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Topp AK, Springer A, Mischke R, Rieder J, Feige K, Ganter M, Nagel-Kohl U, Nordhoff M, Boelke M, Becker S, Pachnicke S, Schunack B, Dobler G, Strube C. Seroprevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in wild and domestic animals in northern Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102220. [PMID: 37356181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a tick-transmitted flavivirus, which can infect humans and animals, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Since many decades, TBEV is endemic in southern Germany, while only sporadic occurrence has been noted in northern parts of the country so far. Nevertheless, autochthonous human clinical cases are increasing in the federal state of Lower Saxony in north-western Germany, and several natural foci of TBEV transmission have recently been detected in this federal state. In order to shed more light on the current distribution of TBEV in Lower Saxony, the present study examined blood samples from wild and domestic animals for antibodies against TBEV. Overall, samples from 4,085 animals were tested by ELISA, including wild boar (N = 1,208), roe deer (N = 149), red deer (N = 61), fallow deer (N = 18), red foxes (N = 9), nutria (N = 9), raccoon dogs (N = 3), raccoons (N = 3), badgers (N = 1), European pine martens (N = 1), horses (N = 574), sheep (N = 266), goats (N = 67), dogs (N = 1,317) and cats (N = 399). Samples with an ELISA result of ≥60 Vienna units (VIEU)/ml were subjected to confirmatory serum neutralization tests (SNT). In total, 343 of 4,085 (8.4%) animals tested positive for anti-TBEV-IgG by ELISA, of which 60 samples were confirmed by SNT. Samples of 89 animals showed a cytotoxic effect in the SNT and were excluded from seroprevalence calculation, resulting in an overall seroprevalence of 1.5% (60/3,996). Seroprevalence was higher among wild animals (wild boar: 2.9% [34/1,190], roe deer: 2.7% [4/149], red deer: 1.7% [1/60], fallow deer: 5.6% [1/18]) than among domestic animals (dogs: 1.1% [15/1,317], horses: 0.8% [4/505], sheep: 0.4% [1/266]). No anti-TBEV-antibodies were detected in the other wild animal species as well as goats and cats. A notable clustering of positive samples was observed in districts where TBEV transmission foci have been described. Further clusters in other districts suggest the existence of so far undetected transmission foci, underlining the fact that both wild and domestic animals are useful sentinels for monitoring the spread of TBEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Katharina Topp
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Andrea Springer
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Reinhard Mischke
- Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Johanna Rieder
- Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Karsten Feige
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover 30173, Germany
| | - Uschi Nagel-Kohl
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Veterinary Institute Hannover, Hannover 30173, Germany
| | - Marcel Nordhoff
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Food and Veterinary Institute Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26133, Germany
| | - Matthias Boelke
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Stefanie Becker
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | | | - Bettina Schunack
- Elanco Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Monheim 40789, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- National Reference Laboratory for TBEV, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich 80937, Germany
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, Hannover 30559, Germany.
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2
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Corrales JL, McEvoy A, Lalor R, Cwiklinski K, Doyle S, Parkinson M, Keane OM, Dalton JP, Dorey AL. The use of cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) serological ELISA in sentinel screening for liver fluke on sheep farms. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 45:100924. [PMID: 37783527 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Fasciola hepatica is a parasitic helminth (worm) that poses a significant economic threat to the ruminant livestock industry worldwide. The disease, fasciolosis, can result in a range of clinical signs including anaemia, weight loss and death, with the most severe symptoms attributed to early acute infection when the parasite is migrating through the liver. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential for the control and management of the disease to prevent productivity losses. The traditional gold standard method of diagnosis uses faecal egg counts (FEC) that is limited to detecting patent infections from 10 to 12 weeks post infection (WPI). In contrast, serological assays can detect pre-patent infections as we have shown that enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) using the F. hepatica cysteine peptidase cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) can detect liver fluke infections from 3 to 4 WPI. Here, we used FEC and ELISA to monitor liver fluke infections in sentinel lambs from three commercial farms in Ireland from September 2021 to March 2022. All three farms showed a significant increase in FhCL1 antibody levels and FEC over this time, with a substantial rise in positive infection detection between late November and January. However, ELISA screening detected infection at least two months prior to FEC (September). This suggests that the regular screening of sentinel lambs for F. hepatica seroconversion in a "test and treat" approach could mitigate the negative damaging impact of early fasciolosis on flock health, welfare and productivity and inform management strategies. In addition, we show that whole blood samples taken on Whatman® protein saver cards could replace conventional serum blood tubes for blood collection. Cards can be stored at room temperature for long periods of time and samples revisited at any time for re-analysis. The adoption of these cards on farm together with the FhCL1 ELISA would provide a simpler, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method for testing sentinel lambs for liver fluke disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús López Corrales
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for One Health and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Amanda McEvoy
