... Training in preference which occurs as a result of larger number of encounters (termed "training bias" by Bryan 1973, who reviews the literature) has been found in starfish by Landenberger (1968); in snails by... more
... Training in preference which occurs as a result of larger number of encounters (termed "training bias" by Bryan 1973, who reviews the literature) has been found in starfish by Landenberger (1968); in snails by Murdoch ... Search image formation in the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata ...
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Sediment pollution is a major cause of stream degradation throughout the United States. Quantifying this pollution and understanding erosion risk is important for decision makers, but also problematic. Data at the catchment scale is often... more
Sediment pollution is a major cause of stream degradation throughout the United States. Quantifying this pollution and understanding erosion risk is important for decision makers, but also problematic. Data at the catchment scale is often limited by availability, cost, representativeness, and reliability, making it unrealistic to assess erosion risk over a large area. While many models estimate overland flow related soil loss, streambank erosion is often overlooked and can be the dominant source of sediment in a catchment. We used the Enhanced Generalized Watershed Loading Functions (GWLF-E) model and MapShed plugin for MapWindow GIS to simulate the water budget, field erosion from the landscape, and streambank erosion in 20 subbasins along a gradient of agricultural to urban land cover from 1997-2015 in the Indian Mill Creek watershed of Michigan, USA. Annual water budget results suggest the creek is primarily groundwater fed, but that a per-subbasin average of 6% to 15% of precipitation becomes runoff. Field erosion contributed a per-subbasin average of 0.5 to 2.5 Mg ha-1 yr-1 of sediment, while streambank erosion accounted for 0.2% to 50.1% of the subbasins' total sediment yields. Average lateral erosion rate of streambanks in subbasins ranged from 0.04 to 7.37 cm yr-1, with 4 subbasins exceeding 1.0 cm yr-1. Urban areas had more streambank erosion than agricultural segments due the runoff from impervious surfaces. Our findings suggest that models that simulate both field and streambank erosion can provide valuable data to prioritize restoration programs that reduce sediment loading.
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Research Interests: Environmental Science, Geology, Water, Multidisciplinary, Erosion, and 3 moreSediment, Watershed, and Streams
Abstract The scope of current optimal diet theory is greatly restricted by certain rather stringent assumptions upon which it rests. One of these is that the type of prey a predator encounters next is not influenced by the last type... more
Abstract The scope of current optimal diet theory is greatly restricted by certain rather stringent assumptions upon which it rests. One of these is that the type of prey a predator encounters next is not influenced by the last type encountered. The purpose of this paper ...
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Explaining spatiotemporal variability in metacommunities is challenging because conducting empirical studies that link mechanisms across scales is difficult. We developed a stochastic model of epilithic algal succession in streams to... more
Explaining spatiotemporal variability in metacommunities is challenging because conducting empirical studies that link mechanisms across scales is difficult. We developed a stochastic model of epilithic algal succession in streams to better understand the underlying interactions that drive patch dynamics at three levels of spatial hierarchy: patch, channel habitat, and reach. The state of an algal patch is specified by one of nine community types, which are defined by growth form. Ninety‐two empirical data sets of epilithic succession were used to estimate Markov transition probabilities among patch types as functions of inputs for light, nutrients, and current. Two additional probability matrices determine the effects of herbivory and disturbance based on user inputs. Testing model predictions of patch composition against independent empirical data indicated good correspondence based on resemblance metrics. Early in succession, most patches were occupied by prostrate and erect diatoms. These persisted under low light and nutrient conditions. Motile and stalked diatom patches characterized later stages when resources were moderate. Succession proceeded to mostly filamentous green algal patches under high resource levels. Sensitivity simulations indicated light most affected succession. Herbivory and disturbance increased the probability of prostrate diatom patches. We then used the model to examine how changes in abiotic and biotic parameters affect patch dynamics at different scales. Changes in nutrients or light affected patch diversity differently at the habitat vs. reach scale. Interactions with local resource levels within a channel habitat determined its alpha diversity. The proportion of channel habitat types within a reach, and their collective response to changes, determined beta diversity. Patch diversity within channel habitats generated by herbivory followed the predation hypothesis only when nutrients were low. At the reach scale, herbivory always increased patch similarity among channel habitats, lowering beta diversity. Diversity within channel habitats followed the intermediate disturbance hypothesis for a variety of habitats. Effects of disturbance on beta diversity at the reach scale depended on channel habitat heterogeneity. The stability of patches at the reach scale was highest when disturbance created high patch diversity, supporting the insurance hypothesis. The ideas generated can improve stream bioassessment methods and provide insight into mechanisms underlying patch dynamics in other ecosystems.
