Helminths of \u3ci\u3ePeromyscus leucopus\u3c/i\u3e, \u3ci\u3eP. maniculatus\u3c/i\u3e, and \u3ci\u3eBlarina carolinensis\u3c/i\u3e from Southern Illinois

Helminths were recovered from 12 (12%) of 100 deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and 26 (24%) of 109 white-footed mice (P. leucopus) collected in 16 counties of southern Illinois. Helminths from deer mice included Choanotaenia peromysci (7.0%), Hymenolepis bennetti (2.0%), Postharmostomum helicis (1.0%), Physaloptera sp. (1.0%), Rictularia coloradensis (1.0%) and Moniliformis clarki (1.0%). Hymenolepis bennetti (1.8%), Physaloptera sp. (4.6%), and Rictularia coloradensis (20.0%) occurred in white-footed mice. C. peromysci and R. coloradensis revealed a high degree of host-specificity and along with Physaloptera showed some degree of habitat dependence. Infection rates were highest during the summer. Thirteen (65%) of 20 southern short-tailed shrews (Blarina carolinensis) were infected with Cryptocotylepis anthocephalus (40.0%), Brachylaima thompsoni (20.0%), Panopistus pricei (15.0%), Capillaria sp. (15.0%), Porrocaecum ensicaudatum (10.0%) and Porracaecum sp. (10.0%)

Helminths of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Raccoons in Southern Illinois with Management Implications of \u3ci\u3eBaylisascaris procyonis\u3c/i\u3e Occurrence

The gastrointestinal tracts of 60 raccoons (Procyon lotor) were examined for helminths. Six species were found: four species of nematodes (Arthrocephalus lotoris, Physaloptera rara, Gnathostoma procyonis, and Baylisascaris procyonis); one species of cestode (Mesocestoides variabilis); and one species of acanthocephalan (Macracanthorhynchus ingens). Baylisascaris procyonis has been implicated in the decline of woodrat populations throughout the northeast United States. As such, this parasite also may have been a factor in the extirpation of the eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) throughout most of southern Illinois. The frequency occurrence of Baylisascaris procyonis in our sample was unexpectedly low, 3 of 60 raccoons (5.0%), and suggests that reintroduction of eastern woodrats to formerly occupied sites in southern Illinois may not be adversely affected by this parasite

Diseases and Causes of Death in European Bats: Dynamics in Disease Susceptibility and Infection Rates

Bats receive increasing attention in infectious disease studies, because of their well recognized status as reservoir species for various infectious agents. This is even more important, as bats with their capability of long distance dispersal and complex social structures are unique in the way microbes could be spread by these mammalian species. Nevertheless, infection studies in bats are predominantly limited to the identification of specific pathogens presenting a potential health threat to humans. But the impact of infectious agents on the individual host and their importance on bat mortality is largely unknown and has been neglected in most studies published to date.) were collected in different geographic regions in Germany. Most animals represented individual cases that have been incidentally found close to roosting sites or near human habitation in urban and urban-like environments. The bat carcasses were subjected to a post-mortem examination and investigated histo-pathologically, bacteriologically and virologically. Trauma and disease represented the most important causes of death in these bats. Comparative analysis of pathological findings and microbiological results show that microbial agents indeed have an impact on bats succumbing to infectious diseases, with fatal bacterial, viral and parasitic infections found in at least 12% of the bats investigated.Our data demonstrate the importance of diseases and infectious agents as cause of death in European bat species. The clear seasonal and individual variations in disease prevalence and infection rates indicate that maternity colonies are more susceptible to infectious agents, underlining the possible important role of host physiology, immunity and roosting behavior as risk factors for infection of bats

DENTAL AND CRANIAL ANOMALIES IN THE RIVER OTTER LUTRA-CANADENSIS CARNIVORA MUSTELIDAE

Volume: 7Start Page: 101End Page: 11

The Clinical Utility of Chest Radiography for Identifying Pneumonia: Accounting for Diagnostic Uncertainty in Radiology Reports.

OBJECTIVE. Currently, chest radiography is the first-line imaging test for identifying pneumonia; chest CT is considered the reference standard. The purpose of this study was to calculate the statistical measures of performance of chest radiography for identifying pneumonia when taking into account uncertain results of both chest radiography and CT examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Statistical measures of performance of chest radiography, using CT as the reference standard, were calculated with 95% CIs by varying uncertain radiology report impressions of both chest radiography and CT to all negative or all positive. The resulting scenarios were as follows: scenario 1, uncertain chest radiography and CT impressions are considered positive for pneumonia; scenario 2, uncertain chest radiography impressions are positive but uncertain CT impressions are negative; scenario 3, uncertain chest radiography impressions are negative and uncertain CT impressions are positive; scenario 4, uncertain chest radiography and CT impressions are negative; and scenario 5, uncertain chest radiography and CT impressions are excluded. RESULTS. A retrospective analysis of 2411 patient visits revealed the prevalence of uncertain radiology report impressions to be 31.8% for chest radiography and 21.7% for CT. Scenario 1 yielded the following performance values: sensitivity, 51.9%; specificity, 71.3%; PPV, 59.4%; and NPV, 64.5%. Scenario 2 produced the following performance values: sensitivity, 59.6%; specificity, 67.1%; PPV, 59.6%; and NPV, 67.1%. Scenario 3 showed the following performance values: sensitivity, 13.4%; specificity, 97.7%; PPV, 82.6%; and NPV, 58.1%. Scenario 4 yielded the following performance values: sensitivity, 19.6%; specificity, 96.4%; PPV, 81.6%; and NPV, 59.5%. Scenario 5 produced the following performance values: sensitivity, 32.7%; specificity, 96.8%; PPV, 89.2%; and NPV, 63.8%. CONCLUSION. Uncertain chest radiography results for the evaluation of pneumonia are prevalent. A chest radiography impression using the strongest language in support of a pneumonia diagnosis is useful to rule in pneumonia radiographically, but a negative result performs poorly at ruling out disease

A Time-Geographic Approach to Quantifying Wildlife–Road Interactions

Recent advances in time geography offer new perspectives for studying animal movements and interactions in an environmental context. In particular, the ability to estimate an animal\u27s spatial location probabilistically at temporal sampling intervals between known fix locations allows researchers to quantify how individuals interact with one another and their environment on finer temporal and spatial scales than previously explored. This article extends methods from time geography, specifically probabilistic space–time prisms, to quantify and summarize animal–road interactions toward understanding related diurnal movement behaviors, including road avoidance. The approach is demonstrated using tracking data for fishers (Martes pennanti) in New York State, where the total probability of interaction with roadways is calculated for individuals over the duration tracked. Additionally, a summarization method visualizing daily interaction probabilities at 60 s intervals is developed to assist in the examination of temporal patterns associated with fishers’ movement behavior with respect to roadways. The results identify spatial and temporal patterns of fisher–roadway interaction by time of day. Overall, the methodologies discussed offer an intuitive means to assess moving object location probabilities in the context of environmental factors. Implications for movement ecology and related conservation planning efforts are also discussed