TRADITIONAL RABBITRIES ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE IN GREECE : GENERAL OUTLOOK

[EN] Greek people consume a limited amount of rabbit meat, with the exception of the island of Crete. In Crete rabbit meat is a traditional dish. A large number of farmer or shepherding families grow rabbits. This study focuses on the traditional rabbitries that serve mainly as a source of meat for the needs of the family, thus become good examples of farming priorities of low-income families. The study focused on rabbitries located at the villages of Krousonas, Sarchos, Korfes and Loutraki in the county of lraklion, Crete. A total of 70 traditional rabbitries were observed for the duration of four months (July to October 2000). The facilities of the rabbitries were of low cost materials, mostly homemade, with the exception of 15 rabbitries, which used commercial cages. The diet of the rabbits was mainly from garden plants supplemented with grains or other kinds of feed materials, such as leftover dry bread. Sorne characteristics of the production-system were: Maximum total rabbits number/farm 22.2±13.0 (n=70); Reproductive does number/farm 3.3±1.3 (n=70); Parturition number/year/doe 7.7±0.8 (n=230); Litter size in birth 8.0± 2.6 (n=105); Litter size in weaning 7.2±2.4 (n=97); Litter size in slaughter 6.5±2.4 (n=95); Slaughter age of fattening (months) 2.8± 0.9 (n=84); Body weight at slaughter 1.7±0.4 (n=84); In respect to health problems, there were not any serious pathological conditions observed other than sorne cases with ear mange lesions (18.7% in reproductive does, 28.6% in reproductive bucks, 15.2% in fryer rabbits) and a small percentage (8%) of slaughtered rabbits were observed with liver abnormalities believed to be due to coccidial infection. At the end of the paper, the different medications in use in the observed farms are refereed. The recommendation and the application mode of the used medications were entirely empiric, thus without a prescription from a veterinarian. In 39 farms no medication was used.[FR] La population grecque consomme peu de viande de lapin sauf sur l'ile de Crete. En Crete, de nombreuses familles de fermier et de bergers élevent des lapins dont la viande est utilisée pour la réalisation d'un plat traditionnel. Ce travail analyse les performances techniques de petits élevages familiaux pratiquant une production vivriere. 11 présente ainsi des exemples intéressants concernant les choix de production réalisés par des familles a bas revenu. Les fermes enquetées étaient localisées dans les villages de Krousonas, Sarchos, Korfes et Loutraki dans le comté d'lraklion en Crete. Au total 70 ateliers cunicoles traditionnels ont été observés durant quatre mois (entre juillet et octobre 2000). L'équipement des clapiers était constitué de matériel peu coOteux, généralement fait maison, a l'exception de 15 élevages équipés de cages commerciales. L'alimentation des lapins provenait principalement de plantes du jardin supplémentées avec des graines ou d'autres produits comme du pain rassis. Les principales caractéristiques techniques du systeme de production étaient les suivantes: Nombre maximum d'animaux/élevage: 22.2±13.0 (n=70); Nombre de femelles reproductrices/élevage: 3.3±1.3 (n=70); Nombre de mises bas/femelle/an: 7.7±0.8 (n=230); Taille des portées a la naissance: 8.0±2.6 (n=105); Taille des portées au sevrage: 7.2±2.4 (n=97); Taille des portées a l'abattage: 6.5±2.4 (n=95); Age a l'abattage (en mois): 2.8±0.9 (n=84); Poids vif a l'abattage: 1.7±0.4 (n=84). Concernant les aspects sanitaires, aucune pathologie grave n'a été observée a l'exception de quelques cas de gale des oreilles (18.7% chez les femelles reproductrices, 28.6% chez les males reproducteurs et 15.2% chez les lapins a l'engraissement). A l'abattage, un faible pourcentage d'animaux (8%) présentaient des anomalies au niveau du foie, probablement dues a une infection coccidienne. Les différents traitements médicamenteux utilisés dans les élevages enquetés sont référencés a la fin de cet article. Généralement, les recommandations et le mode d'utilisation des médicaments étaient totalement empiriques et done réalisés sans prescription vétérinaire. 39 élevages n'utilisaient aucun traitement médicamenteux.Christodoulopoulos, G.; Burriel, A.; Labrinidi, S.; Kritas, S. (2001). TRADITIONAL RABBITRIES ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE IN GREECE : GENERAL OUTLOOK. World Rabbit Science. doi:10.4995/wrs.2001.456SWORD9

