Evaluation of the antiviral activities of Bacharis dracunculifolia and quercetin on Equid herpesvirus 1 in a murine model.

Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is a pathogen of high economic importance in equine breeding operations around the world. EHV-1 infection causes respiratory, neurologic and reproductive disease. The absence of an efficient therapy has caught the attention of the scientific community and the therapeutic activities of natural products with its antivirals effects might be effective for the disease's treatment. Herein it was evaluated the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of quercetin and ethanolic extracts of Bacharis dracunculifolia formulations compared to Penciclovir® in an in vivo EHV-1 infection model. Six to seven-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly organized into fifteen groups with six animals each. Ex-1 represents the treatment post-challenge groups to assess morbidity, mortality and weight variation. Ex-2 represents the animals that received treatment for 5 days post-challenge for lesion evaluation. In Ex-3 animals were treated prior to viral challenge to assess morbidity, mortality and weight variation. All mice in the treatment groups were challenged by intranasal inoculation of 3.0 × 105 TCID50 EHV-1. The quercetin and B. dracunculifolia treatment decreased morbimortality in post-challenge treatment (Ex-1) and EHV-1 related lesions (Ex-2). Treatment prior to viral challenge (Ex-3) did not show any significant results. Based on the results of the present study, both tested formulations are promising antiviral agents for the treatment of EHV-1 infection.

First occurrence of Amblyomma ovale in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

This study aims to report the occurrence of parasitism by Amblyomma ovale (Koch, 1844) in dogs in the municipality of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Specimens were identified as being one female and two males of A. ovale, besides; the animal was infested by five females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and seven females and three males of R. sanguineus. The finding of A. ovale confirms results in the literature that these ticks, reported in several species of wild carnivores, can also infect dogs in Brazil. The distribution of this tick species in several Brazilian states has already been confirmed, but this is the first report in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. This finding highlights the risk of the carrying of emerging and re-emerging pathogens to peridomestic hosts are as, either because of the frequency of these ticks in wild environments or the presence of infected wild animals near peridomestic environments, exposing domestic dogs to parasitism by A. ovale ticks and, therefore, to agents potentially carried by this ectoparasite.

First occurrence of Amblyomma ovale in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil / Primeira ocorrência de Amblyomma ovale no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

This study aims to report the occurrence of parasitism by Amblyomma ovale (Koch, 1844) in dogs in the municipality of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Specimens were identified as being one female and two males of A. ovale, besides; the animal was infested by five females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and seven females and three males of R. sanguineus. The finding of A. ovale confirms results in the literature that these ticks, reported in several species of wild carnivores, can also infect dogs in Brazil. The distribution of this tick species in several Brazilian states has already been confirmed, but this is the first report in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. This finding highlights the risk of the carrying of emerging and re-emerging pathogens to peridomestic hosts are as, either because of the frequency of these ticks in wild environments or the presence of infected wild animals near peridomestic environments, exposing domestic dogs to parasitism by A. ovale ticks and, therefore, to agents potentially carried by this ectoparasite.

O presente estudo objetiva comunicar a ocorrência do parasitismo por Amblyomma ovale (Koch, 1844) em cão, no município de Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Os exemplares foram identificados como sendo uma fêmea e dois machos de A. ovale, além destes, o animal estava parasitado por cinco fêmeas de Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, sete fêmeas e três machos de R. sanguineus. O encontro de A. ovale confirma os resultados da literatura de que esses carrapatos, relatados em várias espécies de carnívoros silvestres, também podem infestar cães no Brasil. Este carrapato tem sua distribuição confirmada em vários estados brasileiros, sendo este o primeiro relato no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Este achado alerta para o risco do carreamento de patógenos emergentes e re-emergentes para regiões peridomiciliares, seja devido a frequência destes carrapatos em ambientes silvestres ou da presença de animais silvestres parasitados próximos a ambientes peridomiciliares, expondo cães domésticos ao parasitismo por carrapatos A. ovale e, consequentemente, a agentes potencialmente veiculados por este ectoparasito.

Campanulotes compar (Burmeister, 1838) (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. The reemergence of an ectoparasite?

The importance of ectoparasites in the transmission of pathogens, as well as the variability of species from one region to another, motivated this notification of the ectoparasite lice Campanulotes compar in range chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus L.) reared in an extensive system in the city of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte state, in the Northeast region of Brazil. The examined birds were infested with ten males and six females of C. compar. Thus, C. compar is recorded as parasitizing chickens in the state of Rio Grande do Norte after 77 years from its unique citation in the Southeast region of Brazil. We further discuss the possible risks of this finding.

Immunopathogenic and neurological mechanisms of canine distemper virus.

Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV), which is a member of the Morbillivirus genus, Paramyxoviridae family. Animals that most commonly suffer from this disease belong to the Canidae family; however, the spectrum of natural hosts for CDV also includes several other families of the order Carnivora. The infectious disease presents worldwide distribution and maintains a high incidence and high levels of lethality, despite the availability of effective vaccines, and no specific treatment. CDV infection in dogs is characterized by the presentation of systemic and/or neurological courses, and viral persistence in some organs, including the central nervous system (CNS) and lymphoid tissues. An elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in canine distemper disease will lead to a better understanding of the injuries and clinical manifestations caused by CDV. Ultimately, further insight about this disease will enable the improvement of diagnostic methods as well as therapeutic studies.