El plumbisme en ocells aquàtics als Països Catalans : diagnosi d'una situació censurable

Moltes de les zones humides dels Països Catalans han tingut durant anys un aprofitament cinegètic intensiu. En la caça s'ha utilitzat tradicionalment cartutxeria feta de perdigons de plom, un metall pesant que ara sabem que és força tòxic. En els sediments dels aiguamolls s'hi han anat acumulant milions d'aquests petits objectes contaminants i tòxics, i s'ha arribant a assolir concentracions de fins a dos-cents o tres-cents perdigons per metre quadrat en alguns indrets del delta de l'Ebre o de l'Albufera de València. Els ocells aquàtics són el principal grup que pateix les conseqüències d'aquesta contaminació dels seus hàbitats, ja que aquestes aus poden ingerir els perdigons en confondre'ls amb gastròlits o aliment. En determinades espècies, al voltant del 70 % dels exemplars que trobem en aquestes zones està intoxicat. El problema requereix solucions immediates. Tampoc s'ha d'oblidar que els perdigons abandonats en ecosistemes terrestres també resulten un perill per a la fauna i per a nosaltres mateixos.Muchas de las zonas húmedas de los Países Catalanes han tenido durante años un aprovechamiento cinegético intensivo. En la caza se ha utilizado tradicionalmente cartuchería fabricada con perdigones de plomo, un metal pesado que hoy sabemos que es muy tóxico. En los sedimentos de los humedales se han ido acumulando millones de estos pequeños objetos contaminantes y tóxicos, llegándose a encontrar cifras de hasta 200 o 300 perdigones por metro cuadrado en zonas como el delta del Ebro o la Albufera de Valencia. Las aves acuáticas son el principal grupo que sufre las consecuencias de la contaminación por plomo de sus hábitats, ya que pueden ingerir los perdigones al confundirlos con alimentos o gastrolitos. En determinadas especies, cerca del 70 % de los ejemplares que hallamos en estos humedales está intoxicado. El problema requiere soluciones inmediatas. No hay que olvidar tampoco que los perdigones abandonados en ecosistemas terrestres son también un peligro para la fauna y para nosotros mismos.Many wetland areas from the Catalan Countries have been subject to intense waterfowl shooting for decades. Shot pellets used in this activity have traditionally been made of lead, a heavy metal reputed by its high toxicity. In the sediments of some wetland areas, millions of these small contaminant and toxic objects have been accumulating in such a way that as much as 200 to 300 pellets per square meter can be found in some wetlands at the Ebro Delta or the Albufera de València. Waterbirds are the main group of animals suffering from this contamination in their habitats, since they can swallow the pellets as they mistake them by grit or food. The problem needs immediate solution, because about 70 % of the individuals of some species can be found poisoned in these areas. Attention should be also put on lead pellets spread on terrestrial ecosystems, which can be a serious danger for terrestrial wildlife and human

Avoidance of neonicotinoid-treated seeds and cotyledons by captive eared doves (Zenaida auriculata, Columbidae)

Farmland birds can be exposed to neonicotinoids through the ingestion of treated unburied seeds and cotyledons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the avoidance of sorghum with imidacloprid, clothianidin or thiamethoxam, soybean with imidacloprid, and soybean cotyledons with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam on eared doves (Zenaida auriculata). Doves were fed with test food (untreated and neonicotinoid-treated sorghum, soybean or soybean cotyledons) and maintenance food (seed mix) for 3–5 days to study the repellency (primary repellency and conditioned aversion) and anorexia caused by neonicotinoid-treated food, followed by a 7-day period on maintenance food to study the persistence of the anorexic effect after neonicotinoid exposure. Immediately afterward, the same doves were exposed to treated test food during a second period of 3–5 days to study the potential reinforcement of food avoidance. Finally, doves were fed with untreated test food to test the capacity of the pesticide to induce conditioned food aversion against untreated food in subsequent encounters. Intoxication signs and differences of body weight were determined. With sorghum, the three neonicotinoids produced a decrease in the consumption of treated seeds by >97% compared to control birds. However, this was not enough to prevent the death of 3/8 and 1/8 of the doves exposed to imidacloprid and clothianidin, respectively. Anorexia was clearly observed with neonicotinoid-treated sorghum. The birds did not avoid the untreated sorghum after exposure to the treated sorghum, indicating that avoidance is not generalized to the type of food without an associated sensory cue. The results obtained with soybean seeds and cotyledons were less conclusive because captive doves hardly consumed these foods, even without neonicotinoid treatment. The avoidance of sorghum seeds treated with neonicotinoids was insufficient to prevent poisoning and death of eared doves.EEA ParanáFil: Addy Orduna, Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Cazenave, Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Cazenave, Jimena. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Mateo Soria, Rafael. CSIC. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos; Españ

El plumbisme en ocells aquàtics als Països Catalans : diagnosi d'una situació censurable