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Prior theoretical studies have shown that the juvenile period's length is an important determinant of local stability in age-structured population dynamics. For example, both short and long periods produce stability, but... more
Prior theoretical studies have shown that the juvenile period's length is an important determinant of local stability in age-structured population dynamics. For example, both short and long periods produce stability, but intermediate lengths can cause instability. Short juvenile periods significantly increase stability (compared to no juvenile period) if fecundity is independent of adult age. Here I re-examine these and other patterns, using a model which includes a variable juvenile period, juvenile mortality, density-dependent fecundity and adult mortality, and age-dependence is adult fecundity. Among other things, the results confirm the stable-unstable-stable pattern with increasing juvenile period length, but show that the stabilizing effect of short periods disappears when fecundity varies with adult age. Broadly speaking, the results suggest that age-dependence in adult fecundity has important dynamical consequences, and that models assuming that fecundity is independent of adult age may be unreliable guides to the dynamics of populations for which this assumption is not reasonably accurate.
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Host-parasite interactions may lead to a variety of outcomes. Trematode infection of pulmonate snails is often associated with increased growth and/or survivorship of snail hosts. We use the freshwater pulmonate Lymnaea elodes and its... more
Host-parasite interactions may lead to a variety of outcomes. Trematode infection of pulmonate snails is often associated with increased growth and/or survivorship of snail hosts. We use the freshwater pulmonate Lymnaea elodes and its trematode parasites to ...
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Krebs et al.(1974) predicted that an optimal forager in a patchy habitat should apply the same giving-up time (GUT) to all patches, even if they differ in quality. This prediction has repeatedly appeared in the literature. However, it is... more
Krebs et al.(1974) predicted that an optimal forager in a patchy habitat should apply the same giving-up time (GUT) to all patches, even if they differ in quality. This prediction has repeatedly appeared in the literature. However, it is based on a model which is not ...
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Abstract Sexual reproduction is known to be an important means of propagation for native Japanese knotweed populations in Asia. For naturalized populations in the United States, however, its relative importance compared with propagation... more
Abstract Sexual reproduction is known to be an important means of propagation for native Japanese knotweed populations in Asia. For naturalized populations in the United States, however, its relative importance compared with propagation by rhizome and stem ...
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In laboratory studies, rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus) were monitored under well-defined environmental conditions at different supply rates of a unicellular algal food (Chlorella vulgaris). Rotifer size frequency distributions are... more
In laboratory studies, rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus) were monitored under well-defined environmental conditions at different supply rates of a unicellular algal food (Chlorella vulgaris). Rotifer size frequency distributions are described for conditions of steady-state growth, exponential increase, and starvation. Temporal fluctuations in size-age structure are described for cultures during transient conditions during the approach to a steady state and following step changes in food supply rate. The size structures of the populations displayed definite and reproducible shifts among typical patterns during transient conditions, reflecting the physiological and other dynamic processes that underlay the population dynamics. Size structure probably is a key variable that should be included in models for predicting growth dynamics during transient growth conditions.
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... Adriana Araujo Æ James N. McNair ... of 1,000 μg lÀ1 (1 mg lÀ1) or higher have been reported for the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna exposed to bacitracin (Dojmi di Delupis et al., 1992), the brine shrimp Artemia salina exposed to... more
... Adriana Araujo Æ James N. McNair ... of 1,000 μg lÀ1 (1 mg lÀ1) or higher have been reported for the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia magna exposed to bacitracin (Dojmi di Delupis et al., 1992), the brine shrimp Artemia salina exposed to sulfadimethoxine (Brambilla et al., 1994 ...
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Prey refuges are widely believed to be important components of natural communities. Conventional wisdom holds that damping predator-prey oscillations is one of their most significant roles. Refuges are thus thought to reduce fluctuation... more
Prey refuges are widely believed to be important components of natural communities. Conventional wisdom holds that damping predator-prey oscillations is one of their most significant roles. Refuges are thus thought to reduce fluctuation and foster stable ...
