The rats in Hawaiian sugarcane

Heavy losses In Hawaiian sugarcane are caused by Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), Norway rats (R. norvegicus), and black rats (R. rattus). Relative population levels, movement patterns, damage to sugarcane, and suggested timing of control during five stages of the 2-year crop cycle are described. The progress toward the registering of zinc phosphide for use in crops and the development of other rodenticides are mentioned

How long do nosocomial pathogens persist on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Inanimate surfaces have often been described as the source for outbreaks of nosocomial infections. The aim of this review is to summarize data on the persistence of different nosocomial pathogens on inanimate surfaces. METHODS: The literature was systematically reviewed in MedLine without language restrictions. In addition, cited articles in a report were assessed and standard textbooks on the topic were reviewed. All reports with experimental evidence on the duration of persistence of a nosocomial pathogen on any type of surface were included. RESULTS: Most gram-positive bacteria, such as Enterococcus spp. (including VRE), Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), or Streptococcus pyogenes, survive for months on dry surfaces. Many gram-negative species, such as Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, or Shigella spp., can also survive for months. A few others, such as Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus vulgaris, or Vibrio cholerae, however, persist only for days. Mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium difficile, can also survive for months on surfaces. Candida albicans as the most important nosocomial fungal pathogen can survive up to 4 months on surfaces. Persistence of other yeasts, such as Torulopsis glabrata, was described to be similar (5 months) or shorter (Candida parapsilosis, 14 days). Most viruses from the respiratory tract, such as corona, coxsackie, influenza, SARS or rhino virus, can persist on surfaces for a few days. Viruses from the gastrointestinal tract, such as astrovirus, HAV, polio- or rota virus, persist for approximately 2 months. Blood-borne viruses, such as HBV or HIV, can persist for more than one week. Herpes viruses, such as CMV or HSV type 1 and 2, have been shown to persist from only a few hours up to 7 days. CONCLUSION: The most common nosocomial pathogens may well survive or persist on surfaces for months and can thereby be a continuous source of transmission if no regular preventive surface disinfection is performed

Movements and Home Ranges of Polynesian Rats in Hawaiian Sugarcane

Fifty-seven Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), equipped with transmitters, were monitored in sugarcane fields and neighboring wastelands at various seasons so that a better understanding of crop damage by rats might be obtained. Linear movements for males were longer than for females, longer in winter than in summer, and longer in young sugarcane than in mature sugarcane. Rats with burrows in wastelands moved greater distances than did rats with burrows in sugarcane fields. Estimated home range size (mean, 1845 square meters for males and 607 square meters for females) tended to increase with more observations, and most elliptical home ranges in wastelands were oriented toward the fields. Rats with wasteland burrows were found in fields during 57 percent of the observations, but field residents were found in the wastelands during only 1 percent of the observations

EFFICACY OF PREDATOR DAMAGE CONTROL PROGRAMS

Data about the efficacy of predator damage reduction programs are shown for predation loss studies with control, loss studies without control, complaint resolution or success rates, and predation-predatorcapture sequences. This combined evidence indicates that animal damage control programs are reducing predation on livestock

Efficacy of predator damage control programs

Data about the efficacy of predator damage reduction programs are shown for predation loss studies with control, loss studies without control, complaint resolution or success rates, and predation predator-capture sequences. This combined evidence indicates that animal damage control programs are reducing predation on livestock

THE RAT IN HAWAIIAN SUGARCANE

Heavy losses In Hawaiian sugarcane are caused by Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), Norway rats (R. norveglcus), and black rats (R. rattus). Relative population levels, movement patterns, damage to sugarcane, and suggested timing of control during five stages of the 2-year crop cycle are described. The progress toward the registering of zinc phosphide for use in crops and the development of other rodenticides are mentioned

Movement Patterns of Polynesian Rats (Rattus exulans) in Sugarcane

Movements of Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans) in a sugarcane field and adjacent gulch areas were determined both by livetrapping and radiotelemetry during various stages of the 2-year crop cycle. Both types of data showed that the rats were relatively sedentary. The average distance traveled between successive trap captures was 104 feet, and 65 percent of the successive captures were made within 75 feet of each other. Eighty-six percent of the radiotelemetry bearings located the rats within 300 feet of their burrows. Females moved less than males, and the home ranges of both sexes decreased as sugarcane matured. Initially, all rats lived in the gulches, although they foraged into the cane field at night. As the cane matured, more and more rats dug cane-field burrows. These movement data suggest that control programs to protect sugarcane from damage by rats should concentrate on adjacent noncrop areas in the early stages of the crop cycle and include the fields in the later stages