Moltes de les zones humides dels Països Catalans han tingut durant anys un aprofitament cinegètic intensiu. En la caça s'ha utilitzat tradicionalment cartutxeria feta de perdigons de plom, un metall pesant que ara sabem que és força tòxic. En els sediments dels aiguamolls s'hi han anat acumulant milions d'aquests petits objectes contaminants i tòxics, i s'ha arribant a assolir concentracions de fins a dos-cents o tres-cents perdigons per metre quadrat en alguns indrets del delta de l'Ebre o de l'Albufera de València. Els ocells aquàtics són el principal grup que pateix les conseqüències d'aquesta contaminació dels seus hàbitats, ja que aquestes aus poden ingerir els perdigons en confondre'ls amb gastròlits o aliment. En determinades espècies, al voltant del 70 % dels exemplars que trobem en aquestes zones està intoxicat. El problema requereix solucions immediates. Tampoc s'ha d'oblidar que els perdigons abandonats en ecosistemes terrestres també resulten un perill per a la fauna i per a nosaltres mateixos.Muchas de las zonas húmedas de los Países Catalanes han tenido durante años un aprovechamiento cinegético intensivo. En la caza se ha utilizado tradicionalmente cartuchería fabricada con perdigones de plomo, un metal pesado que hoy sabemos que es muy tóxico. En los sedimentos de los humedales se han ido acumulando millones de estos pequeños objetos contaminantes y tóxicos, llegándose a encontrar cifras de hasta 200 o 300 perdigones por metro cuadrado en zonas como el delta del Ebro o la Albufera de Valencia. Las aves acuáticas son el principal grupo que sufre las consecuencias de la contaminación por plomo de sus hábitats, ya que pueden ingerir los perdigones al confundirlos con alimentos o gastrolitos. En determinadas especies, cerca del 70 % de los ejemplares que hallamos en estos humedales está intoxicado. El problema requiere soluciones inmediatas. No hay que olvidar tampoco que los perdigones abandonados en ecosistemas terrestres son también un peligro para la fauna y para nosotros mismos.Many wetland areas from the Catalan Countries have been subject to intense waterfowl shooting for decades. Shot pellets used in this activity have traditionally been made of lead, a heavy metal reputed by its high toxicity. In the sediments of some wetland areas, millions of these small contaminant and toxic objects have been accumulating in such a way that as much as 200 to 300 pellets per square meter can be found in some wetlands at the Ebro Delta or the Albufera de València. Waterbirds are the main group of animals suffering from this contamination in their habitats, since they can swallow the pellets as they mistake them by grit or food. The problem needs immediate solution, because about 70 % of the individuals of some species can be found poisoned in these areas. Attention should be also put on lead pellets spread on terrestrial ecosystems, which can be a serious danger for terrestrial wildlife and human

Oral acute toxicity of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin in eared doves: a contribution for the risk assessment of neonicotinoids in birds

Neonicotinoids have recently been demonstrated to cause direct negative impacts on birds from North America and Europe. To further understand the impact of these compounds on bird species and to improve risk assessment capacities, the current study determined the acute toxicities of imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam formulations on South American eared doves (Zenaida auriculata). Insecticides were administered by gavage to adult doves to determine median lethal doses (LD50) according to a standardized sequential procedure. The acute toxicity of formulated imidacloprid (LD50=59mgactive ingredient, a.i./kg bodyweight, b. w.) was much higher than that of the tested formulations of clothianidin (LD50 = 4248 mg a.i./kg b.w.) and thiamethoxam (LD50 = 4366 mg a.i./kg b.w.). Imidacloprid also differed from the other two neonicotinoids in terms of the onset and intensity of intoxication signs and the times of death and recovery. All three insecticides induced a reduction in food consumption that led to body weight loss. An average weight dove of 127 g would obtain a dose equivalent to the LD50 of imidacloprid by consuming 1.7 g of treated sorghum seeds. As eared doves offered non-treated sorghum seeds 5 h per day consumed on average 6.4±1.8 g (mean±S.D.), it is concluded that these doves could feasibly be exposed to lethal doses in the field. Thiswork is the first to describe intoxication signs and report oral neonicotinoid LD50s in a wild South-American bird species.EEA ParanáFil: Addy Orduna, Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Brodeur, Celine Marie Julie. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Bilológicos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Mateo Soria, Rafael. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos; Españ

Poisoning by ingestion of lead ammunition in wild birds in Spain and measures taken to reduce this risk

