Introduction. Scabies is a contagious parasitic disease, a skin infestation caused by Scaroptes scabieri, tiny mites that burrow under the skin. Outbreaks of scabies can be difficult to control and require the implementation of appropriate control programme. Objective. The purpose of the study was to analyze the epidemiology of scabies in northeast Poland, considering socioeconomic and selected climatic factors. Materials and method. The analysis was based on data reports (n=26,362) obtained from the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) for the period 2007-2014. Monthly climate data were collected from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management/National Research Institute (IMGW-PIB) in Warsaw, including data on temperature and relative humidity. Additionally, the influence of socioeconomic factors on the prevalence of scabies was analyzed. Data on population size, medical staff, and unemployment rate were obtained from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) in Warsaw, and analyzed using SPSS Statistics 24.0 programme. Results. The age group of 10-19 years showed the highest infestation rates. Seasonality of scabies was demonstrated. The highest numbers of cases were reported during the autumn and winter months. There was a significant negative correlation (rho =-0.499; p<0.001) between air temperature and the incidence of scabies, and a positive correlation (r = 0.532; p<0.001) between relative humidity and the number of cases reported. A rise in the unemployment rate also caused an increase in the scabies incidence rate (r = 0.294; p<0.001). Conclusions. The results suggest that an improvement of socioeconomic conditions may contribute to a reduction in the number of scabies infections. The possibility should be considered of monitoring the parameters, such as air temperature and humidity, particularly when scabies outbreaks occur.
Proper management and genetic monitoring of the modern European bison (Bison bonasus) population is one of the most important responsibilities for this species’ conservation. Up-to-date, complex genetic analysis performed using a consistent molecular method is needed for population management as a tool to further validate and maintain the genetic diversity of the species. The identification of the genetic line when pedigree data are missing, as well as the identification of parentage and individuals, are crucial for this purpose. The aim of our research was to create a small but informative panel of SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) markers that can be used for routine genotyping of the European bison at low cost. In our study, we used a custom-designed microarray to genotype a large number of European bison, totaling 455 samples from two genetic lines. The results of this analysis allowed us to select highly informative markers. In this paper, we present an effective single nucleotide polymorphism set, divided into separate panels to perform genetic analyses of European bison, which is needed for population monitoring and management. We proposed a total of 20 SNPs to detect hybridization with Bos taurus and Bison bison, a panel of 50 SNPs for individuals and parentage identification, as well as a panel of 30 SNPs for assessing membership of the genetic line. These panels can be used together or independently depending on the research goal and can be applied using various methods.
A new attempt was undertaken to check the reproductive capabilities of male hybrids bred from European bison (Bison bonasus) and domestic cattle (Bos taurus). The analysis concerned two hybrids aged 1.5-2.5 years (the latter being sampled twice at 6-month intervals), and additionally one 1.5-year-old backcross hybrid. Examination of testicular tissue revealed halting of spermatogenesis, which was hardly ever able to proceed further than meiosis I. Spermatogenesis was arrested at the stage of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. Spermatozoa were found only in the case of one hybrid and these were mostly malformed. To summarize, all the males studied were sterile, despite the evident sexual behavior exhibited by one individual.
The European bison is a species well known for its low genetic variability due to historical bottleneck incidents. Restoration of the European bison population in Lithuania began at the end of the 20th century, and the Lithuanian population was re-established with ten individuals from the Prioksko-Terrasny reserve in Russia and one free-roaming individual captured in Lithuania. This research focused on the genetic diversity and genetic structure of European bison in Lithuania based on microsatellite markers and mtDNA sequences. The results of the microsatellite analysis revealed that the Lithuanian population (n = 34) has a different genetic structure to individuals in Poland (n = 16), Germany (n = 10), and Sweden (n = 6). The analysis of the mtDNA sequences showed a low level of variation, with two haplotypes observed in the Lithuanian bison population. H1 was more frequent and was also found in Poland, Romania, and Russia. The results of this investigation show that individuals should be continuously genetically monitored, registering their migrations and relocations for the successful management of the species in Lithuania.
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