Parasite density and impaired biochemical/hematological status are associated with severe clinical aspects of canine visceral leishmaniasis

We have performed a detailed investigation in 40 dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum (syn. chagasi), subdivided into three groups: asymptomatic (AD = 12), oligosymptomatic (OD = 12) and symptomatic (SD = 16), based on their clinical features. Twenty non-infected dogs (CD) were included as control group. Serological analysis, performed by IFAT and ELISA, demonstrated higher antibodies titers in SD in comparison to the AD. A positive correlation was found between parasite density in the spleen and skin smears as well as the bone marrow parasitism with clinical status of the infection. We observed that the progression of the disease from asymptomatic to symptomatic clinical form was accompanied by intense parasitism in the bone marrow. It is likely that this led to the impaired biochemical/hematological status observed. Finally, we believe that the follow-up of these parameters could be a relevant approach to be used as markers during therapeutic and vaccine evaluations.     

Acute cattle intoxication from Nerium oleander pods

Seven outbreaks of acute intoxication from oleander (Nerium oleander) in cattle were reported in Northeast of Brazil. A total of 92 cattle were poisoned by oleander in 7 different herds; 57 animals died (67% of affected cattle). All cases reported here occurred during dry season. Two of the outbreaks resulted from offering oleander triturated and mixed with fodder. In the other cases, accidental ingestion of residual parts of oleander derived from pruning or cutting plants on grazing land were responsible. Clinical signs were diverse; the most common were locomotion disturbances, diarrhoea, depression and sudden death. Postmortem findings varied from no significant lesions to widespread haemorrhage. The presence of oleander leaves in the rumen was noted in all cases. The lack of information about the toxicity of oleanders was the main cause for the accident, which prompt us to stimulate wide divulgation of the common toxic plants.     

Enrofloxacin is able to control Toxoplasma gondii infection in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models

Currently, toxoplasmosis is treated with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine. However, this treatment presents several adverse side effects; thus, there is a critical need for the development and evaluation of new drugs, which do not present the same problems of the standard therapy. Enrofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic known to control infection against several bacteria in veterinary medicine. Recently, this drug has demonstrated protective effects against protozoan parasites such as Neospora caninum. The present study aimed to determine the effect of enrofloxacin in the control of Toxoplasma gondii infection. For this purpose, human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells were infected with T. gondii RH strain and treated with sulfadiazine, penicillin/streptomycin, pyrimethamine, or enrofloxacin. Following treatment, we analyzed the infection index, parasite intracellular proliferation and the number of plaques. Additionally, tissue parasitism and histological changes were investigated in the brain of Calomys callosus that were infected with T. gondii (ME49 strain) and treated with either sulfadiazine or enrofloxacin. Enrofloxacin was able to reduce the infection index, intracellular proliferation and the number of plaques in HFF cells infected by T. gondii in comparison with untreated or penicillin/streptomycin-treated ones. Enrofloxacin was more protective against T. gondii in HFF infected cells than sulfadiazine treatment (P<0.001). In addition, pyrimethamine, enrofloxacin or the associations of sulfadiazine plus pyrimethamine, enrofloxacin plus sulfadiazine or enrofloxacin plus pyrimethamine-treatments were able to reduce the plaque numbers in HFF cells infected by T. gondii when compared to medium, penicillin/streptomycin or sulfadiazine alone. In vivo experiments demonstrated that enrofloxacin diminished significantly the tissue parasitism as well as the inflammatory alterations in the brain of C. callosus infected with T. gondii when compared with untreated animals. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that enrofloxacin is a potential alternative drug for the treatment of toxoplasmosis.     

Potassium iodide capsule treatment of feline sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis is a mycosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii. The most affected animal is the cat; it has played an important role in the zoonotic transmission of this disease, especially in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, since 1998. In order to evaluate the treatment of feline sporotrichosis with potassium iodide, an observational cohort was conducted in 48 cats with sporotrichosis at Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fiocruz. All cats received potassium iodide capsules, 2.5 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg q24h. The cure rate was 47.9%, treatment failure was 37.5%, treatment abandonment was 10.4% and death was 4.2%. Clinical adverse effects were observed in 52.1% of the cases. Thirteen cats had a mild increase in hepatic transaminase levels during the treatment, six of them presented clinical signs suggestive of hepatotoxicity. Compared to previous studies with itraconazole and iodide in saturated solution, potassium iodide capsules are an alternative for feline sporotrichosis treatment.     

Comparative study of hematological parameters of Colossoma macropomum anesthetized with benzocaine and eugenol by using different anticoagulants

Aquaculture International - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the action of benzocaine and eugenol over anesthesia stages and the use of three anticoagulants (ethylenediamine...     

