Eimeria and sarcocystis in raccoons in Illinois

Eimeria nuttalli oocysts were found in 58% (21/36) and E. procyonis oocysts in 25% (9/36) of raccoons Procyon lotor in Illinois, and sporocysts of Sarcocystis sp. in 17% (2/12) of other raccoons in Illinois. The oocysts of E. nuttalli were ellipsoidal to ovoid, 15-21 X 12-17 micrometer, with a one-layered, smooth, colorless wall. The oocysts of E. procyonis were 22-28 X 18-22 micrometer, with a rough, striated, brownish, two-layered wall. The sporulated sporocysts of Sarcocystis sp. were 11-13 X 8-10 micrometer. Attempts to infect baby pigs by feeding them sporocysts of Sarcocystis sp. from the reaction failed.     

Serologic survey for selected infectious disease agents in raccoons from Illinois

The determination of serologic titers to infectious organisms is a valuable tool for quantitating exposure to disease organisms. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) were live-trapped from September 1989 to October 1993 and samples collected from two distinct locations in west-central Illinois (USA); a state recreational facility (Park) and privately owned farming property (Farm). Sera were submitted for testing Leptospira interrogans (serovars bratislava, canicola, grippotyphosa, hardjo, icterohemmorhagiae, and pomona), canine distemper virus (CDV), pseudorabies virus (PV), and Toxoplasma gondii. Two-hundred and twenty-two (48%) of 459 raccoons were seropositive for L. interrogans. Eighty-five (23%) out of 368 raccoons were seropositive for canine distemper virus. Eighty-two (17%) of 479 raccoons raccoons were seropositive for pseudorabies virus. One hundred and eight-four (49%) of 379 raccoons were seropositive for T. gondii. A significant difference (P < 0.05) in seroprevalence for L. interrogans between the park (43%) and farm (52%) areas was found. A correlation between increasing age and seroprevalence was found for L. interrogans, CDV, PV, and T. gondii. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in seroprevalence for T. gondii during the spring trapping seasons (73%), when compared with the fall (33%). This type of information on exposure to infectious agents is important for developing control programs to manage raccoon-human and raccoon-domestic animals interactions.     

Deciduous dental microwear of prehistoric juveniles from the lower Illinois River valley

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study age-related changes in the dental microwear of 36 prehistoric juveniles ranging from 6 to 27 months of age. Juveniles from horticultural (Middle Woodland) and agricultural (Mississippian) groups were studied to allow an investigation of the impact of diet on deciduous microwear. Inclusion of both molars and incisors in the sample permitted identification of age at earliest appearance of wear and comparisons between the age-related microwear characterizing different tooth types. Data on feature frequency and enamel surface characteristics were analyzed. Microwear feature frequencies generally increase with age and/or exposure to wear. Enamel surface characteristics show consistent qualitative changes associated with both age and exposure to wear. Molars and incisors differ for such surface characteristics in a way that make biomechanical sense, given the relative bite forces characterizing these teeth. Dietary reconstruction based on deciduous microwear is complex because of the effects of both age and exposure to wear on feature frequencies and enamel surface characteristics. Nonetheless, the present analyses suggest that 1) diets differed for younger and older juveniles within each cultural group and 2) the Middle Woodland juvenile diet was both harder and more varied in physical consistency than the Mississippian juvenile diet.     

Rabies in vaccinated raccoons from Ontario, Canada

From 1999 to 2006, 132 cases of raccoon rabies, caused by the raccoon variant of rabies virus, were confirmed in eastern Ontario, Canada. Trap-vaccinate-release (TVR) and point infection control (PIC) programs were implemented to control the disease; 43,014 raccoons (Procyon lotor) were vaccinated against rabies by injection (Imrab3) during that period. Two vaccinated raccoons were diagnosed with rabies at 6 mo and at 2 wk postvaccination. One may have been due to a vaccination failure. The other was likely due to the animal being in the late stages of incubation for rabies at the time of vaccination. This information will be useful to wildlife rehabilitators and agencies that hold raccoons in captivity in that a vaccinated raccoon is not necessarily immune to rabies.     

Gnathostoma procyonis from south Georgia and north Florida raccoons

From 2004 to 2006, 511 raccoons collected by the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services as part of a study to evaluate the effects of mesomammalian predator removal on bobwhite-quail reproduction, were examined for the presence of Gnathostoma procyonis, a nematode that parasitizes the stomach of its definitive host, the raccoon. One hundred forty-one raccoons (27.6%) contained G. procyonis, with males being equally infected (27.5%) as females (27.8%). Mean intensity did not differ significantly between sexes (males-mean = 2.88, range 1-17; females-mean = 2.78, range 1-10) or between collection sites. A significant seasonal prevalence of G. procyonis was noted with a peak in March (43.3%, n = 120) and a minimum in September (5.4%, n = 37). Both collection sites exhibited significant seasonal decreases in G. procyonis, but were not significantly different from each other. There was no cumulative seasonal pattern in mean intensity of G. procyonis, and no seasonal pattern at either collection site. Host weight was not related to either G. procyonis prevalence or mean intensity. Host removal did not have an apparent effect on prevalence or mean intensity of G. procyonis.     

