Comparative study of the effects of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and codeine in a model of orofacial postoperative pain in male and female rats.

Pain management is a primary goal after oral surgeries, but little is known about sex differences in the sensitivity to analgesics. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of three drugs with analgesic potential on heat and mechanical hyperalgesia, spontaneous pain and locomotion on male and female rats subjected to a model of orofacial postoperative pain. Male and female Wistar rats were submitted to intraoral incision or sham surgery, and on postoperative day 3, the effect of the ibuprofen (30 and 100 mg/kg), acetaminophen (100 and 300 mg/kg) and codeine (3 and 10 mg/kg) was assessed on responses to heat and mechanical facial stimulation, facial grooming, and locomotion. Ibuprofen reduced heat and mechanical hyperalgesia and grooming behavior in male and female rats in a non-sedative dose; acetaminophen dose-dependently reduced the mechanical hyperalgesia and abolished the heat hyperalgesia and the grooming behavior but caused sedation in both sexes; codeine dose-dependently reduced the mechanical hyperalgesia in male and female rats, and reduced the heat hyperalgesia, but females were less sensitive than males. It reduced spontaneous facial grooming in both sexes, but induced hyperlocomotion in females. Ibuprofen presented the most favorable profile, since it reduced over 50% heat and mechanical hyperalgesia in male and female rats, and significantly reduced spontaneous pain, without causing sedation or affecting locomotion. The identification of sex differences in the sensitivity and safety profile of frequently used analgesics can help guide the choice of more effective individualized therapies for pain control.

Somatotopic organization among parallel sensory pathways that promote a grooming sequence in Drosophila.

Mechanosensory neurons located across the body surface respond to tactile stimuli and elicit diverse behavioral responses, from relatively simple stimulus location-aimed movements to complex movement sequences. How mechanosensory neurons and their postsynaptic circuits influence such diverse behaviors remains unclear. We previously discovered that Drosophila perform a body location-prioritized grooming sequence when mechanosensory neurons at different locations on the head and body are simultaneously stimulated by dust (Hampel et al., 2017; Seeds et al., 2014). Here, we identify nearly all mechanosensory neurons on the Drosophila head that individually elicit aimed grooming of specific head locations, while collectively eliciting a whole head grooming sequence. Different tracing methods were used to reconstruct the projections of these neurons from different locations on the head to their distinct arborizations in the brain. This provides the first synaptic resolution somatotopic map of a head, and defines the parallel-projecting mechanosensory pathways that elicit head grooming.

EFFECTS OF MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM INFECTION ON PREENING BEHAVIORS AND FEATHER QUALITY IN HOUSE FINCHES (HAEMORHOUS MEXICANUS).

Infections can have far-reaching sublethal effects on wildlife, including reduced maintenance of external structures. For many wildlife taxa, daily maintenance of external structures (termed preening in birds) is critical to fitness, but few studies have examined how infections alter such maintenance. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a common pathogen in free-living House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), where it causes mycoplasmal conjunctivitis. Despite documented behavioral changes associated with M. gallisepticum infections in finches, no studies have examined how preening behavior may change with infection and how potential differences in preening may affect feather quality. To test this, we experimentally inoculated captive House Finches with M. gallisepticum or a control treatment, and we collected behavioral and feather quality data to detect potential changes in feather maintenance due to infection. We found that finches infected with M. gallisepticum preened significantly less often, and within the infected treatment, birds with the highest conjunctivitis severity preened the least often. However, there was no difference in the quality scores for secondary flight feathers collected from control versus infected birds. We also assayed feather water retention and found that the degree of water retention correlated with our feather quality scores, such that feathers with poor scores retained more water. However, as with quality scores, feather water retention did not differ with infection; this may be due to the controlled environment that the birds experienced while in captivity. Our data suggest that, in addition to sickness behaviors previously observed in finches, M. gallisepticum infection decreases other behaviors critical to survival, such as preening. While the consequences of reduced preening on feather maintenance were not apparent in captive conditions, further work is needed to determine whether House Finches in the wild that are infected with M. gallisepticum experience a fitness cost, such as increases in ectoparasite loads, due to this reduced feather maintenance.

Grooming Time Predicts Survival: American Kestrels, Falco sparverius, on a Subtropical Island.

