A new species of Probursata Bravo-Hollis, 1984 (Mogenea: Heteraxinidae: Heteraxininae) parasite of Oligoplites spp. (Osteichthyes: Carangidae) from the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Probursata brasiliensis n. sp., a gill filament parasite of carangid fishes, O. palometa (Cuvier), Oligoplites saurus (Bloch & Schneider), and O. saliens (Bloch), from the Brazilian coast, is described and illustrated. The new species differs from Probursata veraecrucis Bravo-Hollis, 1984, the type and only species of this genus by the presence of spines in the auricular expansions of the genital atrium, by the trifurcate supplementary process of the clamp's midsclerite, and by having a larger number of tests and clamps. This is the first record of the genus Probursata Bravo-Hollis, 1984, in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Genotype-level interactions determine the degree of reduction of leaf rust on wheat by seed application of beneficial Pseudomonas spp.

Some bacteria have the capacity to reduce incidence and severity of plant diseases either by inhibiting the pathogen or by modulating the resistance response of the plant. Plants dispose of different resistance mechanisms that are influenced by the biotic and abiotic environment. The present experiments explored the effects of biocontrol strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens on the resistance of wheat varieties against brown rust disease caused by Puccinia triticina. Root inoculation with biocontrol pseudomonads reduced the disease severity on the leaves. The plant response depended on the genotype of both the microbes and the wheat varieties, suggesting a straight interaction at the molecular level.

Monogeneans of leatherjackets, Oligoplites spp. (Osteichthyes: Carangidae), with the description of a new species of Metacamopia (Monogenea: Allodiscocotylidae) from the coast of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Metacamopia oligoplites n. sp., a gill filament parasite of carangid fishes of three species of Oligoplites Gill, O. palometa (Cuvier), O. saurus (Bloch & Schneider), and O. saliens (Bloch), from the coast of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is described and illustrated. Metacamopia oligoplites n. sp. differs from M. indica by: the shape of the body; the pre-, para-, and post-germarial testes; vaginas lacking sclerotized structures; well-developed seminal receptacles; muscular sleeves around the constriction between the vaginas and the seminal receptacles; and the haptor highly asymmetric, with a large, heel-like area; and differs from M. chorinemi by: the esophagus lacking diverticles; a larger number of testes (26-55) and not just, approximately 10; and the vaginas lacking sclerotized structures of any kind. This is the first record of Metacamopia in the South Atlantic Ocean. The generic diagnosis of Metacamopia is emended. Hargicola oligoplites is reported for the first time in the South Atlantic Ocean. Oligoplites palometa and O. saliens are new host records for Hargicola oligoplites.

Sensitivity of Leishmania spp. to Glibenclamide and 4-Aminopiridine: A Tool for the Study of Drug Resistance Development

We have demonstrated that Leishmania spp. grown as promastigotes, are sensitive to the K+ channel inhibitors 4-aminopyridine and glibenclamide. Their host cells, the macrophages, are not affected by similar concentrations of the drugs. We have also initiated the molecular characterization of the mechanisms involved in the development of drug resistance to glibenclamide by the parasite. Therefore, we have selected experimentally and begun to characterize the Venezuelan Leishmania (Leishmania) strain, NR resistant to glibenclamide [NR(Gr)]. The analysis of genomic DNA evidenced the existence of a fragment which apparently is amplified in NR(Gr). The fragment recognized by the pgpA probe, related to the Leishmania P-glycoprotein family and which was originally isolated from L. tarentolae, showed a size polymorfism between the sensitive and the resistant strain. These results suggest that the development of resistance to glibenclamide in the strain NR(Gr) might be associated with the amplification of the ltpgpA or related gene(s)

Survey of Infectious Etiologies of Bovine Abortion during Mid- to Late Gestation in Dairy Herds.

Bovine abortion of unknown infectious etiology still remains a major economic problem. Thus, we investigated whether Brucella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and Coxiella burnetii are associated with abortion and/or stillbirth in Tunisian dairy cattle. Using a pan-Chlamydiales PCR, we also investigated the role of Chlamydiaceae, Waddlia chondrophila, Parachlamydia acanthamoebae and other members of the Chlamydiales order in this setting. Veterinary samples taken from mid to late-term abortions from twenty dairy herds were tested. From a total of 150 abortion cases collected, infectious agents were detected by PCR in 73 (48.66%) cases, 13 (8.66%) of which represented co-infections with two infectious agents. Detected pathogens include Brucella spp (31.3%), Chlamydiaceae (4.66%), Waddlia chondrophila (8%), Parachlamydia acanthamoebae (5.33%), Listeria monocytogenes (4.66%) and Salmonella spp. (3.33%). In contrast, Campylobacter spp. and Coxiella burnetii DNA were not detected among the investigated veterinary samples. This demonstrates that different bacterial agents may cause bovine abortion in Tunisia. This is the first report suggesting the role of Parachlamydia acanthamoebae in bovine abortion in Africa. Further studies with a larger number of samples are necessary to confirm whether this emerging pathogen is directly linked to abortion in cattle.

