Search

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Syngenta Crop Protection AG submitted a request to the competent national authority in Portugal to set import tolerances for the active substance lufenuron in grapefruits, oranges, limes, pome fruits, peppers, coffee, sugar canes, muscle, fat, liver and kidney on the basis of the authorised uses of lufenuron in Brazil, Chile and Morocco. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive maximum residue level (MRL) proposals for all commodities under assessment. For oranges, limes, pome fruits, peppers and coffee beans and commodities of animal origin, the submitted data indicated no need to modify the existing EU MRLs. For grapefruits and sugar cane, the residue data indicated that higher MRLs would be needed. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of lufenuron in plant and animal matrices. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the existing EU uses and the authorised uses of lufenuron in Brazil, Chile and Morocco will not result in chronic consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference value. Considering, however, that the estimated exposure is close to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and in the light of the expiry of the approval of the active substance, EFSA recommends the review of the existing MRLs taking into account that the MRLs based on the EU uses will become obsolete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First report of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae ' in camelids from Southern Chile. • Molecular occurrence of 'Candidatus M. haemolamae ' was 9.2% in llamas and alpacas. • Low genetic diversity of 'Candidatus M. haemolamae ' in camelids from Southern Chile. • Unique haplotype worldwide distributed found in camelids from Southern Chile. This study aimed to perform a molecular survey and identification of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in domestic South American Camelids from Southern Chile. Conventional PCR (cPCR) for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. based on 16S rRNA gene (620bp fragment) was performed in 87 EDTA-blood samples taken from 48 llamas (Lama glama) and 39 and alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from to Temuco, La Araucanía region and Valdivia, Los Rios region, Southern Chile. 16S rRNA hemotropic Mycoplasma PCR-positive were sequenced for species identification, phylogenetic and haplotype analyses, and further tested by cPCR targeting a fragment (160-210 bp) of the RNaseP (rnpB) gene. Based upon 16S rRNA cPCR results, the overall hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. occurrence in Southern camelids was 9.2% (8/87 [95% CI (4.0–17.3%)]), with five positive alpacas (12.8%; 5/39 [95% CI (4.3–27.4%)]) and three llamas (6.3%; 3/48 [95% CI (1.7–17.2%)]). All 16S rRNA PCR-positive samples were negative for the rnpB gene. Obtained 16S sequences presented high identity (99-100%) by BLASTn analysis to ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae' from an alpaca in the United Kingdom. Phylogenetic and haplotype analyses of the 16s rRNA gene showed high similarity among ' Candidatus M. haemolamae' sequences of this study and the ones from North America, Europe, and Asia evidencing a low diversity of Chilean samples, with only one haplotype detected (#1). Haplotype #1 from South American Camelids in Chile was worldwide distributed and observed in North America, Europe, and Asia. ' Candidatus M. haemolamae' detected for the first time in South American camelids in Southern Chile had low diversity and was worldwide spread. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibody detection tests are rarely used for diagnostic purposes in fish diseases. Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) caused by ISA virus (ISAV) is an emerging disease of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. The virus has also been isolated from diseased coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch in Chile. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that should facilitate serodiagnosis of ISAV infection, the study of epidemiology, and the control of ISA in farmed fishes has been developed using purified ISAV as the coating antigen, and monoclonal antibodies that detect fish immunoglobulins bound to the antigen on the plate. Application of the test to a random sample of farmed Atlantic salmon from the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada, positively identified 5 of the 7 ISAV RT-PCR-positive fish, and all 10 RT-PCR-negative fish were also negative in the ELISA. Some RT-PCR-negative fish had an elevated non-specific antibody reactivity suggestive of chronic infection or resistance to ISAV. This test was also able to detect 11 of the 14 coho salmon pooled serum samples from a clinically affected farm in Chile that were positive by the virus neutralization (VN) test, and 2 of the 4 VN-negative samples. We conclude that this ELISA would be suitable as a routine test for ISAV infection or for assessing ISAV vaccine efficacy before placing smolts in sea cages, and for testing fishes in sea cages to detect level of resistance to ISA. The assay enables vaccination in combination with depopulation control methods.