RESUMEN
Knowledge of energy requirements is necessary to optimise the nutritional management of animals. For tortoises, very little is known about their nutrient and energy requirements. Data on substrate oxidation and the implications of starch or fat intake on the energy metabolism are lacking. The present study compared the daily energy expenditures (DEE) of red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) that were fed three extruded diets: a control diet high in fibre and two test diets, one with high starch content and another with high fat content. A total of 18 tortoises (5.5 ± 1.18 kg) were used in a completely randomised design, with 6 animals per diet. After 14 months of experimental diet intake and 48 h of preliminary fasting, the animals were kept for 12 h in 70-l respiratory chambers. An open "push mode" system was used to determine the carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption levels for the subsequent calculations of DEE. The data were analysed with ANOVA, and the means were compared by using Tukey's test (p < 0.05). The body weights, chamber temperatures and food intakes of the tortoises were similar among the treatments (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in oxygen consumption (21.7 ± 3.16 ml · kg-1 · h-1), carbon dioxide production (18.1 ± 1.96 ml · kg-1 · h-1), or DEE (9.7 ± 1.04 kJ · kg-1 d-1) between diets or sex (p > 0.05). The respiratory quotients (0.84 ± 0.11) were also similar among the diets (p > 0.05). The DEE of red footed tortoises did not differ after a long-term starch or fat intake.
Asunto(s)
Tortugas , Alimentación Animal/análisis , Animales , Dióxido de Carbono , Dieta/veterinaria , Fibras de la Dieta , Metabolismo Energético , AlmidónRESUMEN
Rabies causes thousands of human and animal deaths worldwide each year. The emergent importance of rabies in wild animals demonstrates the necessity of epidemiologic studies of infection in these species toward the development of better strategies for prevention and control of rabies. We analyzed the circulation of rabies virus among wildlife species from a native rainforest in São Paulo State, Brazil. We used the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) to test for rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies in 139 captured terrestrial mammals and the fluorescent antibody test (FAT), mouse inoculation test (MIT), and reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR to test for virus in samples from the central nervous system of 53 animals found dead. The percentage of samples positive by RFFIT was 10.8%. All samples tested by FAT, MIT, and RT-PCR were negative. Research should be continued to obtain a better understanding of the role of wildlife in the circulation and transmission of rabies virus.
Asunto(s)
Animales Salvajes , Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Mamíferos , Virus de la Rabia/inmunología , Rabia/veterinaria , Animales , Anticuerpos Antivirales/inmunología , Bioensayo , Brasil/epidemiología , Ecosistema , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Rabia/epidemiología , Rabia/inmunologíaRESUMEN
The present study reports a collection of Amblyomma spp. ticks in birds from several areas of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 568 tick specimens (404 larvae, 164 nymphs) were collected from 261 bird specimens. From these ticks, 204 (36%) specimens (94 larvae, 110 nymphs) were reared to the adult stage, being identified as Amblyomma longirostre (94 larvae, 90 nymphs), Amblyomma calcaratum (13 nymphs), Amblyomma nodosum (2 nymphs), and Amblyomma cajennense (5 nymphs). Additionally, 39 larvae reared to the nymphal stage and 8 nymphs that died before reaching the adult stage were identified as A. longirostre according to peculiar characters inherent to the nymphal stage of this species: scutum elongate, and hypostome pointed. The remaining 271 larvae and 46 nymphs were identified as Amblyomma sp. Ticks were collected from 51 species of birds distributed in 22 bird families and 6 orders. The order Passeriformes constituted the vast majority of the records, comprising 253 (97%) out of the 261 infested birds. Subadults of A. longirostre were identified from 35 species of Passeriformes, comprising 11 families (Cardinalidae, Dendrocolaptidae, Fringillidae, Furnariidae, Parulidae, Pipridae, Thamnophilidae, Thraupidae, Turdidae, Tyrannidae, and Vireonidae), and from 1 species of a non-passerine bird, a puffbird (Bucconidae). Subadults of A. calcaratum were identified from 5 species of Passeriformes, comprising 5 families (Cardinalinae, Conopophagidae, Pipridae, Thamnophilidae and Turdidae). Subadults of A. nodosum were identified from 2 species of Passeriformes, comprising two bird families (Thamnophilidae and Pipridae). Subadults of A. cajennense were identified from 2 species of non-passerine birds, belonging to 2 different orders (Ciconiiformes: Threskiornithidae, and Gruiformes: Cariamidae). Birds were usually infested by few ticks (mean infestation of 2.2 ticks per bird; range: 1-16). Currently, 82 bird species are known to be infested by immature stages of A. longirostre, with the vast majority [74 (90%)] being Passeriformes. Our results showed that Passeriformes seems to be primary hosts for subadult stages of A. longirostre, A. calcaratum, and A. nodosum. However, arboreal passerine birds seem to be the most important hosts for A. longirostre whereas ground-feeding passerine birds seem to be the most important for both A. calcaratum and A. nodosum. In contrast, the parasitism of birds by subadults of A. cajennense has been restricted to non-passerine birds.