Evaluation of light-emitting diodes as attractant for sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in northeastern Brazil

Hoover Pugedo light traps were modified for use with green and blue-light-emitting diodes to trap phlebotomine sandflies in northeastern Brazil. A total of 2,267 specimens belonging to eight genera and 15 species were sampled. The predominant species were Nyssomyia whitmani(34.41%) and Micropygomyia echinatopharynx(17.25%).The green LED trap prevailed over the blue and control lights; however, no statistically significant difference could be detected among the three light sources. Even without statistical significance, we suggest using LEDs as an attractant for the capture of sandflies because of several advantages over the conventional method with incandescent lamps.     

Ten years of invasion: Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Britain

1. Harmonia axyridis was first recorded in Britain in 2004. Two subsequent earlier records were received from 2003. 2. The UK Ladybird Survey, a citizen science initiative involving online recording, was launched in 2005 to encourage people across Britain to track the spread of H. axyridis. Tens of thousands of people have provided records of H. axyridis and other species of ladybirds, creating an invaluable dataset for large‐scale and long‐term research. Declines in the distribution of seven (of eight assessed) native species of ladybird have been demonstrated, and correlated with the arrival of H. axyridis, using the records collated through the UK Ladybird Survey. 3. Experimental research and field surveys have also contributed to our understanding of the ecology of H. axyridis and particularly the process of invasion. Harmonia axyridis arrived in Britain through dispersal and introduction events from regions in which it was deliberately released as a biological control agent. The rapid spread of this species has been attributed to its high natural dispersal capability by means of both flight and anthropogenic transport. A number of factors have contributed to the successful establishment and indeed dominance of this polymorphic species within aphidophagous guilds, including high reproductive capacity, intra‐guild predation, eurytopic nature, high resistance to natural enemies within the invaded range, and potentially phenotypic plasticity. 4. The global invasion by H. axyridis and subsequent research on this species has contributed to the general understanding of biological invasions.     

Early detection surveillance for an emerging plant pathogen: a rule of thumb to predict prevalence at first discovery

Emerging plant pathogens are a significant problem for conservation and food security. Surveillance is often instigated in an attempt to detect an invading epidemic before it gets out of control. Yet in practice many epidemics are not discovered until already at a high prevalence, partly due to a lack of quantitative understanding of how surveillance effort and the dynamics of an invading epidemic relate. We test a simple rule of thumb to determine, for a surveillance programme taking a fixed number of samples at regular intervals, the distribution of the prevalence an epidemic will have reached on first discovery (discovery-prevalence) and its expectation E(q*). We show that E(q*) = r/(N/Δ), i.e. simply the rate of epidemic growth divided by the rate of sampling; where r is the epidemic growth rate, N is the sample size and Δ is the time between sampling rounds. We demonstrate the robustness of this rule of thumb using spatio-temporal epidemic models as well as data from real epidemics. Our work supports the view that, for the purposes of early detection surveillance, simple models can provide useful insights in apparently complex systems. The insight can inform decisions on surveillance resource allocation in plant health and has potential applicability to invasive species generally.     

Blood and cloacal swab sampling for avian influenza monitoring has no effect on survival rates of free‐ranging ducks

Concerns about the spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have led to cloacal swab sampling of hundreds of thousands of birds worldwide as part of AIV surveillance schemes, but the effects of cloacal swabbing have not been adequately evaluated. We tested for differences between swabbed, swabbed and bled, and non‐sampled wild ducks in terms of live re‐encounter and dead recoveries for Common Pochard Aythya ferina and Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and also determined re‐encounter and recovery rates for Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Common Teal Anas crecca. No effects of sampling methods were detected, except in Teal. Re‐encounter rates were lower in sampled Teal than in controls, with annual re‐encounter probabilities being 25% and 35% lower in males and females, respectively. Teal possibly left or avoided sampling sites, or sought sites where they were less detectable after sampling. In general, no deleterious effects were found, suggesting that cloacal swabbing and blood sampling are suitable methods for conducting AIV surveillance in ducks.     

Oviposition substrate in Asian tiger mosquito surveillance: Do the sizes matter?

