Fortress Europe and other myths concerning trade

Developing countries sometimes still resist free trade because of the alleged protectionism of industrial countries -- a myth belied by facts, says the author. Import growth in the industrial countries accelerated during the 1980s, while income growth slowed. Outside of agriculture (only about 2 percent of GDP) and with the possible exception of Japan, free trade -- not protectionism -- is the reality. Despite the march toward a frontier-less Europe, the European Community (EC) manufactures imports from nonmembers rose faster than intra-EC trade, and imports from developing countries rose fastest. Similar tendencies prevailed in North America. This pattern of imports contradicts the myth of widespread, effective and growing barriers to manufactures imports. Protectionist rhetoric is up because imports are increasing, not because trade barriers are rising. The rising share of developing countries, despite their often weak bargaining positions, shows that multilateral rules, rather than bargaining, threats and counter-threats, still drive the system. In the 1980s, manufactures imports rose to 40 percent of manufacturing production in the United States and to 25 percent in the EC. But in Japan, manufactures imports in 1990 were less than 12 percent of manufacturing production, and their dollar value was smaller than Italy's. Granted, some protectionism persists everywhere, but it is an irritant rather than a true obstacle to trade. For that reason, further trade liberalization can bring the industrial countries little additional benefit in terms of faster growth, though retreat from free trade holds huge potential losses. Only improved domestic policies -- structural and macroeconomic -- can raise investment, accelerate growth, reduce unemployment and consolidate support for free trade. Developing countries should view the United States and the EC as open markets for their manufactures exports. Even in agriculture, policy reform over the present decade should reduce inefficiencies. Meanwhile, analysts should be careful to disaggregate: industrial countries'agricultural policies that have truly harmed food exporters, like Thailand, should not be blamed for the ills of food importers, like most African countries. Selective trade restraints may have blunted but not countered the dynamism of newly industrialized countries and accelerated their shift toward more sophisticated exports. As their barriers to manufactures imports are generally low, the preferences industrial countries grant to developing countries carry similarly low benefits. They help nascent exporters benefit from good policies, but they do not overcome the handicap of bad policies.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Trade Policy,TF054105-DONOR FUNDED OPERATION ADMINISTRATION FEE INCOME AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT,General Manufacturing

Diagnosis of Hepatozoon canis in young dogs by cytology and PCR

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Hepatozoon canis </it>is a widespread tick-borne protozoan affecting dogs. The diagnosis of <it>H. canis </it>infection is usually performed by cytology of blood or buffy coat smears, but this method may not be sensitive. Our study aimed to evaluate the best method to achieve a parasitological diagnosis of <it>H. canis </it>infection in a population of receptive young dogs, previously negative by cytology and exposed to tick infestation for one summer season.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 73 mongrel dogs and ten beagles younger than 18 months of age, living in an animal shelter in southern Italy where dogs are highly infested by <it>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</it>, were included in this study. In March-April 2009 and in October 2009, blood and bone marrow were sampled from each dog. Blood, buffy coat and bone marrow were examined by cytology only (at the first sampling) and also by PCR for <it>H. canis </it>(second sampling). In March-April 2009, only one dog was positive for <it>H. canis </it>by cytological examination, whereas in October 2009 (after the summer season), the overall incidence of <it>H. canis </it>infection by cytological examinations was 43.9%. Molecular tests carried out on samples taken in October 2009 showed a considerably higher number of dogs positive by PCR (from 27.7% up to 51.2% on skin and buffy coat tissues, respectively), with an overall positivity of 57.8%. All animals, but one, which were positive by cytology were also PCR-positive. PCR on blood or buffy coat detected the highest number of <it>H. canis</it>-positive dogs displaying a sensitivity of 85.7% for both tissues that increased up to 98% when used in parallel. Twenty-six (74.8%) out of the 28 <it>H. canis</it>-positive dogs presented hematological abnormalities, eosinophilia being the commonest alteration observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that PCR on buffy coat and blood is the best diagnostic assay for detecting <it>H. canis </it>infection in dogs, although when PCR is not available, cytology on buffy coat should be preferred to blood smear evaluation. This study has also demonstrated that <it>H. canis </it>infection can spread among young dogs infested by <it>R. sanguineus </it>and be present in the majority of the exposed population within 6 months.</p

Follow-up monitoring in a cat with leishmaniosis and coinfections with Hepatozoon felis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’

