Microsporidiosis in a Gouldian finch (Erythrura [Chloebia] gouldiae)

A 12-day-old nestling Gouldian finch (Erythrura [Chloebia] gouldiae) was presented for investigation of a mortality problem in nestling finches raised by Bengalese finch foster parents. On histological examination, large numbers of spores consistent with a microsporidian organism were present within the small intestinal mucosa. Electron microscopy and molecular studies (sequencing the 5' end of the ssu rRNA gene) further defined the organism as Encephalitozoon hellem. Sequence homology with other eukaryotes was determined using a BLASTN search from the NCBI GenBank database. The finch isolate sequences showed greater than 99% homology with those of previously reported human and avian isolates.

Vision in the peafowl (Aves : Pavo cristatus)

The visual sense of the Indian blue-shouldered peafowl Pavo cristatus was investigated with respect to the spectral absorption characteristics of the retinal photoreceptors, the spectral transmittance of the ocular media and the topographic distribution of cells in the retinal ganglion cell layer. Microspectrophotometry revealed a single class of rod, four spectrally distinct types of single cone and a single class of double cone. In the case of the single cone types, which contained visual pigments with wavelengths of maximum absorbance (lambda(max)) at 424, 458, 505 and 567 nm, spectral filtering by the ocular media and the different cone oil droplets with which each visual pigment is associated gives predicted peak spectral sensitivities of 432, 477, 537 and 605 nm, respectively. Topographic analysis of retinal ganglion cell distribution revealed a large central area of increased cell density (at peak, 35,609 cells mm(-2)) with a poorly defined visual streak extending nasally. The peafowl has a calculated maximum spatial resolution (visual acuity) in the lateral visual field of 20.6 cycles degrees(-1). These properties of the peafowl eye are discussed with respect to its visual ecology and are compared with those of other closely related species.

Conspicuous males suffer higher predation risk: visual modelling and experimental evidence from lizards

Colour pattern variation is a striking and widespread phenomenon. Differential predation risk between individuals is often invoked to explain colour variation, but empirical support for this hypothesis is equivocal. We investigated differential conspicuousness and predation risk in two species of Australian rock dragons, Ctenophorus decresii and C. vadnappa. To humans, the coloration of males of these species varies between 'bright' and 'dull'. Visual modelling based on objective colour measurements and the spectral sensitivities of avian visual pigments showed that dragon colour variants are differentially conspicuous to the visual system of avian predators when viewed against the natural background. We conducted field experiments to test for differential predation risk, using plaster models of 'bright' and 'dull' males. 'Bright' models were attacked significantly more often than 'dull' models suggesting that differential conspicuousness translates to differential predation risk in the wild. We also examined the influence of natural geographical range on predation risk. Results from 22 localities suggest that predation rates vary according to whether predators are familiar with the prey species. This study is among the first to demonstrate both differential conspicuousness and differential predation risk in the wild using an experimental protocol. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Testosterone is correlated with courtship but not aggression in the tropical buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis

Past studies into the roles of testosterone in birds have focused on species that occur in temperate regions. In such species, plasma testosterone levels are high during the establishment of territories in the spring and are associated with increased aggression. In contrast to most temperate species, tropical birds frequently defend territories year-round, during which time territoriality often occurs in a nonsexual context. The few studies that have been carried out on tropical birds show lower levels of circulating testosterone than occur in their temperate counterparts. In some year-round territorial tropical species, testosterone and aggression are dissociated, while in other species testosterone still plays a role in regulating aggression. This study examined the relationship between aggression and plasma testosterone levels in a year-round territorial, subtropical population of the buff-banded rail with characteristics typical of tropical species. Peak testosterone levels were substantially lower than those found in temperate species. Males displayed a seasonal peak in plasma testosterone level when their partners were most likely to be fertile. At other times, testosterone levels were mostly undetectable, despite year-round territoriality. We found that T levels increased with courtship behavior but showed no relationship with aggression, supporting the hypothesis that dissociation between testosterone and territoriality may be widespread among tropical avian taxa. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Complete genomic sequence of the Australian south-west genotype of Sindbis virus: Comparisons with other Sindbis strains and identification of a unique deletion in the 3 '-untranslated region