Seguiment de la tortuga mediterrània (Testudo hermanni spp. hermanni) a Catalunya: història, hàbitat, cria i introducció (el cas del Parc del Garraf)

El present projecte pretén donar una visió de la situació actual de la tortuga mediterrània (Testudo hermanni hermanni) a Catalunya, incloent un estudi més exhaustiu del cas del Garraf. Aquesta subespècie, que segons el registre fòssil es present a Catalunya des del neolític, troba actualment espais com la Serra del Montsant, l’Albera, el delta de l’Ebre o el Massís de Garraf, hàbitats potencials per al seu desenvolupament. En el cas del Garraf, dels resultats obtinguts, cal destacar l’alt grau de desconeixença que els visitants del Parc tenen sobre la tortuga mediterrània, i es per això, que cal portar a terme un programa d’educació ambiental, amb efectes també de reduir el número d’espolis d’exemplars, que s’estima en 4 exemplars a l’any. Altres factors com els incendis o les depredacions també són factors importants en el declivi de les poblacions.

Use of Monoclonal Antibodies for the Identification of Leishmania spp. Isolated from Humans and Wild Rodents in the State of Campeche, Mexico

The genus Leishmania includes 30 described species which infect a wide variety of mammalian hosts. The precise identification of leishmanial parasites at the species level is very important in order to determine whether an organism, causing the disease in a given area, is of the same biotype as that found in suspected mammalian reservoirs. The objectives of the present study were (1) to identify leishmanial parasites isolated from humans and wild rodents from the State of Campeche, an endemic focus of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) in southern Mexico, using an indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) with monoclonal antibodies (Mabs); and (2) to determine if the parasites of the two types of hosts were of the same biotype. All the wild rodents (six Ototylomys phyllotis, eight Oryzomys melanotis, five Peromyscus yucatanicus and two Sigmodon hispidus) and 96% (24/25) of the human isolates were identified as Leishmania (L.) mexicana confirming that this specific LCL focus is a wild zoonosis. The presence of one human isolate of L. (Viannia) braziliensis in the State of Campeche, confirmed the importance of an accurate taxonomic identification at species level.

Species and serovars of the genus Listeria lsolated from different sources in Brazil from 1971 to 1997

Using phenotype techniques, characterization was made to species and serovar of 3,112 strains of Listeria, isolated from different sources of infection such as human (247-7.9%) and animals (239-7.6%), as well as from various routes of infection, including food (2,330-74.8%) and environmental constituents (296-9.5%), all coming from different regions of the country and collected during the period 1971-1997. The following species were recovered in the cultures analysed: L. monocytogenes (774-24.8%), L. innocua (2,269-72.9%), L. seeligeri (37-1.1%), L. welshimeri (22-0.7%), L. grayi (9-0.2%), and L. ivanovii (1-0.03%). L. monocytogenes was represented by ten serovars, the most prevalent being 4b (352-11.3%), 1/2a (162-5.2%), and 1/2b (148-4.7%). The predominant serovar in L. innocua was 6a (2,093-67.2%). Considerations about laboratory methods for diagnosis and epidemiological aspects are presented on the basis of the results obtained.

In vitro activity of Brazilian strains of the predatory fungi Arthrobotrys spp. on free-living nematodes and infective larvae of Haemonchus placei

In vitro tests were carried out to assess the activity of 26 Brazilian isolates of predatory fungi of the genus Arthrobotrys on a free-living nematode (Panagrellus sp.) and on infective larvae of Haemonchus placei, a parasitic gastrointestinal nematode of cattle. The results showed that the free-living nematode Panagrellus sp. was the most preyed upon, compared to H. placei, for all the fungal treatments. Also, variable predatory capacity was observed for different fungal isolates belonging to the same genus when applied to different nematode species.

Simulium spp. control program in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Insects of the Simuliidae family have been the object of control in Rio Grande do Sul since the 70s. Their constant attacks became a social-economical problem as well as a problem of Public Health, with serious consequences to men and to the economy of the areas in which the insects develop. At first, the control was done with a chemical larvicide Themephos ABATE 500 E, but an imperfect measuring of outflow to determine the quantity of the product made Simulium spp. resistant to it. From 1983 on, following a study of a new method for the outflow measuring, we started to use a biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis based. The biological control uses the new method in 36.4% of the state area, assisting about 3,500,000 inhabitants.

Anesthesia of Biomphalaria spp. (Mollusca, Gastropoda): sodium pentobarbital is the drug of choice

The anesthetic effect of some water-soluble anesthesic or narcotic drugs currently used in mice was tested in molluscs of the Biomphalaria genus. Sodium thiopental was very toxic to the snails resulting in high rates of mortality in all the treatment schedules tested. Cetamine base, at concentration of 0.25 mg/ml of water, resulted in partial snail anesthesia (40% of snails were anesthetized) only after 20 h of exposition. The association of Cetamine base with Tiazine chloridrate did not improve the anesthesic effect, and higher concentrations of these drugs were toxic to the snails. Sodium pentobarbital at 0.4 mg/ml in water for 8 h was the best treatment schedule to anesthetize Biomphalaria snails. In this schedule, the snails were anesthetized without any toxic effect. The procedure provides a powerful tool for in vivo studies that demande a complete state of snail anesthesia.