Detecting the diversity of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma endosymbionts hosted by Trichomonas vaginalis isolates

Objectives: The symbiosis of Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma hominis is the first described association between two obligate human parasites. Trichomonas is the niche and the vector for the transmission of M. hominis infection. This clinically significant symbiosis may affect T. vaginalis virulence and susceptibility to treatment. The aims of this study were to investigate the intracellularly present Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species in T. vaginalis strains isolated from the vaginal discharge of infected women as well as to trace the diversity pattern among the species detected in the isolated strains. Methods: Hundred pure T. vaginalis cultures were isolated from ~7,500 patient specimens presented with clinical purulent vaginitis. PCR and sequencing for Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma spp. were performed in DNA extracted from the pure cultures. In addition, vaginal discharge samples were cultured for the presence of M. hominis and U. urealyticum. Phylogenetic analysis assisted the identification of interspecies relationships between the Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma isolates. Results: Fifty four percentage of T. vaginalis isolates were harboring Mycoplasma spp. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three distinct clusters, two with already characterized M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp. (37% of total Mycoplasma spp.), whereas one group formed a distinct cluster matched with the newly identified species Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii (59.3%) and one or more unknown Mycoplasma spp. (3.7%). Conclusions: T. vaginalis strains associated with vaginal infection might host intracellular mycoplasmas or ureaplasmas. Intracellular Mollicutes that remain undetected in the extracellular environment when conventional diagnostic methods are implemented may comprise either novel species, such as Candidatus M. giredii, or unknown species with yet unexplored clinical significance. © 2017 Ioannidis, Papaioannou, Magiorkinis, Magana, Ioannidou, Tzanetou, Burriel, Tsironi and Chatzipanagiotou

Serological and molecular investigation of selected parasitic pathogens in European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Greece: inferring the ecological niche of Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania infantum in hares

The occurrence of infection or exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Leishmania infantum was investigated in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, EBH) hunter-harvested over two consecutive hunting seasons in northern and central Greece. Geographical information system was used along with the ecological niche model to define the geographical distribution of seropositive hares relative to environmental parameters and to identify high-risk areas for hare exposure. Molecular analysis showed that 3.8% and 9.6% of the examined hares were infected with N. caninum and L. infantum, respectively, while, 5.7%, 0.95%, and 12.4% of the hares tested positive for the presence of antibodies against T. gondii, N. caninum, and L. infantum respectively. None of the examined hares was polymerase chain reaction–positive for T. gondii. Mixed exposure against both T. gondii and L. infantum was found in 2.9% of the hares examined. Rainfall indices and land uses significantly influenced the exposure of hares to T. gondii and L. infantum. This is the first molecular and serological survey of protozoan pathogens in EBH in Greece. Furthermore, we report the environmental parameters related to hare seropositivity and present a risk map for hare exposure to T. gondii and L. infantum in northern and central Greece. The ecological niches of T. gondii and L. infantum in the hares presented herein could be applied to other regions with similar environmental and climatic conditions. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

First evidence of Leishmania infection in European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Greece: GIS analysis and phylogenetic position within the Leishmania spp