Our previous studies have shown that two distinct genotypes of Sindbis (SIN) virus occur in Australia. One of these, the Oriental/Australian type, circulates throughout most of the Australian continent, whereas the recently identified south-west (SW) genetic type appears to be restricted to a distinct geographic region located in the temperate south-west of Australia. We have now determined the complete nucleotide and translated amino acid sequences of a SW isolate of SIN virus (SW6562) and performed comparative analyses with other SIN viruses at the genomic level. The genome of SW6562 is 11,569 nucleotides in length, excluding the cap nucleotide and poly (A) tail. Overall this virus differs from the prototype SIN virus (strain AR339) by 23% in nucleotide sequence and 12.5% in amino acid sequence. Partial sequences of four regions of the genome of four SW isolates were determined and compared with the corresponding sequences from a number of SIN isolates from different regions of the World. These regions are the non-structural protein (nsP3), the E2 gene, the capsid gene, and the repeated sequence elements (RSE) of the 3'UTR. These comparisons revealed that the SW SIN viruses were more closely related to South African and European strains than to other Australian isolates of SIN virus. Thus the SW genotype of SIN virus may have been introduced into this region of Australia by viremic humans or migratory birds and subsequently evolved independently in the region. The sequence data also revealed that the SW genotype contains a unique deletion in the RSE of the 3'UTR region of the genome. Previous studies have shown that deletions in this region of the SIN genome can have significant effects on virus replication in mosquito and avian cells, which may explain the restricted distribution of this genotype of SIN virus.

Detection of West Nile Virus Infection in birds in the United States by blocking ELISA and immunohistochemistry

A blocking ELISA targeting an immunodominant West Nile epitope on the West Nile Virus NS1 protein was assessed for the detection of West Nile-specific antibodies in blood samples collected from 584 sentinel chickens and 238 wild birds collected in-New Jersey from May-December 2000. Ten mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) experimentally infected with West Nile virus and six uninfected controls were also tested. The ELISA proved specific in detecting WNV antibodies in 9/10 chickens and 4/4 wild birds previously confirmed as positive by Plaque Reduction Neutralization test (PRNT) at the Center for Disease Control, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Fort Collins, CO, USA (CDC). Nine out of the ten experimentally infected mallard ducks also tested positive for WN antibodies in the blocking ELISA, while 6/6 uninfected controls did not. Additionally, 1705 wild birds, collected in New Jersey from December 2000-November 2001 and Long Island, New York between November 1999 and August 2001 were also tested for WN antibodies by the blocking ELISA. These tests identified 30 positive specimens, 12 of which had formalin-fixed tissues available to allow detection of WN specific viral antigen in various tissues by WNV-specific immunohistochemistry. Our results indicate that rapid and specific detection of antibodies to WN virus in sera from a range of avian species by blocking ELISA is an effective strategy for WN Virus surveillance in avian hosts. In combination with detection of WN-specific antigens in tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC) the blocking ELISA will also be useful for confirming WN infection in diseased birds.

Faeces as a source of DNA for molecular studies in a threatened population of great bustards

With recent advances in molecular biology, it is now possible to use the trace amounts of DNA in faeces to non-invasively sample endangered species for genetic studies. A highly vulnerable population of approximately 100 great bustards (Otis tarda) exists in Morocco necessitating the use of non-invasive protocols to study their genetic structure. Here we report a reliable silica-based method to extract DNA from great bustard faeces. We found that successful extraction and amplification correlated strongly with faeces freshness and composition. We could not extract amplifiable DNA from 30% of our samples as they were dry or contained insect material. However 100% of our fresh faecal samples containing no obvious insect material worked, allowing us to assess the levels of genetic variation among 25 individuals using a 542 bp control region sequence. We were able to extract DNA from four out of five other avian species, demonstrating that faeces represents a suitable source of DNA for population genetics studies in a broad range of species.

Non-volant tetrapods from Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas, State of Espírito Santo, Southeastern Brazil

A Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas (2.190 ha) é um dos maiores remanescentes de Mata Atlântica do Estado do Espírito Santo, Sudeste do Brasil. Nós amostramos tetrápodes não voadores nessa área entre maio de 2007 e abril de 2008, utilizando armadilhas de queda, armadilhas de isca, armadilhas fotográficas e buscas oportunísticas diurnas e noturnas. Além disso, nós compilamos registros de vertebrados não voadores ocorrentes nesta área disponíveis na literatura e através de espécimes em museus. Nós documentamos 52 espécies de anfíbios, 24 espécies de répteis não voadores e 39 espécies de mamíferos não voadores. Do total de 115 espécies, 47 configuram novos registros para a área e seis outras espécies tiveram sua distribuição geográfica ampliada com os resultados do presente estudo. Além disso, apresentamos o registro de predação da perereca Hypsiboas faber pela serpente Chironius bicarinatus. Cinco das espécies registradas são listadas como ameaçadas no Estado do Espírito Santo e muitas outras possuem estado de conservação incerto. A Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas é um importante refúgio de vida selvagem, principalmente quando consideramos a expansão de áreas urbanas no seu entorno.

Characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from urban environmental sources in Goiânia, Goiás State, Brazil

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis as the most frequent clinical presentation in immunocompromised patients, mainly in people infected by HIV. This fungus is an environmental encapsulated yeast, commonly found in soil enriched with avian droppings and plant material. A total of 290 samples of pigeon and the other avian droppings, soil, ornamental trees and vegetable material associated with Eucalyptus trees were collected to study environmental sources of Cryptococcus species in Goiânia, Goiás State. The determination of varieties, serotypes and the susceptibility in vitro to fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B of C. neoformans isolates were performed. C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A) was found in 20.3% (36/177) of pigeon dropping samples and in 14.3% (5/35) of samples of Eucalyptus. None of the environmental isolates of C. neoformans showed in vitro resistance to three antifungal agents. The knowledge of major route for human cryptococcal infection (inhalation of infectious particles from saprophytic sources) and a total of 60 C. neoformans isolates obtained from AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis between October 2001 and April 2002 justify the study of the habitats of these yeasts as probable sources of cryptococcosis in this city.

Cryptococcus neoformans isolation from swallow (Hirundo rustica) excreta in Iran

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that can cause cryptococcosis, a life-threatening infection that mainly occurs in immunocompromised patients. The major environmental sources of C. neoformans have been shown to be soil contaminated with avian droppings. In the present study, we evaluated the isolation of C. neoformans from swallow (Hirundo rustica) excreta in two northern cities of Iran. Ninety-seven swallow droppings were evaluated and 498 yeast-like colonies were isolated and identified as Rhodotorula spp. (62.8%), Candida spp. (28.5%)and C. neoformans (8.7%). Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 5/97 (5.2%) of collected samples. Min-Max colony forming units (CFU) per one gram for the positive samples were 3-10 C. neoformans colonies. The total mean CFU per one gram for the positive samples was 4.8. The results of this study demonstrate that excreta of swallow may harbor different species of potentially pathogenic yeasts, mainly C. neoformans, and may be capable of disseminating these fungi in the environment.

Improving Influenza Surveillance in Portuguese Preschool Children by Parents' Report

Influenza surveillance is usually based on nationally organized sentinel networks of physicians and on hospital reports. This study aimed to test a different report system, based on parents' phone contact to the research team and in home collection of samples by a dedicated team. The identification of influenza and other respiratory viruses in children who attended a Hospital Emergency Department was also recorded. Real-time PCR and reverse transcription PCR were performed for influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1-4, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus A and B, rhinovirus, enterovirus, group 1 coronaviruses, group 2 coronaviruses, and human bocavirus. One hundred children were included, 64 from the day care centers and 36 from the Hospital. Overall, 79 samples were positive for at least one respiratory virus. Influenza A (H3) was the virus most frequently detected: 25 cases, 20 of these in children under 5 years of age (ten from day care centers and ten who went to the hospital) which was higher than those reported by the National Influenza Surveillance Programme for this age. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study suggest that a surveillance system based on parents' reports could complement the implanted system of the National Influenza Surveillance Programme.

