Nanotechnology: meeting the future of Veterinary Parasitology Research

Abstract: The field of nanotechnology involves an array of different areas of expertize with the application of innovative products in Medicine, Engineering, and to a less extent to Veterinary Medicine. In our opinion, more research is needed, in special to Animal Parasitology, to develop state of the art products to solve old problems. Livestock, pets and wildlife may benefit from products in nanoscale, such as vaccines, target recombinant proteins, or new drug candidates. Thus, we want to give some food for thought to drive scientific programs into nanotechnology, creating a safer environment to animals and humans

A comparison of the effects of propofol and thiopental on tear production in dogs

The tear film plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the ocular suface. During general anesthesia, tear production is considerably reduced, which requires care to prevent adverse effects that result in diseases of these structures. Studies comparing the effects of induction of anaesthesia with thiopental and propofol on tear production have not been carried out yet. Because these drugs are used in veterinary medicine, we decided to evaluate the tear production in 30 dogs undergoing experimental surgery as well as routine procedures at the veterinary hospital of Federal University of Viçosa. Patients were divided into two groups of equal number. All animals were sedated with clorpromazine and maintained with isoflurane in diluted oxygen. Group 1 was induced with thiopental whereas group 2 with propofol. Schirmer tear test 1 was performed before sedation (T0), 15 minutes after sedation (T1) and 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia (T2) with the drug chosen for one of the groups. There was a significant decrease in tear production for both drugs, but no significant statistical differences were found between them. Thus, considering the results and the way in which the study was conducted, we suggest protecting the cornea and conjunctiva of patients during anesthesia using any of the drugs here evaluated.

Ethnoveterinary knowledge of the inhabitants of Marajó Island, Eastern Amazonia, Brazil

There have been ethnoveterinary reports from around the world investigating plant usage in therapeutic protocols; however, there is no information regarding the ethnoveterinary practices in Brazilian Amazonia. The objective of this work was to register and document the ethnoveterinary knowledge of the inhabitants of the Island of Marajó, eastern Amazonia, Brazil. In the study, interviews were conducted with 50 individuals, with the application of semi-structured questionnaires that were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistic methods of frequency distribution. Use-value was calculated to determine the most important species. Samples of plants that were reported to have medicinal value were collected and identified by botanical classification. Fifty plants, distributed among 48 genera and 34 families, were indicated for 21 different medicinal uses. The family Asteraceae had the largest number of reported species; Carapa guianensis Aubl., Copaifera martii Hayne, Crescentia cujete L., Caesalpinia ferrea Mart., Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Jatropha curcas L. and Momordica charantia L. were species with highest use- value. The plant parts that were more commonly utilized for the preparation of ethnoveterinary medicines were the leaves (56%), bark (18%), roots (14%), seeds (14%) and fruit (8%). With regard to usage, tea was reported as a usage method by 56% of the informants; most preparations (90.9%) utilized only a single plant. In addition to medicinal plants, informants reported using products of animal and mineral origin. The present study contributed to the construction of an inventory of Marajó Island's ethnoveterinary plants, which might be the basis for future scientific validation studies.

