Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus in Mexico in 2020-2021: Risk Areas and Climatic Distribution.

Mexico is home to 14 species of lagomorphs, 6 of which are endemic. Studies on diseases affecting native lagomorphs are scarce, and in most cases, the impact on their populations remains largely unknown. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), especially the RHDV2 variant, causes a serious and extremely contagious disease, resulting in high mortality rates and major declines in wild lagomorph populations. The objectives of this study were to identify disease hotspots and critical biodiversity regions in Mexico through the combined use of disease information and lagomorph distribution maps and to determine the areas of greatest concern. In total, 19 states of Mexico recorded RHDV2 from April 2020 to August 2021, and 12 of them reported the wild species Sylvilagus audubonii, Lepus californicus, and unidentified Leporidae species. The distribution of RHDV2 in Mexico can be closely predicted from climatic variables. RHDV2 hotspots are located in the central-southern area of the Mexican Highlands and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, where the virus affects multiple species. This knowledge is essential for proposing specific actions to manage and preserve lagomorph populations at risk and address these issues as soon as possible.

SEASONAL AND HOST-ASSOCIATED VARIATION IN BOT FLY (OESTRIDAE: CUTEREBRINAE) PARASITISM OF LAGOMORPHS ACROSS AN ARID-LAND ECOSYSTEM IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.

Bot flies (Oestridae: Cuterebrinae) are obligate mammalian parasites that complete the larval stage of their life cycle under the skin of their host. Most detailed studies of bot fly larval disease ecology have been conducted in temperate deciduous zone rodent systems. To understand the relative importance of seasonal and spatial factors, as well as factors intrinsic to the host, in underpinning the likelihood and extent of parasitism by bot flies in non-rodent hosts as well as in arid-land ecosystems, we examined the dynamic for black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) and desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) parasitism by bot fly larvae (Cuterebra spp.) across 7 repeatedly sampled sites spread across approximately 500 km of the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion of southern New Mexico. This environment is characterized by a climate that includes hot dry summers and cool to cold dry winters, as well as strongly seasonal summer monsoonal rains. Lagomorphs are a common mid-sized mammal in these landscapes. Bot fly parasitism was strongly seasonal, with peak prevalence and abundance in the spring, and there was spatial variation in the extent of parasitism between collection sites. Additionally, jackrabbits in better body condition were less likely to be parasitized (as indicated by kidney fat index). We did not find sex-based differences in bot fly parasitism between male and female jackrabbits. Thus, in arid-land ecoregions, abiotic factors are likely the primary driver of the bot fly-host interaction, whereas factors intrinsic to the host were of secondary importance for characterizing the interactions of bot flies and lagomorphs.

Biología comparada del conejo criollo (Sylvilagus sp.) y el conejo doméstico europeo (Oryctolagus sp.) con antecedentes de su consumo en una ciudad de Venezuela / Compared Biology of the Native Rabbit (Sylvilagus sp.) and the European Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus sp.) with a Background of Rabbit Consumption in a Venezuelan City

Resumen Las diferencias biológicas entre el conejo criollo Sylvilagus sp. (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) y el conejo europeo (Oryctolagus sp.) son poco conocidas entre cunicultores de Latinoamérica, bien sea porque la cunicultura es una explotación menor, comparada con las de otras especies de animales domésticos, o porque la enseñanza de esta materia en estudios universitarios es escaza. El objetivo central de esta investigación fue examinar comparativamente las diferencias existentes entre conejos Sylvilagus sp. y Oryctolagus sp., en relación con su biología, consumo y explotación comercial. Para ello se usó el sistema del metanálisis de trabajos científicos publicados sobre el tema, noticias de prensa y entrevistas realizadas a consumidores en el lapso del 2000 al 2019. Se tomaron en cuenta características morfológicas, fisiológicas, de origen genético y su comportamiento con relación al medio ambiente. Se organizaron y analizaron estas características para establecer las posibles semejanzas y diferencias entre ambos géneros. Como la familia Leporidae comprende tres géneros en Suramérica, se incluyó el género Lepus sp. solo en un cuadro comparativo de géneros. Se encontraron diferencias biológicas, genéticas y reproductivas significativas entre los géneros Sylvilagus sp. y Oryctolagus sp. que pueden ser imperceptibles para cunicultores inexpertos; por ende, se buscó hacer notar las características de cada género para su identificación práctica. Se determinó que el consumo de la carne de conejo depende de la disponibilidad que exista en el mercado.