Case summary A 6-year-old female neutered domestic shorthair cat from Cyprus was presented with multiple ulcerated skin nodules. Cytology and histopathology of the lesions revealed granulomatous dermatitis with intracytoplasmic organisms, consistent with amastigotes of Leishmania species. Biochemistry identified a mild hyperproteinaemia. Blood extraction and PCR detected Leishmania species, Hepatozoon species and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ (CMhm) DNA. Subsequent sequencing identified Hepatozoon felis. Additionally, the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 locus of Leishmania infantum was partially sequenced and phylogeny showed it to cluster with species derived from dogs in Italy and Uzbekistan, and a human in France. Allopurinol treatment was administered for 6 months. Clinical signs resolved in the second month of treatment with no deterioration 8 months post-treatment cessation. Quantitative PCR and ELISA were used to monitor L infantum blood DNA and antibody levels. The cat had high L infantum DNA levels pretreatment that gradually declined during treatment but increased 8 months post-treatment cessation. Similarly, ELISA revealed high levels of antibodies pretreatment, which gradually declined during treatment and increased slightly 8 months post-treatment cessation. The cat remained PCR positive for CMhm and Hepatozoon species throughout the study. There was no clinical evidence of relapse 24 months post-treatment. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of a cat with leishmaniosis with H felis and CMhm coinfections. The high L infantum DNA levels post-treatment cessation might indicate that although the lesions had resolved, prolonged or an alternative treatment could have been considere

Molekularni dokaz filarija u pasa u Nigeriji, zapadna Afrika

The filarioid worm Dirofilaria repens has long been reported in dogs in Nigeria. Recent studies however, did not only report increased prevalence of D. repens but also the presence of Dirofilaria immitis. The classical diagnostic methods used in these studies have low sensitivity. Therefore, we screened 197 canine blood samples from seven states in Nigeria, using a highly sensitive and specific High Resolution Melt Real Time PCR and sequencing, to determine the prevalence and species of filarial worms infecting Nigerian dogs. Only one (0.5%) of the 197 samples screened was positive and showed a melt curve similar to Acanthocheilonema reconditum. Nevertheless, the sequence of this positive sample had only 94% similarity to its first GenBank match, a A. reconditum (JF461460.1). This could be a new filarioid species or a variant of an existing species and deserves further investigation. The low prevalence reported herein is in discrepancy with previous reports that showed the frequent presence of canine filariasis in Nigeria. A large scale survey is needed of filarioids infecting dogs in Nigeria, using highly sensitive and specific methods, to identify the present species and provide a baseline data on their national prevalence and geographic distribution.O parazitu Dirofilaria repens u pasa u Nigeriji odavno postoje podaci. Novija istraživanja, međutim, ne pokazuju samo povećanu prevalenciju D. repens nego i prisutnost D. immitis. Klasične dijagnostičke metode primijenjene u ovom istraživanju imaju nisku osjetljivost. Stoga smo ispitali 197 uzoraka pseće krvi iz sedam pokrajina u Nigeriji koristeći se visokoosjetljivom i visokospecifičnom metodom High Resolution Melt Real Time PCR i sekvenciranjem kako bismo odredili prevalenciju i vrste filarija koje invadiraju pse u Nigeriji. Samo je jedan (0,5 %) od 197 uzoraka bio pozitivan i pokazao je krivulju sličnu krivulji za parazita Acanthocheilonema reconditum. Sekvencija tog pozitivnog uzorka imala je samo 94 % sličnosti s prvom podudarnom sekvencijom iz banke gena, A. reconditum (JF461460.1). To bi mogla biti nova vrsta filarija ili varijanta postojećih vrsta i zahtijeva daljnja istraživanja. Opisana niska prevalencija u ovome radu odstupa od prijašnjih izvješća koja pokazuju čest nalaz psećih filarija u Nigeriji. Kako bi se dokazale postojeće vrste i pružili referentni podaci o prevalenciji i zemljopisnoj raširenosti filarija u pasa u Nigeriji, potrebno je provesti opsežnija istraživanja

Babesiosis due to the canine Babesia microti-like small piroplasm in dogs - first report from Portugal and possible vertical transmission

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Canine babesiosis (or piroplasmosis) is endemic in northern Portugal, but molecularly confirmed cases of infection with small piroplasms have not been reported in the country. Three German shepherd dogs - a bitch and its 2-month old pup and an unrelated male - clinically suspected of piroplasmosis were assessed for babesial infection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Parasitemia with small piroplasms was detected by microscopy in two dogs. All three dogs were positive by PCR and the <it>Babesia microti</it>-like small piroplasm (syn. <it>Theileria annae</it>) was identified by DNA sequencing. These are the first confirmed cases of babesiosis caused by the <it>B. microti</it>-like piroplasm both in dogs from Portugal and in dogs suspected of clinical piroplasmosis outside of Spain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although the bitch and the male had visited neighboring Galicia (northwestern Spain), where the disease is endemic, incursion of this piroplasm into northern Portugal is evident and infection of the non-traveled pup was due to either vertical transmission or autochthonous tick infection.</p

