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PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of the incidence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium perfringens in wild birds near broiler chicken houses by sampling intestinal droppings.

Several methods were evaluated for collecting fecal and intestinal samples from wild birds found near broiler chicken houses. A few intestinal samples and cloacal swabs were obtained from European starlings and house sparrows. Most of the samples collected consisted of wild bird droppings found on or near the houses. Samples were collected from each of four farms of a broiler integrator during a grow-out cycle: a cycle in the summer for farm A, fall for farm B, and spring, summer, fall, and winter for farms C and D. Of the 25 wild bird intestinal and fecal samples collected from a broiler house on farm A during a grow-out cycle in July-August 1997, 24% were positive for Salmonella spp., 4% for Campylobacter jejuni, and 28% for Clostridium perfringens. Of the nine fecal samples collected from broiler house B in a grow-out cycle in September-November 1997, 33% were positive for Salmonella spp., 11% for C. jejuni, and 22% for C. perfringens. For farms C and D, of the 23 samples collected in March-April 1998, 0 were positive for Salmonella spp., 11% for C. jejuni, and 52% for C. perfringens; of 27 samples collected in June-July 1998, 4% were positive for Salmonella spp., 0 for C. jejuni, and 13% for C. perfringens; of 24 samples collected in August-October 1998, 14% were positive for Salmonella spp., 5% for C. jejuni, and 4% for C. perfringens; of 14 samples collected December 1998-January 1999, 0 were positive for Salmonella, 50% for C. jejuni, and 14% for C. perfringens. The incidence of these bacterial enteropathogens in wild birds near the broiler chicken houses suggests that wild birds that gain entry to poultry grow-out houses have the potential to transmit these pathogens to poultry.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The use of sticky ovitraps to estimate dispersal of Aedes aegypti in northeastern Mexico.

A newly designed sticky ovitrap was used to determine the dispersal flight of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in northeastern Mexico. Unfed marked females were released in the field where 100 sticky ovitraps had been positioned within a circular area 300 m in diameter. Success of this method was represented by a 7.7% (31 of 401) recapture rate during a 19-day sampling period. The maximum dispersal distance was 120 m with a mean of 30.5 m +/- 4.5 SD. Drastic hot and dry climatic conditions at the study site may have restricted mosquito dispersal. As expected, mostly gravid female mosquitoes were captured in the ovitraps. The method of sticky ovitraps proved to be useful and inexpensive for Ae. aegypti dispersal studies in Latin American countries. In addition to the marked mosquito populations, unmarked Ae. aegypti, Culex sp., roaches, and even small vertebrates such as lizards and sparrows were found glued to the sticky ovitraps. Based on these studies, the use of sticky ovitraps is recommended for Ae. aegypti dispersal studies, specially for dengue control programs in developing countries.

Aedes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Healing the body, mind and spirit.

Hospitals are, first and foremost, places that function to treat what ails the body. But for those who are not well and their caregivers, hospitals should also offer a source of comfort to the mind and spirit. In response to that need, Sparrow Health System of Lansing has created a special place for their community to go to heal.

Community-Institutional Relations↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay for detecting Highlands J virus.

Highlands J (HJ) virus is an arbovirus frequently recovered at high rates in mosquitoes collected in the eastern United States. HJ virus is primarily a veterinary pathogen causing disease in domestic birds including turkeys, chickens, and partridges. It has an enzootic cycle similar to eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus and is often used as an indicator species in EEE surveillance programs. Current immunologic techniques to identify HJ virus are often inefficient and can involve cross-reactivity of antibodies. Therefore, we developed a molecular-based assay by a reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Primers were constructed from conserved sequences of the E1 coding region from 19 strains of HJ virus. PCR amplifications from serial dilutions of HJ virus-infected Vero cell culture supernatants indicated that this assay could detect viral RNA at concentrations of 10 plaque-forming units per reaction. Extracted RNAs from western equine encephalitis, EEE, LaCrosse, and Jamestown Canyon viruses were not detected with this assay. RNA extracted directly from the brain tissue of a dead house sparrow and from a pool of Culiseta mosquitoes yielded a PCR product of the expected size. The RT-PCR technique developed was both sensitive and specific for detecting HJ virus from infected cell culture supernatants, bird brain tissues, and mosquitoes. This new assay will permit rapid and accurate diagnosis of HJ virus, both enhancing surveillance activities for EEE transmission risk and monitoring infections in domestic poultry and wild birds.

