Wild rodents have been described as the most important hosts for Angiostrongylus costaricensis in Central America and southern Brazil. Sinantropic rodents apparently do not play a significant role as natural hosts. A search for natural infection failed to document worms in 14 mice captured in the house of a patient with diagnosis of abdominal angiostrongylosis and experimental infection of a "wild" Mus musculus strain and groups of albino Swiss mice were carried out. Mortality was not significantly different and varied from 42% to 80% for Swiss mice and from 26% to 80% for "wild" mice. The high mortality of a "wild" M. musculus infected with A. costaricensis was very similar to what is observed with most laboratory mice strains. These data may be taken as indications that M. musculus is not a well adapted host for A. costaricensis, although susceptibility was apparently higher with "wild" populations of M. musculus as compared to Swiss strain.

O debate do tema Indicação Geográfica precisa ser contextualizado entre os esforços que os atores territoriais realizam em relação à definição de seu futuro, a fim de que tal estratégia de articulação territorial seja considerada um meio e não um fim em si mesmo. Apresentamos reflexões para fundamentar o debate sobre a proposta de Indicação Geográfica da erva mate no Planalto Norte Catarinense e Centro Sul do Paraná, recorte territorial que preferimos denominar de Território do Contestado, ao mesmo tempo em que nos desafiamos a fazer prospecções. O texto resulta de estudos teóricos, observações e análises oportunizadas por processos de investigação recentes, incluindo posicionamento pessoal. Conclui-se sobre a necessidade de revalorização do conjunto de ativos e recursos de um determinado território, dando destaque aos que podem representar especificidades territoriais.

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Difficulties for adaptation of wild rodents' colonies in the laboratory may hamper experimental studies. We describe the use of a hollow brick inside cages, to provide shelter and reduce stress of the animals. It facilitates the cleaning of cages, since the animals stay inside the brick while they are transferred to a new cage. This method was applied in a trial for adaptation of Oryzomys nigripes in captivity. Despite transportation for more than 1500 km, mortality was zero in the group of 62 rodents and the colony expanded immediately. A hollow brick is a cheap and widespread available material for improving adaptation of wild rodents to captivity.

No abstract