- Animal & Bioscience Department, Teagasc Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co., Galway, Ireland
| | - Richard Lalor
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for One Health and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Krystyna Cwiklinski
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for One Health and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Sean Doyle
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | | | - Orla M Keane
- Animal & Bioscience Department, Teagasc Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland
| | - John Pius Dalton
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for One Health and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Amber Louise Dorey
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for One Health and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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Pal VK, Kannan K. Assessment of exposure to volatile organic compounds through urinary concentrations of their metabolites in pet dogs and cats from the United States. Environ Pollut 2023; 316:120576. [PMID: 36336188 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, exposure to which is associated with birth defects, neurocognitive and reproductive impairments, and cancer. Little is known, however, about VOC exposure in pet dogs and cats, which represent sentinels for human exposure as well as having value as companion animals. In this study, we determined 38 VOC metabolites (VOCMs) in urine samples collected from 47 dogs and 42 cats from the Albany area of New York State. Seventeen (in cats) to twenty (in dogs) VOCMs were found at detection frequencies (DFs) above 60%. The creatinine-adjusted geometric mean (GM) concentrations of individual VOCMs ranged from 5.43 (EMA) to 761 μg/g (3HPMA) in dog urine and 0.824 (SBMA) to 278 μg/g (ATCA) in cat urine. The ∑20 VOCM concentration in dog urine was 2280 μg/g (geometric mean) and the ∑17 VOCM concentration in cat urine was 847 μg/g. Eight individual VOCMs were significantly more abundant in dog than in cat urine, and the urinary concentrations of several VOCMs in dogs were comparable to those reported for human tobacco smokers. Metabolites of acrolein accounted for 43% of ∑20 VOCM concentration in dogs, whereas those of cyanide and benzene accounted for 60% of ∑17 VOCM concentration in cats. Based on acrylamide exposure doses, calculated hazard quotients were above 1 in 77% of dogs and 50% of cats studied, and cancer risk values (using a benchmark of 10-6) from exposure to acrylamide exceeded 1 for all dogs and cats. This is the first study to report VOCM concentrations in urine collected from pet dogs and cats and highlights the need to identify sources and health implications of VOCs exposure in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vineet Kumar Pal
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States.
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Kumar R, Sharafeldin TA, Goyal SM, Mor SK, Porter RE. Infection and transmission dynamics of Turkey arthritis reovirus in different age Turkeys. Microb Pathog 2022; 173:105790. [PMID: 36170950 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Turkey arthritis reovirus (TARV) has been established as a cause of lameness in meat type turkeys in the past decade. However, no information is available on the age susceptibility of TARV or its transmission dynamics. We conducted this study to determine the age at which turkey poults are susceptible to TARV infection and whether infected birds can horizontally transmit the virus to their non-infected pen mates (sentinels). Five groups of turkeys were orally inoculated with TARV (∼106 TCID50/ml) at 2, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age (DOA). Two days after each challenge, four uninfected sentinel turkeys of equal age were added to the virus-inoculated groups. At one- and two-weeks post infection, turkeys from each group, including two sentinels, were euthanized followed by necropsy. Inoculated birds in all age groups had TARV replication in the intestine and gastrocnemius tendon with no statistically significant variation at p < 0.5. Furthermore, the inoculated birds at different age groups showed consistently high gastrocnemius tendon histologic lesion scores while birds in the 28-days-old age group had numerically lower lesion scores at 14 days post inoculation (dpi). The sentinels, in turn, also showed virus replication in their intestines and tendons and histologic lesions in gastrocnemius tendons. The findings indicate that turkeys at the age of 28 days or less are susceptible to infection with TARV following oral challenge. It was also found that TARV-infected birds could transmit the infection to naïve sentinel turkeys of the same age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Kumar
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA; Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University and Cattle Research Institute, Mathura, U.P, 281001, India
| | - Tamer A Sharafeldin
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Sharkia, 44511, Egypt
| | - Sagar M Goyal
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Sunil K Mor
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Robert E Porter
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
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5
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Chumchal MM, Beaubien GB, Drenner RW, Hannappel MP, Mills MA, Olson CI, Otter RR, Todd AC, Walters DM. Use of Riparian Spiders as Sentinels of Persistent and Bioavailable Chemical Contaminants in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Review. