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.

Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) and megaesophagus in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) - case report.

The present article relates the occurrence of Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD) in a 20 years old blue-fronted amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva). The bird was raised in captivity and was examined at the Ornitopathology Laboratory of São Paulo State University's Veterinarian Hospital, São Paulo State, Brazil. The parrot clinically presented regurgitation, tremors and dyspnea. This is the first case of PDD followed by megaesophagus in a blue-fronted amazon parrot (A. aestiva). This pathological case was not described in birds at all.

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)

An in vitro growth inhibition test for measuring the potency of Leptospira spp. Sejroe group vaccine in buffaloes

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

SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR LEPTOSPIRA SPP. IN CAPTIVE NEOTROPICAL FELIDS IN FOZ do IGUACU, PARANA, BRAZIL

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

Seroprevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in dogs in Bahia, Brazil

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in dogs living in the urban area of the city of Ilheus, Bahia, Brazil using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) to investigate 24 serovars. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to dog owners to collect data about demography, husbandry and environmental factors. The prevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in the population of 282 dogs was 7.1% (95% confidence interval: 4.4-10.7%). Serovar Copenhageni was the most prevalent, followed by serovars Bratislava, Canicola and Gryppotyphosa. No risk factor was detected with regard to demography (age, gender and breed), husbandry (Leptospira vaccinations, food and water exposure through their environment, hunting habits, contact with other animals and contact with rats) and environmental factors (sewage network, garbage collection, history of flooding, river proximity and wastelands). Despite the low prevalence found in this study, the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in healthy dogs in Ilheus indicates the presence of this agent in the environment, which may be a source of human infection. Knowledge of the serovars present in this environment is important for understanding the epidemiology of leptospirosis and establishing public health policies aimed at its control. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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)

Epidemiological Aspects in the Leptospira spp. and Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Horses from Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

Leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis are zoonoses with high importance because of the economic and public health impact. This study was aimed to determine the seroprevafence of leptospirosis and toxoplamosis in 714 serum samples of horses from different farms from Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. The samples were researched for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and for Leptospira spp. antibodies by microscopic agglutination test. of 714 serum samples, 128 (17.9%; 95% Cl: 15.3%-20.9%) were positive for one or more serovars of Leptospira spp., with icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, and castellonis as the most prevalent serovars, whereas 42 (5.9%; 95% CI: 4.4%-7.9%) were positive for T gondii, of which 33 samples (78.57%; 95% CI: 64.0%-88.2%) presented a titer of 16, 7 (16.7%; 95% CI: 8.4%-30.7%) a titer of 64, and 1 (2.38%; 95% CI: 0.6%-12.3%) a titer of 256. No significant difference was found among the results obtained and the associated variables such as age and sex. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ocorrência de lesões hepáticas provocadas por larvas de Strongylus spp diagnosticadas no exame post mortem de eqüídeos abatidos em Apucarana, Paraná

The objective of this study was to determinate the occurrence of hepatic lesions caused by migratory large Strongyle larvaes in horses slaughtered in city of Apucarana in state of Parana. The lesions were diagnostic in post mortem exam by macro and microscopic analysis. From April 2003 to April 2004,38,363 animals, coming from different regions of Brazil, were examined. The occurrence of granulomas in liver was observed in 14,443 (37.64%), with adhesions and spot in 6,645 (17,32%), and 17,275 (45.03%) without macroscopic lesions. Macroscopic analysis revealed the presence of livers with calcified nodules, the presence of whitish spots, and adhesions in the format of "lines" over the hepatic capsule. No larvae were found in the livers. Hepatic fragments were histologically processed and revealed, by optical microscopy, inflammatory cells with predominance of eosinophils around the granulomas with a moderate amount of macrophages and the presence of fibroblasts.

Spatial Distribution of Seropositive Dogs to Leptospira spp. and Evaluation of Leptospirosis Risk Factors Using a Decision Tree

Background: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease associated with poor areas of urban settings of developing countries and early diagnosis and prompt treatment may prevent disease. Although rodents are reportedly considered the main reservoirs of leptospirosis, dogs may develop the disease, may become asymptomatic carriers and may be used as sentinels for disease epidemiology. The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with spatial analysis techniques allows the mapping of the disease and the identification and assessment of health risk factors. Besides the use of GIS and spatial analysis, the technique of data mining, decision tree, can provide a great potential to find a pattern in the behavior of the variables that determine the occurrence of leptospirosis. The objective of the present study was to apply Geographical Information Systems and data prospection (decision tree) to evaluate the risk factors for canine leptospirosis in an area of Curitiba, PR.Materials, Methods & Results: The present study was performed on the Vila Pantanal, a urban poor community in the city of Curitiba. A total of 287 dog blood samples were randomly obtained house-by-house in a two-day sampling on January 2010. In addition, a questionnaire was applied to owners at the time of sampling. Geographical coordinates related to each household of tested dog were obtained using a Global Positioning System (GPS) for mapping the spatial distribution of reagent and non-reagent dogs to leptospirosis. For the decision tree, risk factors included results of microagglutination test (MAT) from the serum of dogs, previous disease on the household, contact with rats or other dogs, dog breed, outdoors access, feeding, trash around house or backyard, open sewer proximity and flooding. A total of 189 samples (about 2/3 of overall samples) were randomly selected for the training file and consequent decision rules. The remained 98 samples were used for the testing file. The seroprevalence showed a pattern of spatial distribution that involved all the Pantanal area, without agglomeration of reagent animals. In relation to data mining, from 189 samples used in decision tree, a total of 165 (87.3%) animal samples were correctly classified, generating a Kappa index of 0.413. A total of 154 out of 159 (96.8%) samples were considered non-reagent and were correctly classified and only 5/159 (3.2%) were wrongly identified. on the other hand, only 11 (36.7%) reagent samples were correctly classified, with 19 (63.3%) samples failing diagnosis.Discussion: The spatial distribution that involved all the Pantanal area showed that all the animals in the area are at risk of contamination by Leptospira spp. Although most samples had been classified correctly by the decision tree, a degree of difficulty of separability related to seropositive animals was observed, with only 36.7% of the samples classified correctly. This can occur due to the fact of seronegative animals number is superior to the number of seropositive ones, taking the differences in the pattern of variable behavior. The data mining helped to evaluate the most important risk factors for leptospirosis in an urban poor community of Curitiba. The variables selected by decision tree reflected the important factors about the existence of the disease (default of sewer, presence of rats and rubbish and dogs with free access to street). The analyses showed the multifactorial character of the epidemiology of canine leptospirosis.