New Global Aquatic Veterinary Association Formed
Fish Farmer
21 Mar 2007
Emerging from the needs of a large number of veterinarians already involved in aquatic animal medicine, a new veterinary organisation has been formed, initially doing business under the name Aquatic Veterinary Association. The need for the organisation is compounded by the demands from owners of companion aquatic animals, aquatic food species producers, industries such as aquaculture, and governments for veterinary assistance in aquatic animal health and welfare, public health and seafood safety. “Formalising a group to address the concerns of aquatic veterinary medical practitioners under an organised, incorporated and registered non-profit professional association will help elevate aquatic veterinary medicine from a niche area of the veterinary sciences to a well recognised discipline within the profession,” says Dr Peter Merrill who is serving as the Association’s interim President.
“We hope this organisation will cater to the needs of an estimated 5,000–10,000 aquatic veterinarians world-wide, and indirectly to those who seek their expertise,” he adds. After receiving input over the past year from aquatic veterinarians in the UK, France, Germany, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, a group of 6 interim Directors stepped forward to consolidate the ideas they heard into formalised preliminary bylaws and structure for the association. These and other official documents will be ratified by the founding members at the first Annual General Meeting, to be held in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s convention in Washington, DC. in July 2007.
International Society for Infectious Diseases - ProMED-mail
22 Mar 2007
Area: Israel
There is growing fear of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)in a herd of gazelles in the north of the country, following the discovery of 10 dead gazelles in the area between Yisachar plateau and the Tavor creek. The disease has been recorded in several cattle herds in the north during recent months, and it now seems that gazelles have been infected as well. Some [carcasses] have been sent to the laboratory, but even before results have been obtained, the diagnosis seems very likely. The director of Israel's Nature and National Parks Protection Authority in northern Israel, Dror Pevzner, said, "the affected animals cannot move nor eat; dead gazelles are found mainly close to water sources.
The gazelle population on the Golan and Yissachar plateau were hit by FMD 22 years ago, but at that time their populations were much larger than now: on the Golan there were about 5000 individuals compared to only 229 now, and in the Yissachar plateau there were about 3500 individuals compared to 1113 these days". Authorities fear a possible outbreak of FMD in the [Lower] Galilee, after 10 gazelle carcasses were found near the Tavor River. Dror Pevzner, head of the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority northern district, said the gazelles' symptoms matched those of the disease. The last outbreak among wild gazelles occurred in 1985.
Farm Chemical Debate Returns to Capitol
KARE 11 News
21 Mar 2007
J Croman
Area: Minnesota, USA
Proponents of an Atrazine ban made their case to a House committee in St Paul on Wednesday. They blame the popular weed killer for abnormalities in amphibians and fish. The Environmental Protection Agency recertified Atrazine for use on farms in 2006, deeming that the chemical as commonly applied poses no threat to human health. But that hasn't ended the debate over the herbicide's long-term effects on wildlife and humans.
California endocrinologist Tyrone Hayes has taken on the role of a voice in the wilderness, waging what some would call a David and Goliath battle against the power corn growing industry. "It causes the inappropriate production of estrogen which leads to yolk and egg production in male frogs and fish," Hayes told a health finance subcommittee at the Capitol. The University of California Berkeley professor augmented his testimony with a slide show which featured photos of eggs and ovaries growing in male frogs. Hayes suspects the frogs and other amphibians have been subjected to high levels of the female hormone estrogen.
Researchers Find Substantial Amount of Mercury Entering the Ocean through Groundwater
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Posted by EurekAlert)
21 Mar 2007
Area: California, USA
New pathway for pollution may change views of how much mercury is lingering in coastal waters
Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have found a new and substantial pathway for mercury pollution flowing into coastal waters. Marine chemists have detected much more dissolved mercury entering the ocean through groundwater than from atmospheric and river sources. Mercury is toxic to animals and humans in large concentrations, particularly in the form known as methyl mercury, which accumulates in fish. To date, WHOI researchers examined total mercury, not the more biologically dangerous form, though that is a logical next step.
These initial findings of mercury moving through the coastal groundwater system are significant for researchers trying to quantify the impact of mercury in the marine environment. The lead author of the study is Sharon Bone, a former undergraduate summer student fellow and research assistant in the laboratory of WHOI marine chemist Matt Charette. Bone is now a first-year graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley. The findings were published online on March 21 by the journal Environmental Science and Technology and will appear in a printed issue later this spring. Mercury pollution comes mostly from industrial emissions to the atmosphere, especially from coal burning.
A Passion for Public Health: Veterinary Schools Engage Veterinarians, Physicians, and Students in the DialogueAVMA - JAVMA News
01 Apr 2007
S Kahler
What conference topic would compel veterinary students to take leave of their classes at midterm last November and journey to the University of Pennsylvania? The encouraging answer is an interest in veterinary public health. Veterinary students from eight North American schools and colleges came to Penn's international conference, Nov. 9-10. They were among the 134 veterinary and other students from 18 schools as distant as Nigeria and Puerto Rico. Penn's conference underscored the pressing need for more public health professionals globally.
The one-medicine concept was the theme at other recent events. Dr. John Herrmann of the University of Illinois, who was involved in two of the events, said, "Physicians and veterinarians have conceded their traditional roles in public health, and public health is the whole basis for the one-medicine concept." Another event was the one-medicine symposium held in North Carolina in December to foster communication between veterinarians and human medical professionals. In January, the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine hosted an intra-university colloquium on one medicine.
Journal Article(s) of Interest
Bird-Baited Traps for Surveillance of West Nile Mosquito Vectors: Effect of Bird Species, Trap Height, and Mosquito Escape Rates [online abstract only]
J Med Entomol. 2006 Jan;43(1):83-92.
J Darbro and L Harrington
[The New-World Hantaviruses. Ecology and Epidemiology of an Emerging Virus in Latin America] [Article in Spanish] [online abstract only]
Medicina (B Aires). 2006;66(4):343-56.
H Puerta et al.
West Nile Virus, Venezuela [Editorial] [free full-text available]
Emerg Infect Dis. 2007 Apr; 13(4): Epub ahead of print.
I Bosch et al.
No comments:
Post a Comment