Effects of feeding with different live preys on the lipid composition,growth and survival of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae

To move forward in the farming of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae, it is necessary to search for a live prey easy to obtain and maintain in the laboratory that meets the nutritional requirements of the octopus paralarvae and adapts to its predatory behaviour. Grapsus adscensionis zoeae (Crustacea, Decapoda) seems to fulfil most of these targets, and it was herein used to deepen knowledge of paralarvae lipid requirements and composition, growth and survival. To this purpose, the effects of feeding with Grapsus zoeae as sole prey were compared with Artemia at two different stages (nauplii and juveniles), which also differed in their lipid profiles. After 15 days of feeding, the best growth and survival of paralarvae was obtained in the Grapsus group, and no differences were observed between both Artemia groups. Triacylglycerides storage in paralarvae seemed to be co‐related with a lower growth and survival, but not with its prey levels. Contrarily, sterol ester levels were higher in paralarvae fed Grapsus, reflecting its content in the prey. The best paralarval viability was related to higher levels of 22:6n‐3 (DHA) and 20:4n‐6 (ARA), also reflecting its higher content in the prey. On the other hand, neither the 20:5n‐3 (EPA) levels in the prey nor in paralarvae were related to growth or survival. The implications of these results are discussed considering the lipid requirements of O. vulgaris paralarvae.     

Efficiency of Two Enucleation Methods Connected to Handmade Cloning to Produce Transgenic Porcine Embryos

The purpose of our work was to establish an efficient-oriented enucleation method to produce transgenic embryos with handmade cloning (HMC). After 41–42 h oocytes maturation, the oocytes were further cultured with or without 0.4 μg/ml demecolcine for 45 min [chemically assisted handmade enucleation (CAHE) group vs polar body (PB) oriented handmade enucleation (OHE) group respectively]. After removal of the cumulus cells and partial digestion of the zona pellucida, oocytes with visible extrusion cones and/or polar bodies attached to the surface were subjected to oriented bisection. Putative cytoplasts without extrusion cones or PB were selected as recipients. Two cytoplasts were electrofused with one transgenic fibroblasts expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), while non-transgenic fibroblasts were used as controls. Reconstructed embryos were cultured in Well of Wells (WOWs) with porcine zygote medium 3 (PZM-3) after activation. Cleavage and blastocyst rates were registered on day 2 and day 7 of in vitro culture respectively. Meanwhile, the total blastocyst cell number was counted on day 7. We found that the difference was only observed between blastocyst rates (38.6 ± 2% vs 48.1 ± 3%) of cloned embryos with GFP transgenic fibroblast cells after CAHE vs OHE. With adjusted time-lapse for zonae-free cloned embryos cultured in WOWs with PZM-3, it was obvious that in vitro developmental competence after CAHE was compromised when compared with the OHE method. OHE enucleation method seems to be a potential superior alternative method used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) with transgenic fibroblast cells.     

Distribution of antibodies against porcine circovirus type-2 (PCV2) in single site and multi-site farrow-to-finish farms in Brazil

A comparative serologic study was performed in seven single site (SS) farrow-to-finish farms and four multi-site (MS) farrow-to-finish farms, with or without post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). In each farm, 30 blood samples were collected for each category of the production cycle: sows, farrowing crate, nursery, grower pigs, and finishing pigs. Sera were evaluated for the presence of antibodies to porcine circovirus type-2 (PCV2) via immunoperoxidase monolayer assay. Serologic profiles for PCV2 were different between SS and MS farms. Seroconversion following the decline in maternal antibodies occurred at a later stage on SS farms (grower pigs) than MS farms (nursery pigs). MS farms tended to have lower antibody titers than SS farms in the categories of sow, piglet, and nursery, while higher antibody titers were found in grower pigs. Characterization of serologic profiles for different farms may provide important information for the adoption of vaccination programs.     

Detection of porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) variants PCV2-1 and PCV2-2 in Brazilian pig population

In the present study whole genome of six Brazilian isolates of PCV2 were sequenced, analyzed and compared with 35 other sequences (24 from other countries and 17 from Brazil). The phylogenetic analysis showed that mostly Brazilian variants of PCV2 were grouped as PCV2-1. Two isolates among the six analyzed here could not be grouped with any other PCV2-2 analyzed in this study. One of these isolates was from an aborted fetus with myocarditis and the other from a PMWS affected pig. The results pointed here showed that both groups of PCV2 are present in Brazilian pig population without any clear geographical correlation.