Oral Candida spp. colonization in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals

Several yeast species of Candida genus can colonize the skin as well as the mucous membrane of the vagina and the digestive tract for short or long periods. Depending on the host's immunological state and the yeast's virulence, colonization can become an infection, invading the colonized tissues and also disseminating. AIDS is characterized by the host's intensive and progressive immunodepression which manifests as diverse symptoms, mainly lesions in the mouth. Oral candidiasis is the most prevalent opportunistic infection in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is an important indicator of the disease progress and the immunosuppression increase. The factors involved in the equilibrium between Candida spp. and HIV-infected subjects are sometimes contradictory and were evaluated in the present study specially for colonization.

Hazards in non-pasteurized milk on retail sale in Brazil: prevalence of Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes and chemical residues

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

Isolation of brucella spp from milk of brucellosis positive cows in São Paulo and Minas Gerais states

A brucelose é uma zoonose crônica de importância para a Saúde Pública. Considerando o pequeno número de dados brasileiros sobre a sua presença em leite cru e derivados não-pasteurizados, estudamos a presença de brucelas em leite de animais sorologicamente positivos. A soroaglutinação rápida (SAR), a soroaglutinação lenta (SAL) e a soroaglutinação lenta com tratamento do soro com 2-mercaptoetanol foram utilizados para identificar os animais positivos nas propriedades estudadas. Amostras diárias de 300 ml de leite foram colhidas por três dias de todos os quartos mamários produtivos (75 ml/teto). As amostras eram misturadas e centrifugadas. Parte do sedimento e do sobrenadante foi inoculada em meios de Farrel e Brodie-Sinton (BS) suplementados com agentes antimicrobianos. As placas e tubos foram cultivados por sete dias a 37ºC, em microaerofilia. As colônias suspeitas no meio BS foram imediatamente repicadas para ágar-Brucella, e cultivadas sob a mesma condição. Os microrganismos isolados foram submetidos a procedimentos de identificação, incluindo a coloração de Gram, requerimento de CO2, produção de H2S, atividade da urease e crescimento na presença de tionina e fucsina. Das 49 amostras examinadas, isolou-se Brucella abortus de 15 (30,61%). Os biótipos isolados foram: biótipo 1 em uma amostra (2,04%), biótipo 2 em oito (16,32%) e biótipo 3 em seis amostras (12,25%)

Reversion to virulence evaluation of a 9R vaccine strain of Salmonella enterica serovar gallinarum in commercial brown layers

The live vaccine Cevac S. Gallinarum, made from a rough strain of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Gallinarum is used for preventing fowl typhoid, a disease that still causes considerable economic losses in countries with a developing poultry industry. The objective of this paper was to evaluate a possible reversion to virulence of the strain used in a vaccine in commercial brown layers. Only Salmonella-free chicks were utilized. One hundred twenty (120) 12-day-old Dekalb brown layers divided in two trials were used. The first trial had six groups of 15 birds each. Birds of group 1 were vaccinated with 10 doses of Cevac S. Gallinarum subcutaneously and 10 doses orally, in a total of 20 doses of vaccine. Then the birds of groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received inocula that contained feces and a pool of organs with fragments of liver, heart, spleen, and cecal tonsils obtained from the immediately previous group. The second trial had three groups with 10 birds each. Birds in group 7 received inocula containing a pool of organs from birds of group 5 from trial 1, whilst the birds in group 8 were vaccinated subcutaneously with one dose of vaccine. Both trials included negative control groups (6 and 9). Throughout the experimental period, birds were monitored for reactions to the vaccination on the site of administration, clinical signs, and post-mortem lesions. In each passage, in addition to the birds euthanized to provide the inocula material, two birds from each group were euthanized for assessment of possible lesions, and their organs (liver, heart, spleen and cecal tonsils) were cultured in an attempt to isolate the vaccine strain. Except for one bird from group 1, that had a local reaction on the site of vaccination - a small vesicle with less that 0.5 mm that persisted until the third day post vaccination -, no other bird had any local reaction to the vaccine or any visible clinical alteration. Birds in group 8 did not present any reaction or clinical alteration because of the vaccine. We only managed to re-isolate the vaccine strain in the inocula made from organs of birds in group 1. We confirmed the isolation by means of biochemical tests, serology, and acriflavine agglutination test. All other cultures made from organs or feces, from all the other experimental groups did not show any growth of the vaccine strain or any other Salmonella serovar, suggesting that the vaccinated birds did not shed the SG9R vaccine strain. No bird presented any clinical symptoms or died during the trials, and no gross lesions were observed in the post-mortem examinations. Under the controlled conditions and time-frame of the present experiment, it was possible to conclude that the rough 9R strain of Salmonella Gallinarum present in the vaccine Cevac S. Gallinarum (Ceva Campinas Ltda. - Campinas, SP - Brazil) did not revert to virulence.

