Trypanosomiasis challenge estimation in The Gambia using the Berenil index: Comparison between zebu and N'Dama

The Berenil provides a means of estimating the trypanosomiasis challenge presented to cattle independent of, and therefore complementary to, the collection of tsetse data and of prevalence rates of infection in cattle. In areas where trypanotolerant cattle predominate, the Berenil Index has seldom been used as an independent assessment of trypanosomiasis challenge. An experimental protocol applied to sentinel herds of trypanotolerant and trypanosusceptible cattle in three regions of different tsetse challenge in The Gambia is described. Problems associated with the standardisation of the procedure are discussed and interim results are presented. The different challenges as measured by the Berenil Index are compared with those of tsetse derived data, and also compared to the trypanosome prevalence in local cattle. The Berenil Indices produced correspond well with these methods of estimating challenge. Indices range from no treatments per year to in excess of monthly treatments, depending on region and on breef of animal. The trypanosusceptible breed shows higher indices than trypanotolerant animals. Possible explanations for this difference are discussed

Health and production aspects of village based N'Dama cattle in The Gambia

Discusses health and production aspects of village based N'Dama cattle in The Gambia. Presents data on the monthly distribution of calving, average monthly weight and performance characteristics of N'Dama cows fed supplementary groundnut meal

Interaction between physiological status in N'Dama cows and trypanosome infections and its effect on health and productivity of cattle

Reports a study of the interaction between trypanosome infections and physiological status on health and productivity in N'Dama cattle managed under traditional husbandry practices in The Gambia. Discusses production environments and herd management, parasite kinetics, erythropoietic response and body weight changes. Examines trypanosome prevalence in cows of different physiological status during exposure to seasonally high challenge of tsetse flies, PCV (Packed Cell Volume) of cows of different physiological status, infected or uninfected with trypanosomes during exposure to seasonally high challenge of tsetse flies

Biological and economic impact of trypanosome infections on milk production in N'Dama cattle managed under village conditions in The Gambia

Examines the productivity characteristics of village N'Dama cattle exposed to different levels of trypanosomiasis challenge in The Gambia over a 3-year period. 60 lactating cows in which Trypanosoma congolense and T. vivax had been detected on blood examination were compared with 50 cows which had not been found infected with trypanosomes during the monitoring period. The quantity of daily extracted during the 1st month of infection decreased by proportionately 0.25 in comparison to the amount extracted during the preceding month when parasites were not detected. The mean daily milk extracted for human consumption from uninfected cows durng a 6-month period was proportionately 0.26 higher than the mean for the infected cows

Feed supplementation of lactating N'Dama cows under village husbandry

Groups of lactating N'Dama cows maintained under traditional husbandry conditions were given dry season supplements of locally available oil seed residues to establish nutritional recommendations for improving livestock productivity in the sub-humid zone of West Africa. In one experiment cows were given 0 or 1 kg cotton seed head-1 day -1 for the last five months of the dry season in three Gambian villages. In a second experiment cows were given a total of 90 kg sesame cake over the last six months of the dry season, at rates of 1 kg day-1 for the first or last three months, or 0.5 kg day-1 throughout. During this period the provision of supplements produced significant overall average increases exceeding 60 percent in both milk offtake for human consumption and calf growth. Maternal liveweight losses were reduced by a mean of 30 percent. Concomitant significant increases in postpartum resumption of reproductive activity (two-to three-fold) and reduced calf mortality also occurred, while evidence was obtained that the improved diet better enabled the animals to withstand the effects of trypanosome infections. It was demonstrated that the dry-season provision of oil seed residues to lactating N'Dama cows in this environment can be expected to produce an extra litre of milk offtake, 260 g calf growth, and 380 g maternal liveweight gain kg-1 crude protein supplied , in addition to the improvement in other productivity characteristics. The second experiment showed much greater efficiency of resource use when fed more slowly for the longer period, and the economic benefits of such interventions appear to be substantial

Toward a Sequential Strategy for Diagnosing Neurocognitive Disorders: A Consensus from the "Act On Dementia" European Joint Action

Neurocognitive disorders causing progressive cognitive, functional, and behavioral impairment remain underdiagnosed. The needs for a timely diagnosis are now widely acknowledged since person-centered care helps to preserve life quality and prevent crises. One powerful barrier to detection in primary care is the lack of an easy-to-follow stepwise approach, grounded in evidence and consistent with high-quality specialty practice. To help fill this gap, the current European Joint Action proposes a graduated diagnosis strategy tailored to the patients' needs and wills, clarifying appropriate components for primary and specialty care. This strategy considers a first evaluation in primary care that may detect a neurocognitive disorder, that would lead to a second evaluation step allowing etiological diagnosis hypotheses performed mostly by the specialist. A third evaluation stage considering some biological, electrophysiological, or neuroimaging complementary techniques would be proposed to atypical cases or patients willing to consider access to research