Honey bee colony losses in Belgium during the 2008-9 winter

in Journal of Apicultural Research (2010), 49(4), 337-339

Distribution des principaux vecteurs du virus de la maladie de la langue bleue au sein de différentes exploitations agricoles belges

Poster (2010, July)

Chemical requirements and nature of silage residues fit to the larval development of the C. obsoletus/scoticus complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), main vectors of bluetongue

Poster (2010, May 05)

Le point sur les causes des pertes d'abeilles domestiques en Région Wallonne

Conference given outside the academic context (2010)

Age-related infection and transmission patterns of human cysticercosis

in International Journal for Parasitology (2010), 40

Diagnosis of brucellosis in livestock and wildlife.

in Croatian Medical Journal (2010), 51(4), 296-305

AIM: To describe and discuss the merits of various direct and indirect methods applied in vitro (mainly on blood or milk) or in vivo (allergic test) for the diagnosis of brucellosis in animals. METHODS ... [more ▼]

AIM: To describe and discuss the merits of various direct and indirect methods applied in vitro (mainly on blood or milk) or in vivo (allergic test) for the diagnosis of brucellosis in animals. METHODS: The recent literature on brucellosis diagnostic tests was reviewed. These diagnostic tests are applied with different goals, such as national screening, confirmatory diagnosis, certification, and international trade. The validation of such diagnostic tests is still an issue, particularly in wildlife. The choice of the testing strategy depends on the prevailing brucellosis epidemiological situation and the goal of testing. RESULTS: Measuring the kinetics of antibody production after Brucella spp. infection is essential for analyzing serological results correctly and may help to predict abortion. Indirect ELISAs help to discriminate 1) between false positive serological reactions and true brucellosis and 2) between vaccination and infection. Biotyping of Brucella spp. provides valuable epidemiological information that allows tracing an infection back to the sources in instances where several biotypes of a given Brucella species are circulating. Polymerase chain reaction and new molecular methods are likely to be used as routine typing and fingerprinting methods in the coming years. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of brucellosis in livestock and wildlife is complex and serological results need to be carefully analyzed. The B. abortus S19 and B. melitensis Rev. 1 vaccines are the cornerstones of control programs in cattle and small ruminants, respectively. There is no vaccine available for pigs or for wildlife. In the absence of a human brucellosis vaccine, prevention of human brucellosis depends on the control of the disease in animals. [less ▲]

Canine leishmaniasis in Algeria: true prevalence and diagnostic test characteristics in groups of dogs of different functional type.

in Veterinary Parasitology (2010), 172(3-4), 204-13

A Bayesian approach was used to assess the prevalence of Canine leishmaniasis and evaluate three serological diagnostic tests: indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), direct agglutination test, and ... [more ▼]

A Bayesian approach was used to assess the prevalence of Canine leishmaniasis and evaluate three serological diagnostic tests: indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), direct agglutination test, and particle gel immuno-assay (PaGIA) for Canine leishmaniasis (CL) in Algiers. Four hundred and sixty-two dogs were involved in this study and divided in four groups according to their functional type: stray dogs, farm dogs, national guard dogs and pet dogs. The stray dog group showed the highest prevalence of leishmaniasis (11.7%), followed by the national guard dogs (9.7%) and the farm dogs (5.9%). IFAT was shown to be the most sensitive test in all groups. However, IFAT specificity was considerably lowered in the farm dog group: 65.2% versus 94.5% for the stray dogs. A considerable drop in PaGIA specificity was noted in the stray dogs group. The results of the current study demonstrate the variability of test characteristics in different situations and underline the danger of using standard values, without verifying their appropriateness for the specific purposes. [less ▲]

Infection with versus exposure to Taenia solium: what do serological test results tell us?

in American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (The) (2010), 83(2), 413-5

Taenia solium cysticercosis is an endemic zoonosis in many developing countries. Serological tests are the most appropriate diagnostic tools to understand the transmission dynamics of the parasite, but ... [more ▼]

Taenia solium cysticercosis is an endemic zoonosis in many developing countries. Serological tests are the most appropriate diagnostic tools to understand the transmission dynamics of the parasite, but the performances of these methods in such a setting are not known. A south Ecuadorian human population living in an endemic area was tested using three common serological tests. Because none of them is a gold standard, a Bayesian Latent Class analysis was used to estimate the test characteristics. Two definitions of a case were considered to differentiate between prevalence of current infection and prior exposure to the parasite. Differences between the performances of the same test in function of the definition of a case were observed. This study shows that test results and prior information should be interpreted carefully in a Bayesian analysis framework, particularly when the latter is based on clinical studies. [less ▲]

La fièvre Q: actualités épidémiologiques

in Point Vétérinaire (2010), 304

SURVEY ON ANTIBIOTIC USE IN PIG AND CHICKEN PRODUCTION IN RED RIVER DELTA OF VIETNAM.

Poster (2010)