Abstract Biologic differences between the native rabbit Sylvilagus sp. (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus sp.) are quite unknown among Latin-American rabbit-breeders, either since rabbit-breeding is scarcely exploited as compared to other species of domestic animals or because this subject is taught very unusually in the college education. This research is aimed at examining comparatively the differences between Sylvilagus sp. and Oryctolagus sp. rabbits regarding their biology, consumption, and business exploitation. To do so, a meta-analysis was carried out on different scientific works dealing with this topic, news, and interviews to consumers during the term 2000 to 2019. Morphological, physiological, and genetic-origin characteristics were considered as well as how they behave in relation to the environment. These characteristics were organized and analyzed to determine the potential similarities and differences between both genuses. As the family Leporidae includes three genuses in South America, then the genus Lepus sp. was included only in a genus comparative table. Significant biologic, genetic and reproductive differences between Sylvilagus sp. And Oryctolagus sp. were found but they can be unnoticed to the unexpert rabbit-breeders. Therefore, characteristics typical to each genus were highlighted to allow a practical identification. It was determined that the consumption of rabbit meat depends on the availability in the market.

Spatiotemporal ecology of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals

On this study, we used camera traps in a Semi deciduous Seasonal Forest, northeast of Brazil, to estimate the frequencies of occurrence of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals: the spotted paca (Cuniculus paca) and the tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), analyzing their seasonal variations of spatial distribution. We also characterized the activity pattern of the species and their seasonal variation. The herbivorous frequencies of occurrence were constant during all the seasons. In general, both species were mostly active at night. However, between the rainy and dry season, we identified differences in spotted paca activity peaks. Here we present one of the first studies on the tapeti, whose ecology is understudied. Our results also show a general view of the spotted paca and tapeti behavior strategies to seasonal variations. Due to the scarce food resource in the dry season, possibly these herbivorous need to search for different kinds of food available IFS around.(AU)

Spatiotemporal ecology of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals

On this study, we used camera traps in a Semi deciduous Seasonal Forest, northeast of Brazil, to estimate the frequencies of occurrence of two Neotropical herbivorous mammals: the spotted paca (Cuniculus paca) and the tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), analyzing their seasonal variations of spatial distribution. We also characterized the activity pattern of the species and their seasonal variation. The herbivorous frequencies of occurrence were constant during all the seasons. In general, both species were mostly active at night. However, between the rainy and dry season, we identified differences in spotted paca activity peaks. Here we present one of the first studies on the tapeti, whose ecology is understudied. Our results also show a general view of the spotted paca and tapeti behavior strategies to seasonal variations. Due to the scarce food resource in the dry season, possibly these herbivorous need to search for different kinds of food available IFS around.

Genetic evidence supports Sylvilagus mansuetus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) as a subspecies of S. bachmani.

Since Sylvilagus bachmani (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) from the Baja California Peninsula and S. mansuetus from San Jose Island, Mexico, display an allopatric distribution and are closely related, their taxonomy is unclear. The phylogenetic relationships among specimens of both species were evaluated using two mitochondrial genes (Cyt b, COI) and the beta-fibrinogen nuclear gene intron 7 (ß-fib I7). The genetic analyses revealed that S. mansuetus was included within the S. bachmani clade as the sister-group of S. b. cerrosensis. The genetic distances among S. b. cerrosensis and mansuetus were relatively low (1.3% with Cyt b), similar to intraspecific distances observed within other species of Sylvilagus. We consider mansuetus to be a subspecies of S. bachmani, and the morphological traits previously used to differentiate the two taxa should be used to distinguish S. b. mansuetus from the other subspecies of S. bachmani.

Mixomatose em coelho – revisão da literatura / Myxomatosis in rabbit – a literature review / Mixomatosis en conejos – revisión de la literatura

A mixomatose é uma doença infectocontagiosa, de notificação obrigatória, que acomete coelhos, provocada por um vírus da família Poxviridae (Myxoma virus), transmitida direta ou indiretamente através de vetores. Possui grande importância mundial devido a sua endemicidade e alto índice de mortalidade. É caracterizada por blefaroconjuntivite bilateral, nodulações e edema disseminado por todo o corpo, em especial edema na face, no focinho e nas orelhas, dando à cabeça do animal um aspecto leonino. O diagnóstico é baseado principalmente nos sinais clínicos. Achados anatomopatológicos contribuem para o diagnóstico. A confirmação pode ser realizada por meio de microscopia eletrônica, Elisa, fixação de complemento, reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) e isolamento viral. Não há tratamento após a infecção e a maioria dos animais acometidos vão a óbito. A principal medida profilática é a vacinação.