Etiologia das infeções respiratórias virais em criançass em idade pré-escolar

RESUMO: Os vírus respiratórios continuam a ocupar um papel relevante na morbilidade e mortalidade infantil, tendo na última década sido alargado o espectro de vírus potencialmente causadores das infeções respiratórias. O diagnóstico destas infeções pode ser efetuado por várias metodologias, sendo as técnicas de biologia molecular consideradas as mais sensíveis para este fim. No âmbito do Projeto Ambiente e Saúde em Creches e Infantários (ENVIRH) foi efetuada uma comparação da prevalência dos principais vírus respiratórios em crianças em idade pré-escolar, com critérios de infeção respiratória, recorrendo a técnicas de biologia molecular, em duas populações: crianças que se encontravam na escola/domicilio e crianças que recorreram a uma urgência hospitalar. O estudo decorreu em dois períodos, de Fevereiro a Maio de 2011 e de Outubro de 2011 a Abril de 2012. Foram efetuadas duas colheitas de zaragatoas, uma nasal e outra orofaríngea. A metodologia utilizada para a identificação viral nas amostras foi a PCR e RT-PCR multiplex em tempo real. Os vírus pesquisados foram: Influenza A e B, Parainfluenza 1-4, Metapneumovirus humano, Vírus Sincicial respiratório (VSR), Rinovírus, Enterovírus, Coronavírus e Bocavirus. Foram realizadas 100 colheitas em crianças com idades compreendidas entre os 5 meses e os 5 anos. Foram obtidas 64 amostras dos infantários/domicílios, das quais 47 foram positivas. Da urgência Hospitalar obtiveram-se 36 amostras, em que 32 foram positivas. O vírus da gripe A (H3) foi o mais frequentemente detetado nas duas populações, mas apenas durante o surto de 2012. O VSR e os adenovírus foram mais frequentes nas crianças que recorreram ao hospital, ao contrário dos enterovirus e dos coronavírus, que não foram detetados nesta população. Os bocavirus nunca foram detetados isoladamente. Este estudo reforça a importância de se utilizarem técnicas de biologia molecular para o diagnóstico etiológico das infeções respiratórias, devido à elevada sensibilidade das mesmas, o que se reflete na elevada percentagem de amostras positivas. O facto de se utilizarem técnicas “multiplex”, que permitem a pesquisa simultânea de vários vírus, facilita a deteção de um maior espectro destes agentes. A elevada prevalência de Influenza A H3N2 deveu-se ao facto de grande parte do estudo ter coincidido com um período de surto por este vírus. O sistema de alerta montado durante o projeto ENVIRH pareceu promissor para uma eventual utilização futura em períodos de atividade gripal.--------------ABSTRACT: In the last decade, as respiratory viruses keep representing a relevant factor in child morbidity and mortality, the spectrum of viruses that may potentially cause respiratory infections has been widened. Within the several methodologies that may be applied in the diagnosis of these types of infections, the ones that use molecular biology are considered to be the most sensitive. The Environment and Health in Daycares and Nurseries Project (ENVIRH) arranged for a study, by means of molecular biology techniques, on the main respiratory viruses' influence in pre-school aged children with respiratory infection symptoms. This study compared children in two different populations: children at school or at home and children that were taken to a hospital emergency service. The study was conducted in two different time periods, one from February to May 2011 and the other from October 2011 to April 2012. During this time, two swab collections were held, one nasal and one oropharyngeal. PCR and RT-PCR multiplex in real time techniques were used for viral identification of the samples, searching for the viruses Influenza A and B, Parainfluenza 1-4, human Metapneumovirus, Respiratory Sincytial Virus (RSV), Rhinovirus, Enterovirus, Coronavirus and Bocavirus. One hundred (100) collections were held in children between the ages of 5 months and 5 years, sixty-four (64) at home/school and thirty-six (36) at the hospital's emergency service. From a total of seventy-nine (79) positive samples, forty-seven (47) were obtained at home/school and thirty-two (32) at the hospital. The virus detected the most in both populations was the Influenza A (H3), but only during the outbreak of 2012. Unlike the enteroviruses and coronaviruses, that were not detected within this population, the RSV and the adenoviruses were most common within the children at the hospital. Bocaviruses were never detected isolated from other viruses. The high percentage of positive samples reinforces the significance of using molecular biology techniques for the etiological diagnosis of respiratory infections. The use of multiplex techniques, that make the simultaneous search for multiple viruses possible, enhances the detection of a larger spectrum of such agents. Most of the study coincided with an outbreak of the Influenza A H3N2 virus, thus explaining the high number of its cases identified. The alert system set up during the ENVIRH project looked promising enough for eventual periods of flu activity in the future.

Effects of forest fragmentation on amazonian understory bird communities

SUMMARYData form an intensive mist-netting mark-recapture program in the central Amazon demostrate significant changes in the undesrtory avian community in isolate patches of 1 and 10 ha of terra firme forest. Following isolation, capture rates increase significantly as birds fleeing the felled forest entered the. newly formed forest fragments. Movement to and from the reserve is restricted, as witnessed by an increase in recapture percentages following isolation. Species of birds that axe. obligate army ant followers disappeared at the time the surrounding habitat was removed from 1 - and 10 - ha areas. The complex mixed-species insectivorous flocks typical of Amazonian forests deteriorated within 2 years of isolation of 1 - and 10 - ha forest fragments. Several species of mid-story insectivores changed their foraging behavior after isolation of small forest reserves.

Developmental and paleontological insights into skull bone homology and evolution

The Gallus gallus (chicken) embryo is a central model organism in evolutionary developmental biology. Its anatomy and developmental genetics have been extensively studied and many relevant evolutionary implications have been made so far. However, important questions regarding the developmental origin of the chicken skull bones are still unresolved such that no solid homology can be established across organisms. This precludes evolutionary comparisons between this and other avian model systems in which skull anatomy has evolved significantly over the last millions of years.(...)

Comportamento alimentar de aves em Miconia rubiginosa (Melastomataceae) em fragmento de Cerrado, São Paulo

Birds of 11 species were observed feeding on fruits of Miconia rubiginosa (Bonpl.)DL between February and March 1985 in Itirapina cerrado, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The feeding strategies of birds with regards to fruit use, and the role of the fruits as food resources for the birds in cerrado are analyzed.