Influence of prior feeding experience and food deprivation on flour selection and utilization by the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)

The influence of prior feeding experience and food deprivation on selection and utilization of wheat flour (WF), melon seed flour (MSF) and mung bean flour (MBF) by Tribolium castaneum reared on WF was investigated in this study. Flour selection, measured by percentage gravitation and acceptance of the flours by beetles (when fed and also when starved for 48 hours), was studied in choice and no-choice tests. On the other hand, T. castaneum’ s utilization of flours for growth and development was determined by monitoring population changes for three months in each flour type infested with 10 beetle pairs. Results of three-flour choice tests showed that gravitation (55.56%) and acceptance (54.44%) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in WF than MSF and MBF. Also, MBF significantly (p < 0.05) had higher beetle gravitation (80.56%) and acceptance (72.78%) than MSF in a two-flour choice test. In no-choice tests, percentage gravitation and acceptance of beetles to the control (no flour situation) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to MBF. Selection of MSF by T. castaneum was, however, not significantly different (p > 0.05) from the control in the study. Flour utilization followed a similar trend with significantly higher (p < 0.05) mean adults and larvae numbers in WF (211.33, 81.33) and MBF (87.67, 31.00), respectively compared to MSF (28.33, 7.67) at three months after infestation. The study concluded that flour selection in T.  castaneum is influenced by prior feeding experience but not by food deprivation status of the beetles. Flour utilization is, however, neither influenced by prior feeding experience nor by food deprivation. Key words: Tribolium castaneum, host range, choice test, no-choice test, flou

Diversity and abundance of diurnal insects associated with dry season Amaranthus hybridus L. in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Amaranthus hybridus L. is an important leafy vegetable in sub Saharan Africa whose production is mainly limited by field insect pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers a sustainable approach for the management of these pests because it ensures effective insect pest control while also promoting the conservation of beneficial insect species in agro-ecosystems. Consequently, this study investigated the diversity and abundance of diurnal insects of dry season A. hybridus at the University of Ilorin to provide information for successful IPM programs in A. hybridus systems. Insect sampling from irrigated A. hybridus beds was done for 8 consecutive weeks from the second week after sowing. At each week, sampling was done in the morning (7:00 – 10:00A.M.), early afternoon (12:00 – 3:00P.M.) and late afternoon (4:00 – 7:00P.M.) with sweep net, aspirator and by handpicking. Seventy-eight insect specimens consisting of 24 species, 16 families, and 5 orders were collected. Herbivores in the family Acrididae, Alydidae, Chrysomelidae, and Pyrgomorphidae made up 78.3% of morning collections. Insect predators like Oecophylla sp. and Dorylus sp. in the family Formicidaewere most abundant in the early afternoon. Parasitoids in family Sphecidae and leaf feeders like Acridabicolor (Acrididae) made up 53.48% and 32.56% respectively of the total late afternoon collections. According to Shannon’s and Simpson’s diversity t- tests, insect taxa in the late afternoon were significantly (P < 0.05) less diverse than in the morning or early afternoon. In contrast, species richness in the morning and early afternoon did not differ significantly at P = 0.05.Keywords: Amaranthus hybridus, IPM, predators, parasitoids, biodiversit

Radiological evaluation of childhood abdominal masses in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: The presentation of a child with an abdominal mass is a source of concern to the Paediatricians, Paediatric Surgeons and the parents, and it poses a diagnostic challenge. Due to the low socio-economic status of the patients in this setting, cost-effective approach in evaluating these patients is necessary.Objective: This was to determine the common causes and the most costeffective radiological examination to diagnose abdominal mass in children.Design: This was a retrospective cross sectional descriptive study.Setting: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin. Nigeria.Subjects: Paediatric patients with abdominal masses seen in the Radiology Department of UITH, Ilorin over a period of 5 years (2011-2015)Analysis: Statistical analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0 (SPSS Inc; Chic; Il.).Result: A total of 172 patients were seen, including 98(57%) males. All patients seen (100%) had abdominal ultrasound followed by plain radiography 161 (93.6%) and 44(25.5%) patients had histological confirmation. The Kidneys 53 (30.8%) was the most affected organ followed by liver 48(27.9%) and spleen 30(17.4%). Burkitt’s lymphoma 15 (34.1%) was the commonest histological diagnosis followed by nephroblastoma 14 (31.8%).Conclusion: Ultrasonography was the most common imaging modality used for evaluation of children with abdominal masses in this setting. The kidney was the most affected organ and Burkitt’s lymphoma was the most prevalent histological diagnosis followed by nephroblastoma in this study

Isolation of Salmonella enterica in opossum (Didelphis aurita and Didelphis albiventris) of the São Paulo State, Brazil

