Diagnóstico molecular de hemoparasitas e frequência de anticorpos anti-Toxoplasma gondii e anti-Neospora caninum, em gatos peridomiciliados na cidade de São Luís, Maranhão

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Diagnóstico molecular e frequência de anticorpos anti-Leishmania infantum chagasi em cães do município de Belém, Pará

A leishmaniose visceral é uma enfermidade cujo agente etiológico no Brasil é o protozoário Leishmania infantum chagasi. Os cães são considerados reservatórios urbanos da doença, sendo indicadores da ocorrência de casos humanos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo diagnosticar a infecção por L. infantum chagasi em cães domiciliados e errantes do município de Belém, estado do Pará, através da reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e da reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI), empregando dois antígenos distintos. Amostras de sangue venoso de cães adultos, sem distinção de sexo ou raça, de diferentes bairros e épocas do ano da cidade de Belém-PA, foram colhidas em tubos sem e com anticoagulante para obtenção do soro e do DNA, respectivamente. Esses animais foram divididos em dois grupos: cães errantes capturados pelo Centro de Controle de Zoonoses (Grupo A) e cães domiciliados (Grupo B). Os soros foram analisados através do teste de RIFI para pesquisa de IgG utilizando-se dois antígenos distintos: 1) antígeno do kit Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ (Ag-PRO) contendo formas promastigotas de Leishmania sp. (complexo major-like); 2) Antígeno do Instituto Evandro Chagas (Ag-AMA) constituído por formas amastigotas de L. infantum chagasi. A avaliação dos dois antígenos foi realizada com as amostras reagentes a partir da titulação 1:80. Já a PCR foi realizada a partir do DNA extraído do sangue total dos animais e amplificado utilizando-se os iniciadores RV1e RV2. Das 335 amostras analisadas, 10,4% (35/335) foram reagentes na RIFI (Ag-PRO) e 0,9% (3/335) reagiram com o Ag-AMA. A distribuição das amostras positivas se deu da seguinte forma: Grupo A 14,8% (25/169) com Ag-PRO e 1,2% (2/169) com Ag-AMA; Grupo B 6% (10/166) com Ag-PRO e 0,6% (1/166) com Ag-AMA; sendo que todas as amostras positivas pelo teste de RIFI com o Ag-AMA também reagiram com o Ag-PRO e em nenhuma das amostras foi detectado o DNA de L. infantum chagasi. Os achados do presente estudo indicam que Belém ainda pode ser considerada área não endêmica para leishmaniose visceral canina e que a natureza do antígeno influencia no resultado da RIFI para a pesquisa de anticorpos anti-L. infantum chagasi em cães, sendo que a RIFI que utiliza formas promastigotas de Leishmania major-like como antígeno deve ser utilizada com cautela como método diagnóstico confirmatório em estudos epidemiológicos em áreas não endêmicas para LVC.

Caracterização genotípica de amaostras de Toxoplasma gondii isoladas de ovinos de abatedouro

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

Patogenicidade do isolado Lins de Trypanosoma vivax em bovinos natural e experimentalmente infectados

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Transtornos reprodutivos causados por agentes infecciosos em animais de canis comerciais da microrregião de Ribeirão Preto, estado de São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Diagnóstico sorológico e molecular de agentes transmitidos por artrópodes em aves carnívoras

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Antibodies to Neospora caninum in sheep from slaughterhouses in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Neosporosis is an emergent disease responsible for considerable economic impact due to reproductive losses. Its zoonotic potential remains unknown. This study involved a survey of antibodies to Neospora caninum in slaughtered sheep and their association with epidemiological variables. Serum samples from 596 sheep from the states of Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were collected in two slaughterhouses located in Sao Paulo and evaluated by indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), using cut-off titers of 25. Among these samples, 353/596 (59.23%; 95%CI 55.23-63.10) were positive and 263/353 (74.50%; 95%CI 69.71-78.77%) were from Rio Grande do Sul. Statistical associations were determined in the univariate analysis between the serological results and sex, breed and municipality of origin. Sheep that came from extensive breeding system showed higher chance (OR=2.09) of presenting antibodies to N. caninum in relation to those from semi-intensive system. Higher chance was also observed for the different studied breeds, except Bergamacia, in relation to Hampshire Down. The results revealed the presence of infection by N. caninum in sheep from slaughterhouses.

