Detection of a spotted fever group Rickettsia in the tick Haemaphysalis juxtakochi in Rondonia, Brazil

The tick genus Haemaphysalis is represented by four species in the New World, of which only the species Haemaphysalis leporispalustris has been associated with Rickettsiae. The present study reports for the first time the presence of a Rickettsia strain in the tick Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. A free-living male of H. juxtakochi, collected in the state of Rondonia, Western Amazon, Brazil, was subjected to DNA extraction and tested by PCR targeting the four rickettsial genes: gltA, 17-kDa, ompA and ompB. The nucleotide sequences obtained from the PCR products were, by BLAST analyses, closest to Rickettsia rhipicephali sharing 99.7% (1147/1150), 98.8% (429/434), 99.0% (486/491) and 99.0% (809/817) identities with the partial sequences of the gltA, 17-kDa, ompA and ompB genes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from the four rickettsial genes showed a high-degree of similarity of this H. juxtakochi-Rickettsia with R. rhipicephali. These two agents grouped together in all trees, always with high bootstrap support (75-96%). This study gives molecular evidence for the presence of a Rickettsia species, designated as strain R300, in the tick H. juxtakochi from the Western Amazon area of Brazil. Genetic analyses showed R300 to be closely related to R. rhipicephali.     

Natural occurrence of Beauveria bassiana on adults of the invasive mango seed weevil Sternochetus mangiferae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Brazil

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The mango seed weevil Sternochetus mangiferae (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was detected in Brazil in 2014, becoming a potential threat to mango...     

C-glycosyl flavones from Peperomia blanda

The methanol extract from aerial parts of the Peperomia blanda (Piperaceae) yielded two C-glycosyl-flavones. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, chemical transformation and comparison with the related known compounds. The structure of the new flavonoids were established as 4′-methoxy-vitexin 7-O-β-d-xylopyranoside (1) (7-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-8-C-β-d-glucopyranosyl-4′-methoxy-apigenin) and vicenin-2 (2). The antioxidant activity of both compounds was investigated using the DPPH assay. Both compounds showed only modest activity, with IC50 values of 357.2 µM for 1, and 90.5 µM for 2.     

Safety and efficacy of an E2 glycoprotein subunit vaccine produced in mammalian cells to prevent experimental infection with bovine viral diarrhoea virus in cattle

Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) infection caused by bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a Pestivirus of the Flaviviridae family, is an important cause of morbidity, mortality and economical losses in cattle worldwide. E2 protein is the major glycoprotein of BVDV envelope and the main target for neutralising antibodies (NAbs). Different studies on protection against BVDV infection have focused on E2, supporting its putative use in subunit vaccines. A truncated version of type 1a BVDV E2 (tE2) expressed in mammalian cells was used to formulate an experimental oleous monovalent vaccine. Immunogenicity was studied through immunisation of guinea pigs and followed by trials in cattle. Calves of 8-12?months were vaccinated, twice with a 4?week interval, with either a tE2 subunit vaccine (n?=?8), a whole virus inactivated vaccine (n?=?8) or left untreated as negative control group (n?=?8). Four weeks after the last immunisation the animals were experimentally challenged intranasally with a non-cythopathic BVDV strain. Following challenge, BVDV was isolated from all unvaccinated animals, while 6 out of 8 animals vaccinated with tE2 showed complete virological protection indicating that the tE2 vaccine presented a similar performance to a satisfactory whole virus inactivated vaccine.     

Atypical sporadic lymphosarcoma in a 7-month-old Holstein heifer.

A 7-month-old calf with a firm, diffuse infiltration of the left hind limb with sciatic nerve motor deficit was presented. The cytology indicated a malignant, round cell tumor and at necropsy, tissues were positive to a Kappa-lambda immunohistochemistry test. The final diagnosis was sporadic bovine leukosis, juvenile form.