AbstractAnimals have evolved a variety of adaptations to care for their body surfaces, such as grooming behavior, which keeps the integument clean, parasite-free, and properly arranged. Despite extensive research on the grooming of mammals, birds, and arthropods, the survival value of grooming has never been directly measured in natural populations. We monitored grooming and survival in a population of marked American kestrels (Falco sparverius) on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We found a strong association between time spent grooming and survival over a 2-year period. The quadratic relationship we show is consistent with stabilizing natural selection on grooming time. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for a correlation between grooming time and survival in a natural population. Grooming time may predict the survival of many animal taxa, but additional studies are needed to determine the shape and strength of the relationship among birds, mammals, and arthropods.

Prevention of self-grooming in rats: Evidence for a rebound effect.

Rodent self-grooming is a stereotyped behavior that can rise due to stressors such as novelty. In the present study, the occurrence of a rebound effect was investigated by means of manipulation of contextual novelty and of the possibility of self-grooming (with an Elizabethan collar which blocked head-body contact). Fourty-six male rats were submitted to an experiment latter replicated with 43 females. Half of the animals were submitted to habituation sessions (30 min) to the test box in three days. The other half was similarly handled but habituated to small cages. On the fourth day, rats from both conditions were assigned to Elizabethan or sham collar groups. Each animal was observed for 15 min with its respective collar and for other 15 min with no collars. Increased locomotion was observed in the rats not habituated to the test box. Such habituation did not affect any grooming parameter. On the other hand, the animals wearing Elizabethan collars during the first half of the test, as compared to those which wore sham collars, showed increased self-grooming during the second half of the test (i.e., with no collars). Females showed pretty similar results. Present results, thus, evidence a rebound effect in self-grooming.

Not just females: the socio-ecology of social interactions between spider monkey males.

Male-male relationships are mostly characterized by competition. However, males also cooperate with one another if socio-ecological conditions are suitable. Due to their male philopatry, the need for cooperation in home range defence and high degree of fission-fusion dynamics, spider monkeys provide an opportunity to investigate how male-male interactions are associated with socio-ecological factors, such as the presence of potentially receptive females, the degree of food availability and the likelihood of home range defence. We tested predictions about changes in social interactions between wild spider monkey males in relation to these factors. First, males did not change their interaction patterns when potentially receptive females were in the subgroup compared to when they were absent. Second, males tended to be less tolerant of one another when feeding, but spent more time grooming, in contact and proximity with one another when food availability was lower than when it was higher. Third, males exchanged fewer embraces, spent less time grooming, in proximity and in contact with one another, and spent more time vigilant at the home range boundary area than at other locations. Our findings contribute to the understanding of social flexibility and the importance of considering males in socio-ecological models of any group-living species.

Allogrooming, Self-grooming, and Touching Behavior as a Mechanism to Disperse Insecticides Inside Colonies of a Leaf-Cutting Ant.

Toxic baits, containing the active ingredients sulfluramid or fipronil, are the main methods to control leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta Fabricius, 1805, and Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). However, the insecticide dispersion among members of the colony during the control needs further studies. We studied whether the behaviors of allogrooming, self-grooming, and contact among individuals spread the insecticides among those of the colony. The insecticides sulfluramid and fipronil (0.1% and 1.0% (w/w)) were applied topically in groups of workers of Atta sexdens (Linnaeus, 1758), and the social interactions among them with or without insecticide were studied. In addition, toxic baits (sulfluramid or fipronil) were provided to colonies and their behavioral acts were observed. At the end of the experiment, colony mortality, number and mass of dead workers, and mass of wet waste were compared between ant nests receiving baits and ants with topical application. In the topical application, behavioral analysis showed higher interaction between ants in the colonies and touch and allogrooming behaviors as the most frequent in those that received the concentrations of sulfluramid. In the baits, the behavior of licking the pellet and allogrooming was more frequent. Colony mortality was faster for those that received topical application, especially with the insecticide fipronil (0.1%). However, the number and mass of dead workers was similar between topical application and toxic baits. In the toxic baits, the licking behavior of the bait pellets and subsequent allogrooming probably dispersed the insecticides. In the topical application, the route of the insecticide occurred by excessive touches among workers, with subsequent allogrooming. Thus, allogrooming, self-grooming, and touching among workers increased the dispersion of insecticides among members of the ant colonies.

Grooming site preferences in black capuchin monkeys: Hygienic vs. social functions revisited.