Avaliação in vitro da atividade inibitória de Lactobacillus spp., isolados do inglúvio e cecos de aves sobre Salmonella

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

Immunological evaluation of the intestinal mucosa of broiler chicks treated with Lactobacillus Spp. and challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis

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

Transference in vitro of the resistance to the antimicrobials between Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus spp. and Salmonella enteritidis isolated from chickens

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a possibilidade de transferência de resistência aos antimicrobianos entre bactérias normais da microbiota de frangos e Salmonella Enteritidis. Utilizamos amostras de Lactobacillus spp. (L. spp.), Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) e Escherichia coli (E. coli) previamente isolados de frangos, selecionados após prova de sensibilidade antimicrobiana in vitro conforme metodologia padrão (Comitê Nacional para Padrões Clínicos de Laboratório). Utilizamos aqueles com resistência e sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos indutores, chamados de bactérias doadoras e receptoras, respectivamente. Os antimicrobianos indutores foram utilizados para estimular a transferência de resistência aos antimicrobianos entre as bactérias. A possibilidade de transferência foi verificada da E. coli resistente para a SE e L. spp. Também foi verificada a transferência de uma amostra de L. spp resistente aos antimicrobianos indutores para a SE. Só foi possível verificar a transferência da resistência aos antimicrobianos indutores quando a bactéria doadora foi a E. coli e a bactéria receptora foi a SE. No presente estudo concluímos que a transferência de resistência aos antimicrobianos entre bactérias é possível, mas nem todas as bactérias participam desse evento, não transmitindo e nem adquirindo esta resistência.

Comparação entre método bioquímico e reação em cadeia de polimerase para identificação de Lactobacillus spp., isolados de aves

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

Isolation of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis in Blue-Fronted Amazon Parrot (Amazona aestiva)

Avian salmonellosis is a disease caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella that can cause three distinct diseases in birds: pullorum diseases, fowl typhoid, and paratyphoid infection. Various wildlife species are susceptible to infections by Salmonella, regardless of whether they live in captivity or freely in the wild. The present study verified the presence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in three captive specimens of Amazona aestiva. The study involved a total of 103 birds undergoing rehabilitation to prepare for living in the wild, after having been captured from animal traffickers and delivered to the Centrofauna Project of the Floravida Institute in São Paulo, Brazil. This is the first report of Salmonella Enteritidis isolation in A. aestiva that originated from capture associated with animal trafficking; Salmonella was detected during the study by the serologic method of rapid serum agglutination on a plate with bacterial isolate. The antimicrobial profile exam of the isolated samples demonstrated sensitivity to ampicillin, cefaclor, ciprofloxacin, and cloranfenicol. The three samples also presented resistance to more than four antibiotics. The presence of the genes invA and spvC was verified by PCR technique and was associated with virulence and absence of class 1 integron, a gene related to antimicrobial resistance. The commercial antigen for pullorum disease was shown to be a useful tool for rapid detection in the screening of Salmonella of serogroup D(1) in Psittaciformes. New studies on Salmonella carriage in birds involved in trafficking must be performed to better understand their participation in the epidemiologic cycle of salmonellosis in humans and other animals.

Baypamun® action in hamsters experimentally infected with Leptospira interrogans serogroup Canicola

Baypamun® é um imunomodulador recomendado na profilaxia e terapêutica de enfermidades. No presente estudo, este produto foi usado em hamsters experimentalmente infectados com Leptospira interrogans, sorogrupo canicola. Estes animais foram divididos em 5 grupos com 20 animais cada. O produto foi usado como terapêutico, profilático e como adjuvante. Quando usado de forma terapêutica, todos os animais vieram a óbito. Quando usado na profilaxia, 8 animais (40%) sobreviveram e foi possível recuperar o agente a partir dos rins desses animais. Baseado na análise do título de anticorpos nos animais que receberam ou não o Baypamun como adjuvante vacinal, o produto não elevou a resposta humoral. Os resultados sugerem, entretanto, outros estudos que utilizem o produto por períodos mais prolongados, além de se verificar a resposta celular para se avaliar o seu efeito como adjuvante nas infecções.

A refrigeração no diagnóstico de Salmonella spp. utilizando o método microbiológico tradicional e reação em cadeia da polimerase em carcaças de frango

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

Comparison of infection by Brucella spp. in free-ranging and captive wild animals from São Paulo State, Brazil

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the infection rate by Brucella spp. in wild and in captive animals. Serum samples from 121 animals (94 free-ranging and 27 captive) of different mammal species were evaluated. Sera were submitted to rose Bengal test (RBT) for screening and serum agglutination tests (SAT) and 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME) for confirmatory results. Nine animals (five free-ranging and four captive) tested positive in RBT, but negative in the confirmatory tests. Several domestic animal diseases that have control programs are not focused on wild reservoirs, such as brucellosis in Brazil. The study of new reservoirs in wildlife is essential to prevent emerging diseases.

Occurrence of Mycobacterium spp. and other pathogens in lymph nodes of slaughtered swine and wild boars (Sus scrofa)

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

Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. infection in captive crab-eating foxes, Cerdocyon thous (Carnivora, Canidae) from Brazil

The zoonoses toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis are important worldwide and also affect wild animals. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Leishmania spp. and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 52 serum samples from captive crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) kept in 17 zoos in São Paulo State, Brazil. Modified agglutination test (MAT, for toxoplasmosis) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT, for toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis) were employed with heterologous anti-dog immunoglobulin. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 19.2% animals, with an almost perfect concordance (kappa = 0.86; standard error = 9.31%; CI95% = 68.25-104.76%; P < 0.0001) and a strong correlation coefficient (rs = 0.87; P < 0.0001), which allows the use of heterologous anti-dog immunoglobulin to perform IFAT for toxoplasmosis in crab-eating foxes. No sample was positive for Leishmania spp. Toxoplasmosis infection occurs in wild animals from the studied Brazilian zoos, which indicates a probable environmental contamination, highlighting the importance of appropriate zoo management and the action of the parasite as a sentinel to human infection. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leishmania spp. and/or Trypanosoma cruzi diagnosis in dogs from endemic and nonendemic areas for canine visceral leishmaniasis

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