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Abstract Recent evidence suggests that suctorian tentacles go through a refractory period immediately after feeding on a prey organism. In this paper, a model of the foraging process in these protozoa is devised, incorporating a... more
Abstract Recent evidence suggests that suctorian tentacles go through a refractory period immediately after feeding on a prey organism. In this paper, a model of the foraging process in these protozoa is devised, incorporating a refractory period. Predictions of this model, as well as one without a refractory period, are compared with the data of MacKeen & Mitchell (1977) . The results support the idea that there is a refractory period. Directions in which the model might be generalized are discussed.
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Page 1. THE BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES (1985) 8, 315-330 Printed in the United States ol America Choice, optimal foraging, and the delay-reduction hypothesis Edmund Fantino Department ol Psychology, University ol Calitornia, San Diego,... more
Page 1. THE BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES (1985) 8, 315-330 Printed in the United States ol America Choice, optimal foraging, and the delay-reduction hypothesis Edmund Fantino Department ol Psychology, University ol Calitornia, San Diego, La Jolla, Calif. ...
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Abstract The classical chemostat models of Monod and others were designed for unicellular organisms. We summarize evidence that these models are not adequate for the rotifer chemostat, then propose a new, physiologically structured model... more
Abstract The classical chemostat models of Monod and others were designed for unicellular organisms. We summarize evidence that these models are not adequate for the rotifer chemostat, then propose a new, physiologically structured model that resolves some of ...
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Michigan’s water-quality standards specify that E. coli concentrations at bathing beaches must not exceed 300 E. coli per 100 mL, as determined by the geometric mean of culture-based concentrations in three or more representative samples... more
Michigan’s water-quality standards specify that E. coli concentrations at bathing beaches must not exceed 300 E. coli per 100 mL, as determined by the geometric mean of culture-based concentrations in three or more representative samples from a given beach on a given day. Culture-based analyses require 18–24 h to complete, so results are not available for issuing beach notifications (advisories or closings) until the day following collection. This one-day delay is problematic because E. coli concentrations at beaches can change markedly from one day to the next. qPCR-based E. coli concentrations, by contrast, can be obtained in only 3–4 h, making same-day beach notifications possible. Michigan has proposed a qPCR threshold value (qTV) for E. coli of 1.863 log10 gene copies per reaction as a potential equivalent value to the state standard, based on statistical analyses of a set of training data from 2016–2018. The main purpose of the present study is to assess the validity of the pr...
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Fecal pollution is one of the most prevalent forms of pollution affecting waterbodies worldwide, threatening public health, and negatively impacting aquatic environments. Microbial source tracking (MST) applies polymerase chain reaction... more
Fecal pollution is one of the most prevalent forms of pollution affecting waterbodies worldwide, threatening public health, and negatively impacting aquatic environments. Microbial source tracking (MST) applies polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to help identify the source of fecal pollution. In this study, we combine spatial data for two watersheds with general and host-specific MST markers to target human, bovine, and general ruminant sources. Two different PCR technologies were applied for quantifying the targets: quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). We found that ddPCR had a higher detection rate (75%) of quantifiable samples compared to qPCR (27%), indicating that ddPCR is more sensitive than qPCR. The three host-specific markers were detected at all sites (n=25), suggesting that humans, cows, and ruminants are contributing to fecal contamination in these watersheds. MST results, combined with watershed characteristics, suggest that streams draining ...
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<p>Study-reach length is 90 (arbitrary units), study-reach abundance <i>n</i> = 300, sample-2 capture probability <i>q</i>′ = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, sample-1 capture probability <i>q</i> = 1 − (1 −... more
<p>Study-reach length is 90 (arbitrary units), study-reach abundance <i>n</i> = 300, sample-2 capture probability <i>q</i>′ = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, sample-1 capture probability <i>q</i> = 1 − (1 − <i>q</i>′)<sup>3</sup>, and maximum movement distance <i>δ</i> = 0, 30, 60, 90. Sample-1 capture probabilities ensure sampling effort (duration of sampling) is the same as in sample 2. Dispersal is balanced. Other symbols and lines are defined as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0200733#pone.0200733.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3</a>.</p
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This article cites 35 articles, 5 of which can be accessed free at:
Since 1984, biennial studies of PCBs have been conducted in fishes, crayfish and insects in the Housatonic River, CT., and additional data are available from earlier studies. PCB data quantitated from presumptive Aroclor concentrations... more
Since 1984, biennial studies of PCBs have been conducted in fishes, crayfish and insects in the Housatonic River, CT., and additional data are available from earlier studies. PCB data quantitated from presumptive Aroclor concentrations overestimated total PCB concentrations ([TPCB]) by about 13%, although the estimates by the 2 methods were very highly correlated. Ages of all fish specimens were determined. Spatial and temporal trends in [TPCB] were analyzed using ANCOVA to adjust for relationships between [TPCB] and age, lipid content, location and sex. Adjusted [TPCB] consistently decreased in the downstream direction. [TPCB] decreased within the years after cessation of direct inputs (around 1978). However, in the 1984--1992 period [TPCB] trends were weak and variable. Concentrations in 1994 were lower than previous years (statistical comparisons showing 1994 to be the lowest year or among a group of years with the lowest concentrations). Between year differences were probably re...