Investigações sobre doenças de Psittacideos

The present paper colligates the notions acquired in previous investigations, already published, and new observations upon diseases of the psittacidae, liable to be confused with psittacosis of parrots. The author calls attention to the indifference with regard to this question shown by investigators, even by those who dealt with the study of this disease on the occasion of the latest outbreak of psittacosis, in flagrant contrast with the researches upon the alterations induced by pathogenic agents of other diseases transmissible to man, when these agents pass through animals or when the latter are depositaries of the virus. This remark considerably enhances the importance of the presence paper from a hygienic and epidemiologic point of view, representing moreover a contribution to general knowledge and to veterinary medicine. The researches carried out since the appearance of the latest outbreak of psittacosis,-which occurred simultaneously with an epizooty in parrots lodged in aviary of the park of Agua Branca (Directory of Animal Industry of the State São Paulo)-led to the verification of the frequent existence in these animals of various diseases liable to be confused with psittacosis. These diseases are due to two kinds of pathogenic agents: virus and bacteria. In the first group there are to be found the diseases occasioned by the virus of human psittacosis, discovered by Western, Bedson and Simpson, and the disease me with in parrots coming from traders in S. Paulo. The infections by bacteria of the genus Salmonella and by those of other genera belong to the second group. As differential characters of the two infections due to virus, delineated on the strength of notions drawn from a detailed experimental study and from the literature on this subject, the following are given: ¹ Samples of our virus were sent, for comparison, to various investigators of psittacosis. Amongst them, Prof. M. Rivers acceded to our request; he found its nature to be different from that of the virus of psittacosis studiedby him. We are very much obliged to him for the attention he paid to this verification. Virus of psittacosis - Infectiousness: man, monkey, rabbit, mouse, hen, canary. Neurotropic affinity. Inclusions: small, protoplasmic. Exsiccation: the virus has good power of preservation. Symptoms: inactivity, drowsiness, frequent diarrhoea, oculo-nasal discharge and cough, coma. Duration: 4 to 5 days. Bodily lesions: congestion of intestines, splenomegaly. Virus of S. Paulo - Infects only psittacidae, particularly those of the genus Amazona. No localization in the nervous system. Large, nuclear. Is rapidly destroyed. Inactivity, inappetency, adynamia (drooping of the wings, indifference, leaning its beak against the bars of the cage in order not to fall down); profuse diarrhoea, of whitish stools, at times enterorrhagia; prolonged coma. 2 to 8 days. Foci of yellowish necrosis in liver, spleen and lung. At times, congestion of intestines. Characteristic features common to the two viruses.-They act in great dilutions, filter through tight candles though being partly retained, are preserved under glycerine or Bedson's solution, are stable at 55°C. heat and are destroyed by physical and chemical agents. Both virus diseases are very seldom met with in psittacidae: only once, amongst numberless sick parrots, the author met with a disease of the virus differring from that of psittacosis. This disease, greatly transmissible to man, ought to be more frequent, if it were common in parrots. On the contrary, bacteria cause diseases in these animals with great frequency, presenting variable characters, from a severe epizootic form, rapidly mortal, to ambulatory or silent forms, for the most part developing towards a cure or assuming a chronic character. Amongst the bacteria which cause the infection of this group the salmonellae predominate and amongst them the bacterium discovered by Nocard, as well as a species which in the course of this study is characterized under the name of Salmonella nocardi. The author believes that in the epizooty from which Nocard isolated his bacterium there was association of the virus-disease inducing the epizooty of that epoch in Paris with the bacterial disease, as must have happened in Argentina, where the disease was transmitted to man, and Santillan, according to Barros, isolated from the sick parrots bacteria of the genus Salmonella. The diseases of the two groups, that due to virus and that due to bacteria, are differentiated: Virus-diseases - Evolution: rapid, nearly always followed by death. Symptoms: sadness, profuse diarrhoea, of whitish stools, at times enterorrhagia, complete inappetency, adynamia, indifference, prolonged coma. Clinical forms: acute and subacute. Lesions: Foci of necrosis in liver and spleen without cellular reaction around the focus, yellow liver, multiple serositis. Presence of protoplasmic or nuclear granulations. Bacteriology: Complete lack or inconstant presence of bacteria in the organs and blood. Infectiousness of the organs and blood after filtration: positive. Bacterial diseases - Varies from one week to a month or more, not always fatal. Sadness, partial inappetency, tremblings, intensive thirst, mucous or mucosanguineous diarrhoea, lack of adynamia (reacts to stimulations and moves well at any time of the disease, though showing little disposition to locomotion), soiling of feathers. Frustrate, acute, subacute and chronic. Hepatic and intestinal cogestion, foci of necrosis in liver, spleen and lung with cellular reaction around the focus. Lack of granulations. Constant presence of bacteria in the organs and blood. Negative. The analysis of the litterature shows that the characteristic features of the diseases in parrots referred to parrot psittacosis, more frequently approach the bacterial diseases here described of these animals, a hypothesis which is reinforced by the observation of the greater frequency of infections...

Chagas Disease in Dogs from Endemic Areas of Costa Rica

Dogs with the presumptive diagnosis of Chagas disease are commonly sent to our School of Veterinary Medicine by independent veterinarians. This prompted us to evaluate the prevalence of canine trypanosomiasis in some villages of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. A total of 54 dogs (21 males and 33 females) from five rural villages, with ages between 3 months and 10 years old, were bled and submitted to three serological tests: indirect immunofluorescence, indirect hemagglutination and ELISA. Among all animals, 15 (27.7%) revealed antibodies (6 pure bred and 9 mongrels) and in 3 of them the parasite was also demonstrated by xenodiagnosis. All positive animals except 1, and 9 negative animals (control group) were examined by X-rays and electrocardiography, revealing different degrees of cardiomegaly and ECG alteration, consistent with Chagas disease pathology in one dog (SA-11) of the infected ones. Examination of 50 inhabitants living in the houses where dogs and Triatoma dimidiata were found, yielded negative serological reactions. This was assumed to support the hypothesis that dogs are commonly infected by the oral route, a more effective means of infection compared with the vector transmission mechanism that occurs in humans.

