Biologija

Title

Lietuvos mokslų akademija — 2025-07-16

Fibromatous epulis in a male adult dog: a case report

Abdullateef Abiodun Ajadi — 2025-07-16

A five-year-old male Boerboel was presented with the complaint of oral lesion noticed upon routine examination and consultation, with no complaint of inappetence or anorexia. Following the gross evaluation and surgical excision of the mass, histopathological examination was performed. It revealed a highly vascularised tissue with a diffuse fibroblast proliferation and marked inflammatory cellular infiltration. A low mitotic index with no atypical division of the neoplastic cells was observed. The mononuclear cellular infiltration was consistent with inflammatory features of the tumour. Following the gross and histopathological examinations, in addition to non-bone invasion, the diagnosis of fibromatous epulis was established.

Biopolitics and public health in times of crisis

Rokas Garliauskas — 2025-07-16

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the entanglement of politics, health, and the governance of life. Measures such as lockdowns, vaccination campaigns, digital contact tracing, and quarantine protocols reveal that public health policy operates not merely as a technical or medical response, but as a form of political power acting directly upon bodies and populations. By examining how states enacted exceptional measures under conditions of crisis, this paper highlights both the potency and the fragility of sovereign control. Comparative case studies demonstrate how legal frameworks, political cultures, and ideological assumptions shape not only policy responses but also the differential valuation of life during health emergencies. Ultimately, the article argues that public health crises are not solely biomedical events, but deeply political phenomena.

Spatial-seasonal variation in species composition, abundance, distribution and diversity of Cladocera zooplankton in the Okhuaihe River at Ikpe, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria

Omorede Odigie — 2025-07-16

Cladocera, generally known as water fleas, are microcrustaceans that assist as biological indicators of water quality. This study observed the spatial-seasonal variation in the species composition, abundance, distribution, and diversity of Cladocera in the Okhuaihe River, Ikpe, Benin City, Nigeria, from August 2021 to January 2022. By means of standard methods, six families encompassing 75 individuals were documented. Station 4 recorded the highest abundance (64 individuals), while station 1 had the lowest (three individuals). Chydoridae (33.33%) was the most dominant family, trailed by Sididae (26.67%), Moinidae (16.00%), Daphniidae (14.67%), Bosminidae (8.00%), and Macrothricidae (1.33%). Species richness and diversity were at their peak in station 4 and lowest in station 2. Evenness was highest in station 1, while dominance peaked in Station s. Daphniidae exhibited a positive correlation with turbidity, while Macrothricidae correlated positively with sulphate and turbidity. The study established that the Okhuaihe River maintains good water quality, with a Cladocera community characteristic of tropical freshwater habitats, but with low diversity. The diversity of Cladocera did not fully mirror the physicochemical conditions. Continuous monitoring is suggested to detect water quality deviations early, as subsequently increased anthropogenic activities could negatively influence and impact species abundance, richness, and diversity.

The role of canines (Canidae) in the spread of vector-borne pathogens

Ugnė Medikaitė — 2025-07-16

This review aimed to summarise the available literature on the prevalence and distribution of Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Leishmania spp., Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp. in wild canids (foxes, wolves, jackals, and raccoon dogs) across Europe from 2010 to 2024. A total of 25 published studies were analysed. For each study, data on host species, country, sample size, detection methods, and pathogen prevalence were extracted and compared. All six pathogens were detected in foxes, which showed the highest prevalence rates compared to other canids. Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., and Anaplasma spp. were the most frequently studied pathogens. Pathogen prevalence varied by host species and geographical location, with higher rates generally observed in Central and Southern Europe. Foxes appear to play a key role as potential reservoirs for multiple vector-borne pathogens. Climatic conditions, host behaviour, and vector distribution are likely contributing factors. Further research is needed, particularly on jackals and raccoon dogs, which remain understudied.

Prevalence and molecular characterisation of Bartonella spp. in deer keds collected from cervids in Lithuania

Kamilė Klepeckienė — 2025-07-16

The genus Bartonella consists at least 45 officially recognised species and three subspecies of gram-negative, intracellular bacteria that infect a wide range of mammalian hosts. Notably, 14 of these species have been associated with human diseases. Deer keds have been identified as key vectors in the transmission of various Bartonella strains associated with ruminants. However, data on the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in deer keds and their cervid hosts in Lithuania remain limited. In this study, we investigated the presence of Bartonella spp. in cervids and deer keds parasitising these hosts. A total of 586 deer keds of two species, Lipoptena cervi (n = 264) and Lipoptena fortisetosa (n = 322), were collected from the furs of 14 hunted cervids (five moose, seven roe deer, and two red deer) in Lithuania during 2016 and 2017. Deer ked samples, along with spleen samples from the host animals, were screened for Bartonella DNA using nested PCR targeting the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS) region. Bartonella DNA was detected at a high prevalence in both species of deer keds, with a higher infection rate observed in Lipoptena cervi and in 42.86% of the examined spleen samples of animals. Sequence analysis of the ITS region and rpoB gene revealed two distinct Bartonella lineages: both deer ked species were infected with Bartonella strains closely related to B. schoenbuchensis, B. chomelii, and B. capreoli, while moose harboured Bartonella strains most closely related to B. bovis. This study is the first confirmed detection of Bartonella spp. in both L. cervi and L. fortisetosa from cervids in Lithuania. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of Bartonella spp. in L. fortisetosa in the Baltic countries.

Doctoral theses (biochemistry, biology, biophysics, ecology and environmental, zoology) defended in Lithuania in 2024