Mixomatosis is an infectious-contagious disease of compulsory notification that affects rabbits and is caused by a virus from the Poxviridae family (Myxoma virus), trasmitted directly or indirectly through vectors. It is very important globally because of its endemicity and high mortality rate. Symptoms are bilateral blepharoconjunctivitis, noduli and generalized edema over the whole body, especially on the face, nose and ears, which makes the head of the animal resemble that of a lion. Diagnosis is mainly based on the clinical signs, aided by anatomopathological findings. Confirmation can be achieved through electron microscopy, ELISA, complement fixation test (CF), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and viral isolation. There is no treatment after the infection and most animals die. The most important prophylactic measure is vaccination.

La mixomatosis es una enfermedad infecto contagiosa que afecta a los conejos, de notificación obligatoria, provocada por un virus de la familia Poxviridae (Myxoma virus), que es transmitida a través de vectores, tanto en forma directa como indirecta. Debido a su carácter endémico posee una gran importancia a nivel internacional, con alto índice de mortalidad. Se caracteriza por presentar una blefaroconjuntivitis bilateral, nodulaciones y edema diseminado por todo el cuerpo, especialmente en la cara, nariz y orejas, dándole al animal un aspecto leonino. El diagnóstico se fundamenta principalmente en los signos clínicos. La anatomopatología ayuda en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad. La confirmación puede realizarse a través de microscopía electrónica, Elisa, fijación de complemento, reacción en cadena de polimerasa (PCR) y aislamiento viral. No existe un tratamiento después de instaurada la infección, y la mayoría de los animales afectados vienen a óbito. La principal medida profiláctica es la vacunación.

Mixomatose em coelho revisão da literatura / Myxomatosis in rabbit a literature review / Mixomatosis en conejos revisión de la literatura

A mixomatose é uma doença infectocontagiosa, de notificação obrigatória, que acomete coelhos, provocada por um vírus da família Poxviridae (Myxoma virus), transmitida direta ou indiretamente através de vetores. Possui grande importância mundial devido a sua endemicidade e alto índice de mortalidade. É caracterizada por blefaroconjuntivite bilateral, nodulações e edema disseminado por todo o corpo, em especial edema na face, no focinho e nas orelhas, dando à cabeça do animal um aspecto leonino. O diagnóstico é baseado principalmente nos sinais clínicos. Achados anatomopatológicos contribuem para o diagnóstico. A confirmação pode ser realizada por meio de microscopia eletrônica, Elisa, fixação de complemento, reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) e isolamento viral. Não há tratamento após a infecção e a maioria dos animais acometidos vão a óbito. A principal medida profilática é a vacinação.(AU)

Mixomatosis is an infectious-contagious disease of compulsory notification that affects rabbits and is caused by a virus from the Poxviridae family (Myxoma virus), trasmitted directly or indirectly through vectors. It is very important globally because of its endemicity and high mortality rate. Symptoms are bilateral blepharoconjunctivitis, noduli and generalized edema over the whole body, especially on the face, nose and ears, which makes the head of the animal resemble that of a lion. Diagnosis is mainly based on the clinical signs, aided by anatomopathological findings. Confirmation can be achieved through electron microscopy, ELISA, complement fixation test (CF), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and viral isolation. There is no treatment after the infection and most animals die. The most important prophylactic measure is vaccination.(AU)

La mixomatosis es una enfermedad infecto contagiosa que afecta a los conejos, de notificación obligatoria, provocada por un virus de la familia Poxviridae (Myxoma virus), que es transmitida a través de vectores, tanto en forma directa como indirecta. Debido a su carácter endémico posee una gran importancia a nivel internacional, con alto índice de mortalidad. Se caracteriza por presentar una blefaroconjuntivitis bilateral, nodulaciones y edema diseminado por todo el cuerpo, especialmente en la cara, nariz y orejas, dándole al animal un aspecto leonino. El diagnóstico se fundamenta principalmente en los signos clínicos. La anatomopatología ayuda en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad. La confirmación puede realizarse a través de microscopía electrónica, Elisa, fijación de complemento, reacción en cadena de polimerasa (PCR) y aislamiento viral. No existe un tratamiento después de instaurada la infección, y la mayoría de los animales afectados vienen a óbito. La principal medida profiláctica es la vacunación.(AU)