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Background Urban areas are often built along large rivers and surrounded by agricultural land. This may lead to small tributary streams that have agricultural headwaters and urbanized lower reaches. Our study objectives assessed are as... more
Background Urban areas are often built along large rivers and surrounded by agricultural land. This may lead to small tributary streams that have agricultural headwaters and urbanized lower reaches. Our study objectives assessed are as follows: (1) landscape, geomorphic, and water quality variables that best explained variation in aquatic communities and their integrity in a stream system following this agricultural-to-urban land use gradient; (2) ways this land use gradient caused aquatic communities to differ from what would be expected for an idealized natural stream or other longitudinal gradients; and (3) whether the impacts of this land use gradient on aquatic communities would grow larger in a downstream direction through the agricultural and urban developments. Our study area was an impaired coldwater stream in Michigan, USA. Results Many factors structured the biological communities along the agricultural-to-urban land use gradient. Instream woody debris had the strongest r...
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The successful use of remote site incubators (RSIs) to rear eggs of Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus along Montana streams has sparked interest in reestablishing the species in Michigan. As a preparatory step, we assessed the efficacy... more
The successful use of remote site incubators (RSIs) to rear eggs of Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus along Montana streams has sparked interest in reestablishing the species in Michigan. As a preparatory step, we assessed the efficacy of RSIs by deploying them along three Michigan streams during 2 years using surrogate eggs from Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Our objectives were to (1) compare hatching success between two different RSI designs (19‐L versus 265‐L RSIs), (2) test whether the removal of dead eggs (“picking”) from 19‐L RSIs affected hatching success, and (3) develop a simple model to predict fry yield and its uncertainty. Overall survival was 41.3% in 2018 and 52.4% in 2019. Differences in survival between unpicked 19‐L and 265‐L RSIs tended to be small, with mean differences from 4.82% (95% CI = –0.60 to +10.25) in 2018 to 0.08% (95% CI = –0.14 to +0.30) in 2019. On average, picked 19‐L RSIs had greater, although not always statistically significant, survival tha...
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Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.; EWM) is an invasive aquatic plant that is widespread in inland lakes of the northern tier of the United States. It is commonly managed to alleviate negative economic and environmental... more
Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.; EWM) is an invasive aquatic plant that is widespread in inland lakes of the northern tier of the United States. It is commonly managed to alleviate negative economic and environmental impacts, including the formation of dense stands of submerged vegetation that extend from the lake bed to the surface, impairing recreational uses; affecting water movement, nutrient cycling, and sedimentation; reducing property values; and potentially altering habitats used by native species (Smith and Barko 1990, Zhang and Boyle 2010). Management costs of invasive aquatic plants in the United States can exceed $100 million annually (Rockwell 2003, Pimentel et al. 2005). In Michigan, where the present study was conducted, roughly $24 million are spent annually on herbicidal control of aquatic invasive plants, much of which is focused on EWM (MDEQ 2013). The auxinic herbicides 2,4-D and triclopyr have been used extensively to selectively control EWM (e.g...
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The Great Lakes are ideal systems for evaluating the synergistic components of environmental change, such as exotic species introductions and legacy pollutants. Introduced Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) represent an intersection of... more
The Great Lakes are ideal systems for evaluating the synergistic components of environmental change, such as exotic species introductions and legacy pollutants. Introduced Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) represent an intersection of these drivers because they are non-native species of economic importance that bioaccumulate contaminants during the open water phase of their life cycle. Furthermore, Pacific salmon can deliver a significant pulse of contaminated tissue to tributaries during spawning and subsequent death. Thus, salmon represent a key pathway by which contaminants accumulated in Lake Michigan are transported inland to tributaries that otherwise lack point source pollution. Our research has revealed that salmon exhibit basin-specific persistent organic pollutant (POP) and mercury (Hg) concentrations reflecting pollutant inputs from both current and historic sources. Overall, Lake Michigan salmon were more contaminated with POPs and Hg than conspecifics from Lakes Huron ...
