Publications by authors named "U Eskens"

Since the 1940s, the anadromous allis shad, Alosa alosa (L.), has suffered population declines throughout its distribution range in Europe. In context of EU-LIFE projects for the reintroduction of the allis shad in the Rhine system, a comprehensive study was started in 2012 to investigate infectious diseases occurring in allis shad.

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Background: Wildlife repatriation represents an opportunity for parasites. Reintroduced hosts are expected to accumulate generalist parasites via spillover from reservoir hosts, whereas colonization with specialist parasites is unlikely. We address the question of how myxozoan parasites, which are characterized by a complex life-cycle alternating between annelids and fish, can invade a reintroduced fish species and determine the impact of a de novo invasion on parasite diversity.

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The anadromous allis shad Alosa alosa has suffered dramatic population declines throughout Europe and is currently considered as endangered throughout its entire distribution range. In order to reestablish allis shad in the River Rhine, which formerly housed one of the largest and most important populations, an EU-LIFE Project 'The re-introduction of allis shad in the Rhine system' was started in 2007. In course of the LIFE+ Projects, allis shad larvae bred from genitor fish of the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne population in France were reared in a pilot ex situ stock plant pilot facility in Aßlar, Germany.

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Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a 15-yr-old captive female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with a 2-wk history of progressive paraparesis and a 9-mo history of exudative skin lesion on the left thoracic wall. Magnetic resonance images showed a well-defined muscle infiltrating lesion ventrolateral to the seventh cervical to the third thoracic vertebra on the left side, which extended through the left intervertebral foramina C7 to T3 into the vertebral canal, causing spinal cord compression and displacement as well as inflammation of the spinal cord and nerves. This lesion surprisingly caused no forelimb deficits.

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A 15-year-old female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with progressive lameness of the hindlimbs and a chronic skin lesion was presented for clinical examination. The clinical neurological examination, showing a paraparesis, was completed by magnetic resonance imaging. MR images of the cervical and thoracic spine showed a well-defined muscle infiltrating lesion between the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) and the second thoracic vertebra (T2), which extended through the intervertebral foramina between C7 and T1 into the vertebral canal, causing spinal cord compression and displacement.

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