Irradiation as a Quarantine Treatment for Mango Seed Weevil

The mango seed weevil, Cryptorhynchus mangiferae (F.), has prevented the export of mangoes from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland for over 50 years because there were no approved quarantine treatments to control this pest. Irradiation was explored as a method to prevent adult emergence in, or to sterilize, mango seed weevil. Mixed-age mango seed weevils in mangoes were irradiated with target doses of 50, 100, or 300 Gy and held for adult emergence. The 300 Gy treatment (dose range 180–310 Gy) did not prevent adult emergence. Emerging adults from the 100 and 300 Gy treatments were lethargic and short-lived, and laid no eggs indicating sterility. An irradiation quarantine treatment (100 Gy) to sterilize mango seed weevil in mangoes has been proposed. Approval of this treatment will open U.S. mainland markets to mango exports from Hawaii

Sensitivity of the Quarantine Pest Rough Sweetpotato Weevil, Blosyrus asellus to Postharvest Irradiation Treatment

Rough sweetpotato weevil, Blosyrus asellus (Olivier), is a new quar- antine pest of Hawaii sweetpotatoes. Currently, sweetpotatoes can be exported from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland using a postharvest irradiation treatment of 150 Gy to control three other regulated insect pests. Studies were conducted to deter- mine whether this current radiation dose will also control any rough sweetpotato weevils in export shipments. Adult weevils were treated at various levels between 25 to 125 Gy and egg laying and egg hatch were measured. Rough sweetpotato weevil was found to be highly susceptible to irradiation, with no egg hatch at any radiation dose, even 25 Gy, the lowest dose tested. Results suggest that the 150 Gy irradiation treatment should be sufficient for control of rough sweetpotato weevil in Hawaii sweetpotatoes

Post-harvest entomology research in the United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service

This is a review of current post-harvest entomology research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, the research branch of the US Department of Agriculture. The review covers both durable and perishable commodities. Research on biochemistry, genetics, physiology, monitoring and control of insects infesting stored grain, dried fruits and nuts, and processed commodities is reviewed. Research on development of quarantine treatments, particularly for fruit flies, is also reviewed, including research on thermal and irradiation treatments and a discussion of risk management for quarantine pests. Two areas of research are covered more extensively: a project to map the genome of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and the use of near-infrared spectroscopy for detection of hidden infestations in grain, quantification of insect fragments in food, determination of quality in dried fruits, identification of insect species and age-grading insects. Future research directions are identified

Post-harvest entomology research in the United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service

This is a review of current post-harvest entomology research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, the research branch of the US Department of Agriculture. The review covers both durable and perishable commodities. Research on biochemistry, genetics, physiology, monitoring and control of insects infesting stored grain, dried fruits and nuts, and processed commodities is reviewed. Research on development of quarantine treatments, particularly for fruit flies, is also reviewed, including research on thermal and irradiation treatments and a discussion of risk management for quarantine pests. Two areas of research are covered more extensively: a project to map the genome of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and the use of near-infrared spectroscopy for detection of hidden infestations in grain, quantification of insect fragments in food, determination of quality in dried fruits, identification of insect species and age-grading insects. Future research directions are identified

A Low-Cost Trap to Monitor Parasitism of Macadamia Felted Coccid (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) and Other Scale Insects

We designed and tested a custom-made parasitoid emergence trap that can be installed on macadamia trees in the field to study parasitism of macadamia felted coccid, Acanthococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae). The cost of materials for the trap is approximately $3.00 each, and a trap can be constructed in ~15 min. Optimal methods for determining percent parasitism using these traps are still under development, but two proposed methods gave estimates of 0.24 and 4.85% for mortality due to parasitism by Encarsia lounsburyi (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). The trap could be an effective and low-cost tool for future parasitism studies or in determining population structure of macadamia felted coccid as it captures parasitoids and other mobile, positively phototactic insects that are present under the covered area of the trap

Postharvest Quality of Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) after X-ray Irradiation Quarantine Treatment

The quality of two kiwifruit varieties [Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ‘Hayward’ (green-fleshed), and Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis, ‘Zesy002’ (gold-fleshed)] was determined after X-ray irradiation at doses suitable for disinfestation of quarantine pests. Fruit were treated with irradiation doses of 0, 200, 400, 600, or 800 Gy and stored for 14 days at 2 °C. Irradiation did not affect soluble solids content, respiration rate, or taste. Minimal softening occurred to ‘Zesy002’ treated with irradiation doses of 400 or 800 Gy. No visible radiation injury, scald, or discoloration was observed. Irradiation treatment of kiwifruit at doses ≤800 Gy would ensure visual, compositional, and sensory quality while providing quarantine security

Pathway Analysis: Likelihood of Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) Introduction into the Hawaiian Islands by Air Passenger Travel