La intoxicación por ingestión de munición de plomo en aves silvestres es conocida en España desde finales del siglo pasado. Elevadas densidades de perdigones de plomo en diversos humedales de importancia internacional producen tasas de ingestión de perdigones cercanas al 70% en especies como el ánade rabudo (Anas acuta) y el plumbismo llega a ser una de las principales causas de mortalidad de la amenazada malvasía cabeciblanca (Oxyura leucocephala). El plumbismo también ha sido descrito en diversas especies de aves rapaces y se ha comprobado que la exposición al plomo es elevada en las especies más carroñeras y oportunistas. La contaminación de la carne de caza también ha sido objeto de estudio, debido a que en España se da la particularidad de cocinarla en escabeche, lo que incrementa la transferencia de plomo de la munición a la carne. Por el momento, la única acción llevada a cabo para reducir el riesgo de exposición al plomo de la munición en aves y humanos ha sido la prohibición desde 2001 del uso de perdigones de plomo en humedales protegidos. En esta revisión se hace un repaso a los estudios llevados a cabo en España sobre la contaminación por el plomo de la munición y el efecto que están teniendo las medidas hasta el momento adoptadas para reducir este riesgo.Poisoning by ingestion of lead ammunition in wild birds is known in Spain since the end of the last century. High densities of lead shot in various internationally important wetlands produce pellet ingestion rates close to 70% in species such as the northern pintail (Anas acuta) and lead poisoning becomes a major cause of mortality of the endangered white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala). Lead poisoning has also been described in several species of birds of prey, mainly scavengers. The contamination of game meat has also been studied, because in Spain it is usually cooked with vinegar, increasing the transfer of lead from ammunition to meat. For now, the only action taken to reduce the risk of exposure to lead from ammunition in birds and humans has been the banning since 2001 of lead shot in protected wetlands. Here, we review the studies carried out in Spain on lead contamination caused by the ammunition and the effect of the measures taken to reduce this risk.Esta revisión se enmarca dentro del proyecto financiado por el MICINN con referencia CGL2010-17030/BOS

An outbreak of thiram poisoning on Spanish poultry farms

Thiram-contaminated poultry feed caused soft egg shells, depressed growth and leg abnormalities in about 1 million birds. Corn previously treated with thiram and colored red was the source of the contamination as detected by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy examinations. Standardized color-recognition for treated grain products could have avoided this situation and speaks to the international adoption of such standards

An outbreak of thiram poisoning on Spanish poultry farms

Thiram-contaminated poultry feed caused soft egg shells, depressed growth and leg abnormalities in about 1 million birds. Corn previously treated with thiram and colored red was the source of the contamination as detected by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy examinations. Standardized color-recognition for treated grain products could have avoided this situation and speaks to the international adoption of such standards

Effects of COVID-19 vaccination on disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis on targeted therapy in the COVIDSER study

Objective To investigate the influence of COVID-19 vaccination on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients under targeted therapies.Patients and methods 1765 vaccinated patients COVID-19, 1178 (66.7%) with RA and 587 (33.3%) with PsA from the COVID-19 registry in patients with rheumatic diseases (COVIDSER) project, were included. Demographics, disease characteristics, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and targeted treatments were collected. DAS28-based flare rates and categorised disease activity distribution prevaccination and post vaccination were analysed by log-linear regression and contingency analyses, respectively. The influence of vaccination on DAS28 variation as a continuous measure was evaluated using a random coefficient model.Results The distribution of categorised disease activity and flare rates was not significantly modified by vaccination. Log-linear regression showed no significant changes in the rate of flares in the 6-month period after vaccination compared with the same period prior to vaccination in neither patients with RA nor patients with PsA. When DAS28 variations were analysed using random coefficient models, no significant variations in disease activity were detected after vaccination for both groups of patients. However, patients with RA treated with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAK-i) (1) and interleukin-6 inhibitor (IL-6-i) experienced a worsening of disease activity (1.436±0.531, p=0.007, and 1.201±0.550, p=0.029, respectively) in comparison with those treated with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF-i). Similarly, patients with PsA treated with interleukin-12/23 inhibitor (IL-12/23-i) showed a worsening of disease activity (4.476±1.906, p=0.019) compared with those treated with TNF-i.Conclusion COVID-19 vaccination was not associated with increased rate of flares in patients with RA and PsA. However, a potential increase in disease activity in patients with RA treated with JAK-i and IL-6-i and in patients with PsA treated with IL-12/23-i warrants further investigation

Effects of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery: an international prospective cohort study an international prospective cohort study

We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care. We aimed to determine the impact of pre-operative isolation on postoperative pulmonary complications after elective surgery during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We performed an international prospective cohort study including patients undergoing elective surgery in October 2020. Isolation was defined as the period before surgery during which patients did not leave their house or receive visitors from outside their household. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications, adjusted in multivariable models for measured confounders. Pre-defined sub-group analyses were performed for the primary outcome. A total of 96,454 patients from 114 countries were included and overall, 26,948 (27.9%) patients isolated before surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded in 1947 (2.0%) patients of which 227 (11.7%) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who isolated pre-operatively were older, had more respiratory comorbidities and were more commonly from areas of high SARS-CoV-2 incidence and high-income countries. Although the overall rates of postoperative pulmonary complications were similar in those that isolated and those that did not (2.1% vs 2.0%, respectively), isolation was associated with higher rates of postoperative pulmonary complications after adjustment (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses revealed no further differences when patients were categorised by: pre-operative testing; use of COVID-19-free pathways; or community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. The rate of postoperative pulmonary complications increased with periods of isolation longer than 3 days, with an OR (95%CI) at 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days of 1.25 (1.04–1.48), p = 0.015 and 1.31 (1.11–1.55), p = 0.001, respectively. Isolation before elective surgery might be associated with a small but clinically important increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Longer periods of isolation showed no reduction in the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. These findings have significant implications for global provision of elective surgical care