No Brasil, não há relato de estudos de Salmonella em gambás, sendo assim, este trabalho tem por objetivo determinar a frequência de isolamento de Salmonella enterica em gambás (D. aurita e D. albiventris) no Estado de São Paulo. No período de janeiro de 2005 a dezembro de 2006, foram necropsiados 106 D. aurita e 40 D. albiventris e colhidos fragmentos de intestinos delgado, grosso e suabe da cloaca. As amostras foram plaqueadas diretamente em ágar Mac Conkey, paralelamente suspendidas nos caldos Rappaport-Vassiliadis e Tetrationato e posteriormente plaqueados em ágar XLT4. As colônias sugestivas de Salmonella foram confirmadas através de provas bioquímicas e sorotipagem. Encontrou-se Salmonella enterica em 17,0% (18/106) dos D. aurita. Destes, 50% apresentaram positividade no intestino delgado (ID), 88,9% no intestino grosso (IG) e 66,7% na cloaca. Da espécie S. enterica, as subespécies encontradas foram: diarizonae (11,1%) houtenae e enterica (5,5% cada um); enquanto da subespécie S. enterica enterica os sorotipos foram Newport (83,3%), Typhimurium e Cerro (5,5% cada um). Nos D. albiventris, 17,5% (7/40) eram positivos, sendo que se encontraram 42,8% no ID, 85,7% no IG e 71,4% na cloaca. O sorotipo mais prevalente também foi Newport (71,4%), seguido por Typhimurium, Bareilly e Thompson (14,3% cada um). Através dos resultados obtidos neste estudo pode-se comprovar a presença de Salmonella enterica no trato intestinal de gambás no Brasil.In Brazil there is not report of Salmonella in opossum, so then, the objective of this study is to determine the isolation frequency of Salmonella enterica in opossum in São Paulo State, Brazil. From January 2005 to December 2006, 106 D. aurita and 40 D. albiventris were necropsied and samples from small and large intestine and cloacal swab were collected. These samples were submitted to direct plating in Mac Conkey agar and parallel suspension in Rappaport-Vassiliadis and Tetrationate broths with posterior streaking in XLT4 agar. The characterization of the isolates was done through biochemical tests and serotyping. Salmonella enterica was found in 17.0% (18/106) of the D. aurita; 50% presented the bacteria in the small intestine (SI), 88.9% in the large intestine (LI) and 66.7% in the cloaca. Of the S. enterica were found the subspecies: diarizonae (11.1%), enterica and houtenae (5.5% each); and the serotypes of the S. enterica enterica were Newport (83.3%), Typhimurium and Cerro (5.5% each). In the D. albiventris 17.5% (7/40) were positive; 42.8% in the SI, 85.7% in the LI and 71.4% in the cloaca. Newport (71.4%) was also the most frequent serotype and the second were Typhimurium, Bareilly and Thompson (14.3% each). The presence of Salmonella enterica in the intestines of opossums in Brazil was proved

Prévalence de <em>Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., Yersinia enterocolitica</em> et <em>Cryptosporidium spp.</em> dans du lait en vrac, des matières fécales de vaches et des effluents de fermes laitières à Trinidad

La prévalence de Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia et Cryptosporidium dans du lait en vrac, les matières fécales des vaches laitières et des effluents à lait des fermes laitières de l'île de la Trinité, a été evaluée. Des 177 échantillons de lait en vrac testés, 3 (1,7 %), 3 (1,7 %) et 2 (1,2 %) étaient positifs respectivement pour Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. et Yersinia enterocolitica mais négatifs pour Campylobacter spp. et Cryptosporidium spp. Des 333 échantillons fécaux testés, L. monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp. et Cryptosporidium spp. étaient présents dans respectivement 11 (3,3 %), 19 (5,7 %) et 7 (2,1 %) des cas. Ces taux étaient significativement (P < 0,05; chi2) plus élevés, que le taux de détection (0 %) pour Yersinia spp. Salmonella spp. a été detectée dans 3 (0,9 %) échantillons fécaux. Des 168 échantillons prélevés des effluents à lait, Campylobacter spp. était présent dans 7 (4,2 %) échantillons alors que Salmonella spp. l'était dans seulement 1 (0,6 %) échantillon. Aucun échantillon n'était positif pour Yersinia spp. et Listeria spp. (différence significative, P<= 0,05; chi2). En conclusion, les cinq espèces entero-pathogènes testées étaient présentes dans les fermes laitières de l'île de la Trinité

Séro-prévalence des agglutinines à <em>Listeria monocytogenes </em>chez les animaux domestiques au Nigeria

Une enquête, utilisant le test d'agglutination en tube, a été conduite pour déterminer la prévalence de Listeria monocytogenes sérotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, 3a et 4b; 1190 échantillons de sérum de 8 espèces animales, provenant de diverses localités des Etats de Kano et Kaduna, Nigeria, ont été testés. 52 (68,4 p. 100) des sérums de chevaux étaient positifs. Vingt-six (36,1 p. 100) des sérums de porcs, 52 (20,8 p. 100) de ceux des bovins, 50 (20,0 p. 100) de ceux des chèvres, 20 (20,0 p. 100) de ceux des chiens étaient aussi positifs. Les poulets élevés en liberté révélaient une prévalence des anticorps de 18 (32,1 p. 100), alors que ceux élevés en intensif n'en avaient que 3 (6,8 p. 100). Les sérums ovins récoltés à l'abattoir de Zaria avaient une prévalence de 30 (14,7 p. 100) alors que ceux de l'Hôpital vétérinaire de l'Université d'Ahmadu Bello avaient une prévalence de 6 (13,0 p. 100). La prévalence chez les dromadaires était de 4 (4,3 p. 100). Au total, sur les 1190 échantillons de sérums testés, 26 (21,9 p. 100) étaient séro-positifs pour les agglutinines de L. monocytogenes. Chaque espèce animale testée pour L. monocytogenes était positive pour les 5 sérotypes, à l'exception des dromadaires, négatifs pour le sérotype 3a. Il en a été conclu que la listériose à L. monocytogenes est largement répandue chez les animaux domestiques au Nigeria