Although the existence of a sylvatic transmission cycle of Leishmania spp., independent from the domestic cycle, has been proposed, data are scarce on Leishmania infection in wild mammals in Greece. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of Leishmania infection in the European brown hare in Greece, to infer the phylogenetic position of the Leishmania parasites detected in hares in Greece, and to identify any possible correlation between Leishmania infection in hares with environmental parameters, using the geographical information system (GIS). Spleen samples from 166 hares were tested by internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1)-nested PCR for the detection of Leishmania DNA. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on Leishmania sequences from hares in Greece in conjunction with Leishmania sequences from dogs in Greece and 46 Leishmania sequences retrieved from GenBank. The Leishmania DNA prevalence in hares was found to be 23.49 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 17.27–30.69). The phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the Leishmania sequences from hares in Greece belong in the Leishmania donovani complex. The widespread Leishmania infection in hares should be taken into consideration because under specific circumstances, this species can act as a reservoir host. This study suggests that the role of wild animals, including hares, in the epidemiology of Leishmania spp. in Greece deserves further elucidation. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Etiologia e perfil de sensibilidade de bactérias isoladas de ovelhas com mastite na região nordeste do estado do Pará Etiology and antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from sheep with mastitis in northeastern Pará, Brazil

Objetivou-se com este trabalho estudar a etiologia da mastite em ovelhas na região nordeste do Pará, além de estabelecer o perfil de sensibilidade das bactérias isoladas frente a antimicrobianos. Foram examinadas 176 ovelhas da raça Santa Inês, em lactação, mantidas em sistema semi-intensivo, pertencentes a sete propriedades especializadas na criação de ovinos. Foi realizado o exame clínico da glândula mamária, o exame macroscópico da secreção láctea por meio do Teste da Caneca Telada, o California Mastitis Test (CMT), o exame microbiológico do leite e o antibiograma. Das 352 metades mamárias estudadas (176 ovelhas), 21 (5,97%) apresentaram mastite clínica, 26 (7,39%) apresentaram mastite subclínica e 305 (86,64%) metades mamárias foram negativas. A maioria dos animais acometidos pela mastite estava no terço médio da lactação, com menor número de crias e maior número de lactações. Na mastite clínica (MC) as bactérias isoladas foram Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo (42,9%); Staphylococcus aureus (9,52%); Streptococcus spp. (4,76%) e Escherichia coli (4,76%). As associações observadas foram Staphylococcus aureus e Streptococcus spp. (4,76%); Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo não hemolítica, Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo hemolítica e Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo pigmento não hemolítica (4,76%). Já na mastite subclínica (MSC), as bactérias isoladas foram Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo (26,9%); Staphylococcus aureus (15,4%); Streptococcus spp. (7,69%); Escherichia coli (7,69%) e Citrobacter freundii (11,5%). A associação observada foi Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo não hemolítica e Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negativo hemolítica (3,85%). Os antimicrobianos com maior eficácia contra os agentes isolados Gram positivos foram penicilina/novobiocina (100%), cefalotina (100%) e florfenicol (100%) e contra o Citrobacter freundii foram a ampicilina (100%) e florfenicol (100%). Já em relação a Escherichia coli, 66,7% dos isolados mostraram-se resistentes à ampicilina, cefalotina, florfenicol e tetraciclina. A mastite está presente em ovelhas no estado do Pará, havendo a necessidade de estimar, em estudos futuros, as perdas econômicas causadas por essa enfermidade. O CMT apresentou resultados satisfatórios, podendo ser recomendado como teste de triagem para o diagnóstico de casos individuais de mastite subclínica em ovinos, uma vez que apresentou boa relação com o exame microbiológico. No antibiograma foi observado que a maioria dos agentes isolados apresenta-se sensível aos diferentes antimicrobianos testados, sendo os antibióticos com melhor eficiência o florfenicol e a cefoxitina.<br>The objective of this paper was to study the etiology of mastitis in sheep at northeastern Pará, and to establish the sensitivity of isolated bacteria to antibiotics. A total of 176 Santa Inês nursing sheep kept in semi-intensive system from seven properties were examined. The mammary gland was clinically examined and the milk was submitted to the Caneca Telada Test, the California Mastitis Test (CMT), bacteriological examinations and antibiograms. Out of the 352 mammary halves (176 sheep), 5.9% (21/352) had clinical mastitis and by the CMT test, 7.39% (26/352) had subclinical mastitis and 86.64% (305/352) mammary halves did not have mastitis. Most of the animals with mastitis were in the second third of the lactation period, had less kids and more lactation periods. The following bacteria were isolated from the clinical mastitis Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative (42,9%); Staphylococcus aureus (9.52%); Streptococcus spp. (4.76%) and Escherichia coli (4.76%). Were observed associations of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp. (4,76%); Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative nonhemolytic, Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative hemolytic and Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative non hemolytic pigment (4.76%). Already in subclinical mastitis the bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative (26.9%); Staphylococcus aureus (15.,4%); Streptococcus spp. (7.69%); Escherichia coli (7.69%) and Citrobacter freundii (11.5%). Were observed associations of Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative nonhemolytic and Staphylococcus spp. coagulase negative hemolytic (3.85%). The most efficient antibiotics for the Gram positive agents were penicile/novobiocine (100%), cefalotine (100%) and florfenicol (100%) and for the Citrobacter freundii were ampicilina (100%) and florfenicol (100%). In relation to Escherichia coli, 66.7% of isolates to ampicillin, cephalothin, florfenicol and tetracycline were resistant. Mastitis is present in sheep in the State of Pará, and it's necessary to estimate, in future studies, the economic losses caused by this disease. The CMT show satisfactory results and can be recommended as a screening test for diagnosing individual cases of subclinical mastitis in sheep, once had a good relationship with the microbiological examination. In the antibiogram where most of the isolated agents appear sensitive to different antibiotics tested, the antibiotics with the best efficiency were florfenicol and cefoxitin

