164 SummaryWe examined the endoparasites of wild nutria from the native region of South America. Individuals were infected with nineteen species, including Nematoda (82.0 %), Protozoa (46.1 %), Trematoda (33.3 %) and Cestoda (12.8 %). Coccidia (Eimeria sp. or Isospora sp.), Strongyloides myopotami and Trichuris myocastoris were the most abundant and prevalent parasites. The diversity of parasite collected on individual hosts ranged from one to four species. There was no significant association between either the age or the sex of the nutria and the prevalence of parasitism, except that the number of infested nutria less than 1 year by Nematoda was significantly higher than in older individuals. Additionally, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. were demonstrated in fecal samples, although scarcely. In general, the accessions were found in good bodily condition and carrying low parasite burdens. These numbers appeared insufficient to indicate gastrointestinal parasitism or parasitic disease.

Information on reference blood values in the literature is lacking for many wild rodents. In this study, comprehensive reference intervals (RIs) for a wide range of analytes from 101 healthy free-ranging nutria were determined. Animals were captured in Buenos Aires, Argentina (37degrees 50'S, 57 degrees 34'W), and southward (38 degrees 60'S, 58 degrees 23'W), encompassing major biotopes of agricultural pampas with dunes and grassland steppes on the east coast. Traps were set at locations with high-density nutria populations (i.e., those areas that showed signs of movement, territorial marking, or feeding activities). Although the small sample size limits the interpretation of these findings, RIs were determined by a robust method using the central 95th percentile. In nutria, the RI range varied greatly for the leukocyte differentials, with mature neutrophils: 3,907-5,544/mmicrol for females and 3,744-5,900/microl for males; band neutrophils: 0-10/ll for females and 3-18/microl for males; lymphocytes: 4,213 5,940/microl for both sexes combined; monocytes: 165-402/microl for both sexes combined; eosinophils: 13-91/microl for females and 108-165/microl for males; and basophils: 0-87/microl for both sexes combined. Platelet concentration was 543-727 x 10(9)/L for both sexes combined. There was also a wide RI range for biochemistry values for some enzymes, such as alkaline phosphatase: 200-399 IU/L for both sexes combined; cholinesterase: 762-1,407 IU/L for females and 763-1,284 IU/L for males; creatine kinase: 182-552 IU/L for females and 162-451 IU/L for males; amylase: 853-1,865 IU/L for females and 779-1,293 IU/L for males; and glucose concentration 120.2-180.6 mg/dl for both sexes combined. Conversely, there was not a wide pooled RI range for calcium: 7.0-11.2 mg/dl; phosphorous: 6.1-9.3 mg/dl; sodium: 133.0-159.0 mEq/L; potassium: 3.0-8.2 mEq/L; chloride: 101.4-143.0 mEq/L; and urea: 11.3-36.8 mg/dl. The red blood cell indices had a narrow range, with mean corpuscular volume: 84.0 -102.5 fl and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration: 18.2-28.8 g/dl, and which was most likely due to strict physiologic controls. The results from this study were similar to those previously reported for farmed nutria.

Our objective was to identify the direct and indirect presence of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle and their aborted fetuses from Lima, Peru. A total 219 blood samples obtained from dairy cattle with records of spontaneous abortion were collected to detect antibodies against N. caninum in serum with indirect ELISA and search for risk-factor associations. 68 fetal aborted tissue samples of these cows were analyzed by PCR, indirect ELISA and histopathology assay to detect N. caninum presence. The prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Univariate analysis was performed using the chi-squared test. Among the 68 aborted fetuses collected, 10 (15%) were positive in at least two diagnostic tests. Among 219 serum samples, 46.6% (95% CI: 40.0%-53.3%) were positive. Cows with 4 years or older (PR: 7.10; 95% CI: 4.89-10.67) and multiparous (PR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.11-2.80) were found to be more likely to possess N. caninum antibodies. This study detects presence of N. caninum in dairy cattle and their aborted fetus from Lima valley, suggesting biosecurity management improve to neosporosis control.

A spontaneous outbreak of maduramicin intoxication in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is reported. It is believed that maduramicin incorporated as a coccidiostat into poultry pellet fed to rabbits was the cause, as up to 2.01 ppm was found in the samples and cardiopulmonary clinical signs in most of the rabbits was the common pattern. Findings here were consistent with the classic indications observed in ionophore toxicosis in different species, but little is known about the toxicity of maduramicin in rabbits.

El presente trabajo evalúa la prevalencia y los factores de riesgo asociados a la fasciolosis bovina en comunidades campesinas de la provincia de Huancabamba (Piura, Perú). Se recolectaron 360 muestras de heces de bovinos en los distritos de Huancabamba, Sondor, Sondorillo y Carmen de la Frontera. Las muestras de heces fueron analizadas con la técnica de sedimentación de Dennis y se estudió la asociación de la presencia de huevos de Fasciola hepatica en heces con la edad, sexo y distrito de procedencia de los animales. Se encontró 42.5% (IC95%: 37.3-47.8%) de muestras positivas. La mayor probabilidad de contraer fasciolosis en los bovinos fue en el grupo etario de 13-18 meses (RP: 2.56; IC95%: 1.51-4.28) y procedentes del distrito de Sondorillo (RP: 1.41; IC95: 1.04-1.94); además, ser macho se consideró un factor de protección (RP: 0.69; IC95%: 0.53-0.90). El estudio demuestra la alta prevalencia de fasciolosis bovina en las comunidades campesinas de Huancabamba y su asociación con el sexo, edad y lugar de procedencia.