Geographical distribution of vampire bat-related cattle rabies in Brazil

Seventy-seven rabies virus (RV) isolates originating from Brazilian cattle were genetically characterized. Partial nucleoprotein gene sequences of these isolates were phylogenetically and geographically analyzed. Cattle isolates, which clustered with the vampire bat-related RV group, were further subdivided into nine genetic subgroups. These subgroups were distributed widely in lowland regions, with some subgroups separated from each other by mountain ranges. In addition, separation of the groups in mountainous regions was correlated with altitude. These results indicate that cattle rabies is derived from several regionally-defined variants, which suggests that its geographical distribution is related to that of the vampire bat population.

INCIDENCE OF MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS AND OTHER MYCOBACTERIA ON PULMONARY INFECTIONS IN ARARAQUARA - SP, 1993

The incidence of tuberculosis and other infections by mycobacteria was analyzed in 559 patients admitted to the Tisiology Section of the Special Health Care Unit of Araraquara (SESA). Mycobacteria were isolated from 78 individuals out of this total. Among these patients, 15 were also HIV positive. The occurrence of isolated species was: M. tuberculosis: 69 patients; M. avium-intracellulare: 5 patients; M. fortuitum: 2 patients; M. chelonae: 1 patient; and M. simiae 1 patient. The latter was for the first time isolated from humans in Brazil. In most cases, non tubercular mycobacteria (NTM) were found in the HIV positive patients.

Attraction of the fruit-eating bat Carollia perspicillata to Piper gaudichaudianum essential oil

We performed field tests using mimetic Piper fruits with and without essential oil extracted through hydrodistillation from Piper gaudichaudianum ripe fruits in order to evaluate the role of odor in Carollia perspicillata attraction and capture in mist-nets. During the field tests, 26 C. perspicillata were captured, 21 (80.7%) in nets with the essential oil of P. gaudichaudianum and five (19.3%) in nets without oil. Other bat species, Artibeus spp. ( 67), which is specialized on fruits of Moraceae, and Sturnira lilium ( 10), specialized on those of Solanaceae, were also captured, but they exhibited no significant preference for nets with or without oil. We conclude that odor is pre-eminent over visual cues in food location by C. perspicillata in a field situation. Based on the result, we propose the extraction and use of essential oils of chiropterochoric fruits as a useful approach to improve autoecological studies on fruit-eating bats and to promote tropical forest restoration through the attraction of frugivorous bats to degraded areas.

Identification of bacteria in endodontic infections by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries

A significant proportion of oral bacteria are unable to undergo cultivation by existing techniques. In this regard, the microbiota from root canals still requires complementary characterization. The present study aimed at the identification of bacteria by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries from seven endodontically infected teeth. Samples were collected from the root canals, subjected to the PCR with universal 16S rDNA primers, cloned and partially sequenced. Clones were clustered into groups of closely related sequences (phylotypes) and identification to the species level was performed by comparative analysis with the GenBank, EMBL and DDBJ databases, according to a 98 % minimum identity. All samples were positive for bacteria and the number of phylotypes detected per subject varied from two to 14. The majority of taxa (65(.)2 %) belonged to the phylum Firmicutes of the Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Proteobacteria (10(.)9 %), Spirochaetes (4(.)3 %), Bacteroidetes (6(.)5 %), Actinobacteria (2(.)2 %) and Deferribacteres (2(.)2 %). A total of 46 distinct taxonomic units was identified. Four clones with low similarity to sequences previously deposited in the databases were sequenced to nearly full extent and were classified taxonomically as novel representatives of the order Clostridiales, including a putative novel species of Mogibacterium. The identification of novel phylotypes associated with endodontic infections suggests that the endodontium may still harbour a relevant proportion of uncharacterized taxa.

IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON FRAGILE SITES IN CHROMOSOMES OF 2 SPECIES OF BAT (CHIROPTERA, MAMMALIA)

In the karyotypes of the bat species Molossus ater and M molossus, spontaneous and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)- or aphidicolin (APC)-sensitive fragile sites were located. Four chromosome regions harbored APC-sensitive fragile sites: 1q9 and 8q4 in both M ater and M molossus, 3q3 in M ater, and 1p7 in M molossus. The fragile sites in 1q9 and 8q4 were also observed without induction in M molossus. BrdU-sensitive fragile sites were not detected. Despite observations in several other species, the fragile sites detected in Molossus are not coincident with the breakpoints involved in the chromosome rearrangements occurring in the evolution of 7 species of the Molossidae family.

