Long-term stability studies on protection against Newcastle disease by commercial live vaccine used in Brazil

The thermostability (TS) and efficacy offered by live vaccines against Newcastle disease strains B 1, La Sota, VG-GA and Ulster, produced or imported by four Brazilian laboratories, were evaluated during their validity period. Kinetic profiles were obtained from samples conserved in refrigerators during 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 months after their manufacturing. The statistical analysis of the vaccine titre effect obtained by the fresh air (FA) method showed that the vaccine profiles were parallel and coincident, presenting a significant descending trend. The vaccine titres and efficiency proofs at the end of the validity period were above the level of legislation requirements and showed an average loss in titre of 0.40 and 0.66 log(10), within the first and second validity years, respectively. The titre obtained by TS, within the month after manufacturing, had no significant difference from the titre obtained by FA within 24 months after manufacturing, being their pairs of observations positively correlated (r = 0,49, p = 0.0003), showing that the TS method, which anticipates the vaccines' performance at the end of the validity period, can substitute the FA method 24 months after manufacturing. (C) 2009 The International Association for Biologicals. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adenosine deaminase activity as a biochemical marker of inflammatory response in goats infected by caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Sodium levels for Japanese quail at initial phases

The aim of this research was to determine the nutritional requirements of sodium for Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) during the periods of 1 to 21 d and 22 to 40 d of age, as well as to evaluate the residual effect on egg production and densitometry bone traits from 41 to 63 d. Two experiments were developed. Experiment 1: 360 Japanese quail were used, from 1 to 21 d of age. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.06, 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, and 0.30%). Experiment 2: 240 Japanese quail were used, from 22 to 40 d. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.04, 0.12, 0.20, 0.28, and 0.36%). In both experiments, weight gain, final weight, and feed conversion presented a quadratic trend, whereas water intake presented a linear trend. Treatments did not affect the densitometry of bone traits, although they presented a quadratic influence on tibia ash, calcium, and calcium: phosphorus ratio. Therefore, the nutritional requirement of sodium for Japanese quail from 1 to 21 d and from 22 to 40 d is 0.222% and 0.253%, respectively.

Systemic and local antibodies induced by an experimental inactivated vaccine against bovine herpesvirus type 1

Uma vacina experimental inativada contra o herpesvírus bovino tipo 1 (BoHV-1) foi produzida com o objetivo de se avaliar a resposta imune humoral local e sistêmica contra o BoHV-1, em 12 novilhas soronegativas, após a vacinação e a revacinação. Os soros foram submetidos à prova de vírus-neutralização para quantificação do título de anticorpos neutralizantes e a um ELISA para detecção de IgG1 e IgG2. Os swabs nasais também foram submetidos ao ELISA para detecção de IgG1 e IgG2 na secreção nasal. Os resultados demonstraram que títulos de anticorpos neutralizantes foram induzidos após a revacinação, em níveis moderados a altos, permanecendo em níveis significativos no soro sanguíneo e na secreção nasal até o dia 114 pós-vacinação. O IgG2 foi o isótipo predominante na maior parte do período pós-vacinação, tanto na secreção nasal, como no compartimento sistêmico. A vacina experimental inativada contra o BoHV-1 estimulou níveis de anticorpos potencialmente protetores dos isótipos IgG1 e IgG2, tanto no compartimento sistêmico, como nas mucosas.

Infectious bronchitis virus: detection and vaccine Strain differentiation by semi-nested RT-PCR

A semi-nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (Semi-N-RT-PCR) was developed and used to detect the S glycoprotein gene of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains and to discriminate H120 vaccine strain from other strains. Viral RNA was extracted from the allantoic fluid of chicken embryos and from tissues of chickens experimentally infected with different strains of IBV. Amplification and identification of the viral RNA was performed using two sets of primers complementary to a region of the S glycoprotein gene in the Semi-N-RT-PCR assay. The pair of primers used in the first PCR consisted of universal oligonucleotides flanking a more variable region of S1-S2 gene. The second primer pair was used in the Semi-N-RT-PCR and was comprised of one of the primers from the first universal pair together with either another universal internal oligolucleotide or a oligonucleotide sequence specific for the H120 strain of IBV. The universal primers detected all reference IBV strains and field isolates tested herein. The Semi-N-RT-PCR had high sensitivity and specificity, and was able to differentiate the H120 vaccine strain from other reference IBV strains; including M41 strain. All tissue samples collected from chickens experimentally infected with H120 or M41 strains were positive in the semi-nested RT-PCR using universal primers, while only the H120-infected tissue samples were amplified by the set of primers containing the H120-oligonucleotide. In conclusion, the ability of Semi-N-RT-PCR to detect distinct IBV strains and preliminarily discriminate the vaccine strain (H120) closes a diagnostic gap and offers the opportunity to use comprehensive PCR procedures for the IBV diagnosis.

Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Pasteurella multocida isolated from chickens and japanese quails in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Toxoplasma gondii: Evaluation of an intranasal vaccine using recombinant proteins against brain cyst formation in BALB/c mice

The purpose of this work was to evaluate protective activity against brain cyst formation in BALB/c mice intranasally vaccinated with recombinant proteins from Toxoplasma gondii. The recombinant proteins rROP2, rGRA5 and rGRA7 were used in vaccine preparation. Thirty-three female mice were divided into three groups, these animals received two doses by intranasal route at days 0 and 21 as follows; group 1 (G1, n = 11) received 12.5 mu g of each recombinant protein plus 0.5 mu g of cholera toxin, group 2 (G2, n = 11) received phosphate buffer saline (PBS) plus 0.5 mu g of cholera toxin, and group 3 (G3, n = 11) received PBS only. At challenge day (day 33) three animals from each group were euthanatized for IgA measure from intestine. Mice were infected orally with 50 cysts from the VEG strain at day 33. At challenge day the G1 animals had high immunoglobulin A levels, however, they only showed IgG antibody titers against rROP2 and rGRAT Animals from G1 also exhibited strong resistance to cyst formation compared with the control group (G3, P < 0.05). However, we did not observe differences in protection against brain cyst formation between G1 and G2 (P > 0.1). These results indicate that intranasal immunization in BALB/c mice with recombinant proteins rROP2, rGRA5 and rGRA7 associated with cholera toxin induced partial protection, when compared with G3, against tissue cyst formation after oral infection with tissue cysts from T gondii. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Humoral and cellular immune response generated by different vaccine programs before and after Salmonella Enteritidis challenge in chickens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Control of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum in birds by using live vaccine candidate containing attenuated Salmonella Gallinarum mutant strain

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of wounds applied to the bases of herbaceous cuttings on the rooting of four Japanese apricot clones (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) in an intermittent mist system

The Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) is a fruit tree of the Rosaceae family which produces very acid and bitter fruits, highly appreciated by Orientals. In Brazil, this species has been studied as a rootstock for peach and nectarine trees, its main advantage being the reduction in plant vigour, which can favour the production of compact trees and orchard cultural treatments. This study was conducted in the Vegetable Production Department of FCAV/UNESP, Jaboticabal Campus, São Paulo State, Brazil, and the objective was to examine the effect of wounding the herbaceous cutting bases on the rooting of four Japanese apricot clones. The clones were obtained from plants under cultivation in the Instituto Agronomico de Campinas, Brazil, and were identified as Clones 02, 05, 10 and 15. The stock plants, obtained through herbaceous cuttings, were maintained under lath house conditions (50% of natural light). Cuttings 12 cm long with 3 to 5 leaves were collected from these clones and prepared. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomised design with 4 repetitions of 20 cuttings per replication, in a factorial 4 x 2 design, the clone factor having 4 levels (Clones 02, 05, 10 and 15) and the wounding factor at 2 levels of incisions into the cutting base (with and without). All the cuttings were treated with 2000 mg.L-1 of IBA for five seconds. Differences between the clones were observed concerning the rooting percentage, dead cuttings, number and length of roots. The incision (wound) at the base of the herbaceous cuttings of the Japanese apricot increased the number of roots and improved the distribution of these in the damaged tissue but the results were not considered sufficiently beneficial to make the treatment worthwhile.

Passionflower supplementation in diets of Japanese qualis at rearing and laying periods

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Prediction equations to estimate the demand of energy and crude protein for maintenance, gain and egg production for laying Japanese quails

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Performance of advanced generation from a hybrid Japanese cucumber

A endogamia reduz o vigor em plantas pela diminuição da proporção de loci heterozigotos. Entretanto, a influência da endogamia é diferente entre as espécies. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a depressão causada por endogamia em uma população de pepino do tipo japonês. A partir do intercruzamento entre plantas do híbrido Natsu suzumi foi obtida a geração F2, considerada como população S0. Obtiveram-se progênies S1, S2, S3, S4 e S5, através de autofecundações sucessivas pelo método do SSD ('Single Seed Descent'). Foram sete tratamentos (híbrido Natsu suzumi, populações S0 a S5) e o delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com seis repetições e cinco plantas por parcela cultivadas em ambiente protegido de 21/08/2002 à 29/11/2002. Foram avaliados o número de folhas, semanalmente, o número e a massa de frutos, total e comercial, número de nós e porcentagem de nós com brotações laterais. Na comparação entre as populações S0 a S5 não foram observadas diferenças para todas as características avaliadas demonstrando não haver perda de vigor por endogamia nesta população.

Leukotrienes are not essential for the efficacy of a heterologous vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)