Heavy metal concentrations in free-living southern caracaras (Caracara plancus) in the Northeast Region of Brazil

Background: With the continuously increasing release of heavy metals in the environment, mostly from anthropogenic sources, there is a need to find ways of evaluating and managing the issuance of these contaminants and correct its damages. The birds being at the top of some food chains reflect the presence of metals in the environment, keeping this in perspective, raptors have been successfully used for heavy metals biomonitoring studies in the past. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr) in the feathers and livers of free-living southern caracaras, live and dead, from Recife, Pernambuco state, Northeast of Brazil. Material, Methods & Results: Sixty-two feathers from live and dead southern caracaras and 21 livers from dead southern caracaras were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry for Hg and by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for Cd, Cr, Pb, and Cu. Concentrations of Cr and Cu elements were detected in all feather and liver samples analyzed from live and dead caracaras. There was no difference in the concentration of metals between feathers of dead and live caracaras: Pb (P = 0.3576), Cd (P = 0.0792), Cr (P = 0.5475), and Cu (P = 0.3603), but significant variation was observed for Hg (P = 0.0459). The highest concentrations of Pb (P < 0.0001) and Cr (P < 0.0001) were found in the feathers than in the liver. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Cu were found in liver samples (P = 0.0011). No significant variation in the concentrations of Cd (P = 0.7770) and Hg (P = 0.3669) was found between feathers and liver samples. Discussion: Chromium, as well as Hg, and Cu have a high affinity for keratin, which may explain the higher concentrations of Cr in caracaras feathers in this research. Lead was detected in all liver samples analyzed. Elevated levels were also found in the feathers of dead (95.2%) and live (75.6%) caracaras.[...]

Heavy metal concentrations in free-living southern caracaras (Caracara plancus) in the Northeast Region of Brazil

Background: With the continuously increasing release of heavy metals in the environment, mostly from anthropogenic sources, there is a need to find ways of evaluating and managing the issuance of these contaminants and correct its damages. The birds being at the top of some food chains reflect the presence of metals in the environment, keeping this in perspective, raptors have been successfully used for heavy metals biomonitoring studies in the past. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr) in the feathers and livers of free-living southern caracaras, live and dead, from Recife, Pernambuco state, Northeast of Brazil. Material, Methods & Results: Sixty-two feathers from live and dead southern caracaras and 21 livers from dead southern caracaras were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry for Hg and by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for Cd, Cr, Pb, and Cu. Concentrations of Cr and Cu elements were detected in all feather and liver samples analyzed from live and dead caracaras. There was no difference in the concentration of metals between feathers of dead and live caracaras: Pb (P = 0.3576), Cd (P = 0.0792), Cr (P = 0.5475), and Cu (P = 0.3603), but significant variation was observed for Hg (P = 0.0459). The highest concentrations of Pb (P < 0.0001) and Cr (P < 0.0001) were found in the feathers than in the liver. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Cu were found in liver samples (P = 0.0011). No significant variation in the concentrations of Cd (P = 0.7770) and Hg (P = 0.3669) was found between feathers and liver samples. Discussion: Chromium, as well as Hg, and Cu have a high affinity for keratin, which may explain the higher concentrations of Cr in caracaras feathers in this research. Lead was detected in all liver samples analyzed. Elevated levels were also found in the feathers of dead (95.2%) and live (75.6%) caracaras.[...](AU)

Avaliação de pardais (Passer domesticus, Linneaus 1758) capturados em granjas avícolas do Agreste Pernambucano para infecção pelo vírus da doença de Newcastle

Objetivou-se avaliar a participação de pardais (Passer domesticus, Linneaus 1758), capturados em granjas comerciais de frango de corte e de matrizes no estado de Pernambuco, como reservatório do vírus da doença de Newcastle (VDN). Foram capturados 103 pardais, sendo 24 procedentes de granja utilizada para a produção de frangos de corte e 79 procedentes de granja destinada a criação de matrizes. Coletou-se através de venopunção da jugular aproximadamente 0,7mL de sangue para a obtenção do soro utilizado no teste de inibição da hemaglutinação, destinado a pesquisa de anticorpos contra o VDN. No teste sorológico foram encontrados títulos positivos somente nas amostras provenientes da granja de matrizes, correspondendo a 13,92% das aves capturadas. Os títulos variaram de 1:2 a 1:64. Um “pool” de “swabs” da cloaca dos pardais capturados de cada granja foi utilizado na pesquisa viral. Para a identificação do VDN foram utilizados antissoros de referência, e a sua caracterização foi realizada através do teste de índice de patogenicidade intracerebral (IPIC). O vírus isolado reagiu com o antissoro APMV-1, tratando-se então do VDN. O IPIC foi de 0,21, muito próximo ao índice da estirpe vacinal B1, utilizada no programa de vacinação da granja de matriz. Baseado nestes resultados, acredita-se que os pardais tenham se infectado com a estirpe vacinal na própria granja, demonstrando que estas aves podem atuar como reservatório e disseminadores do VDN. Entretanto testes adicionais como imunoperoxidase indireta utilizando anticorpos monoclonais e/ou o sequenciamento do genoma viral deverão ser realizados para comprovar a identidade do isolado com a estirpe vacinal utilizada