ABSTRACT
Very little is known about the diseases affecting the Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes), which is considered to be one of the most endangered carnivores worldwide. Blood samples of 30 foxes captured on Chiloé Island (Chile) were tested with a battery of PCR assays targeting the following pathogens: Ehrlichia/Anaplasma sp., Rickettsia sp., Bartonella sp., Coxiella burnetti, Borrelia sp., Mycoplasma sp., Babesia sp., Hepatozoon canis, Hepatozoon felis, Leishmania donovani complex, and Filariae. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. in 17 samples (56.7%, 95% Confidence Intervals= 38.2-73.7). Of these, 15 infections were caused by a Mycoplasma belonging to the M. haemofelis/haemocanis (Mhf/Mhc) group, whereas two were caused by a Mycoplasma showing between 89% and 94% identity with different Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis from felids and rodents hemoplasmas. The analysis of the sequence of the RNA subunit of the RNase P gene of 10 of the foxes positive for Mhf/Mhc showed that eight were infected with M. haemocanis (Mhc), one with a Mycoplasma showing 94% identity with Mhc, and one by M. haemofelis (Mhf). One of the foxes positive for Mhc was infected with a Ricketssia closely related to R. felis. All foxes were negative for the other studied pathogens. Our results are of interest because of the unexpectedly high prevalence of Mycoplasma spp. detected, the variability of species identified, the presence of a potentially new species of hemoplasma, and the first time a hemoplasma considered to be a feline pathogen (Mhf) has been identified in a canid. Though external symptoms were not observed in any of the infected foxes, further clinical and epidemiological studies are necessary to determine the importance of hemoplasma infection in this unique species.
Subject(s)
Endangered Species , Foxes/microbiology , Mycoplasma Infections/veterinary , Mycoplasma/physiology , Animals , Chile/epidemiology , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Female , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Mycoplasma/classification , Mycoplasma/genetics , Mycoplasma Infections/diagnosis , Mycoplasma Infections/epidemiology , Mycoplasma Infections/microbiology , Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Prevalence , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Ribonuclease P/genetics , Rickettsia/genetics , Rickettsia/isolation & purification , Rickettsia Infections/diagnosis , Rickettsia Infections/epidemiology , Rickettsia Infections/microbiology , Rickettsia Infections/veterinary , Sequence Homology, Nucleic AcidABSTRACT
We report the detection and characterization of a novel gammaherpesvirus in the critically endangered Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes; syn. Pseudalopex fulvipes) on Chiloé Island, Chile. Out of 28 analysed blood samples stored in alcohol, four were positive for this herpesvirus using a previously described pan-herpesvirus PCR assay targeting the herpesvirus DNA polymerase. Positive samples were subsequently characterized by means of a PCR targeting a 500 bp fragment of the glycoprotein B of the gammaherpesviruses. This novel herpesvirus was most closely related to other gammaherpesviruses from terrestrial carnivores, and is tentatively named Darwin's fox gammaherpesvirus. No apparent lesions were observed in the surveyed foxes. This is the first report of a gammaherpesvirus infecting a canid worldwide, and also of one infecting a carnivore from South America.
Subject(s)
Endangered Species , Foxes/virology , Gammaherpesvirinae/classification , Gammaherpesvirinae/genetics , Herpesviridae Infections/veterinary , Animals , DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase/genetics , Female , Herpesviridae Infections/virology , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Viral Envelope Proteins/geneticsSubject(s)
Bird Diseases/therapy , Veterinary Medicine/standards , Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Animals , Bird Diseases/diagnosis , Bird Diseases/epidemiology , Birds , Communicable Diseases/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases/therapy , Communicable Diseases/veterinary , Education, Veterinary , Latin America/epidemiology , Societies, ScientificSubject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Female , Accidents, Occupational/prevention & control , Muscle Contraction/physiology , Fractures, Bone , Hand/pathology , Shoulder FracturesABSTRACT
Se presenta la experiencia preliminara abtenidad en el Servicio de Ortopedia del Hospital General del I.V.S.S., al colocar el ligamento protésico PTFE de Gore-Tex, en cuatro pacientes que sufrían de inestabilidad de la articulación de la rodilla, debida a lesión de ligamentos cruzados. La evolución postoperatoria ha sido satisfactoria, aunque el seguimiento no ha sido suficientemente largo como para llegar a conclusiones definitivas
