Systemic Besnoitiosis in a Juvenile Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus).

Herein, we report the first incidence of systemic besnoitiosis in a male juvenile roe deer Capreolus capreolus. The animal was found dead in an area where bovine besnoitiosis is endemic and showed cachexia and multiple skin erosions in the metacarpal and metatarsal areas. Moreover, round and elevated white structures suggestive of Besnoitia spp. tissue cysts were also present. Twenty-eight tissue samples from different anatomical locations were collected for microscopic lesion and parasite detection through histopathology and PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to confirm Besnoitia-positive reaction in the tissue cysts. In addition, the identity of Besnoitia spp. in PCR-positive tissue samples was also investigated using microsatellite (MS) markers, and the comparison of protein disulphide isomerase gene sequences (BbPDI) of B. besnoiti and B. tarandi isolated from cattle and reindeer, respectively. Besnoitia cysts were detected in the skin (several parts), respiratory and upper digestive tracts, eyes, kidney, liver, testicle, cardiac muscle and lymphoid tissue. Remarkably, the presence of tissue cysts in the brain confirmed the capacity of Besnoitia spp. to form tissue cysts in the central nervous system (CNS). Finally, the Besnoitia species detected showed the same MS genotype as B. besnoiti, and BbPDI sequences from roe deer and two B. besnoiti isolates were genetically identical throughout multiple sequence alignment. Thus, for the first time, there is evidence that roe deer might act as an intermediate host of B. besnoiti. Further molecular analyses and parasite isolations are needed to corroborate these findings.

Echinococcus granulosus (Cestoda, Taeniidae) in the Iberian wolf.

The intestinal contents of 27 Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) from Spain were screened for the presence of the taenid cestode Echinococcus granulosus. Four animals were found positive (15% prevalence). The intensity of parasitation was variable (mean 71, range 1-147 E. granulosus per host). Gravid individuals were found in all wolves positive with the parasite. Molecular characterization of the parasite material showed that the wolf strain belongs to the G1 genotype. According to the results, we conclude that the Iberian wolf takes part in the maintenance of the life cycle of this zoonotic parasite in Spain and that this fact could have public health relevance.

Habitat related differences in helminth parasites of red foxes in the Ebro valley.

The prevalences of helminth parasites found on red foxes collected in two different habitats of the Ebro Valley, in north-eastern Spain were compared. Twenty helminth species, including one trematode, six cestodes, 12 nematodes and one acanthocephalan were found. Metorchis albidus, Uncinaria stenocephala and Dirofilaria immitis were more prevalent in the irrigated lands close to the main rivers of the study area, whereas Trichuris vulpis and Pterygodermatites affinis showed higher prevalences in the semiarid stepparian habitat. Habitat characteristics need to be considered when surveying helminths over large geographical areas. The study shows that in the Ebro Valley the fox constitutes a reservoir host for several helminth species that are parasites of the domestic dog or the wolf, or may have importance as zoonoses.

Alterations in the performance, haematology and clinical biochemistry of growing lambs fed with aflatoxin in the diet.

Twenty-three male lambs were fed 2.5 ppm of aflatoxin for 21 days. Thirteen lambs constituted the control group. Twelve lambs given toxin and six from the control group were killed at 21 days. The remaining animals were killed 8 days later. To determine haematological and biochemical parameters, samples of blood were obtained at 0, 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 days after exposure. The most sensitive indicator of intoxication was the reduction in body weight (17 +/- 2.2 kg-1 body wt. in intoxicated lambs and 19.2 +/- 1.8 kg-1 body wt. in the control group: P >> 0.01) and in the average daily weight gain (133 +/- 79 g day-1 in the intoxicated group and 254 +/- 105 g day-1 in the control group; P >> 0.001) from the 14th day onwards. Lambs fed with aflatoxins had relatively smaller liver weights and higher kidney and spleen weights than lambs from the control group. Feeding aflatoxins increased the erythrocyte count and the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and decreased the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin values. An elevation of the levels of globulins with an increase of the beta and gamma fractions and no variation in total protein and albumin was observed in lambs fed on aflatoxins. Urea levels and the alkaline phosphatase and glutamate dehydrogenase enzymatic activities decreased as a consequence of intoxication, whereas gamma-glutamyl transferase was increased. During the clearance period, haematological values regressed towards basal values, but biochemical parameters remained unchanged. These results suggest that lambs are sensitive to the toxic effects of the aflatoxins and that the determination of zootechnical parameters is a better aid to the diagnosis of intoxication than haematological or biochemical analyses.

Pathological changes in the lungs and mammary glands of sheep and their relationship with maedi-visna infection.

Maedi-visna, a multisystemic disease of adult sheep, was first described in Spain in 1984. To get an idea of the seroprevalence of the disease locally and to estimate the number of seropositive animals with lesions, samples of blood, lungs and mammary glands were taken from 124 randomly selected sheep killed in the main slaughterhouse of Zaragoza. In the agar gel immunodiffusion test, 74 (59.7 per cent) of the sheep were positive and 50 were negative. Among the 74 seropositive animals, 19 (25.6 per cent) had no lesions in any organ, 12 (16.2 per cent) had lesions in the lungs only, 15 (20.2 per cent) had lesions in the mammary glands and 28 (37.8 per cent) had lesions in both organs. In the lungs hyperplasia of lymphoid follicles was more evident than an interstitial infiltrate but in the mammary glands this relationship was not observed. Even when the lesions occurred in both organs, they did not show the expected proportion in terms of either type or severity. Among the 50 seronegative sheep, eight (16 per cent) showed maedi-like lesions, formed exclusively by the hyperplasia of lymphoid follicles.