Alphavirus↗
PubMed1975

The role of indigenous wild, semidomestic, and exotic birds in the epizootiology of velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease in southern California, 1972-1973.

During an epornitic of velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease (VVND) in southern California, free-flying wild birds, captive and free-ranging semidomestic birds, and exotic birds were collected from the quarantine area to determine their role in the epizootiology of the disease. The VVND virus was isolated from 0.04% of 9,446 free-flying wild birds, 0.76% of 4,367 semidomestic birds, and 1.01% of 3,780 exotic birds examined. Three house sparrows and 1 crow directly associated with infected poultry flocks were the only free-flying wild birds from which VVND virus was isolated. Among semidomestic species, ducks, quail, chukars, pheasants, peafowl, pigeons, and doves were found to be infected. Psttacines, pittas, and toucans accounted for 92% of the VVND virus isolations from exotic birds. In addition, domestic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was isolated from 0.29% of the free-flying wild birds, from 1.65% of the semidomestic birds, and from 0.19% of the exotic birds collected. Hemagglutination-inhibition against domestic NDV was demonstrated in 0.24% of 3,796 wild bird serums, 8.28% of 2,004 semidomestic bird serums, and 3.90% of 231 exotic bird serums tested. Although few free-flying wild birds were infected with VVND virus in this epornitic, the isolation of domestic NDV strains from free-flying wild ducks and mourning doves suggests the potential for transportation of NDV over long distances by migratory birds.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Occurrence of parasites in indigenous birds of prey and owls].

In the present paper a general overview on parasites in birds of prey and owls is given. This part is followed by a study investigating the prevalences and species of parasites in free-ranging birds of prey and owls in Berlin and Brandenburg State, Germany. Over a one year period, 84 birds of prey and owls of the following species were examined for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites: Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) (n = 32), Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) (n = 20), Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (n = 9), Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (n = 8), Black Kite (Milvus migrans) (n = 4), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (n = 3), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) (n = 1), White-tailed-Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) (n = 1), Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) (n = 4), Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) (n = 1) and Barn Owl (Tyto alba) (n = 1). In 97.6% of the cases, ectoparasites (feather mites and hippoboscid flies) were found. Especially eyasses (93.3%) were positive for hippoboscid flies. Trichomonas was detected in 28.6% of all birds of prey and owls examined. A prevalence of 100% was established in the Sparrow Hawks as well as Peregrine Falcons. Leucozytozoon sp. and Hemoproteus sp. as blood parasites were found in 26.9% of the birds in total. Common Buzzards showed the highest prevalence (44.8%). 58.3% of birds examined were positive for endoparasites. Flukes were found in 16.7%, tapeworms in 14.3%, round-worms in 48.8% and acanthocephales in 2.4% of the cases. Interestingly, Tylodelphis clavata (in a Common Buzzard) and Hovorkonema variegatum (in a Goshawk) were found for the first time in raptors. The results of this study underline the importance of a parasitological examination in the process of raptor rehabilitation.

Animals↗
PubMed1969

Effects of radiation during space flight on microorganisms and plants on the Biosatellite II and Gemini XI Missions.

The results of recent experiments with the lysogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium, the bread mold Neurospora crassa and the flowering plant Tradescantia on the Biosatellite II and Gemini XI Missions will be summarized. In the lysogenic bacteria experiment (Dr. Rudolf H.T. Mattoni, NUS Corporation) on the Biosatellite II mission significant effects of space flight were found on both growth rate and the induction of prophage. In that part of the Neurospora experiment on both the Biosatellite II and Gemini XI Missions (Dr. J.F. de Serres), utilizing non-dividing and inactive spores, no difference was found in the genetic effects of radiation between the flight and ground samples. In that portion of the Neurospora experiment on the Gemini XI mission utilizing rapidly-metabolizing spores the genetic effects of radiation were less serious in the flight samples than the ground samples. In the Tradescantia experiment (Dr. A.H. Sparrow, Brookhaven National Laboratory) on the Biosatellite II Mission, the irradiated flight material, in general, produced increased rates of cell death, abortion of pollen, loss of reproductive integrity, as well as other abnormalities in cell structure and function. In some of the experiments there were found significantly genetic effects of space flight alone, and the enhancement of various genetic effects of radiation under weightlessness was no more than 2- or 3-fold.

Bacteriophage P22↗
PubMed2002

Foot-and-mouth disease: susceptibility of domestic poultry and free-living birds to infection and to disease--a review of the historical and current literature concerning the role of birds in spread of foot-and-mouth disease viruses.

