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Cardiac adaptive mechanisms of Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) at high altitudes Full text
2012
Rong, Chang | Yan, Ma | Zhen-Zhong, Bai | Ying-Zhong, Yang | Dian-Xiang, Lu | Qi-sheng, Ma | Qing, Ga | Yin, Liu | Ge, Ri-Li
Objective: To identify cardiac mechanisms that contribute to adaptation to high altitudes in Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii). Animals: 9 male Tibetan antelope and 10 male Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries). Procedures: Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep inhabiting a region with an altitude of 4,300 m were captured, and several cardiac variables were measured. Expression of genes for atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, and calcium-calmodulin–dependent protein kinase II δ was measured via real-time PCR assay. Results: Ratios of heart weight to body weight for Tibetan antelope were significantly greater than those of Tibetan sheep, but ratios of right-left ventricular weights were similar. Mean ± SD baseline heart rate (26.33 ± 6.15 beats/min) and systolic arterial blood pressure (97.75 ± 9.56 mm Hg) of antelope were significantly lower than those of sheep (34.20 ± 6.57 beats/min and 130.06 ± 17.79 mm Hg, respectively). The maximum rate of rise in ventricular pressure in antelope was similar to that in Tibetan sheep, but after exposure to air providing a fraction of inspired oxygen of 14.6% or 12.5% (ie, hypoxic conditions), the maximum rate of rise in ventricular pressure of the antelope increased significantly to 145.1% or 148.1%, respectively, whereas that of the sheep decreased to 68.4% or 70.5%, respectively. Gene expression of calcium-calmodulin–dependent protein kinase II δ and atrial natriuretic peptide, but not brain natriuretic peptide, in the left ventricle of the heart was significantly higher in antelope than in sheep. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Hearts of the Tibetan antelope in this study were well adapted to high-altitude hypoxia as shown by higher heart weight ratios, cardiac contractility in hypoxic conditions, and expression of key genes regulating cardiac contractility and cardiac hypertrophy, compared with values for Tibetan sheep.
Show more [+] Less [-]Haemonchus contortus from the vaal ribbok, Pelea capreolus, and the bontebok, Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, in the Bontebok National Park
1983
Boomker, J. | Horak, I.G. | Gibbons, L.M. | De Vos, V.
Haemonchus contortus with exceptionally long spicules recovered from vaal ribbok and bontebok, measurements
Show more [+] Less [-]Parasites of South African wildlife. XIX. The prevalence of helminths in some common antelopes, warthogs and a bushpig in the Limpopo province, South Africa Full text
2011
Ilana C. van Wyk | Joop Boomker
Parasites of South African wildlife. XIX. The prevalence of helminths in some common antelopes, warthogs and a bushpig in the Limpopo province, South Africa Full text
2011
Ilana C. van Wyk | Joop Boomker
Little work has been conducted on the helminth parasites of artiodactylids in the northern and western parts of the Limpopo province, which is considerably drier than the rest of the province. The aim of this study was to determine the kinds and numbers of helminth that occur in different wildlife hosts in the area as well as whether any zoonotic helminths were present. Ten impalas (Aepyceros melampus), eight kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), four blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), two black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou), three gemsbok (Oryx gazella), one nyala (Tragelaphus angasii), one bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), one waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), six warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) and a single bushpig (Potamochoerus porcus) were sampled from various localities in the semi-arid northern and western areas of the Limpopo province. New host–parasite associations included Trichostrongylus deflexus from blue wildebeest, Agriostomum gorgonis from black wildebeest, Stilesia globipunctata from the waterbuck and Fasciola hepatica in a kudu. The mean helminth burden, including extra-gastrointestinal helminths, was 592 in impalas, 407 in kudus and blue wildebeest, 588 in black wildebeest, 184 in gemsbok, and 2150 in the waterbuck. Excluding Probstmayria vivipara, the mean helminth burden in warthogs was 2228 and the total nematode burden in the bushpig was 80. The total burdens and species richness of the helminths in this study were consistently low when compared with similar studies on the same species in areas with higher rainfall. This has practical implications when animals are translocated to areas with higher rainfall and higher prevalence of helminths.
Show more [+] Less [-]Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XLI. Arthropod parasites of impalas, Aepyceros melampus, in the Kruger National Park [South Africa]
2003
Horak, I.G. (Pretoria Univ., Onderstepoort (South Africa). Veterinary Tropical Diseases Dept.) | Gallivan, G.J. | Braack, L.E.O. | Boomker, J. | De Vos, V.
Ixodid ticks of Angora and Boer goats, grysbok, common duikers, kudus and scrub hares in Valley Bushveld in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
2003
Macivor, K.M.De F. (Rhodes Univ., Grahamstown (South Africa). Tick Research Unit) | Horak, I.G.
Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in a kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) from a commercial game farm in the Malelane area of the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
2001
Bengis, R.G. | Keet, D.F. (State Veterinarian, Skukuza (South Africa)) | Michel, A.L. | Kriek, N.P.J.
Copper poisoning in the Kruger National Park [South Africa]: Field investigation in wild ruminants
1999
Grobler, D.G. (Kruger National Park, Skukuza (South Africa). Research and Development) | Swan, G.E.
Isolation and characterization of a Babesia species from Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi ticks picked off a sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) which died of acute babesiosis
1998
Hove, T. (Zimbabwean Univ., Harare (Zimbabwe). Dept. of Paraclinical Veterinary Studies) | Sithole, N. | Munodzana, D. | Masaka, S.
Morphological evidence for infection of impala, Aepyceros melampus, platelets by a rickettsia-like organism
1997
Du Plessis, L. (Pretoria Univ., Onderstepoort (South Africa). Haematology Dept.) | Reyers, F. | Stevens, K.
Discrimination between sheep-associated and wildebeest-associated malignant catarrhal fever virus by means of a single-tube duplex nested PCR
2005
Bremer, C.W. (Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort (South Africa). Onderstepoort Veterinary Inst.) | Swart, H. | Doboro, F.A. | Dungu, B. | Romito, M. | Viljoen, G.J.