Ovitraps are regarded as a reliable system to monitor Aedes albopictus dynamics. However, the dimensions of the oviposition substrate are not standardized, and no studies have investigated which should be the most effective sizes. In this study, the effect of paddle sizes in tiger mosquito egg collection was evaluated. Egg count and density on the wide surfaces and margins of different‐sized oviposition substrates have been evaluated in two studies (A and B). In study A, a total of 29,995 Ae. albopictus eggs was counted in 250 classic oviposition substrates. Eggs were found on both wide surfaces (53.1%) and margins (46.9%). Egg density was significantly larger in margins compared to wide surfaces. Overall in study B, 983 Ae. albopictus eggs were collected. According to paddle sizes, 51.8% of eggs were on large and 48.2% on small paddles. Mean egg density of wide surfaces was significantly larger in small paddles (0.25 eggs/cm²) compared to large paddles (0.06 eggs/cm²). Results indicate that wider oviposition substrates do not mean larger number of Ae. albopictus eggs. Indeed, on paddles four times thinner than others, the number of eggs counted was not statistically different. These findings suggest that small paddles may be routinely employed in ovitraps, thus allowing savings of materials and money.     

急性生理功能和慢性健康状况评分在医院感染目标性监测中的意义

急性生理功能和慢性健康状况评分不仅对评估ICU患者的预后有着重要作用,而且在医院感染目标性监测中起到不可或缺的作用。综述了这方面的最新研究进展,旨在推荐在医院感染目标性监测中用急性生理功能和慢性健康状况评分评估患者病情严重程度,用其调整ICU目标性监测的医院感染发生率,为各家医院比较医院感染发生率提供客观、统一的评价标准。     

实验鼠群的健康监测管理

虽然实验鼠种群的总体健康水平得到了显著的提高,但还是有很多重要的传染性病原体在实验鼠群中流行.实验鼠群的健康状况对于动物福利、科学研究甚或人类健康都很重要.所以必须要对实验鼠群进行健康监测.笔者依据自身的实践和经验,对鼠群健康监测的基本原理进行了分析,包括以下的内容：鼠群健康监测的必要性、健康检测规程的建立、哨兵鼠、常用的监测力法、样本采集原则、对检测结果的解读和应对.相信读者在了解这些基本的原理后,能设定出符合自身设施实际的鼠群健康监测计划并逐步在实践中完善.     

Epidemiological evaluations of the efficacy of slow-released praziquantel-medicated bars for dogs in the prevention and control of cystic echinococcosis in man and animals

To assess the epidemiological efficacy of type SRP III slow-released praziquantel-medicated bars for dogs in the prevention and control of cystic echinococcosis in man and livestock, praziquantel-medicated bars were implanted subcutaneously in over 90% of dogs in villages in north Xinjiang, China, where cystic echinococcosis is highly endemic. After implantation, infection rate of Echinococcus granulosus in dogs, specific antibodies in children and prevalence of echinococcosis in one-year-old lambs were observed for 3 years. Coproantigen of E. granulosus was positive in 41.2% of the dogs at the start of experiment. In the second and third year after medicated-bar implantation, coproantigen was undetectable in any dogs examined, while 3.0% of dogs were positive at the end of the fourth year. The antibody positive rate in 7-year-old pupils, that was 41.2% before the experiment, declined gradually and it was 5.4% in the fourth year, while children in the non-intervention control area showed 30.6% seropositivity. The prevalence of hydatid disease in children aged 7–16 years also declined significantly. The prevalence of hydatidosis in lambs one year of age was 44.8% in the first year, dropping to 10.7% in the fourth year, while in the non-intervention control area the level of infection was 46.4%. These results demonstrated not only that the slow released praziquantel-medicated bars efficiently blocked reinfection in dogs at least for 2 years, but also the measure was effective in preventing transmission of cystic echinococcosis to both man and livestock.     

Animals as Sentinels of Human Environmental Health Hazards: An Evidence-Based Analysis

Despite recognition that animals could be serving as sentinels for environmental risks to human health, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the use of animal sentinel data in human health decision making. We performed a systematic review of the animal sentinel literature to assess the evidence linking such events to human health. A search of MEDLINE identified peer-reviewed original studies of animals as sentinels for either chemical or biological environmental hazards. A limited search of the CAB and AGRICOLA databases was also performed. We classified a random sample of 100 studies from the MEDLINE search according to species, hazard, and health outcome examined; study methods; and linkages to human health. Animal sentinel studies were difficult to locate in MEDLINE because of a lack of adequate key words for this concept. We found significant limitations in the study methods used to investigate animal sentinel events. Clear linkages to human health were frequently absent. Studies of sentinel events in animal populations hold potential for the recognition and control of human environmental health hazards, yet a number of barriers exist to using such data for evidence-based human health decisions. There is a need for greater data sharing and cooperative research between human and animal health professionals regarding environmental hazards and health outcomes in animal and human populations.