Ruminants and pigs are the dominant natural hosts of food-and-mouth disease (FMD) viruses. Approximately 70 additional mammalian species are found to be susceptible under natural or experimental conditions. Reptilia, amphibia, and fish are probably naturally resistant to infection. According to the reviewed literature, domestic birds (chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks and geese) have been experimentally infected with some strains of FMD viruses and may develop lesions suggestive of FMD such as vesicular lesions on the comb, wattles, eye lids, and feet. Since chickens are to some extent coprophagous, chickens get infected by ingestion of virus under conditions of natural exposure or their plumage gets contaminated in an infectious environment. Thus, domestic birds kept in free-run systems may serve as virus vectors for short distances. Free-living birds, especially starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), sea gulls (Larus canus), house-sparrows (Passer domesticus) have been successfully experimentally infected and developed vesicular lesions on the skin and mucosal membranes of the mouth. During epizootics of FMD the plumage of these free-living birds can be contaminated with FMD viruses and the virus is spread over long distances during migration periods in spring and autumn. Thus migrating birds may assume an active role in long distance dissemination of FMD viruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Community ecology of helminth parasitism in an insular passerine avifauna.

Three hundred and thirty specimens of 7 species of passerine birds from South Bass Island, Ottawa County, Ohio, were examined for helminth parasites. The total number of helminth specimens collected was 4,333. Forty-one helminth taxa were identified. Ten species of helminths were identified as having foci of infection on the island. An index of association for these 10 species is presented. The low association revealed between helminth species utilizing common species of intermediate hosts indicated that a single intermediate host specimen is likely to harbor infective stages of only one species of parasitic helminth. An index of similarity is presented to express the species importance relationships of the helminth faunas of the 7 species of birds: red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula), house sparrows (Passer domesticus), starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), and robins (Turdus migratorius). The results reveal that competition between these avian species for invertebrate food resources helps to maximize the transmission of those helminth populations which utilize these same invertebrates as intermediate hosts. The aggregation of birds into mixed feeding flocks insures a heavy loading of the feeding grounds with agents infective for the invertebrate populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Mites infesting two migratory birds, Coturnix c. coturnix (quail or Simmaan) and Sturnus v. vulgaris (starling or zarzuur) with reference to avian zoonosis.

Birds are a marvelous group of creatures. Their beautiful coloration, singing, dancing and their attractive ways of life offer great pleasure to birdwatcher. Egypt is one of the most important countries of migratory birds. Not less than 300 species of birds visit Egypt annually from allover the world. The mite fauna of two migratory birds was studied in North Sinai Governorate and Suez Canal Zone. Thirty-one species of mites were recovered from quail and 39 from starling. Both types of birds serve hosts for 26 species of mites. Besides, five species were only recovered from quail and 13 species from starling. These totaled 44 species belonging to 30 families of three suborders (Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes and Sarcoptidiformes). The mite index on quail ranged between 1.0 to 5.0 in North Sinai G. and 1.0 to 17.0 in Suez Canal Z. The mite index on starling ranged between 1.0 to 4.75 in North Sinai G. and 1.0 to 4.5 in Suez Canal Z. Sixteen of the recovered species of mites were not recorded before on the Egyptian resident birds (house sparrow and laughing dove). The medical and veterinary importance of avian zoonosis was discussed. It is hoped to stimulate the awareness to migratory birds as reservoir hosts for microorganisms and parasites from allover the world. Besides, there is an urgent need to protect the resident and the visiting birds.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Monomers of a satellite sequence of chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs L., Aves: Passeriformes) genome contains short clusters of the TTTAGGG repeat].

A novel repeated sequence of chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) designated as GS was isolated from genomic DNA after in vitro amplification of satellite DNA sequences using GSP-PCR technique. The proportion of this repeat in the chaffinch genome constitutes about 2%. Monomers are 176 to 199 bp in size and contain a short cluster of the TTAGGG telomeric tandem repeat. The oligomer of the telomeric hexanucleotide is flanked by the sequences that are significantly different in different monomers. The GS sequences are organized as tandemly repeated units and located in a number of chromomycin-positive blocks on the long arms of macrochromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, as well as on several microchromosomes. The sequences homologous to the GS satellite of chaffinch were not found in the genomes of redwing (Turdus iliacus) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Molluscum contagiosum.

