Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in Trinidad and Tobago

Ethnoveterinary research was conducted in Trinidad and Tobago in 1995, in order to document existing ethnoveterinary practices. This paper describes 20 medicinal plants and used to treat ruminants. The main plants used were Azadirachta indica and Curcuma longa. Medicinal plants were used predominantly for endoparasities, internal and external injuries and pregnancy-related conditions. A 4-stage process was used to conduct the research and document the ethnoveterinary practices. This documentation could provide a foundation for the further scientific study and verification of those practices which merit such study(AU)

Vector situation of tick-borne diseases in the Caribbean islands

The most important ticks transmitting diseases to ruminants in the Caribbean islands are: Amblyomma variegatum, vector of cowdriosis and associated with acute dermatophilosis: Amblyomma cajennense, potential vector of cowdriosis; Boophilus microplus, vector of babesiosis and anaplasmosis. At the present time, Amblyomma variegatum is widespread in the Lesser Antilles from Barbados to Puerto Rico. The inensity of the tick control program varies in the different islands and the tick infestation in each island ranges from limited foci to widespread infestations. The vector situation appeared stable since 1988 in the Lesser Antilles but the outbreak in 1992 in Puerto Rico emphasized the risk of spread to other islands and to the American mainland, particularly with cattle egrets. Cowdriosis remains apparently limited to Guadeloupe and Antigua. Amblyomma cajennense, experimental vector of cowdriosis, is present in Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad but also in most American countries. Boophilus microplus is widespread throughout the Caribbean. Its presence and importance are often indirectly estimated by the clinical and serological diagnosis of babesiosis and anaplasmosis. There is no correlation between the intensity of Amblyomma variegatum control in each island of the Lesser Antilles and the effect on the Boophilus microplus population measured by the seroprevalence to babesiosis and anaplasmosis, but within the island of Martinique a regular Amblyomma variegatum control decreases the seroprevalences to babesiosis and anaplasmosis (AU)

Campylobacter infections in calves, piglets, lambs and kids in Trinidad

Faeces or rectal swabs from 689 diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic animals were cultured for thermophilic campylobacters and their antibiograms were determined. Three hundred and fifteen (45.7 percent) samples were positive for Campylobacter. Piglets had the highest prevalence, 79.3 percent (233/294) and lambs, the lowest with 17.9 percent (15/84) being positive. The difference was statistically significant (P < or = 0.01; chi 2). In calves, 20.5 (60/293) and in kids 38.9 percent (7/18) were positive for campylobacters. The prevalence of infection was not significantly (P > or = 0.05; chi 2) different between diarrhoeic (46.1 percent) and non-diarrhoeic (45.1 percent) animals nor between male (47.5 percent) and female (43.8 percent). The frequency of isolation of campylobacters harvested from semi-intensively managed animals (75.4 percent) was, however, significantly higher (P < or = 0.001; chi 2) than from intensively or extensively managed animals. Overall, C. coli strains (32.8 percent) were more frequently isolated than C. jejuni strains (12.9 percent) and the difference was significant (P < or = 0.001; chi 2). Biotype I accounted for 67.3 percent (152/226) of C. coli and 64.0 percent (57/89) of C. jejuni strains isolated. A total of 245 (77.8 percent) strains of Campylobacter exhibited resistance to one or more antibiotics and was highest to streptomycin (76.5 percent), kanamycin (28.6 percent) and neomycin (26.7 percent). It was concluded that Campylobacter infections were widespread in livestock in Trinidad, particularly C. coli in piglets. (AU)

Culicoides spp. collected near ruminants in Jamaica and their relevance to bluetongue

Eight species of Culicoides were collected from light traps operated near cattle and goat herds at St. Thomas and Mona, Jamaica, respectively over a 2-year period. Mean number of biting midges collected from the former site was 56 per trap night in contrast to 3 flies per night at Mona. Three species comprised more than 99 percent of the catch: C. furens, C. insignis, and C. pusillus. Seasonal trends indicated C. insignis and C. pusillus populations reached their maximum during the autumn months, but that the populations were higher in the first year than in the second. (AU)