Pneumonia and bacteremia in a golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp pneumoniae during a translocation program of free-ranging animals in Brazil

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

Characteristics of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolated from animals in Brazil

Strains (105) of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolated in Brazil between 1982 and 1990 were bio-serotyped. They were also studied for plasmid profile, autoagglutination and calcium dependence at 37 degrees C, Congo red uptake, pyrazinamidase activity, esculin hydrolysis, salicin fermentation and drug sensitivity: 95.24% were biotype 2, serogroup O:3; 2.86% were biotype 1, serogroup O:1; and 1.90% were biotype 2, non-agglutinable. Plasmids were found in 77.14% of the strains (one in each strain). There was total correlation between the presence of the virulence plasmid and autoagglutination, calcium dependence at 37 degrees C and Congo red uptake. The esculin, salicin and pyrazinamidase tests were not efficient in differentiating pathogenic from non-pathogenic Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates. All strains were highly sensitive to the drugs used. These results indicate that Y. pseudotuberculosis is a potential pathogen for humans in Brazil, especially because the bio-serogroups detected among animals are those most frequently associated with human diseases.

Estudo neuroanatômico do éncefalo bovino por ressonância magnética

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Achados incidentais de calcificações em tecidos moles: relato de caso clínico

As ossificações do complexo estilo-hióideo (OCEH), os tonsilólitos e os ateromas são exemplos calcificações em tecidos moles incidentalmente encontrados em exames de imagem. Atualmente com a utilização da tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico (TCFC) na odontologia, há um aumento do número desses achados. Objetivo: Relatar um caso clínico com calcificações em tecidos moles e comparar esses achados entre a radiografia panorâmica e a TCFC do mesmo paciente. Paciente masculino, 77 anos, compareceu a Clínica de Radiologia para realizar radiografia panorâmica e TCFC para planejamento de implantes. Na radiografia panorâmica pode-se observar a OCEH bilateral e presença de uma área radiopaca localizada no ramo ascendente da mandíbula, que foi compatível com esclerose óssea. Na análise da TCFC constatou a presença da OCEH bilateralmente. Porém a área radiopaca primeiramente sugestiva de esclerose óssea, na TCFC foi sugerida como tonsilólito, pois não estava localizada no ramo ascendente da mandíbula, e sim nos tecidos moles da região próxima aos espaços aéreos. No exame de TCFC foi possível a visualização de outra estrutura calcificada do lado direito do paciente, na altura da vértebra C4, heterogênea que foi compatível com ateroma. O diagnóstico das calcificações pode não ser preciso quando se utiliza apenas a radiografia panorâmica, além da possibilidade de apresentar falso negativo, como no caso do ateroma. Assim sendo quando o paciente possuir o exame de TCFC esse deve ser completamente avaliado, para que sejam diagnosticadas as possíveis calcificações em tecidos moles presentes.

Multivariate analysis for selecting animals for experimental research

Background Several researchers seek methods for the selection of homogeneous groups of animals in experimental studies, a fact justified because homogeneity is an indispensable prerequisite for casualization of treatments. The lack of robust methods that comply with statistical and biological principles is the reason why researchers use empirical or subjective methods, influencing their results. Objective To develop a multivariate statistical model for the selection of a homogeneous group of animals for experimental research and to elaborate a computational package to use it. Methods The set of echocardiographic data of 115 male Wistar rats with supravalvular aortic stenosis (AoS) was used as an example of model development. Initially, the data were standardized, and became dimensionless. Then, the variance matrix of the set was submitted to principal components analysis (PCA), aiming at reducing the parametric space and at retaining the relevant variability. That technique established a new Cartesian system into which the animals were allocated, and finally the confidence region (ellipsoid) was built for the profile of the animals’ homogeneous responses. The animals located inside the ellipsoid were considered as belonging to the homogeneous batch; those outside the ellipsoid were considered spurious. Results The PCA established eight descriptive axes that represented the accumulated variance of the data set in 88.71%. The allocation of the animals in the new system and the construction of the confidence region revealed six spurious animals as compared to the homogeneous batch of 109 animals. Conclusion The biometric criterion presented proved to be effective, because it considers the animal as a whole, analyzing jointly all parameters measured, in addition to having a small discard rate.

Mineral element and heavy metal poisoning in animals

Mineral elements are essential to animal health, survival and production because they are part of physiological, structural, catalytic and regulatory organism functions. Therefore, they should be present in diet. However, these minerals when ingested in excessive doses due to errors in balancing mineral supplements and/or complete ration, intake of plants with high mineral concentration, resulting from addition of fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides in pasture or tillage where plants and/or grains will be used to feed animals, decomposition of urban and industrial wastes, leaks and accidental spills of pollutants may result in accumulation of toxic mineral elements in the environment poisoning the animals and may lead them to death. However, toxic doses, physiological changes during poisoning, symptoms and mineral concentration in tissues of poisoned animals to confirm diagnosis are not completely known. Thus, this study reviews mineral element doses that some authors considered toxic for animals intake, as its concentration in tissues of poisoned animals and its physiological effects, symptoms, diagnostic procedures and treatment for poisoning by cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.