Emerging Animal Species最新文献

Infections by the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, are widely prevalent in humans and animals worldwide. Toxoplasmosis in several animal species in zoos is of both clinical and public health importance. Among captive animals, T. gondii infections in Australasian marsupials (kangaroos, wallabies), New World non-human primates (squirrel monkeys), certain wild felids (Pallas’ cats), and certain avian species (canaries and finches) can be devastating. Excretion of environmentally resistant oocysts by captive felids can contaminate the zoo environment and can be source of infections for visitors to zoo, zoo personnel, and animals in the zoo. Here, these aspects of T. gondii infections are reviewed, including prevention strategies.

This study aimed to assess the quality of the colostrum and passive immunity transfer in donkeys of the Nordestino ecotype using different methodologies, as well as to correlate the most precise methods with the most accessible ones. Fourteen female Nordestino donkeys between 3 and 7 years old with a mean live weight of 185 ± 30 kg and their newborns were studied. The donkeys and their foals were subjected to colostrum and blood collection, respectively, at four experimental times, namely 0, 6, 12, and 24 h after delivery. The methods used to evaluate the colostrum and blood serum included radial immunodiffusion (gold standard), refractometry, the biuret test, and bromatology. The results were subjected to analyses of variance, regression, and correlation. The colostrum of the donkeys was of great quality immediately after delivery, with a mean immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of 8.71 g/dL. The colostrum samples showed a strong correlation between the results of the radial immunodiffusion test and the Brix refractometry analyses. Newborns of the Nordestino ecotype were found to be born agammaglobulinemic, with a progressive increase in IgG concentration after colostrum intake; a maximum value of 3.07 g/dL IgG was recorded 17.9 h after delivery. The blood serum analysis of the newborns also revealed a good correlation between the results of the radial immunodiffusion test and total proteins as measured by refractometry. In conclusion, the colostrum of female Nordestino ecotype donkeys is of great quality, ensuring the effective transfer of immunoglobulins to their newborns.

White-bellied pangolins (Phataginus tricuspis) rescued from trade in North-central and South-western Nigeria by the Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria were evaluated for morphometric characteristics in this study. Pangolins were rehabilitated and put in two age groupings defined by their total body length: Juvenile (≤75 cm) and Adult (>75 cm). Sex, Rectal Temperature, and Body Weight (BW) were recorded. Morphometric parameters which included; Total Body Length (TBL), Snout Length (SL), Head Length (HL), Head Body Length (HBL), Tail Length (TL), Neck Circumference (NC), Shoulder Circumference (SC), Body Circumference (BC), Forelimb Length (FLL) and Hindlimb Length (HLL) were measured. The ratio of TL to HBL was calculated. Measurements were obtained following standard procedures. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and chi-square at α _0.05. A total of 29 pangolins comprising 20 adults (68.97%) and 9 juveniles (31.03%) that included 17 males (58.62%) and 12 females (41.38%) were sampled. The rectal temperature range was 32.0–34.2 °C. The mean body weights and mean TBL for adult males, adult females, juvenile males and juvenile females were 1.93 ± 0.51 and 96.57 ± 10.13, 1.60 ± 0.15 and 90.11 ± 3.88, 0.72 ± 0.15 and 61.74 ± 7.42, 0.91 ± 0.15 and 69.8 ± 3.15, respectively. The mean TL/HBL was 1.37 ± 0.02. There was a positive correlation between the age group and body weight, TBL, SL, HL, HBL, TL, NC, SC, BC, FLL, and HLL while there was no association with the rectal temperature and the TL/HBL ratio. There was no association between sex and any of the measurements. The morphometric parameters increased with age while rectal temperature and TL/HBL ratio were relatively constant. The adult male pangolins attained greater weight and total body lengths than females. Sexual dimorphism in measured parameters was not established. Information provided in this study will be useful in complementing pangolin health management, research, and conservation efforts.