Molluscum contagiosum is a disease caused by a poxvirus of the Molluscipox virus genus that produces a benign self-limited papular eruption of multiple umbilicated cutaneous tumors. This common viral disease is confined to the skin and mucous membranes. Transmission requires direct contact with infected hosts or contaminated fomites. It is generally thought to infect humans exclusively, but there are a few isolated reports of Molluscum contagiosum occurring in chickens, sparrows, pigeons, chimpanzees, kangaroos, a dog, and a horse. The infection is found worldwide and has a higher incidence in children, sexually active adults, and those who are immunodeficient.

Incidence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The laboratory breeding of lice].

The breeding of lice started in Poland as R. Weigl used to prepare a typhus vaccine from the guts of infected lice. Hélène Sparrow introduced this breeding technique in the Institut Pasteur of Tunis in 1927. Lice will feed only on human blood. They were put in small wooden boxes with a thin cloth bottom through which they could bite and feed. Once a day the boxes were placed against the skin of human feeders whose role was essential in the process. The breeding of lice at the Institut Pasteur of Tunis lasted until 1980 and allowed significant advances in the study of typhus and relapsing fever.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Land molluscs--intermediate hosts of trematodes of the family Microphallidae travassos, 1920].

Encysted metacercariae of Microphallus sp. were found in the land mollusks Bradybaena duplocincta and Jaminia potaniniana asiatica collected on the slopes of Tien-Shan. The above mollusks are first reported as intermediate hosts of microphallids. The meta cercariae found were fed to white mice, golden hamsters, chickens and nestlings of sparrows and starlings. Maritae developed only in white mice and golden hamsters. Mature trematodes containing 14 to 35 eggs in the uterus were found in the small intestine 66-90 hours after the infection. Small mammals are assumed to be the definitive hosts of these trematodes. The trematodes of Microphallus sp. are characterized by a short life cycle with one intermediate host, land mollusk.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Serological studies of synanthropic birds for infection by M. avium].

Examination for M. avium contamination covered 702 specimens of the synanthropic birds of 6 species (hooded crows, daws, rooks, magpies, sparrows, starlings) which was carried out in 13 landscape-epizootic areas of the northern zone of the Low Volga region. Contamination was studied by a serological test (AIT) using the M. avium extract and dry avian tuberculin as an antigen in the parallel tests. It was found that 96 (23%) of the 416 specimens from the right bank of the Volga and 65 (22.72%) of the 286 birds from the left bank were AIT-seropositive. The paper presents methods of study and contamination parameters of birds; the character of distribution of the infected birds by the region of the examination zone is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Salmonella infection sources in poultry flocks in northern Greece].

From 10 egg production poultry farms 1516 samples were collected and examined for the presence of salmonella. The samples were: 201 chicken, 36 sparrows, 35 rats, 35 pools of 20 flies each, 450 eggs, 60 mattresses, 188 feces, 425 feedstuffs and 86 water samples. Salmonellae were isolated only from 163 (10.8%) samples. From the 146 (89.6%) of these S. gallinarum was isolated. From the rest 17 (10.4%) the following mobile salmonella strains were isolated: two strains of S. virchow and Salmonella of subgroup II, four strains of S. typhimurium var. Copenhagen, seven strains of S. Livingstone, one S. enteritidis and one S. infantis The S. gallinarum was isolated from dead or sick chicken (46%), eggs (10.4%), rats Rattus norvegicus (14.3%) and mattresses 1.6%. The mobile salmonellae were isolated from feedstuffs (2%), flies (14.3%), rats (2.8%), feces (1%). From the present study, it seems that rats, chicken and eggs are important for the salmonella dissemination.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Estimates of diffuse phosphorus sources in surface waters of the United States using a spatially referenced watershed model.

The statistical watershed model SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) was used to estimate the sources and transport of total phosphorus (TP) in surface waters of the United States. We calibrated the model using stream measurements of TP from 336 watersheds of mixed land use and spatial data on topography, soils, stream hydrography, and land use (agriculture, forest, shrub/grass, urban). The model explained 87% of the spatial variability in log transformed stream TP flux (kg yr(-1)). Predictions of stream yield (kg ha(-1) yr(-1)) were typically within 45% of the observed values at the monitoring sites. The model identified appreciable effects of soils, streams, and reservoirs on TP transport. The estimated aquatic rates of phosphorus removal declined with increasing stream size and rates of water flushing in reservoirs (i.e. areal hydraulic loads). A phosphorus budget for the 2.9 million km2 Mississippi River Basin provides a detailed accounting of TP delivery to streams, the removal of TP in surface waters, and the stream export of TP from major interior watersheds for sources associated with each land-use type.

Agriculture↗