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022; 41:499-514. [PMID: 35113469 PMCID: PMC9703374 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems around the world are contaminated with a wide range of anthropogenic chemicals, including metals and organic pollutants, that originate from point and nonpoint sources. Many of these chemical contaminants have complex environmental cycles, are persistent and bioavailable, can be incorporated into aquatic food webs, and pose a threat to the health of wildlife and humans. Identifying appropriate sentinels that reflect bioavailability is critical to assessing and managing aquatic ecosystems impacted by contaminants. The objective of the present study is to review research on riparian spiders as sentinels of persistent and bioavailable chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Our review of the literature on riparian spiders as sentinels suggests that significant progress has been made during the last two decades of research. We identified 55 published studies conducted around the world in which riparian spiders (primarily of the families Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Lycosidae, and Pisauridae) were used as sentinels of chemical contamination of lotic, lentic, and estuarine systems. For several contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Hg, and Se, it is now clear that riparian spiders are appropriate sentinels. However, many contaminants and factors that could impact chemical concentrations in riparian spiders have not been well characterized. Further study of riparian spiders and their potential role as sentinels is critical because it would allow for development of national-scale programs that utilize riparian spiders as sentinels to monitor chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. A riparian spider sentinel program in the United States would be complementary to existing national sentinel programs, including those for fish and immature dragonflies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:499-514. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gale B. Beaubien
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ray W. Drenner
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | - Marc A. Mills
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Connor I. Olson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Ryan R. Otter
- Department of Biology, Molecular Bioscience, Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew C. Todd
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - David M. Walters
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri
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Zhu XX, Qiu C, Hu J, Shi Y, Wang Y, Schmitt M, Taubenböck H. The urban morphology on our planet - Global perspectives from space. Remote Sens Environ 2022; 269:112794. [PMID: 35115734 PMCID: PMC8783056 DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2021.112794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is the second largest mega-trend right after climate change. Accurate measurements of urban morphological and demographic figures are at the core of many international endeavors to address issues of urbanization, such as the United Nations' call for "Sustainable Cities and Communities". In many countries - particularly developing countries -, however, this database does not yet exist. Here, we demonstrate a novel deep learning and big data analytics approach to fuse freely available global radar and multi-spectral satellite data, acquired by the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites. Via this approach, we created the first-ever global and quality controlled urban local climate zones classification covering all cities across the globe with a population greater than 300,000 and made it available to the community (https://doi.org/10.14459/2021mp1633461). Statistical analysis of the data quantifies a global inequality problem: approximately 40% of the area defined as compact or light/large low-rise accommodates about 60% of the total population, whereas approximately 30% of the area defined as sparsely built accommodates only about 10% of the total population. Beyond, patterns of urban morphology were discovered from the global classification map, confirming a morphologic relationship to the geographical region and related cultural heritage. We expect the open access of our dataset to encourage research on the global change process of urbanization, as a multidisciplinary crowd of researchers will use this baseline for spatial perspective in their work. In addition, it can serve as a unique dataset for stakeholders such as the United Nations to improve their spatial assessments of urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xiang Zhu
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
- Remote Sensing Technology Institute, German Aerospace Center, Münchener Straße 20, Weßling 82234, Germany
| | - Chunping Qiu
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
| | - Jingliang Hu
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
| | - Yilei Shi
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Chair of Remote Sensing Technology, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
- Remote Sensing Technology Institute, German Aerospace Center, Münchener Straße 20, Weßling 82234, Germany
| | - Michael Schmitt
- Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, Munich 80333, Germany
| | - Hannes Taubenböck
- Remote Sensing Data Center, German Aerospace Center, Münchener Straße 20, Weßling 82234, Germany
- Institute for Geography and Geology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Uc-Peraza RG, Gutiérrez-Galindo EA, Delgado-Blas VH, Muñoz-Barbosa A. Total mercury content in the California ribbed sea mussel Mytilus californianus from the west coast of Baja California, México: Levels of contamination and human health risk. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 170:112585. [PMID: 34167029 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We analyzed spatial and temporal variations in total mercury concentration (THg) in Mytilus californianus from the west coast of Baja California, México, and assessed the potential risk for human health. The sites from the northern zone showed the highest levels of THg over the entire three years of study, however, no significant differences among years were found. The highest level of THg (0.110 μg/g d.w.) was recorded in 2010 at Bajamar (SS2), and the lowest (0.011 μg/g d.w.) in 2007 and 2008 at Eréndira (SS4) and Los Ojitos (SS7), respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) values for adults through mussel consumption were lower than the oral reference dose (RfDo) and the acceptable daily intake (ADI) values established by the USEPA and the FAO/WHO, respectively. The target hazard quotient (THQ) values were <1.0, indicating that mercury concentrations in M. californianus are not likely to pose a risk for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell Giovanni Uc-Peraza
- Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Av. Itália s/n, Campus Carreiros, 96203-900 Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3917, Fraccionamiento Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, Baja California, México.