Viral and bacterial contamination in recreational waters: a case study in the Lisbon bay area

Aims: To assess the presence of viral pathogens in bathing water samples and to evaluate the interdependency of bacterial indicator counts and viral detection. Methods and Results: Bathing water samples of 16 beaches collected along a Portuguese Coastal area were screened for the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus genogroup I (NVGI) using RT‐PCR technique. Bacteriological water quality was also assessed, according to European regulations. HAV and NVGI were detected in 95% and 27% of the water samples, respectively, whereas bacteriological quality was good in all but one sample, according to current water quality regulations. Conclusions: All water samples would be considered of excellent quality according to the most recent European regulations. No relationship between viral detection and regulatory‐based bacterial indicators was found. Significance and Impact of the Study: The current results reinforce the importance of increased surveillance for pathogenic viruses in bathing waters.     

Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in raccoons from South Carolina and Georgia

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of American trypanosomiasis or Chagas' disease, is of both medical and veterinary importance as is evidenced by chronic phase myocarditis in humans and dogs. Further, T. cruzi has been reported from over 20 species of wildlife reservoir hosts in the USA, with raccoons (Procyon lotor) and opossums (Didelphis virginiana) being the most common. Whereas previous studies on T. cruzi in raccoons have included only culture and direct examination of blood, the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used in the current study to detect anti-T. cruzi antibodies in the serum of raccoons. Of 221 raccoons trapped at 13 sites representing the five physiographic regions of South Carolina plus five sites in the Piedmont region of Georgia (from April 1997 to February 2000), 104 (47%) were seropositive. A higher seroprevalence in raccoons was observed in the coastal regions, with seroprevalence in the Lower Coastal Plain South (61%) being significantly higher than that in the Foothills (37%), Piedmont (42%), and Upper Coastal Plain (40%) regions. However, at a seroprevalence of 52%, the Lower Coastal Plain North was not significantly different from any other region. Although more female raccoons were infected than males, no statistical difference in prevalence was observed between sexes. The high seroprevalence of T. cruzi in raccoons, together with a few reports of wildlife isolates being infective for other wildlife species and domestic/laboratory animals, suggests that risk of T. cruzi infection may be higher than previously suspected.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of Northern Virginia

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii, and clinical toxoplasmosis in raccoons has been reported. A 2-yr serological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in raccoons collected from Fairfax County, Virginia, a suburban/urban area outside Washington, D.C. Serum samples from 256 raccoons were examined for T. gondii antibodies at a 1:50 dilution using the modified direct agglutination test. Results indicated that 216 (84.4%) of the raccoons had been exposed to T. gondii. Our results indicate that raccoons in this area of Virginia are frequently exposed to T. gondii. Domestic cats were common in the study area and may have served as a source of oocysts for raccoons and the food items of raccoons.     

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of Virginia

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is the most important protozoan disease of horses in North America and is usually caused by Sarcocystis neurona. Natural and experimentally induced cases of encephalitis caused by S. neurona have been reported in raccoons (Procyon lotor) and raccoons are an intermediate host for this parasite. A 3-yr-long serological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to S. neurona in raccoons collected from Fairfax County, Virginia, a suburban-urban area outside Washington, D.C. Samples from 469 raccoons were examined, and agglutinating antibodies (> or = 1:50 dilution) were found in 433 (92.3%) of the raccoons. This study indicates that exposure to S. neurona is high in this metropolitan area.     

Prevalence of antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from an urban area of northern Virginia

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are reservoir hosts for Trypanosoma cruzi. A 3-yr-long serological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies to this zoonotic parasite in raccoons collected from Fairfax County, Virginia, a suburban/urban area outside Washington, D.C. Serum samples from 464 raccoons were examined for T. cruzi antibodies at a 1:40 dilution with an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and Brazil strain T. cruzi amastigotes and trypomastigotes as antigen. A positive IFAT test was found in 154 (33%) of the 464 samples. The yearly prevalence was 49 of 132 (37%) in 2000; 19 of 120 (16%) in 2001; and 86 of 212 (41%) in 2002. Our study indicates that raccoons in this area of Virginia are frequently exposed to T. cruzi.     

