as Meriones tristrami, Microtus guentheri, and Rousettus aegyptiacus, which were absent in newer pellets.

Detection ofBartonellaspp. in wild carnivores, hyraxes, hedgehog and rodents from Israel

SUMMARYBartonellainfection was explored in wild animals from Israel. Golden jackals (Canis aureus), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis), southern white-breasted hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor), social voles (Microtus socialis), Tristram's jirds (Meriones tristrami), Cairo spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus), house mice (Mus musculus) and Indian crested porcupines (Hystrix indica) were sampled and screened by molecular and isolation methods.Bartonella-DNA was detected in 46 animals: 9/70 (13%) golden jackals, 2/11 (18%) red foxes, 3/35 (9%) rock hyraxes, 1/3 (33%) southern white-breasted hedgehogs, 5/57 (9%) Cairo spiny mice, 25/43 (58%) Tristram's jirds and 1/6 (16%) house mice.Bartonella rochalimaeandB. rochalimae-like were widespread among jackals, foxes, hyraxes and jirds. This report represents the first detection of this zoonoticBartonellasp. in rock hyraxes and golden jackals. Moreover, DNA ofBartonella vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffii, Bartonella acomydis, CandidatusBartonella merieuxii and other uncharacterized genotypes were identified. Three differentBartonellastrains were isolated from Tristram's jirds, and several genotypes were molecularly detected from these animals. Furthermore, this study reports the first detection ofBartonellainfection in a southern hedgehog. Our study indicates that infection with zoonotic and otherBartonellaspecies is widespread among wild animals and stresses their potential threat to public health.

Food of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in the Eastern Mediterranean

Food of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in the Eastern Mediterranean The composition of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) diet analysed from pellets collected in several regions of the Eastern Mediterranean is presented. In total, 27 samples from 21 sites in S Italy, S Greece (incl. Crete), S Turkey, NW Syria, SW Lebanon, N Israel, and N Egypt were composed of 8842 prey individuals. Mammals represented the dominant part of the prey (90% of the identified prey individuals, comprising 44 species). Birds were less abundant (7%), however, their diversity was enormous (64 species). Amphibians and reptiles were rarely represented in the diet (0.9%), while invertebrates we found more often (2.2%). The relative abundance of particular prey items in the Barn Owl diet was analysed in four geographical regions: (a) SE Europe (Calabria, Peloponnese, Crete), (b) Levantine parts of Turkey and Syria, (c) Lebanon and N Israel, and (d) N Egypt. In complex evaluation of the sample set, endemic forms composed a special group of prey items: Microtus savii, Sorex samniticus, and Talpa romana in Calabria; Microtus thomasi in Peloponnese; Acomys minous in Crete; and Gerbillus amoenus in Egypt. Another group of prey is represented by typical Levantine species: Microtus guentheri, Meriones tristrami, Apodemus mystacinus, and Rana ridibunda. Apodemus flavicollis and Crocidura leucodon were more abundant in Calabria while less abundant in the Levant. Synanthropic mammals (Mus spp., Rattus rattus, Suncus etruscus, Crocidura suaveolens) and birds (Passer domesticus) represented a significant part of the diet in the majority of the studied area.