When primates groom each other, they tend to concentrate on those parts of the body they cannot efficiently self-groom (i.e., not visually accessible), and prefer to intensify grooming in areas with high hair density, thus suggesting a hygienic function. However, preferences for some body sites over others during social grooming may also result from different degrees of social bonding and relative dominance. To assess the relative importance of physical (hygienic) and social factors, we examined grooming interactions in two groups of wild black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) during 15 nonconsecutive months. We evaluated the distribution of social grooming across body sites according to their accessibility by self-grooming and hair density. At the same time, we assessed whether the degree of dyadic social bonding affects the relative body orientation between groomer and groomee and the access to vulnerable body sites (e.g., face, throat, groin) during grooming. As expected, capuchins preferentially groomed inaccessible body sites (e.g., back and head), with a disproportionate effort directed to the tufts of their partners. We found that dyadic social bond strength, together with rank distance, significantly affected the proportion of grooming in ventro-ventral body relative orientation only in dominant-subordinate groomer-groomee dyads. This may indicate that, when two individuals differ in rank but are strongly bonded, the level of uncertainty related to the social context is already resolved and thus grooming per se is no longer perceived by the subordinate as an uncertain/risky situation. We found no effect of social bonding on grooming vulnerable body sites for any type of dyad. Our findings suggest that grooming site preferences in black capuchin monkeys simultaneously reflect hygienic and social functions.

Social network changes during the development of immature capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).

Immature indivuduals influence the formation and maintenance of social relationships within groups in diverse ways. Because of the increased interest of group members toward newborns, lactating females may use infants as social tools to temporally gain rank positions in matrilineal societies, and differential support received by the mothers may bias the network of immatures born to females of different ranks. In this study, we investigated the changes in proximity, grooming, play, and agonism networks of lactating females and immatures of different developmental periods, sex, and mothers' dominance rank. A semi-free-ranging group of 22 capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp) was monitored for 12 months, totaling over 300 hours of observation. During this period, the age changes of 13 immatures were monitored and recorded. Best regression models showed that an increased number of grooming partners while lactating did not translate into changes in the proximity or agonistic network positions for females. Age was the main predictor of social network changes, while sex had a minor influence on the play network and no influence on the grooming or agonistic networks. Finally, mothers' rank predicted differences in the affiliative but not the agonistic social network. This pattern points to a more affiliative and individual-based rather than agonistic and nepotism-based strategy for social network insertion, which can be explained by the decreased competition faced by the focal group and by the behavioral flexibility of the clade.

Rhesus macaques build new social connections after a natural disaster.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and droughts. Understanding resilience and vulnerability to these intense stressors and their aftermath could reveal adaptations to extreme environmental change. In 2017, Puerto Rico suffered its worst natural disaster, Hurricane Maria, which left 3,000 dead and provoked a mental health crisis. Cayo Santiago island, home to a population of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), was devastated by the same storm. We compared social networks of two groups of macaques before and after the hurricane and found an increase in affiliative social connections, driven largely by monkeys most socially isolated before Hurricane Maria. Further analysis revealed monkeys invested in building new relationships rather than strengthening existing ones. Social adaptations to environmental instability might predispose rhesus macaques to success in rapidly changing anthropogenic environments.

Central Alteration in Peripheral Neuropathy of Trembler-J Mice: Hippocampal pmp22 Expression and Behavioral Profile in Anxiety Tests.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) type 1 disease is the most common human hereditary demyelinating neuropathy. Mutations in pmp22 cause about 70% of all CMT1. Trembler-J (TrJ/+) mice are an animal model of CMT1E, having the same spontaneous pmp22 mutation that is found in humans. We compared the behavior profile of TrJ/+ and +/+ (wild-type) in open-field and elevated-plus-maze anxiety tests. In these tests, TrJ/+ showed an exclusive head shake movement, a lower frequency of rearing, but a greater frequency of grooming. In elevated-plus-maze, TrJ/+ defecate more frequently, performed fewer total entries, and have fewer entries to closed arms. These hippocampus-associated behaviors in TrJ/+ are consistent with increased anxiety levels. The expression of pmp22 and soluble PMP22 were evaluated in E17-hippocampal neurons and adult hippocampus by in situ hybridization and successive immunohistochemistry. Likewise, the expression of pmp22 was confirmed by RT-qPCR in the entire isolated hippocampi of both genotypes. Moreover, the presence of aggregated PMP22 was evidenced in unmasked granular hippocampal adult neurons and shows genotypic differences. We showed for the first time a behavior profile trait associated with anxiety and a differential expression of pmp22/PMP22 in hippocampal neurons of TrJ/+ and +/+ mice, demonstrating the involvement at the central level in an animal model of peripheral neuropathy (CMT1E).