| | - Efraín Abraham Gutiérrez-Galindo
- Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos del Mar No. 11 de la Unidad de Educación Media Superior Tecnológica Agropecuaria y de Ciencias del Mar, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana, 22800 Ensenada, Baja California, México
| | - Víctor Hugo Delgado-Blas
- División de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad de Quintana Roo, 77010 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Albino Muñoz-Barbosa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3917, Fraccionamiento Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, Baja California, México
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Bauer BU, Könenkamp L, Stöter M, Wolf A, Ganter M, Steffen I, Runge M. Increasing awareness for tick-borne encephalitis virus using small ruminants as suitable sentinels: Preliminary observations. One Health 2021; 12:100227. [PMID: 33732862 PMCID: PMC7937955 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is one of the most common zoonotic vector-borne infections in Europe. An appropriate awareness is crucial to react quickly and efficiently to protect humans from this pathogen. From winter 2017 until spring 2018 serum samples were collected from 71 small ruminant flocks (3174 animals) in five German federal states. The sera were examined for TBEV antibodies by ELISA and serum neutralization test. In the TBEV risk areas, there was a coincidence in 14 districts between seropositive small ruminants and the occurrence of human TBE cases in 2017. In eight districts, the TBEV infection could not be detected in small ruminants although human cases were reported. In contrast, in five districts, small ruminants tested TBEV seropositive without notified human TBE cases in 2017. A changing pattern of TBEV circulation in the environment was observed by the absence of antibodies in a defined high-risk area. In the non-TBE risk areas, seropositive small ruminants were found in five districts. In two districts with a low human incidence the infection was missed by the small ruminant sentinels. An intra-herd prevalence of 12.5% was determined in a goat flock in the non-TBE risk area in 2017, two years prior the first autochthone human case was reported. All sheep and goats in this flock were examined for TBEV antibodies for three years. Individual follow-up of twelve small ruminants was possible and revealed mostly a short lifespan of TBEV antibodies of less than one year. The probability to identify TBEV seropositive sheep flocks was enhanced in flocks kept for landscape conservation or which were shepherded (p < 0.05). Our preliminary observations clearly demonstrated the successful utilization of small ruminants as sentinel animals for TBEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin U. Bauer
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Laura Könenkamp
- Institute for Biochemistry and Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Stöter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Annika Wolf
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Ganter
- Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Imke Steffen
- Institute for Biochemistry and Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Runge
- Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Eintrachtweg 17, 30173 Hannover, Germany
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Svendsen DH, Morales-Álvarez P, Ruescas AB, Molina R, Camps-Valls G. Deep Gaussian processes for biogeophysical parameter retrieval and model inversion. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens 2020; 166:68-81. [PMID: 32747851 PMCID: PMC7386942 DOI: 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2020.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Parameter retrieval and model inversion are key problems in remote sensing and Earth observation. Currently, different approximations exist: a direct, yet costly, inversion of radiative transfer models (RTMs); the statistical inversion with in situ data that often results in problems with extrapolation outside the study area; and the most widely adopted hybrid modeling by which statistical models, mostly nonlinear and non-parametric machine learning algorithms, are applied to invert RTM simulations. We will focus on the latter. Among the different existing algorithms, in the last decade kernel based methods, and Gaussian Processes (GPs) in particular, have provided useful and informative solutions to such RTM inversion problems. This is in large part due to the confidence intervals they provide, and their predictive accuracy. However, RTMs are very complex, highly nonlinear, and typically hierarchical models, so that very often a single (shallow) GP model cannot capture complex feature relations for inversion. This motivates the use of deeper hierarchical architectures, while still preserving the desirable properties of GPs. This paper introduces the use of deep Gaussian Processes (DGPs) for bio-geo-physical model inversion. Unlike shallow GP models, DGPs account for complicated (modular, hierarchical) processes, provide an efficient solution that scales well to big datasets, and improve prediction accuracy over their single layer counterpart. In the experimental section, we provide empirical evidence of performance for the estimation of surface temperature and dew point temperature from infrared sounding data, as well as for the prediction of chlorophyll content, inorganic suspended matter, and coloured dissolved matter from multispectral data acquired by the Sentinel-3 OLCI sensor. The presented methodology allows for more expressive forms of GPs in big remote sensing model inversion problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pablo Morales-Álvarez
- Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Belen Ruescas
- Image Processing Lab (IPL), Universitat de València, C/ Cat. José Beltrán, 2., 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Rafael Molina
- Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain
| | - Gustau Camps-Valls
- Image Processing Lab (IPL), Universitat de València, C/ Cat. José Beltrán, 2., 46980 Paterna, Spain
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Moura Reis Manhães B, de Souza Picaluga A, Bisi TL, de Freitas Azevedo A, Torres JPM, Malm O, Lailson-Brito J. Tracking mercury in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean: the use of tuna and tuna-like species as indicators of bioavailability. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:6813-6823. [PMID: 31873906 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07275-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a trace element that is potentially dangerous due its high toxicity and tendency to bioaccumulate in organisms. Currently, high mercury concentrations are seen in the environment especially due climate changes. Studies regarding mercury bioavailability in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean using tuna and tuna-like species are rare. The aim of the present study was to use tuna and tuna-like species (Thunnus atlanticus, Thunnus albacares, Katsuwonus pelamis, Euthynnus alletteratus, Coryphaena hippurus and Sarda sarda) as indicators of the availability of total mercury (THg) in oceanic food webs of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. THg concentrations varied significantly among species for both muscle and liver (Kruskal-Wallis test; H5,130 = 52.7; p < 0.05; H5,130 = 50.1; p < 0.05, respectively). The lowest concentrations were found in C. hippurus (0.008 mg kg-1 wet weight in the muscle and 0.003 mg kg-1 wet weight in the liver), and the highest concentrations were reported in the muscle of T. atlanticus (1.3 mg kg-1 wet weight) and in the liver of S. sarda (2.5 mg kg-1 wet weight). The continued monitoring of tuna and tuna-like species is necessary to assist in their conservation since tuna can be sentinels of mercury pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Moura Reis Manhães
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores "Profa. Izabel Gurgel" (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, sala 4002, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 Sala G0-61, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Alice de Souza Picaluga
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores "Profa. Izabel Gurgel" (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, sala 4002, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Lemos Bisi
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores "Profa. Izabel Gurgel" (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, sala 4002, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alexandre de Freitas Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores "Profa. Izabel Gurgel" (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, sala 4002, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Machado Torres
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 Sala G0-61, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Olaf Malm
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 Sala G0-61, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - José Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores "Profa. Izabel Gurgel" (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, sala 4002, 20550-013, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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von Sohsten AL, Vieira da Silva A, Rubinsky-Elefant G, Freitas Santana IS, Correia JE, Alves da Cruz L, Monteiro Ribeiro Santos E, Vilanova Oliveira PM. Chickens bred extensively as sentinels from soil contamination by Toxocara. Exp Parasitol 2020; 211:107852. [PMID: 32057803 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Environmental contamination by Toxocara spp eggs can be verified by parasitological techniques, which are mostly laborious, have low sensitivity, and may require repeated tests to establish the contamination status of a certain area. Given the significance of this parasite as an agent of infections in humans, that may cause blindness, especially in children, broilers chickens created extensively were evaluated as possible markers of parasite environmental contamination, through the detection of anti-Toxocara serum antibodies. Eighteen 15-day-old Label Rouge broilers were released on a farm with a history of dogs with Toxocara infection. At 0, 15 and 30 days after the release birds blood samples were taken, as well as soil samples. At the end of the experiment