Effect of temperature on the development of the free-living stages of horse cyathostomins

Cyathostomins are considered as the most prevalent and pathogenic parasites of grazing horses. The development on pastures of the free-living stages of these gastrointestinal worms is particularly influenced by outdoor temperature. Understanding the bionomics of free-living stages is an important prerequisite to implement mathematical models designed to assess the parasitic risk for grazing equids. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 3 constant temperatures under laboratory conditions (10 ± 1 °C, 23 ± 2 °C, 30 ± 2 °C) and one fluctuating temperature under outdoor conditions (mean: 17 ± 4 °C) on the minimum time taken by cyathostomin eggs to develop into first/second stage larvae (L1/L2) then into infective third stage larvae (L3) in horse faeces. According to the temperatures, the minimum time taken by eggs to develop into L1/L2 was between 1 and 3 days and into L3 between 4 and 22 days. At 10 °C, the development time of eggs into L3 was the longest and at 30 °C the fastest. The results were consistent with historically available data and their compilation should lead to the improvement of parameterised models assessing the parasitic risk period in grazing equids.

Factors Associated with Owner-Reported Euthanasia in Equids in France

There is limited evidence regarding the proportion of dead equids in France that were euthanized and the factors influencing the decision-making of euthanasia. The better understanding of which could facilitate research on improvement of welfare, especially on end of life issues. The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of euthanasia and identify associated factors in equids in France. A web-based survey was created and distributed by the French horse and riding institute to owners who reported an equine death between April 2017 and April 2018 (n = 5 158). Factors associated with euthanasia were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. The percentage of responses was 10.6% (n = 548/5 158; 95% CI 9.8% to 11.5%). The proportion of euthanasia was 71.0% (n = 389/548; 95% CI 67.2% to 74.8%). The factors "age category", "cause of natural death or reason for euthanasia" and "the length of time during which the animal was reported to be ill by the owner" were significantly associated with euthanasia (P <0.001). The results highlighted that a large majority of owners faced euthanasia decisions and our findings could support veterinarians and owners to better prepare for such an eventuality.

Identification of levers for improving dead equine traceability: A survey of French equine owners' perception of regulatory procedures following their animal's death

The core of the French equine traceability system is the census database (SIRE) managed by the French horse and riding institute (IFCE). Following the death of an equine, owners are legally obliged to take charge of cadaver removal by contacting a rendering company directly or after registration on the national ATM-équidés ANGEE association (ATM) website, which proposes negotiated prices for removal and recording of the death in the SIRE database. Despite these offers, ATM notes few users. Owners are also legally obliged to return the equine's passport to the IFCE, but only 30-40 % of owners comply with the regulation. Rendering companies register data on equine mortality in the fallen stock data interchange database (FSDI), but it is difficult to cross-reference these data with SIRE data. Consequently, the death of equines is not well registered in the SIRE database. The objective of the present study was to identify levers that could be used to improve dead equine traceability by i) investigating the level of satisfaction of equine owners with ATM and rendering company services; and ii) investigating the drawbacks of owners having to return the passport to the IFCE. An online survey was designed and distributed by email to the 5 158 owners who used ATM services between April 2017 and April 2018. The response rate was 16.4 %. Most owners were satisfied by ATM and rendering company services. The lack of simple and quick removal procedures and the lack of any connection between ATM and the rendering companies were among the main drawbacks identified. Regarding the return of the passport to the IFCE, most responding owners returned it through the rendering company (65 %) or directly (2 %). The passport was returned significantly more frequently when requested by the renderers. The main reason for not providing the passport was the owner wanted to keep it as a souvenir. These results suggest that ATM and the rendering companies are key players in dead equine traceability. ATM services should be developed through the establishment of a direct connection with rendering companies to accelerate the cadaver removal request and to allow the cross-referencing of data between the ATM, FSDI and SIRE databases for a better dead equine traceability. Rendering companies need regulatory support to help them ask owners for the equine's passport, formalizing their contribution to equine traceability. Finally, effective communication has to be established to inform owners about the removal procedures and the regulations.

[Epidemics of schistosomiasis in military staff assigned to endemic areas: standard diagnostic techniques and the development of real-time PCR techniques]

The authors report the results of molecular biology techniques for the early diagnosis of cases (invasion phase) of schistosomiasis during two epidemics occurring during French military projects in the Central African Republic and Madagascar. The use of these techniques in real time for subjects not residing in the endemic area significantly improves the sensitivity of screening. The attack rates of these episodes, according to a case definition that took positive specific PCR results into account, were 59% and 26%. These results are a concrete illustration of the proverb that "yaws begin where the trail stops".

[Society, medicine and caregiver stress]

CARING STAFF DISTRESS: Is a theme regularly discussed among those who care for patients. The current approach is in favor of the psychological interpretation of this distress. This approach is obviously pertinent, but could be widened to a more sociological vision: is the demand that society places on medicine excessive? THE SEARCH FOR AUTONOMY: The demand of the society emerges in a social universe that privileges the autonomy of the individual. Medicine serves this research for autonomy. Techniques, instrumentalization of the body, and the search for mastery engender the collective utopia of the perfect body; medicine has become a new faith, keeper of potential redemption measures. THE MEDIATOR FUNCTION OF CARING STAFF: Part of the caring staff distress is generated by the encounter between the utopia of health and the reality of suffering patients. In the present context of our society, one of the caring staff's missions is to act as mediator between the patient and the experience of the disease, the patient and the representation that he/she has of his/her body and health, and society and the expectations society projects on medicine.