Fármacos no meio ambiente

Pharmaceutical drugs have been detected in sewage treatment plants, surface waters, underground waters and potable waters. Some investigations have been conducted in several countries such as Germany, Brazil, Canada, United States, The Netherlands, England and Italy. Patients and animals excrete part of pharmaceuticals used for human and veterinary medicine after administration in domestic sewage or on the soil. Drugs residues which have not been completely removed during passage through a sewage treatment plant (STP) enter the aquatic environment. The effects of such residual drugs in terrestrial and aquatic organisms are scarcely known.

O ensino da química na Escola Superior de Agricultura "São Bento", Olinda - São Lourenço da Mata - Pernambuco (1912-1936)

The present work proposes the investigation of the role of chemistry in the curriculum of the Higher School of Agriculture "São Bento" (1912-1936) and its function in the education of agronomic engineers. The circumstances under which the Higher Schools of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in Olinda were founded at the beginning of the XXth century are discussed. The article further treats the influence of the principles of Justus von Liebig, which were seen at that time as essential for a rational agriculture.

Effects of low-level laser therapy on wound healing

OBJECTIVE: To gather and clarify the actual effects of low-level laser therapy on wound healing and its most effective ways of application in human and veterinary medicine.METHODS: We searched original articles published in journals between the years 2000 and 2011, in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese languages, belonging to the following databases: Lilacs, Medline, PubMed and Bireme; Tey should contain the methodological description of the experimental design and parameters used.RESULTS: doses ranging from 3 to 6 J/cm2 appear to be more effective and doses 10 above J/cm2 are associated with deleterious effects. The wavelengths ranging from 632.8 to 1000 nm remain as those that provide more satisfactory results in the wound healing process.CONCLUSION: Low-level laser can be safely applied to accelerate the resolution of cutaneous wounds, although this fact is closely related to the election of parameters such as dose, time of exposure and wavelength.

A new concept in prophylaxis and therapy: paramunization by poxvirus inducers

The so-called primitive, innate or paraspecific immune system is the phylogenetically older part of the complex immune system. It enables the organism to immediately attack various foreign substances, infectious pathogens, toxins and transformed cells of the organism itself. ,,Paramunity" is defined as an optimal regulated and activated, antigen-nonspecific defence, acquired through continuous active and succesful confrontation with endogenous and exogenous noxes or by means of ,,paramunization" with so called ,,paramunity inducers". Paramunity inducers based on different pox virus species (e.g. Baypamun®, Duphapind®, Conpind) have turned out to be effective and safe when applied with human beings as well as with animals. Pox virus inducers activate phagocytosis and NK-cells in addition to regulation of various cytokines, notably interferon a and g, IL 1, 2, CSF and TNF which comprise the network of the complex paraspecific immune system. The results of experimental work as well as practical use in veterinary medicine have shown that paramunization by pox inducers goes far beyond the common understanding of so-called ,,immuno-therapy". They are ,,bioregulators", because they have 1. a regulatory effect on a disturbed immune system in the sense of an optimal homoeostasis, and 2. simultaneously a regulatory effect between the immune, nervous, circulatory and hormone system. Therefore, the use of paramunization by pox inducers opens a new way of prophylaxis and therapy, not only with regard to infections, but also with regard to different other indications.

