RESUMEN
Concerning large game in Portugal, there is an epidemiological risk area for tuberculosis where the pressure of tuberculosis infection in wild animals is high. Hunters and other people involved in managing carcasses (evisceration and/or initial examination) of these animals should be considered as a high-risk population for sporadic occupational zoonotic infection. This study aims to evaluate and indicate these stakeholders' main risk practices. The survey was carried out in two phases: a first phase with an anonymous survey to hunters about self-consumption of game meat and carcass handling practices, and a second phase of evaluation in loco of the practices carried out at collection points after driven hunts. As the main results suggested in this study, bad practices and improper handling of hunted carcasses potentially infected with tuberculosis were marked in both phases of the survey, mostly related to the lack of recognition of tuberculosis-like lesions and the non-use of individual protection material, such as gloves and masks. It is evident that stakeholders are interested in learning more about how to perform initial examination properly and what kind of biosecurity measures can be adopted to minimize zoonotic infection risk.
RESUMEN
Nasopharyngeal myiasis in red deer has never been studied in Portugal. For this reason, from December 2015 to February 2016 a study was derived on hunted red deer in Idanha-a-Nova county to evaluate the Diptera larvae presence. During the initial examination on the spot, the larvae was analysed at the nasopharynx. When present, larvae were collected for further species identification. The infestation prevalence was 50.6 ± 7.61% (CI 95%), and the mean parasitism intensity was 11.38 larvae per affected host. Two larvae species were found, Pharyngomyia picta and Cephenemyia auribarbis, both on single or concomitant infection, with the first species having a higher prevalence and mean infestation intensity than the second. The larvae's prevalence was significantly higher (X2 = 4.35; p = 0.0370) in males (62.16 ± 11.05%) than in females (41.30 ± 10.06%). Within age groups, younger animals showed a higher prevalence. This study shows the presence of P. picta and C. auribarbis larvae in the wild red deer population in Portugal for the first time. The high parasitic prevalence and mean intensity highlight the importance of this parasitosis in this wild species. For this reason, more scientific research is required to accurately assess its prevalence in other geographic areas, and evaluate the risk factors as well effects of this parasitosis on the deer population.
RESUMEN
In the Iberian Peninsula, the prevalence of tuberculosis differs for each region and for different wild disease hosts and the region affected by a Mediterranean climate will be the most affected. The Mediterranean Iberic regions have a favourable ecosystem for the development of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex agents, where habitat, population dynamics, and climate (especially drought) are important factors affecting the high prevalence of tuberculosis in the wild boar population. Our objective was to study the association between the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and the occurrence of tuberculosis-like lesions (TBL) in wild boar during nine hunting seasons (2008/09 to 2016/17) in Idanha-a-Nova County. To this end, statistical analysis revealed a significant association (p < 0.05) between the occurrence of TBL in wild boar in Idanha-a-Nova County and the analysed risk factor-previous season with periods of drought-which indicated that, when one season experiences some periods of drought, the probability of TBL occurrence in wild boars was 1.2 (OR = 1.2) times higher in the next hunting season than when there were no periods of drought. Therefore, our study contributes to the discovery of a positive effect of periods of drought on the transmission of tuberculosis in Iberian wildlife.
RESUMEN
Since April 2011, Portugal has implemented specific national legislation (Notice No. 1/2011), defining "Epidemiologic Risk Areas for Bovine Tuberculosis in Large Game" and mitigation measures in these areas, including Idanha-a-Nova county. A GIS project was created to record information that would allow us to analyse the spatial-temporal distribution, both for hunting bags and tuberculosis occurrence, in hunted wild boar and red deer in Idanha-a-Nova. Hunting bag and tuberculosis-like lesion data were recorded during post-mortem inspection across 11 hunting seasons, totalling 9844 animals. The difference in tuberculosis occurrence for these species was statistically significant in nearly all 11 seasons, with wild boars presenting approximately twice the occurrence of red deer. No significant difference was noted before and after the Notice No. 1/2011 implementation. These results, following GIS-based spatial analysis, enable us to state that both large game species displayed an irregular tuberculosis pattern for the 2006-2016 period, and we identified some specific areas of high risk for both species. Southern areas of the county may be considered the priority for intervention. This research demonstrates the potential of GIS tools to evaluate, in the field, the results and efficacy of legislation such as Notice No. 1/2011, and to ensure the correct implementation of cost-effective mitigation strategies for tuberculosis in large game species.
RESUMEN
Oxidative cell injury could be induced by different reactive oxygen species (ROS) operating in multiple pathways. The present work is focused on three different models of oxidative stress: the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system (XXO), an extracellular superoxide anion generator; tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP), an analogue of lipid hydroperoxides; and doxorubicin (Dox), an anticancer drug. Superoxide and peroxyl radicals, among other ROS, could be effectively scavenged by MnTM-4-PyP, a polyfunctional catalytic antioxidant. In this report, we have addressed the role of MnTM-4-PyP on the protection against the cytotoxicity induced by the three aforementioned oxidants. The effect of MnTM-4-PyP (0.1-100 microM) was evaluated in V79 fibroblasts using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide reduction and the crystal violet assays, as well as the mitotic index. Also, the generation of intracellular ROS was studied by the fluorescent probe dihydroethidium. MnTM-4-PyP has shown significant protective effects against the cytotoxicity of XXO and TBHP, increasing the cell viability in approximately 40% and reducing the intracellular level of ROS. However, no considerable protection occurred against Dox. The three oxidants caused a mitotic index reduction that was not altered by MnTM-4-PyP. In summary, MnTM-4-PyP appears to be a promising agent for the protection against oxidative injury. However, it has shown differential responses, reinforcing the need to study different experimental models for the adequate evaluation of its potentialities as a catalytic antioxidant.