Surveillance for zoonotic vector-borne infections using sick dogs from southeastern Brazil

For many vector-borne organisms, dogs can be used as sentinels to estimate the risk of human infection. The objective of this study was to use dogs as sentinels for multiple vector-borne organisms in order to evaluate the potential for human infection with these agents in southeastern Brazil. Blood from 198 sick dogs with clinicopathological abnormalities consistent with tick-borne infections were selected at the São Paulo State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Botucatu and tested for DNA and/or antibodies against specific vector-borne pathogens. At least one organism was detected in 88% of the dogs, and Ehrlichia canis DNA was amplified from 78% of the blood samples. Bartonella spp. seroreactivity was found in 3.6%. Leishmania chagasi antibodies were detected in 1% of the dogs. There was no serological or polymerase chain reaction evidence of infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Rickettsia rickettsii. The full E. canis 16S rRNA gene sequence of one of the Brazilian strains obtained in this study was identical to the causative agent of human ehrlichiosis in Venezuela. Ehrlichia canis may pose a human health hazard and may be undiagnosed in southeastern Brazil, whereas exposure to the other organisms examined in this study is presumably infrequent.

A SIMPLE AND FAST PROCEDURE TO GROW BAT FIBROBLASTS FROM LUNG BIOPSIES FOR CYTOGENETIC STUDIES

A fast, simple, and inexpensive procedure to establish fibroblast culture from bat lungs is presented. Explants plated following mechanical disaggregation provide good quality preparations for cytogenetics studies in about one week. Cultures established with this procedure may also be used for other biological studies.

ULTRASTRUCTURAL SIMILARITY BETWEEN BAT AND HUMAN MAST-CELL SECRETORY GRANULES

Mast cells in the tongue of the bat (Artibeus lituratus) show a well-developed Golgi area and abundant mitochondria in the granule-free perinuclear cytoplasm. Rough endoplasmic reticulum profiles, free ribosomes, mitochondria, bundles of filaments and a great number of secretory granules are found throughout the remaining cytoplasm. The granules, of various shapes and sizes, are simple containing an electron-dense, homogeneous matrix, coarse particles or cylindrical scrolls, or combinations (cylindrical scrolls with either electron-dense, homogeneous matrix or coarse particle contents). Up to now, scroll-containing granules have been considered to be a unique feature of human mast cells.

Genetic characterization of rabies viruses isolated from frugivorous bat (Artibeus spp.) in Brazil

In Latin America, rabies cases related to frugivorous bats have been reported since 1930's. Recently, two viruses isolated from Artibeus lituratus were proved to be vampire bat variants by monoclonal antibodies panels [2], but their genetic information is not well known. In this report, four rabies viruses were isolated from frugivorous bats (Artibeus spp.) in Brazil and their nucleoprotein gene sequences were determined. These isolates were found to be genotype 1 of lyssavirus and showed the maximum nucleotide sequence homology of 97.6-99.4% with vampire bat-related viruses in Brazil [6]. These results indicate that the Brazilian frugivorous bat rabies viruses in this study are closely related to vampire bat-related viruses that play a main role in rabies virus transmission to livestock in Brazil.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Leishmania spp. infections and risk factors for cats from Brazil

The seroprevalence of infection by Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Leishmania spp. was detected through an indirect immunofluorescence in 70 cats from the Andradina Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. Anti-T. gondii antibodies (titer >64) were detected in 15.7% (11/70) of animals, whereas positivity for N. caninum (titer 16) was not observed in any animal. of the cats from urban and rural areas, 10.4% (5/48) and 27.2% (6/22) were positive for T. gondii, respectively. Breed, age, food, and contact with animals of other species were significant for considering the positivity for T. gondii (P <= 0.0001). Cats having access to streets (17.1%, 11/64), cats cohabiting with rats (19.6%, 10/51), and cats feeding on homemade food and raw milk (27.2%, 6/22) were positive for T. gondii. In addition, 4.2% (3/70) of the cats were positive for Leishmania spp. by ELISA technique and negative by IFAT without coinfection with T. gondii and Leishmania spp. There was no serological positivity against feline immunodeficiency virus or feline leukemia virus. In conclusion, T. gondii infection in part of the feline population from Andradina is not linked to immunosuppressions or coinfections but probably to postnatal infection in association with the type of diet and presence of rats.

Detection of cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in dogs using indirect immunoenzyme assay, indirect fluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction

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