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Background: In the British Isles, it is generally accepted that the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) plays a role in the maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Non‐selective culling is the main intervention method deployed in... more
Background: In the British Isles, it is generally accepted that the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) plays a role in the maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Non‐selective culling is the main intervention method deployed in controlling bTB in badgers along with smaller scale Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination areas. This paper describes the use of selective badger culling combined with vaccination in a research intervention trial.Methods: In Northern Ireland, a 100 km2 area was subjected to a test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) badger intervention over a 5‐year period. Badgers were individually identified and tested on an annual basis. Physical characteristics and clinical samples were obtained from each unique badger capture event.Results: A total of 824 badgers were trapped with 1520 capture/sampling events. There were no cage‐related injuries to the majority of badgers (97%). A low level of badger removal was required (4.1%–16.4% annually), while 1412 BCG vacci...
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Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata L.) is an invasive species in Michigan’s northern lower peninsula and is a problem in much of northern North America. It is of particular concern in coastal dune habitats of northwest Michigan, because... more
Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata L.) is an invasive species in Michigan’s northern lower peninsula and is a problem in much of northern North America. It is of particular concern in coastal dune habitats of northwest Michigan, because the areas where it is most dense are also populated by several endemic and threatened species. Current removal methods include manual removal with a spade and directed spray-to-wet foliar application of glyphosate to individual plants using backpack sprayers. We assessed these methods by measuring G. paniculata density and presence-absence frequency before and after treatment using a point-intercept grid, determining how type and timing of treatment within the growing season influences treatment efficacy, and determining the proportion of plants that resprout after treatment. Our results show a consistent reduction in G. paniculata density after treatment with herbicide or manual removal (p < 0.001) but minimal impact on presence-absence frequen...
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Draft method C is a standardized method for quantifying E. coli densities in recreational waters using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The method includes a Microsoft Excel workbook that automatically screens for... more
Draft method C is a standardized method for quantifying E. coli densities in recreational waters using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The method includes a Microsoft Excel workbook that automatically screens for poor-quality data using a set of previously proposed acceptance criteria, generates weighted linear regression (WLR) composite standard curves, and calculates E. coli target gene copies in test samples. We compared standard curve parameter values and test sample results calculated with the WLR model to those from a Bayesian master standard curve (MSC) model using data from a previous multi-lab study. The two models’ mean intercept and slope estimates from twenty labs’ standard curves were within each other’s 95% credible or confidence intervals for all labs. E. coli gene copy estimates of six water samples analyzed by eight labs were highly overlapping among labs when quantified with the WLR and MSC models. Finally, we compared multiple labs’ 2016–2018 compos...
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Streambank erosion is difficult to quantify; models and field methods are needed to assess this important sediment source to streams. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate and compare three techniques for quantifying streambank erosion:... more
Streambank erosion is difficult to quantify; models and field methods are needed to assess this important sediment source to streams. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate and compare three techniques for quantifying streambank erosion: erosion pins, total station, and laser scanning, (2) spatially assess streambank erosion rates in the Indian Mill Creek watershed of Michigan, USA, and (3) relate results with modeling of nonpoint source pollution. We found large absolute and relative errors between the different measurement techniques. However, we were unable to determine any statistically significant differences between techniques and only observed a correlation between total station and laser scanner. This suggests that the three methods have limited comparability and differences between measurements were largely not systemic. Further, the application of each technique should be dependent on site conditions, project goals, desired resolution, and resources. The laser scanner collect...