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Campylobacter spp. in environmental water samples from a 100-square-kilometer predominantly dairy farming area

Water samples were taken systematically from a 100-km2 area of mainly dairy farmland in northwestern England and examined for Campylobacter spp. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PFGE-RFLP) and flaA strain typing of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates were done. Data on the water source and the adjacent environment were recorded and examined as explanatory variables. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 40.5% (n = 119) of the water samples tested. C. jejuni was isolated from 14.3%, C. coli was isolated from 18.5%, and Campylobacter lari was isolated from 4.2% of the samples. Campylobacter hyointestinalis was not isolated from any water source. The difference in prevalence between water types (trough, running, and standing) was significant (P = 0.001). C. jejuni was the species most commonly isolated from trough-water and running-water sources, while C. coli was the most frequently isolated from standing water (P < 0.001). No association was found between the presence of Escherichia coli and that of Campylobacter spp. The final multivariable logistic regression model for Campylobacter spp. included the following variables: water source, soil type, aspect, and amount of cattle fecal material in the environment (fecal pat count). Strain typing demonstrated a diverse population of C. jejuni and the presence of a common C. coli flaA type that was widely distributed throughout the area. Most of the isolates within the common flaA type were discriminated by PFGE-RFLP. These findings suggest a possible role for environmental water in the epidemiology of Campylobacter spp. in a farming environment.     

Diet of brown-nosed coatis and crab-eating raccoons from a mosaic landscape with exotic plantations in southern Brazil

We described the diets of two procyonids, the brown-nosed coati Nasua nasua and the crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus, through analysis of stomach contents of road-killed specimens in southern Brazil. We compared them with previously published dietary information for another syntopic mesopredator, the crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous. The landscape of the study area includes native grasslands, forests, exotic tree plantations, and other crops. Food items were represented by frequency of occurrence (FO) and relative volume (RV). Stomach contents of 23 coatis were analyzed. Animal and plant items were equally frequent, although the volume of plants was greater. Exotic plant species were consumed more than native plants. Among prey items, invertebrates were more important than vertebrates, mainly because of the frequency of coleopterans and annelids and the volume of necrophagous dipteran larvae. Five specimens of raccoons were analyzed, in which animal items had the highest FO and plant items had the highest RV. Both invertebrate and vertebrate prey had the same FO, although vertebrates had a higher RV. Our data suggest that these procyonids are opportunistic hypocarnivores, utilizing anthropic sources, with diet overlap. The coatis also overlapped their diet substantially with the foxes. The stomach-contents analysis revealed the importance of fruit pulp biomass, soft-bodied animals such as larvae, and also soil, which might indicate feeding habits such as scavenging and geophagy.     

Stress amplifications in dental non-carious cervical lesions

This study aims to investigate the influence of the presence, shape and depth of NCCLs on the mechanical response of a maxillary second premolar subjected to functional and non-functional occlusal loadings using 3-D finite element (FE) analysis. A three-dimensional model of a maxillary second premolar and its supporting bone was constructed based on the contours of their cross-sections. From the sound model, cervical defects having either V- or U-shapes, as found clinically, were subtracted in three different depths. The models were loaded with 105 N to simulate normal chewing forces according to a functional occlusal loading (F1) vertically applied and two non-functional loadings (F2 and F3) obliquely oriented. Two alveolar bone crest heights were tested. Ansys™ FE software was used to compute stress distributions and maximum principal stress for each of the models. The presence of a lesion had no effect on the overall stress distribution of the system, but affected local stress concentrations. Non-functional loadings exhibited tensile stresses concentrating at the cervical areas and root surfaces, while the functional loading resulted in homogeneous stress distributions within the tooth. V-shaped lesions showed higher stress levels concentrated at the zenith of the lesion, whereas in U-shaped defect stresses concentrated over a wider area. As the lesions advanced in depth, the stress was amplified at their deepest part. A trend of stress amplification was observed with decreasing bone height. These results suggest a non-linear lesion progression with time, with the progression rate increasing with patient's age (deeper lesions and lower bone support).     

Lacoea,a lower Pennsylvanian noeggerathialian cone from Illinois

Lacoea seriata is described from 2- and 3-dimensional compression fossils from the Lower Pennsylvanian (Westphalian A?-B?) strata of west-central Illinois. Stratigraphic data are given for the fossiliferous shale and siltstone which occur within basal Pennsylvanian fill in a depression within Mississippian Limestone. The six specimens studied include isolated fringed semicircular disks and a cone segment showing the arrangement of the sporophylls on the axis. Comparisons are made with Discinites, Noeggerathiostrobus, Saarodiscites, Heninia and Tongshania. Lacoea exhibits morphological characteristics of the noeggerathiales.     

