Much subclinical infection with Brucella abortus affects the dairy farming community, slaughterhouse workers, and veterinary surgeons. High titres of antibody to B. abortus by the saline agglutination, antihuman globulin, or complement fixation test may be shown in subjects from the first two groups and generally there are no symptoms or signs of brucella infection whatever. Veterinary surgeons...

The specific IgG antibodies to thermophilic actinomycetes in the sera from patients with farmer's lung disease were quantitated by an ELISA and the results thereof were compared with those obtained by the standard double immunodiffusion assay (Ouchterlony's method). All sera from patients with farmer's lung disease were precipitin positive to Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and/or Micropolyspora fae...

Work in swine and poultry units is associated with exposure to significant levels of organic dust and endotoxins with the highest concentrations found in poultry houses, whereas values found in dairy and in cattle farming are much lower. Corresponding to this is an excess of work-related respiratory symptoms in swine farmers. A dose-response relationship exists between symptoms and number of wo...

1. Pollination interactions comprise a network of connections between flowers and insect visitors. They are crucial for reproductive success in many angiosperms but are threatened by intensive agricultural practices. Although less intensive approaches, including organic farming, could improve farmland biodiversity, it is not clear whether or not these approaches enhance wild plant pollination a...

The huge changes in agricultural activities, which may be amplified by the forthcoming Common Agriculture Policy reform, call the future of crop-livestock systems into question and hence the impact of these changes on landscapes and biodiversity. We analyzed relationships between agriculture, landscape and biodiversity in south-western France. The study area covered about 4,000 ha and included ...