Metabolismo energético, proteico e mineral de ovelhas Santa Inês hígidas e com mastite subclínica

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o metabolismo energético, proteico e mineral de ovelhas Santa Inês hígidas e com mastite subclínica acompanhadas durante o final da gestação e na lactação. Foram acompanhadas ovelhas submetidas ao mesmo sistema de criação semi-intensivo. Os animais foram avaliados conforme os momentos a seguir: 10 dias que precedeu o parto (dap) e 15 dias pós parto (dpp), 30 dpp, 60 dpp e 90 dpp. Os metabólitos sanguíneos foram avaliados a partir do momento que antecedeu ao parto e os metabólitos no soro lácteo nos momentos subsequentes. Após exame clínico e bacteriológico foi realizada a triagem das ovelhas acompanhadas neste estudo, sendo 12 hígidas e 18 com mastite subclínica. Durante a lactação, mantendo os mesmos critérios de triagem, foram selecionadas 11 glândulas mamárias sadias e 20 infectadas, das quais foi colhido o leite para obtenção do soro lácteo. Foram mensurados no soro sanguíneo os metabólitos do perfil energético (ácidos graxos não esterificados (AGNEs), β-hidroxibutirato (BHB), frutosamina, colesterol e triglicérides), do perfil proteico (proteína total, albumina, uréia e creatinina) e do perfil mineral (ferro, cobre, zinco, magnésio, cálcio total, cálcio ionizado, sódio e potássio). No soro lácteo foram mensurados os íons cálcio, sódio e potássio, bem como os AGNEs e o BHB. A bioquímica sanguínea revelou haver influência (P<0,05) do período do periparto e da lactação sobre as concentrações sanguíneas dos AGNEs, BHB, colesterol, albumina, uréia, cálcio ionizado e no soro lácteo sobre o íon potássio. As ovelhas portadoras de mastite subclínica apresentaram valores sanguíneos superiores (P<0,05) de colesterol, albumina e cobre e no soro lácteo teores superiores do íon sódio e dos AGNEs e inferiores do íon potássio. O bom escore corporal das ovelhas observado durante o estudo aliado aos achados bioquímicos permitiu concluir ter ocorrido maior requerimento energético no primeiro mês da lactação, porém não o suficiente para desencadear qualquer transtorno metabólico e o aparecimento de um quadro de cetonemia, sendo estas discretas alterações mais expressivas nas ovelhas com mastite subclínica