Oral lichenoid lesions and allergy to dental materials

BACKGROUND: Dental materials, oral hygiene products and food additives may cause contact allergic reactions in the mouth with varied clinical presentation. Oral lichenoid lesions (lichen planus-like lesions) can be induced by hypersensitivity to dental restorative metals, acrylates, flavorings and other substances. AIM: The aim of this study was to demonstrate contact allergy to dental materials in patients with oral lichenoid lesions using patch tests. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Routine patch tests with two sets of allergens - "European Standard" and "Dental Screening" (Chemotechnique Diagnostics, Sweden) supplemented with pulverized amalgam, iridium, indium, menthol, sorbic acid and platinum were done on a set of 25 patients with lichenoid lesions located on the buccal mucosa, tongue and lips. Application and interpretation of the tests were conducted according to ICDRG (International Contact Dermatitis Research Group). RESULTS: 15 (60 %) patients showed sensitization to 1 or more allergens, with a total of 31 positive reactions. The greatest frequency of positive reactions was to dental metals, with a total of 27 positive reactions. The order of tested metals according to frequency of positive reactions was mercury (6/25/24 %), amalgam (6/25/24 %), nickel (4/25/16 %), palladium (4/25/16 %), cobalt (3/25/12 %), gold (2/25/8 %), chrome (1/25/4 %), indium (1/25/4 %). The clinical relevance of the results with regard to the material's presence in the mouth was demonstrated in 11 (44 %) patients. In 9 patients, replacement of the positively tested materials led to healing or to significant regression of mucosal changes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the patch tests showed the possible contribution of contact sensitization in the pathogenesis of lichenoid manifestations in the oral cavity. Due to the premalignant character of these lesions, replacement of positively tested materials and follow up of these patients is advised.     

Combining citizen science and recreational hunters to monitor exotic ungulates and native wildlife in a protected area of northeastern Argentina

Monitoring wildlife population trends is essential for resource management and invasive species control, but monitoring data are hard to acquire. Citizen science projects may monitor species occurrence patterns in time and space in a cost-effective way. A systematic management program of exotic wild boar (Sus scrofa) and axis deer (Axis axis) in a protected area of northeastern Argentina (El Palmar National Park) provided a framework for implementing a wildlife monitoring system based on park-affiliated hunters. We assessed the level of agreement between three indices of relative abundance: hunter sightings and camera trapping for wild boar, axis deer, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), brown brocket deer (Mazama guazoubira), and crab-eating and pampas foxes combined (Cerdocyon thous and (Lycalopex gymnocercus), and catch per unit effort (CPUE) for both exotic ungulates only. Most (74%) hunting parties participated in the monitoring program and contributed to its sustainability. Bland-Altman plots displayed large levels of agreement between methods across species, with larger systematic differences between sighting and camera-trapping indices for native species. Restricting camera-trapping to the same time window as hunter sightings substantially increased the agreement between methods across species. Sighting and CPUE indices revealed similar temporal trends and large variations in spatial patterns between species. Comparison of the number of sighted and killed exotic ungulates indicated that, on average, 17% of wild boar and 75% of axis deer escaped hunters. The three indices were appropriate metrics for management purposes and corroborated the sustained, high-level abundance of axis deer and low numbers of wild boar in recent years.

     

Prevalence of putative periodontopathogens in subgingival dental plaques from gingivitis lesions in Korean orthodontic patients

The objective of this study was to detect and compare the presence of periodontopathogens in the subgingival plaques of gingivitis lesions in adults who wore fixed orthodontic appliances, as opposed to adults who did not wear any orthodontic appliances. Thirty-six individuals participated in this study. Nineteen of these subjects did not wear any orthodontic appliances, and these subjects comprised the control group. The other 17 individuals had been wearing fixed orthodontic appliances for at least 3 months each. After a periodontal examination, we collected subgingival plaque samples from the gingivitis lesions of each patient. Using PCR based on 16S rDNA, we detected the presence of 6 putative periodontopathogenic species, Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia (formerly Bacteroides forsythus), Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella intermedia, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. With regard to the presence of individual periodontopathogens, we found that T. forsythia, T. denticola, and P. nigrescens were significantly more common in the samples obtained from the orthodontic patients than in the samples obtained from the non-orthodontic patient controls. Our results indicate that the local changes associated with the wearing of fixed orthodontic appliances may affect the prevalence of periodontopathogens in subgingival dental plaques.     

Carnivore alteration of human bone from a late prehistoric site in Illinois

The nature and pattern of destruction of human bone by scavenging animals, probably canids, is described for 30 Oneota skeletons from a west-central Illinois cemetery dated at ca. A.D. 1300. The most frequently damaged parts of the skeleton include bones covered by relatively little soft tissue, such as the major joints of the limbs, and those in the facial, abdominal, and gluteal regions.