the birds were slaughtered, and the gastrointestinal tract was collected for coprological exams. The presence of anti-Toxocara antibodies resulted in increased reactivity indexes with time, and at 15 days five of the birds were positive and at 30 days, seven birds showed seroconversion. Examination of the soil samples by the centrifugation-flotation method in hyper saturated zinc sulfate solution revealed contamination by embryonated or infertile eggs of Toxocara at all times of collection, as well as the presence of Ascaridia eggs at 15 days after release of birds. Examination of bird's stool samples at the end of the experiment demonstrated 100% infection by Ascaridia galli, however there was no correlation between the counts of this parasite and the ELISA reactivity indices for anti-Toxocara antibodies. The results obtained allow us to infer the possibility of using anti-Toxocara spp-specific antibodies determination in birds raised extensively, which could then serve as sentinels of environmental contamination by this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Luciara Alves da Cruz
- Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Avenida Transnordestina Novo Horizonte, Brazil.
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Beyer J, Green NW, Brooks S, Allan IJ, Ruus A, Gomes T, Bråte ILN, Schøyen M. Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis spp.) as sentinel organisms in coastal pollution monitoring: A review. Mar Environ Res 2017; 130:338-365. [PMID: 28802590 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The blue mussel (Mytilus spp.) is widely used as a bioindicator for monitoring of coastal water pollution (mussel watch programs). Herein we provide a review of this study field with emphasis on: the suitability of Mytilus spp. as environmental sentinels; uptake and bioaccumulation patterns of key pollutant classes; the use of Mytilus spp. in mussel watch programs; recent trends in Norwegian mussel monitoring; environmental quality standards and background concentrations of key contaminants; pollutant effect biomarkers; confounding factors; particulate contaminants (microplastics, engineered nanomaterials); climate change; harmonization of monitoring procedures; and the use of deployed mussels (transplant caging) in pollution monitoring. Lastly, the overall state of the art of blue mussel pollution monitoring is discussed and some important issues for future research and development are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonny Beyer
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Norman W Green
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Steven Brooks
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ian J Allan
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders Ruus
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway; University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tânia Gomes
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger Lise N Bråte
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Merete Schøyen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
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Szumiło-Pilarska E, Falkowska L, Grajewska A, Meissner W. Mercury in Feathers and Blood of Gulls from the Southern Baltic Coast, Poland. Water Air Soil Pollut 2017; 228:138. [PMID: 28344366 PMCID: PMC5346437 DOI: 10.1007/s11270-017-3308-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Gulls were assessed as sentinels of contamination in the coastal zone of the Southern Baltic, research material being obtained from dead birds collected on Polish beaches and near fishing ports in 2009-2012. In feathers and blood of four gull species: herring gull (Larus argentatus), common gull (Larus canus), black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), and great black-backed gull (Larus marinus), concentration of total mercury (HgT) was assayed, taking into account the type of feathers, sex, and age. Stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) were used as tracers of trophic position in the food web. In the study, feathers and blood were compared as non-invasive indicators of alimentary exposure introducing mercury into the system. In order to do that, the correlations between mercury concentrations in the blood, feathers, and the birds' internal tissues were examined. The strongest relations were observed in the liver for each species R2Common Gull = 0.94, p = 0.001; R2Black-headed Gull = 0.89, p = 0.001; R2Great Black-backed Gull = 0.53, p = 0.001; R2Herring Gull = 0.78, p = 0.001. While no correlation was found with feathers, only developing feathers of juvenile herring gulls were found to be a good indicator immediate of exposure through food (R2muscle = 0.71, p = 0.001; R2kidneys = 0.73, p = 0.001; R2heart = 0.89, p = 0.001; R2lungs = 0.86, p = 0.001; R2brain = 0.83, p = 0.001). Additionally, based on studies of herring gull primary feathers, decrease of mercury concentration in the diet of birds over the last two decades is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Szumiło-Pilarska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Lucyna Falkowska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Grajewska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Meissner
- Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, ul. Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
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Bost PC, Strynar MJ, Reiner JL, Zweigenbaum JA, Secoura PL, Lindstrom AB, Dye JA. U.S. domestic cats as sentinels for perfluoroalkyl substances: Possible linkages with housing, obesity, and disease. Environ Res 2016; 151:145-153. [PMID: 27479711 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are persistent, globally distributed, anthropogenic compounds. The primary source(s) for human exposure are not well understood although within home exposure is likely important since many consumer products have been treated with different PFAS, and people spend much of their lives indoors. Herein, domestic cats were used as sentinels to investigate potential exposure and health linkages. PFAS in serum samples of 72 pet and feral cats, including 11 healthy and 61 with one or more primary disease diagnoses, were quantitated using high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. All but one sample had detectable PFAS, with PFOS and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) ranging from <LOQ to 121 and <LOQ to 235ng/mL, respectively. PFAS prevalence and geometric means in cats were very similar to contemporary NHANES reports of human sera in the U. S. POPULATION The highest PFAS serum concentrations detected were in indoor cats due to disproportionately elevated PFHxS levels. Ranked by quartile, contingency testing indicated that total PFAS levels were positively associated with living indoors and with higher body weight and body condition scores. Individual PFAS quartile rankings suggested positive associations with respiratory effusion, thyroid, liver, and possibly chronic kidney disease. Domestic cats appear to be useful sentinels for assessing primary PFAS exposure routes, especially indoor sources of relevance to children. Additional case-control studies in pet cats are warranted to better define the potential health associations observed herein. A "One Health" approach assessing humans, pets, and their common environment may improve our understanding of chronic low-level, largely indoor, PFAS exposure and effects in humans and animals alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip C Bost
- Student Contractor to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United States
| | - Mark J Strynar
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Exposure Methods and Measurement Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States
| | - Jessica L Reiner
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
| | | | - Patricia L Secoura
- North Carolina State University, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Raleigh, NC 27606, United States
| | - Andrew B Lindstrom
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Exposure Methods and Measurement Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States
| | - Janice A Dye
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Public Health Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States.
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de Figueiredo FAT, Ramos J, Kawakita ERH, Bilal AS, de Sousa FB, Swaim WD, Issa JPM, Gerlach RF. Lead line in rodents: an old sign of lead intoxication turned into a new method for environmental surveillance. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2016; 23:21475-21484. [PMID: 27510160 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7336-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The "lead line" was described by Henry Burton in 1840. Rodents are used as sentinels to monitor environmental pollution, but their teeth have not been used to determine lead. To determine whether lead deposits can be observed in the teeth of lead-exposed animals, since the gingival deposits known as "lead line" would likely have a correlate in the calcified tissue to which the gums are opposed during life. Male Wistar rats were exposed to lead in the drinking water (30 mg/L) since birth until 60 days-old. Molars and the incisors of each hemimandible were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on regular and backscattered electrons (BSE) mode. Elements were determined using electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Clean cervical margins were observed on control teeth, as opposed to the findings of extensive deposits on lead-exposed animals, even in hemimandibles that had been exhumed after being buried for 90 days. BSE/EDS indicated that those deposits were an exogenous material compatible with lead sulfite. Presence of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, carbon, lead, and oxygen is presented. Lead-exposed animals presented marked root resorption. The lead deposits characterized here for the first time show that the "lead line" seen in gums has a calcified tissue counterpart, that is detectable post-mortem even in animals exposed to a low dose of lead. This is likely a good method to detect undue lead exposure and will likely have wide application for pollution surveillance using sentinels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fellipe Augusto Tocchini de Figueiredo
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil.