The coffee berry borer (CBB) (Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)) is considered the most damaging insect pest of coffee worldwide, causing significant reductions in both the yield and quality of coffee products. CBB was first detected in the Kona coffee-growing district of Hawaii island in 2010. Since then, CBB has spread to all other major coffeegrowing regions across the state. In this study, we conducted a quantitative risk assessment to determine the likelihood and frequency of air passengers bringing CBB-infested materials into Hawaii and to estimate human-mediated dispersal pathways between islands. There were over 3.3 million visitors traveling from CBB-occurring countries to Hawaii from 2010 to 2019; we estimated that only 238, 237 of these passengers underwent agricultural inspection at the port of entry. Although the detection rate of CBB on air passengers was very low, the model suggested that there could be at least one passenger bringing CBB-infested materials to Hawaii every year. In addition, we found that Oahu is the most likely source of new pest entries to neighboring islands given the large number of passengers that depart from the Honolulu International Airport. We suggest implementing risk-based inspections of foreign arrivals and inter-island passengers as well as establishing annual inspection routines to intercept infested materials coming into the state. These types of programs will provide the data needed to fine tune statistical models that can be used to predict future introductions. Ultimately these models will serve as critically important tools for crop and commodity protection in Hawaii by improving biosecurity standards and informing the development of emergency response plans for new invasive pests and diseases

Geographical distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in blood donors:an international collaborative survey

The frequency of infection with the six classified major genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in 447 infected volunteer blood donors from the following nine countries: Scotland, Finland, The Netherlands, Hungary, Australia, Egypt, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Viral sequences in plasma from blood donors infected with HCV were amplified in the 5'-noncoding region and were typed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Electrophoresis of DNA fragments produced by cleavage with HaeIII-RsaI and ScrFI-HinfI allowed HCV types 1 (or 5), 2, 3, 4, and 6 to be identified. Further analysis with MvaI-HinfI allowed sequences of the type 5 genotype to be distinguished from sequences of type 1 genotype. Types 1, 2, and 3 accounted for almost all infections in donors from Scotland, Finland, The Netherlands, and Australia. Types 2 and 3 were not found in the eastern European country (Hungary), where all but one of the donors were infected with type 1. Donors from Japan and Taiwan were infected only with type 1 or 2, while types 1, 2, and 6 were found in those from Hong Kong. HCV infection among Egyptians was almost always by type 4. Donors infected with HCV type 1 showed broad serological reactivity with all four antigens of the second generation Chiron RIBA-2 assay (Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, Calif.), while infection with divergent HCV genotypes elicited antibodies mainly reactive to c22-3 and c33c. Reactivities with antibodies 5-1-1 and c100-3 were infrequent and were generally weak, irrespective of the geographical origin of the donor. Because the envelope region of HCV is even more variable than the NS-4 region, it is likely that vaccines based on these proteins need to be multivalent and perhaps specifically adapted for different geographical regions.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Management of Intrathecal Catheter-Tip Inflammatory Masses: A Consensus Statement

In a companion article, we synthesized current clinical and preclinical data to formulate hypotheses about the etiology of drug administration catheter-tip inflammatory masses. In this article, we communicate our recommendations for the detection, treatment, mitigation, and prevention of such masses. Methods. We reviewed published and unpublished case reports and our own experiences to find methods to diagnose and treat catheter-tip inflammatory masses in a manner that minimized adverse neurological sequelae. We also formulated hypotheses about theoretical ways to mitigate, and possibly, prevent the formation of such masses. Results. Human cases have occurred only in patients with chronic pain who received intrathecal opioid drugs, alone or mixed with other drugs, or in patients who received agents that were not labeled for long-term intrathecal use. Most patients had noncancer pain owing to their large representation among the population with implanted pumps. Such patients also had a longer life expectancy and exposure to intrathecal drugs, and they received higher daily doses than patients with cancer pain. Clues to diagnosis included the loss of analgesic drug effects accompanied by new, gradually progressive neurological symptoms and signs. When a mass was diagnosed before it filled the spinal canal or before it caused severe neurological symptoms, open surgery to remove the mass often was not required. Anecdotal reports and the authors' experiences suggest that cessation of drug administration through the affected catheter was followed by shrinkage or disappearance of the mass over a period of 2-5 months. Conclusions. Attentive follow-up and maintenance of an index of suspicion should permit timely diagnosis, minimally invasive treatment, and avoidance of neurological injury from catheter-tip inflammatory masses. Whenever it is feasible, positioning the catheter in the lumbar thecal sac and/or keeping the daily intrathecal opioid dose as low as possible for as long possible may mitigate the seriousness, and perhaps, reduce the incidence of such inflammatory masses.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75020/1/j.1526-4637.2002.02055.x.pd