Research Interests: Environmental Science, Geology, Water, Multidisciplinary, Erosion, and 3 moreSediment, Watershed, and Streams
Babysbreath or perennial babysbreath (Gypsophila paniculata L.) is an aggressive invasive plant in large parts of southern Canada and the northern and western United States. It reproduces and disperses by seed, so the phenology of seed... more
Babysbreath or perennial babysbreath (Gypsophila paniculata L.) is an aggressive invasive plant in large parts of southern Canada and the northern and western United States. It reproduces and disperses by seed, so the phenology of seed maturation is important in designing management programs. The present study provides the first quantitative assessment of G. paniculata seed-maturation phenology in a field population, as well as the first quantitative assessment of how the efficacy of herbicide treatment in preventing production of germinable seeds depends on the timing of treatment in relation to this phenology. Seeds were collected from untreated plants on five dates during July and August in both 2016 and 2017 and tested for germinability. Percent germination increased from 20% to 81% between July 22 and 28 and exceeded 90% by August 4, 2016. The seed-maturation phenology in 2017 was similar but delayed by about 4 d. On a growing degree-day scale, seed-maturation phenologies for t...
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Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, remains a significant problem for livestock industries in many countries worldwide including Northern Ireland, where a test and slaughter regime has utilised the Single Intradermal... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, remains a significant problem for livestock industries in many countries worldwide including Northern Ireland, where a test and slaughter regime has utilised the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin (SICCT) test since 1959. We investigated the variation in post-mortem confirmation based on bTB visible lesion (VL) presence during herd breakdowns using two model suites. We investigated animal-level characteristics, while controlling for herd-level factors and clustering. We were interested in potential impacts of concurrent infection, and therefore we assessed whether animals with evidence of liver fluke infection (Fasciola hepatica; post-mortem inspection), M. avium reactors (animals with negative M. bovis-avium (b-a) tuberculin reactions) or Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV; RT-PCR tested) were associated with bTB confirmation. The dataset included 6242 animals removed during the 14 month study period (2013-20...
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A novel lateral flow immunochromatographic device (LFD) was evaluated in several veterinary diagnostic laboratories. It was confirmed to be specific for Mycobacterium bovis and M. caprae cells. The performance of the novel LFD was... more
A novel lateral flow immunochromatographic device (LFD) was evaluated in several veterinary diagnostic laboratories. It was confirmed to be specific for Mycobacterium bovis and M. caprae cells. The performance of the novel LFD was assessed relative to the confirmatory tests routinely applied after culture (spoligotyping or qPCR) in each laboratory; liquid (MGIT or BacT/Alert) and/or solid (Stonebrink, Coletsos or Lowenstein-Jensen) cultures were tested. In comparison to spoligotyping of acid-fast positive MGIT cultures, percentage agreement between positive LFD and spoligotyping results was excellent in two UK laboratories (97.7-100%), but lower in the Spanish context (76%) where spoligotyping was applied to MGIT cultures previously confirmed to be positive for M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) by qPCR. Certain spoligotypes of M. bovis and M. caprae were not detected by the LFD in Spanish MGIT cultures. Compared to qPCR confirmation, the percentage agreement between positive LFD and qP...
Research Interests: Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Medicine, Spain, and 12 moreUnited Kingdom, Clinical Microbiology, Biological Sciences, Animals, Bovine Tuberculosis, Cattle, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Sensitivity and Specificity, Mycobacterium bovis, Immunochromatography, and Medical and Health Sciences
In many countries, test-and-slaughter policies based on tuberculin skin testing have made a significant impact on the control of bovine tuberculosis (caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis). However, in some countries these policies... more
In many countries, test-and-slaughter policies based on tuberculin skin testing have made a significant impact on the control of bovine tuberculosis (caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis). However, in some countries these policies have not proved as effective and improved disease control strategies are required (including improved diagnostic tests and development of vaccines). The host pathogen interactions in bovine tuberculosis are very complex. While studies of the disease in naturally infected field cases of bovine tuberculosis have provided valuable information, detailed knowledge can also be gained through studies of disease models. A number of studies have developed M. bovis infection models employing a range of routes and challenge doses. An early objective was assessment of vaccine efficiency, and models of infection remain central to current work in this area. Development of the intra-nasal and intra-tracheal models have also advanced our understanding of the kinetics of the immune response. In many of these studies, understanding of pathogenesis has been improved by definition of the cells that respond to infection and those that are instrumental in modulation of host responses. Experimental models of infection have been adapted to study cattle to cattle transmission, modeling one of the fundamental routes of infection. This review provides a historical perspective on the types of experimental models used in over 100 years of research and outlines new opportunities to refine those methods for bovine and human tuberculosis and to contribute to improved diagnostics, advanced understanding of immunology and vaccine design.