Treatment Abandonment in Feline Sporotrichosis – Study of 147 Cases

This study describes the epidemiological, clinical and mycological aspects of feline sporotrichosis cases attending the Laboratory of Clinical Research on Dermatozoonosis in Domestic Animals – Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute (LAPCLIN‐DERMZOO/IPEC/FIOCRUZ), from 1998 to 2005. It was possible to get in contact with 147 (19.2%) cat owners. One hundred and thirteen (76.9%) cats were male, 117 (79.6%) had no defined race and 87 (59.2%) were sexually intact. The age ranged from 72 to 216 months (median = 108 months). Nineteen cats were reassessed: eleven (57.8%) were male, thirteen (36.8%) were breed and fifteen (47.3%) castrated. Fourteen (52.6%) animals lived at home and did not roamed the streets. Seven (36.8%) had normal clinical findings and negative mycological examination. Twelve (63.1%) cats had skin lesions compatible with sporotrichosis. Thirty‐one (21%, n = 147) cats disappeared after abandoning treatment, 36 (24.5%, n = 147) were alive and 80 (54.4%, n = 147) had died. Causes of death informed by the owners were: sporotrichosis in 35 (43.7%, n = 80), accidental death in 27 (33.7%, n = 80) and other diseases in 18 (22.5%, n = 80). Withdrawal of treatment occurred mainly at the time of clinical improvement and may represent a serious obstacle to the control of sporotrichosis.     

Identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci from bovine mastitis using RFLP-PCR of the groEL gene

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have become the predominant pathogens causing bovine mastitis in many countries. CNS infections are associated with damage to milk secretory tissue of the mammary gland by increased connective tissue stroma, moderate increases of somatic cells count in milk and significant production decreases. These consequences impose serious economic losses for the farmers and the dairy industry. Routine veterinary laboratories do not usually identify CNS at the species level. Thereby, the aims of this study were to identify the most common staphylococcal pathogens involved in bovine mastitis using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of a partial groEL gene sequence and to compare our results with the identification carried out by the conventional method. A total of 54 isolates of Staphylococcus, involved in bovine mastitis, were analyzed by this method. The size and number of the fragments obtained by either AluI or HindIII/PvuII digestions made possible to form clear patterns differentiating, among the isolates, 11 of the most common species of animal staphylococcal pathogens. Most of the isolates clustered together with the reference strain of Staphylococcus chromogenes (28) and the type strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis (8). Besides, some isolates clustered together with the type strain of Staphylococcus aureus (5). All patterns were confirmed by the conventional biochemical method, showing concordant results. Thus, the PCR-RFLP of the groEL gene constitutes a reliable and reproducible molecular method for identification of CNS species responsible for bovine mastitis.     

Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infection in Neotropical primates in the western Amazon,Brazil

The Brazilian Amazon is endemic for malaria and natural infections by Plasmodium spp. have been detected in Neotropical primates. Despite the diversity of primate species in the region, studies on infections by these agents are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of infection by Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum in free‐born primates that were kept in captivity, in the western Amazon, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 98 Neotropical primates. Detection of P. vivax and P. falciparum DNA was performed using a semi‐nested PCR, and the amplified products were sequenced. Plasmodium spp. DNA was detected in 6.12% (6/98) of the primates. P. vivax, and P. falciparum DNA was detected in 2.04% (2/98) and 4.08% (4/98) of these mammals, respectively. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the results obtained from the semi‐nested PCR. The presence of infected non‐human primates (NHP) can be auxiliary in the maintenance of P. falciparum and P. vivax and may have implications for the malaria surveillance and control in the Brazilian Amazon. It is necessary to structure an efficient surveillance system for the aetiological agents of malaria that infect NHP and humans to reduce the risk of Plasmodium spp. introduction into new areas, to protect all susceptible species.     

Physicochemical parameters,fatty acid profile,and sensory attributes of meat from lambs fed with cassava dregs in replacement of corn

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the replacement of corn by cassava dregs (0, 33, 66, and 100%) in the diet of lamb on...     

Differential pulse polarographic determination of alpha-dicarbonyl compounds in foodstuffs after derivatization with o-phenylenediamine.

A differential pulse polarographic method has been developed for the indirect determination of diacetyl and other vicinal diketones in foodstuffs, based on the quantitative derivatization of the diketones with o-phenylenediamine to give quinoxalines. The method allows the identification of diacetyl and methylglyoxal in brandy, vinegar, wine, and butter samples. The polarographic reduction peaks of the quinoxalines formed are sufficiently separate, in some cases, to allow the simultaneous determination of these two compounds. The polarographic method is not affected by the presence of sulfite ion, probably because the o-phenylenediamine is capable of dislodging the alpha-diketones from their sulfite complexes.     

Effect of the density on the growth and survival of the Caribbean scallops Argopecten nucleus and Nodipecten nodosus in suspended culture

Juveniles of the Caribbean scallops Argopecten nucleus and Nodipecten nodosus were suspended in pearl nets at densities of 25%, 30% and 50% coverage of the bottom of the net (BC) during days. Additionally, adults of A. nucleus (>35 mm) were placed in lantern nets at densities of 40%, 50% and 65% BC during days. Stocking density affected the growth of animals, with higher growth rates obtained at the lower densities. Although the survival of the two scallops was not influenced at the densities studied, the 15-day net changes, and culture in water of <28 °C produced better survival of A. nucleus and N. nodosus respectively. Predators of the families Cymatiidae, Grapsidae, Portunidae, Majidae and Xanthidae were found in the culture nets of juvenile A. nucleus , but during the adult phase they were absent. Predators exhibited a dense-independent behaviour in relation to scallops. There was not any association between predator frequency and survival of A. nucleus .     

Chemical composition of Lippia spp. essential oil and antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila

Phytotherapy can replace antibiotic administration as an alternative to control Aeromonas hydrophila, one of the main bacteria involved in the aetiology of farmed fish diseases. Given that plants of the Lippia spp. genus show biological potential for antimicrobial activity, this study evaluated the chemical composition of essential oils extracted from Lippia alba, Lippia origanoides and Lippia sidoides and their activity against A. hydrophila. The oils were obtained by steam distillation in a Clevenger‐type apparatus and their composition determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (CG/MS). Antibacterial activity was assessed by calculating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using broth microdilution method. The main compounds identified were geranial (25.4%) and neral (16.6%) in L. alba oil, carvacrol (40.4%) and p‐cymene (11.4%) in L. origanoides oil and thymol (76.6%) and ortho‐cymene (6.3%) in L. sidoides oil. The three Lippia species showed bacteriostatic and bactericidal action against A. hydrophila, with MICs and MBCs ranging from 1250 to 5000 μg mL^?1. Of the species tested, the best performance was obtained with essential oil of L. sidoides.