Laparoscopic versus open splenectomy in dogs

In the last few years, the use of laparoscopy in veterinary medicine has expanded and consequently so was the need for studies that establish the advantages, disadvantages and possible complications of each procedure. The purpose of the current study was to describe a laparoscopic splenectomy technique and the alterations due to this access, and compare it to the open procedure in dogs. A total of 15 healthy female mongrel dogs were used, with mean weight of 17.4±2.5kg. The animals were distributed into three groups: Group IA of open splenectomy (laparotomy) using double ligation of the vessels of the splenic hilum with poliglicolic acid, Group IB of open splenectomy (laparotomy) with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum, and Group II of laparoscopic access with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum. Operative time, blood loss, size of incisions, complications during and after surgery were evaluated. Other parameters included pain scores, white blood cell (WBC) counts and postoperative serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose and cortisol. No differences were found in the evaluation of parameters between both open splenectomy techniques employed. Laparoscopic access presented significant differences (p<0,05) when compared with open surgery: Longer operative time, smaller abdominal access, decrease in blood loss, lower concentrations of CRP, higher levels of CK and ALP, and lower scores in the pain scale. Laparoscopic surgery showed fewer complications of the surgical wound. No significant differences were observed between groups in the postoperative temperature, WBC, ALT, cortisol and glucose concentrations. In conclusion, the laparoscopic technique is useful for splenectomy in dogs, being advantageous in terms of blood loss, surgical stress and surgical wounds. However, it expends more operative time and causes transitory increase in hepatic and muscular enzymes.

Retrospective study of ocular disorders in Amazon parrots

A retrospective study was conducted to identify the occurrence and types of ocular disorders in 57 Amazon parrots admitted to the Ophthalmology Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil from 1997 to 2006. The most frequent observed disorder was cataracts, present in 24 of the 114 examined eyes (57 parrots). Uveitis, ulcerative keratitis and keratoconjunctivitis were frequently diagnosed as well. The cornea was the most affected ocular structure, with 28 reported disorders. Uveal disorders also were commonly observed. Conjunctiva and eyelid disorders were diagnosed in lower frequency. Results suggest that cataracts are common and that cornea, lens and uvea are the most affected ocular structures in Amazon parrots.

Strain and strain rate by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in a maned wolf

The measurement of cardiovascular features of wild animals is important, as is the measurement in pets, for the assessment of myocardial function and the early detection of cardiac abnormalities, which could progress to heart failure. Speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) is a new tool that has been used in veterinary medicine, which demonstrates several advantages, such as angle independence and the possibility to provide the early diagnosis of myocardial alterations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the left myocardial function in a maned wolf by 2D STE. Thus, the longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain and strain rate were obtained, as well as, the radial and longitudinal velocity and displacement values, from the right parasternal long axis four-chamber view, the left parasternal apical four chamber view and the parasternal short axis at the level of the papillary muscles. The results of the longitudinal variables were -13.52±7.88, -1.60±1.05, 4.34±2.52 and 3.86±3.04 for strain (%), strain rate (1/s), displacement (mm) and velocity (cm/s), respectively. In addition, the radial and circumferential Strain and Strain rate were 24.39±14.23, 1.86±0.95 and -13.69±6.53, -1.01±0.48, respectively. Thus, the present study provides the first data regarding the use of this tool in maned wolves, allowing a more complete quantification of myocardial function in this species.

Morphology and morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in culture

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are increasingly being proposed as a therapeutic option for treatment of a variety of different diseases in human and veterinary medicine. Stem cells have been isolated from feline bone marrow, however, very few data exist about the morphology of these cells and no data were found about the morphometry of feline bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). The objectives of this study were the isolation, growth evaluation, differentiation potential and characterization of feline BM-MSCs by their morphological and morphometric characteristics. in vitro differentiation assays were conducted to confirm the multipotency of feline MSC, as assessed by their ability to differentiate into three cell lineages (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes). To evaluate morphological and morphometric characteristics the cells are maintained in culture. Cells were observed with light microscope, with association of dyes, and they were measured at 24, 48, 72 and 120h of culture (P1 and P3). The non-parametric ANOVA test for independent samples was performed and the means were compared by Tukey's test. On average, the number of mononuclear cells obtained was 12.29 (±6.05x10(6)) cells/mL of bone marrow. Morphologically, BM-MSCs were long and fusiforms, and squamous with abundant cytoplasm. In the morphometric study of the cells, it was observed a significant increase in average length of cells during the first passage. The cell lengths were 106.97±38.16µm and 177.91±71.61µm, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h). The cell widths were 30.79±16.75 µm and 40.18±20.46µm, respectively, at first and third passages (24 h).The nucleus length of the feline BM-MSCs at P1 increased from 16.28µm (24h) to 21.29µm (120h). However, at P3, the nucleus length was 26.35µm (24h) and 25.22µm (120h). This information could be important for future application and use of feline BM-MSCs.