Molecular Detection of Theileria, Babesia, and Hepatozoon spp. in ixodid ticks from Palestine

Ixodid ticks transmit various infectious agents that cause disease in humans and livestock worldwide. A cross-sectional survey on the presence of protozoan pathogens in ticks was carried out to assess the impact of tick-borne protozoa on domestic animals in Palestine. Ticks were collected from herds with sheep, goats and dogs in different geographic districts and their species were determined using morphological keys. The presence of piroplasms and Hepatozoon spp. was determined by PCR amplification of a 460–540 bp fragment of the 18S rRNA gene followed by RFLP or DNA sequencing. A PCR-RFLP method based on the 18S rRNA was used in order to detect and to identify Hepatozoon, Babesia and Theileria spp. A total of 516 ticks were collected from animals in six Palestinian localities. Five tick species were found: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Haemaphysalis parva and Haemaphysalis adleri. PCR-based analyses of the ticks revealed Theileria ovis (5.4%), Hepatozoon canis (4.3%), Babesia ovis (0.6%), and Babesia vogeli (0.4%). Theileria ovis was significantly associated with ticks from sheep and with R. turanicus ticks (p < 0.01). H. canis was detected only in R. sanguineus s.l. and was significantly associated with ticks from dogs (p < 0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of these pathogens in ticks collected from Palestine. Communicating these findings with health and veterinary professionals will increase their awareness, and contribute to improved diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases.This study was supported financially by grant 2014.52146 funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague, Netherlands and USAID grant MERC TA-MOU-12-M32-038. We thank Mr. Samir Sawalha, Taher Zaid and Ahmad Abdelkader for their kind help during sample collection

Canine tick-borne pathogens in Cyprus and a unique canine case of multiple co-infections

Canine tick-borne pathogens such as Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis are widespread in the Mediterranean basin but have never been reported or investigated in Cyprus. We describe herein the presence of canine tick-borne pathogens in three dogs with clinical signs compatible with vector-borne diseases from Paphos area of Cyprus. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of E. canis, Anaplasma platys, H. canis, Babesia vogeli and Mycoplasma haemocanis in Cyprus. One dog co-infected with E. canis, H. canis, B. vogeli and M. haemocanis is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of this multiple co-infection in dogs. The tick-borne pathogens reported in the current study should be considered in the differential diagnoses in dogs exposed to ticks in Cyprus

Bartonella Species in Fleas from Palestinian Territories: Prevalence and Genetic Diversity

Bartonellosis is an infectious bacterial disease. The prevalence and genetic characteristics of Bartonella spp. in fleas of wild and domestic animals from Palestinian territories are described. Flea samples (n=289) were collected from 121 cats, 135 dogs, 26 hyraxes and seven rats from northern (n=165), central (n=113), and southern Palestinian territories (n=11). The prevalent flea species were: Ctenocephalides felis (n=119/289; 41.2%), Ctenocephalides canis (n=159/289; 55%), and Xenopsylla sp. (n=7/289; 2.4%). Targeting the Intergenic Transcribed Spacer (ITS) locus, DNA of Bartonella was detected in 22% (64/289) of all fleas. Fifty percent of the C. felis and 57% of the Xenopsylla sp. contained Bartonella DNA. DNA sequencing showed the presence of Bartonella clarridgeiae (50%), Bartonella henselae (27%), and Bartonella koehlerae (3%) in C. felis. Xenopsylla sp. collected from Rattus rattus rats were infected with Bartonella tribocorum, Bartonella elizabethae, and Bartonella rochalimae. Phylogenetic sequence analysis using the 16S ribosomal RNA gene obtained four genetic clusters, B. henselae and B. koehlerae as subcluster 1, B. clarridgeiae as cluster 2, while the rat Bartonella species (B. tribocorum and B. elizabethae) were an outgroup cluster. These findings showed the important role of cat and rat fleas as vectors of zoonotic Bartonella species in Palestinian territories. It is hoped that this publication will raise awareness among physicians, veterinarians, and other health workers of the high prevalence of Bartonella spp. in fleas in Palestinian territories and the potential risk of these pathogens to humans and animals in this region.This study was a partial fulfillment of MSc degree in the biochemistry and molecular biology program for A. Risheq at Al-Quds University. The study was funded by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Hague, The Netherlands, project M27- 072NVHU 2009 02 ‘Vector-Borne Pathogens in Israel and the Palestinian Authority’