Distinct subpopulations of mechanosensory chordotonal organ neurons elicit grooming of the fruit fly antennae.

Diverse mechanosensory neurons detect different mechanical forces that can impact animal behavior. Yet our understanding of the anatomical and physiological diversity of these neurons and the behaviors that they influence is limited. We previously discovered that grooming of the Drosophila melanogaster antennae is elicited by an antennal mechanosensory chordotonal organ, the Johnston's organ (JO) (Hampel et al., 2015). Here, we describe anatomically and physiologically distinct JO mechanosensory neuron subpopulations that each elicit antennal grooming. We show that the subpopulations project to different, discrete zones in the brain and differ in their responses to mechanical stimulation of the antennae. Although activation of each subpopulation elicits antennal grooming, distinct subpopulations also elicit the additional behaviors of wing flapping or backward locomotion. Our results provide a comprehensive description of the diversity of mechanosensory neurons in the JO, and reveal that distinct JO subpopulations can elicit both common and distinct behavioral responses.

Individual behavioral differences and health of golden-headed lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas).

Individual behavioral differences may influence how animals cope with altered environments. Depending on their behavioral traits, individuals may thus vary in how their health is affected by environmental conditions. We investigated the relationship between individual behavior of free-living golden-headed lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) responding to a novel object (to assess exploration-avoidance), and their habitat use and health status (endoparasitism; clinical measures: biometric data, heart rate, respiratory frequency, and temperature; fecal glucocorticoid metabolites). As parasite transmission can be affected by individual variation in social contact and social grooming, we also evaluated whether more sociable individuals show higher endoparasite loads compared with less sociable animals. Four groups living in landscapes with different levels of human disturbance were investigated: two in degraded forest fragments in an agricultural matrix (DFAM-higher disturbance), and two in a cocoa agroforestry system (cabruca-lower disturbance) in the Atlantic forest of South Bahia, Brazil. Using a subjective ratings approach, highly correlated adjective descriptors were combined to produce z-score ratings of one derived variable ("confidence"), which was selected to characterize the tamarins' exploration/avoidance responses during a novel object test. The higher the confidence score, the longer female tamarins spent foraging for prey independent of landscape, and the greater their body mass independent of sex and landscape. Only DFAM individuals showed intestinal parasite infection. Endoparasite loads were positively correlated with the number of grooming partners, suggesting an association between social grooming and transmission (more groomers = more endoparasites). Individual behavior, including in a test situation, may thus have some predictive value for behavior in a free-living context, and for its health consequences.

The effect of individual and food characteristics on food retrieval and food sharing in captive Guinea baboons (Papio papio).

Access to food is of major importance to the fitness and survival of every individual, particularly in group-living animals, in which individual characteristics and food distribution can affect food intake. Additionally, several species of primates are known to share food under certain conditions. Such unresisted transfer of food from one individual to another appears to be adaptive, for instance as a tool to maintain and reinforce social bonds. In this study, we aimed to test how food retrieval and food sharing varies depending on the social relationship between individuals, and on the characteristics of the food. In six different test conditions, we provided a captive group of Guinea baboons (Papio papio, N = 23) with multiple food items, differing in quality, quantity, density, monopolizability, and effort required to obtain it. We further used behavioral observations to assess individual relationships and possible variations in grooming exchanges linked to food sharing events. Out of 424 events in which food items were retrieved by the subjects, we detected no instances of active food sharing and only 17 of passive food sharing. The way food was retrieved was affected by individual and food characteristics (i.e., quantity, quality, and monopolizability of food): Males and central individuals (i.e., those connected to many partners, and/or having partners with many connections in the social network) were more likely to retrieve food during test conditions. In particular, events of passive food sharing mostly happened when the quality of food was low, and between individuals belonging to the same community (i.e., having close relationships). No other food characteristics affected the probability to share food, and the occurrence of food sharing had no immediate effect on grooming exchanges. Overall, our findings suggest that food sharing is relatively rare in Guinea baboons unless the food has a low quality and individuals form close social bonds.

Gestational exposure to paracetamol in rats induces neurofunctional alterations in the progeny.