Occurrences of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in sheep from four districts of Tocantins state, Brazilian Legal Amazon Region

Toxoplasmosis and neosporosis have been recognized as economically important diseases with considerable impact on the livestock industry. Little is known concerning the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in sheep from Tocantins state, Brazil. Here, we investigated antibodies against these parasites and associated factors in 182 sheep from Araguaina, Santa Terezinha do Tocantins, Arguianopolis and Palmeiras do Tocantins districts, Tocantins. Sheep sera were assayed for T. gondii and N. caninum IgG antibodies by indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), using cut-off point at a dilution of 1: 40 and 1: 25 respectively. The prevalence of seropositive animal for T. gondii was 13.74% and 13.74% for N. caninum. None of the characteristics studied including reproductive problems, presence of cats, presence of dogs and veterinary care (p>0.05) was associated with occurrence of T. gondii or N. caninum infection. Only breed was identified as associated factor for the occurrence of toxoplasmosis in sheep (p<0.05). The present study is the first report on serum occurrence of T. gondii and N. caninum in sheep from the state of Tocantins, Brazil.

Occurrence of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Phlebotominae) and canine visceral leishmaniasis in a rural area of Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil

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

Comparative evaluation of several methods for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis diagnosis

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

Serological detection of Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania infantum and Neospora caninum in cats from an area endemic for leishmaniasis in Brazil

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

Transmissão congênita em cabras reinfectadas com Toxoplasma gondii

This study evaluated the potential of congenital transmission in goats experimentally infected and reinfected with Toxoplasma gondii, in three gestational stages (initial, intermediate and final). Of the 25 non-pregnant females negative for T. gondii, 20 were orally inoculated with 2.5 x 103 T. gondii ME49 oocysts. Of these, 15 pregnant females chronically infected were reinoculated, via oral, with 2.5 x 103 T. gondii VEG oocysts. Five experimental groups were formed (n=5): I, II and III (reinoculations in the initial, intermediate and final gestational stage, respectively), IV (inoculation) and V (no inoculation). Clinical and serological exams (IgG IFAT [indirect immunofluorescence antibody test]) in different days of evaluation, and bioassay and PCR were performed in all goats. In the infected goats with T. gondii a peak of 40.2°C (IV) at nine, seroconversion (IgG≥64) at 21 and stabilization (IgG<1024) at 119 days postinoculation were observed. In the reinfected goats with T. gondii occurred an increase in IgG titers (≥1,024) at 28 (I), 7 (II) and 3 (III) days post-reinoculation. During kidding were observed only in the reinfected groups: dystocia, malformation body, stillbirth and weakness, and IgG anti-Toxoplasma were detected in all and in some offsprings of the reinfected and infected goats, respectively. Tissue parasitism by T. gondii was diagnosed by bioassay and PCR in infected and reinfected goats and in their offspring. The congenital toxoplasmosis was possible in goats chronically infected and reinfected with T. gondii. The primary infection with T. gondii did not protect the pregnant goats against congenital disease resulting from toxoplasmic reinfection, in different gestational stages (initial, intermediate and final).

Participação de gambás e cães domiciliados como reservatórios de Leishmania infantum e Trypanosoma cruzi georreferenciados nos municípios da Regional de Saúde de Três Lagoas - MS

Pós-graduação em Doenças Tropicais - FMB

Diversidade genética do Anaplasma marginale em condições de transmissão natural

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Construção de um indicador qualitativo (status de saúde) para avaliação da qualidade de saúde animal de propriedades rurais

Aiming at developing a tool for assessing the magnitude of farm animal health, an indicator named herd “animal health status” was built. To illustrate the construction of the indicator, serum samples were taken from 923 goats on 17 goat farms in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where three diseases were evaluated along with their impact percentages: caprine arthritis encephalitis, toxoplasmosis and neosporose – all of an infectious and transmissible nature and the cause of considerable economic losses. The mathematical rationale underlying the building of the “animal health status” indicator ranks properties on a 0 - 100% scale in terms of disease positivity in the herd, with the lowest indicator value indicating the highest cumulative disease frequency (0% = all animals tested positive for the three diseases, 100% = all animals tested negative for all diseases). Anti-T. gondii, anti-N. caninum and anti-CAEV antibodies were tested using indirect immunofluorescence reaction (IIFR ≥ 16), Neospora agglutination test (NAT ≥ 25) and agarose gel immunodiffusion (AGID positive or negative), respectively. The animal health status of the farms ranged from 32.38% to 96.40% according to disease positivity. The animal health status value will have a direct reflection on the production chain both on and off the farm, providing not only great market advantages, due to how the expression of animal health will add value to livestock farms, as well as on the consumer who can check the quality of animal health at the beginning of the production chain.