No abstract

Eight free-range koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) were captured on Kangaroo Island (South Australia) and later transported to the Adelaide Zoological Gardens. Blood samples were collected at the time of capture and at 6 hr, 24 hr and 7 days later. Routine hematological analyses were performed and plasma cortisol levels determined. Significant differences were observed between sampling times for erythrocyte numbers, hemoglobin concentrations, packed cell volumes, mean cell volumes, mean cell hemoglobin concentrations, numbers of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and lymphocyte:neutrophil ratio (P less than 0.05). No significant differences were detected between sampling periods in the numbers of monocytes (P = 0.707), eosinophils (P = 0.174) or plasma cortisol levels (P = 0.192).

Heart, lung and samples of blood from 230 dogs were examined for infections of filarial parasites. Dirofilaria immitis worms and microfilariae were detected in one dog. Blood samples from a further 1428 dogs were examined for microfilariae and 22 were found to be infected. Eighteen dogs were infected with D immitis microfilariae and four with Dipetolonema reconditum microfilariae. The histories were available for 18 of the dogs infected with heartworm and only seven dogs had not travelled outside South Australia. It was concluded that heartworm infection was endemic in South Australia but the apparent prevalence was only about 1%.

In late 1971 and 1972, one voluntary and three commercial blood banks in the Los Angeles area provided specimens from hepatitis B antigen-positive donors. These were characterized as ad or ay subtypes of hepatitis B virus. Of 202 voluntary donors, 81 per cent had subtype ad and 19 per cent subtype ay, Of 129 paid donors, 66 per cent had subtype ad and 34 per cent had subtype ay, with one commercial bank accounting entirely for the statistically significant overall difference. Analysis by sex, race, and age of donors indicated only age to be a factor in this series. Voluntary donors less than 25 years of age had a higher frequency (30%) of ay strains than did voluntary donors 25 and over (15%). Paid donors under 25 had an even higher frequency (58%) and diffrrrd significantly from the voluntary donors under 25. Paid donors 25 and over (of whom 20% had ay strains), however, did not differ significantly from unpaid donors 25 and over (15%). Thrsc findings could indicate that illicit self-injection was the immediate background causing a high frcquency of subtype ay among young donors, paid and voluntary. Rcview of available information, however, suggests that the disproportion may be an indircct rathcr than a direct cons-quence nf epidemic drug abuse. BLOOD HANKS have adopted the screening of blood donors for hepatitis B antigen (HBAg) in a n effort to prevent those cases of transfusion-associated hepatitis caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is obvious that such screening will also yield information concerning the distribution and dynamics of HBV infection in the community. ~.