BackgroundOne of the best ways to control the transmission of malaria is by breaking the vector-human link, either by reducing the effective population size of mosquitoes or avoiding infective bites. Reducing house entry rates in endophagic vectors by obstructing openings is one simple way of achieving this. Mosquito netting has previously been shown to have this effect. More recently different materials that could also be used have come onto the market. Therefore, a pilot study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of three types of material against Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae s.l entry into village houses in Mozambique when applied over the large opening at the gables and both gables and eaves.MethodsA two-step intervention was implemented in which the gable ends of houses (the largest opening) were covered with one of three materials (four year old mosquito bed nets; locally purchased untreated shade cloth or deltamethrin-impregnated shade cloth) followed by covering both gable ends and eaves with material. Four experimental rounds (each of three weeks duration), from four houses randomly assigned to be a control or to receive one of the three intervention materials, were undertaken from March to August 2010 in the village of Furvela in southern Mozambique. Mosquito entry rates were assessed by light-trap collection and the efficacy of the different materials was determined in terms of incidence rate ratio (IRR), obtained through a Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE), of mosquito entry in a treated house compared to the untreated (control) house.ResultsAltogether 9,692 An. funestus and 1,670 An. gambiae s.l. were collected. Houses treated with mosquito netting or the untreated shade cloth had 61.3% [IRR = 0.39 (0.32-0.46); P <0.0001] and 70% [IRR = 0.30 (0.25 – 0.37); P <0.001] fewer An. funestus in relation to untreated houses, but there was no difference in An. funestus in houses treated with the deltamethrin-impregnated shade cloth [IRR = 0.92 (0.76 –1.12); P = 0.4] compared to untreated houses. Houses treated with mosquito netting reduced entry rates of An. gambiae s.l, by 84% [IRR = 0.16 (0.10 – 0.25); P <0.001], whilst untreated shade cloth reduced entry rates by 69% [IRR = 0.31 (0.19 –0.53); P <0.001] and entry rates were reduced by 76% [IRR = 0.24 (0.15 0.38); P <0.001] in houses fitted with deltamethrin-impregnated shade cloth.
We evaluated the effects of high ambient temperature and feed restriction in primiparous lactating sows. Females were exposed to either a constant thermoneutral (20°C ) or hot environment (30°C). Lactating sows at 30°C were given free access to feed (30AL; n = 12), and sows at 20°C were restricted according to the feed intake recorded at 30°C (20RF; n = 6 ) or were given free access to feed (20AL; n = 6). Jugular vein catheters were surgically inserted at 100 ± 1 d postcoitum. During lactation, 30AL sows exhibited higher rectal temperatures ( P < .05) than 20AL and 20RF sows. Feed intake was reduced by 43% for 30AL compared with 20AL sows. Daily body weight loss was lower ( P < .05) in the 30AL than in the 20RF group, and mean litter daily gain over the whole lactation was 18% lower in 30AL than in 20AL sows ( P < .05) and was intermediate in 20RF females. Plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine [T 3 ] and thyroxine [T 4 ] ) were lower at 30°C than at 20°C at d 4 postpartum and d 8 after weaning for T 4 ( P < .001) and at d 4 postpartum ( P < .001) and at d 1 and d 8 after weaning for T 3 ( P < .01) but were not influenced by feed restriction at 20°C. Mean concentrations of cortisol measured on d 4 and 19 postpartum and on d 1 after weaning were lower in the 30AL than in the 20AL group ( P < .05), and neither was different from that in 20RF sows. Ambient temperature and feed intake had no influence on prolactin concentrations on d 19 postpartum and d 1 after weaning. In the 30AL group, concentrations of T 3 , cortisol, and prolactin measured at d 19 postpartum were positively correlated with the litter gain observed during the 2nd and 3rd wk of lactation ( P < .05). The return to estrus was slightly delayed in 20RF compared with 20AL sows ( P < .05) and was quite variable in the 30AL group. These results demonstrate that high ambient temperature has negative consequences on litter growth and return to estrus and induces plasma hormonal variations, that cannot be fully mimicked by feed restriction in primiparous sows.
Tooth resorption (TR) is one of the most common dental diseases in cats. Determination of risk factors has not yet been fully assessed and, to the best knowledge of the authors, this disease has never been studied in Portuguese cats. The objective of this case-control study was to determine type and distribution of TR lesions, evaluate risk factors, and establish relationships between variables in this disease. The study included data from 71 cats admitted for general anesthesia for various reasons. The cats were randomly selected. The inclusion criteria were availability of clinical history and owner permission. Cats with known oral disease were not excluded from the study. All cats received ultrasonic scaling and polishing of the teeth, a thorough oral examination, and full-mouth radiographs. A strong statistical relation was found between age and TR. The age group of 10 to 15-years showed an increased risk of 6.56 times for TR occurrence compared with the group 0 to 4-years of age. Presence of gingivitis in all index levels was related to an increased risk for TR. No relation was found between age or gingivitis index and lesion type. Mandibular third premolar and molar teeth were most commonly affected by TR, especially for type 1 lesions. Canine teeth were statistically more likely to have type 2 lesions. The trend for the canine teeth to be more affected with type 2 lesions needs further verification.
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