Paracetamol (PAR) is an over-the-counter medicine used as analgesic or antipyretic by 40-50% of the pregnant women in different countries. Epidemiologic studies have been associating maternal use of PAR with neurodevelopmental disruption and special attention has been given to its potential to increase the odds for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Population-based research do not allow the establishment of causal relationships because variable control is weak. We aimed to evaluate the potential of PAR to induce developmental neurotoxicity in rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were gavaged with PAR (350 mg/kg/day) or water from gestational day 6 until delivery. General toxicity endpoints included dams' body weight and food intake as well as pups' body weight until weaning. Behavioral evaluation occurred at post-natal days 10 (nest seeking test), 27 (behavioral stereotypy), 28 (three chamber sociability test and open field) and 29 (hot plate and elevated plus-maze). Moreover, lipid hidroperoxide (LOOH), reduced glutathione (GSH) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were quantified in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of 22-days-old rats. Gestational exposure to PAR impaired nest seeking behavior, augmented apomorphine-induced behavioral stereotypy and decreased rostral grooming in the elevated plus maze. Exposed female pups presented elevated vertical exploration in the open field test. No alterations were observed in LOOH, GSH or BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex or hippocampus. Exposure regimen did not affect general toxicity parameters or pups' behavior in the hot plate and sociability tests. These data suggest PAR as a developmental neurotoxicant. Observed alterations may be relevant for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Anointing with commercial insect repellent by free-ranging Cebus capucinus in Manuel Antonio National Park, Quepos, Costa Rica.

Fur rubbing or anointing is a well known behavior in capuchin monkeys (Cebus and Sapajus), and may have medicinal and/or social functions. Observations of anointing in capuchins have recorded the application of substances derived from both plants (orange, onion, garlic, citronella, and lemongrass) and animals (ants and millipedes). The present study reports on anointing behavior in free-ranging white-headed capuchins, Cebus capucinus, which involved a commercial insect repellent. After looting a bottle of repellent from the bag of a visitor to the Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica, an adult male bit open the bottle and rubbed the leaking liquid over its entire body, focusing mainly on its belly. Other members of the group rubbed themselves against the male's body and were eventually able to retrieve the bottle of repellent and anoint themselves. The repellent is composed mainly of extracts of eucalyptus and citronella. The capuchins may have been attracted by the strong citric scent of the citronella, which is known to stimulate fur-rubbing behavior in these monkeys. This is reinforced by the fact that the sequence of events was quite distinct from that associated with an earlier event, in which a juvenile male looted, tasted, and then discarded a stick of lip gloss and a tube of sunblock. Overall, the observations indicate that the citric scent of the repellent was attractive to the capuchins, especially in comparison with other man-made substances. As the animals partially ingested all the substances, there is clearly a need for more effective regulation of the contact between animals and visitors in the park.

Maternal deprivation alters nociceptive response in a gender-dependent manner in rats.

The present study aimed at investigating both the early and long-term effects of maternal deprivation as well as gender on neuromotor reflexes, anxiety behavior and thermal nociceptive responses. A total of 64 Wistar rats pups (32 males, 32 females) were utilized and were deprived of their mother for 3 h/daily, from postnatal day 1 (P1) until P10. Successively, animals were divided into 2 groups: control group (C) - pups no subjected to intervention; and the maternal-deprived group (MD): pups subjected to maternal deprivation. The neuromotor reflexes were evaluated through the righting reflex and negative geotaxis tests; the exploratory behavior by open field test (OFT); the anxiety-like behavior by elevated plus-maze test (EPM); the thermal nociceptive responses byhot plate (HP) and tail-flick (TFL) tests. All the animals subjected to maternal deprivation showed a delayed reflex response at P8 in the negative geotaxis test. In contrast, the OFT at P20 identified an effect of gender on the outer crossings and grooming as well as an interaction between gender and maternal deprivation on latency. Additionally, effect of maternal deprivation in the open and closed arms as well as gender effect in the protected head-dipping (PHD) and non-protected head-dipping (NPHD) were observed at P20 (EPM). In contrast, there were a gender effect on latency and an interaction between gender and maternal deprivation on rearing at P42. Moreover, in nociceptive tests was observed an analgesic effect induced by maternal deprivation; however, in the TFL test, only deprived females showed this effect. Surprisingly, only control animals presented an ontogeny nociceptive effect in the HP testat P21 and P43, which may be related to an increase in the inhibitory nociceptive pathways throughout life. In this way, we suggest maternal deprivation to be able to anticipate the maturation of the inhibitory nociceptive pathway. In conclusion, maternal deprivation induced a delayed reflex response at P8 and altered the anxiety and nociceptive behaviors according to the time after exposure to this stressor, in a gender-specific manner.

