Occurrence of Gnathostoma spinigerum in a leopard cat from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala.

The post-mortem examination of a leopard cat from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, died in a road accident, revealed presence of gastric tumours containing worms which were identified as Gnathostoma spinigerum based on morphological characteristics.

Occurrence of fatal syngamosis in emu birds of Kerala.

Two male and two female emu birds of 8 months to 1 year old reared in a private farm were brought dead to College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode for postmortem examination during the period from July to September, 2010. The birds were emaciated and drooling of blood from the mouth was observed for 2 days prior to death. Postmortem examination of the dead birds revealed occurrence of large numbers of red coloured worms throughout trachea with histopathological changes.

Toxicity of DMSO, Triton X 100 and Tween 20 against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus.

The problems associated with synthetic chemical pesticides include resistance, residues, pest resurgence and the adverse effects on non-target organisms. Hence, many ecofriendly newer alternatives are being evaluated among which one of the most important is the use of herbal agents. Many of the plant extracts or its fractions are dissolved in polar or non polar solvents or detergents before tested for acaricidal activity.