| | - Junia Ramos
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil
| | - Erika R Hashimoto Kawakita
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil
| | - Alina S Bilal
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil
| | - Frederico B de Sousa
- Department of Morphology, Science Health Center, Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB), Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil
| | - William D Swaim
- National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joao P Mardegan Issa
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil
| | - Raquel F Gerlach
- Department of Morphology, Physiology, and Basic Pathology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto (FORP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida do Cafe S/N, Monte Alegre, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP 14040-904, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto (FMRP), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida Bandeirantes 3400, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, CEP: 14049-900, Brazil
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Ruiz-Suárez N, Camacho M, Boada LD, Henríquez-Hernández LA, Rial C, Valerón PF, Zumbado M, González MA, Luzardo OP. The assessment of daily dietary intake reveals the existence of a different pattern of bioaccumulation of chlorinated pollutants between domestic dogs and cats. Sci Total Environ 2015; 530-531:45-52. [PMID: 26026408 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Pet dogs and cats have been proposed as sentinel species to assess environmental contamination and human exposure to a variety of pollutants, including POPs. However, some authors have reported that dogs but not cats exhibit intriguingly low levels of some of the most commonly detected POPs, such as DDT and its metabolites. This research was designed to explore these differences between dogs and cats. Thus, we first determined the concentrations of 53 persistent and semi-persistent pollutants (16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 19 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)) in samples of the most consumed brands of commercial feed for dogs and cats, and we calculated the daily dietary intake of these pollutants in both species. Higher levels of pollutants were found in dog food and our results showed that the median values of intake were about twice higher in dogs than in cats for all the three groups of pollutants (ΣPAHs: 274.8 vs. 141.8; ΣOCPs: 233.1 vs. 83; ΣPCBs: 101.8 vs. 43.8 (ng/kg bw/day); respectively). Additionally, we determined the plasma levels of the same pollutants in 42 and 35 pet dogs and cats, respectively. All these animals lived indoors and were fed on the commercial brands of feed analyzed. As expected (considering the intake), the plasma levels of PAHs were higher in dogs than in cats. However, for organochlorines (OCPs and PCBs) the plasma levels were much higher in cats than in dogs (as much as 23 times higher for DDTs), in spite of the higher intake in dogs. This reveals a lower capacity of bioaccumulation of some pollutants in dogs, which is probably related with higher metabolizing capabilities in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto Ruiz-Suárez
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - María Camacho
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Luis D Boada
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Luis A Henríquez-Hernández
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Cristian Rial
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Pilar F Valerón
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Manuel Zumbado
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Maira Almeida González
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Octavio P Luzardo
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
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Grego E, Sossella M, Bisanzio D, Stella MC, Giordana G, Pignata L, Tomassone L. Wild ungulates as sentinel of BTV-8 infection in piedmont areas. Vet Microbiol 2014; 174:93-9. [PMID: 25306211 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bluetongue caused by the genotype 8 virus (BTV-8) appeared for the first time in BTV free areas in northern Italy in 2008. The presence of domestic animals outbreaks, abundant wild ungulates populations, and ongoing regional BTV control plans, made this area interesting to evaluate the role of wild ruminants in BTV-8 epidemiology. We analyzed spleen samples from hunted red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) by quantitative RT-PCR. Samples were collected from 2008 to 2011 in two provinces of Piedmont region. BTV-8 was detected in all ungulate species, confirming their receptivity to the infection. However, the viral load in the positive specimens was low, and decreased from 2008 to 2011. These results, together with the extinction of the epidemic following a regional livestock vaccination campaign, lead to hypothesize that wild ungulates were an epiphenomenon and they had not an important role in the domestic transmission cycle of BTV-8 in this area. In spite of this, wild ruminants appear to be good sentinels of BTV circulation and their monitoring could be useful for surveillance in piedmont areas.
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Abstract
Natural selection favours those individuals with effective anti-predator defences. The presence of sentinels is known to be an effective form of defence amongst stable groups of individuals within cooperative and polygynous breeding systems. However, the presence of sentinels in the more prevalent socially monogamous breeding systems remains overlooked as an important benefit of such partnerships. Here, we describe a study in which we examined the presence and effectiveness of sentinels in a wild population of the socially monogamous zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). We found that when experimentally approached by a human observer during incubation, birds flushed from their nests at significantly greater distances when their reproductive partner was acting as a sentinel than when the partner was absent. The distance at which birds flushed was not influenced by the approach direction of the human observer, the gender of the incubating bird, the presence of conspecifics, the habitat type or the size of the breeding colony. Our results indicate that sentinels are an effective anti-predator defence amongst socially monogamous birds, and may represent a neglected benefit of the formation of stable social partnerships in birds. We suggest that whilst recent work has focused on the sexual conflicts that occur between males and females in socially monogamous pairs, we should not lose sight of the benefits that individuals may gain from their partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Mainwaring
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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