Stress resilience evidenced by grooming behaviour and dopamine levels in male mice selected for high and low immobility using the tail suspension test.

Grooming behaviour has different functions on many species during development and can be observed and affected during periods of stress. By selecting male mice with high (HI) and low (LI) immobility traits in the tail suspension test, a screening for antidepressant drugs, we investigate how these phenotypes associated with grooming behaviour may be influenced by the effects of repeated restraint stress. For this we used the sucrose preference test and the splash test in a novel and a familiar cage performed before and after exposure to 2 days of restraint stress. Animals were submitted to an additional day of restraint stress before the hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex and midbrain extraction for dopamine activity analysis. Corticosterone analysis was made in three distinct moments: without stress (prior first restraint session), immediately after the last restrain, and 1 hr after the last restrain episode. Compared to LI group, HI animals exhibited an increased frequency and decreased time of grooming in the familiar cage. In the novel cage, stress increased frequency and time of grooming of HI animals compared to LI. Corticosterone levels were increased in HI animals after 3 days of stress. Lower hypothalamic dopaminergic activity without stress and decreased hypothalamic dopaminergic activity immediately after stress in HI group were observed. The HI group displayed decreased prefrontal cortex dopaminergic activity and increased activity in the mesolimbic area. We proposed that through the influence of stress the two phenotypes manifested as a resilient (LI) and a not resilient (HI) trait in response to restraint stress.

The impact of food provisioning on parasite infection in wild black capuchin monkeys: a network approach.

Nonhuman primates host a variety of gastrointestinal parasites that infect individuals through different transmission routes. Social contact among group members (e.g., body contact, grooming) brings the risk of parasite infection, especially when the pathogen infection is directly transmitted. Along with this, accidental provisioning (i.e., food provisioning occurring during close tourist-wildlife interactions) is also considered to increase the risk of infection, as aggregation during feeding can cause higher exposure to parasite infective stages. However, while some attention has been paid to the relationship between social behavior and parasites, the link between accidental food provisioning and characteristics of parasite infection in primates has thus far received less attention. This study examines the potential effect of accidental provisioning on patterns of inter-individual spatial association, and in turn on parasite infection risk in a wild group of black capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) in Iguazú National Park, Argentina. To do so, we simulated events of accidental provisioning via researcher-managed provisioning experiments and tested whether experimental provisioning affects the inter-individual spatial distribution within groups. In addition, we determined whether patterns of parasite infection were better predicted by naturally occurring spatial networks (i.e., spatial association during natural observations) or by provisioning spatial networks (i.e., spatial interactions during experimental provisioning). We found a significant increase in network centrality that was potentially associated with an overall increase in individual connections with other group members during experimental trials. However, when assessing the effects of natural and provisioning network metrics on parasite characteristics, we did not observe a significant effect of centrality measures (i.e., closeness and betweenness) on parasite richness and single infection by Filariopsis sp. Taken together, our findings suggest that alterations of within-group spatial networks due to accidental provisioning may have a limited influence in determining the characteristics of parasite infections in black capuchin monkeys.

Occupational risk for personnel working in veterinary clinics through exposure to vectors of rickettsial pathogens.

Workers at veterinary clinics are exposed to zoonotic pathogens, which, though infrequently, can lead to serious consequences. The aim of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence for rickettsial pathogens in veterinary clinic personnel in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Voluntary participants included 106 veterinarians, 19 pet groomers, 36 veterinary assistants and 6 administrative workers who supplied blood samples taken by venipuncture. Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii, Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum was conducted by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. To determine risk factors for the seroprevalence, the study considered social, demographic and occupational variables as well as the clinical signs and symptoms of the participants. Logistic regression procedures were performed, and the odds ratio (OR) was calculated with confidence intervals corresponding to a probability of 95%. The results indicate that 54% of the participants had a positive seroreaction to at least one of the pathogens evaluated and 2% were positive to all. The coexposure was as follows: 3% to R. rickettsii and A. phagocytophilum, 9% to Ehrlichia spp. and A. phagocytophilum, and 2% to Ehrlichia spp. and R. rickettsii. It was established that grooming posed the highest risk for R. rickettsii exposure. The implementation of appropriate management practices for zoonotic diseases is recommended to avoid health problems that may be life threatening to personnel in veterinary clinics.