Parasitological diagnosis in ornamental freshwater fish from different fish farmers of five Brazilian states.

This study aimed to search parasites in 333 ornamental fish from five Brazilian states (Ceará, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina). Fish were sent from eight farms located in the municipalities of Fortaleza, Patrocínio do Muriaé, São Francisco do Glória, Cascavel, Timbó, Iguape, Jacareí and Mairinque. All fish received anesthesia earlier to euthanasia procedures. After the search for parasites, it was verified that 70.6% (235/333) of fishes were infected by at least one type of parasite, being 12 types of parasites identified: monogeneans, digenean metacercariae, cestodes, nematodes, Lernaea cyprinacea, trichodinids, Piscinoodinium pillulare, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, diplomonad flagellates, Ichthyobodo sp., Chilodonella sp., and Tetrahymena sp. The proportion of infected fishes among the farms is compared through statistical tests, besides, animal handling adopted in each farm is also discussed. The importance of ensuring fish health in order to make the ornamental freshwater fish industry economically viable and reduce losses in production is highlighted.

Avaliação da atividade antibacteriana do óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides frente à Staphylococcus sp. isolados de alimentos de origem animal / Assessment of the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Lippia origanoides in relation to Staphylococcus sp. isolated from food of animal origin

Objetivou-se no trabalho avaliar a ação antibacteriana do óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides frente à isolados de Staphylococcus sp. de alimentos de origem animal. Para tanto, realizou-se análise química da composição do óleo, teste de sensibilidade das bactérias frente a dez antibióticos de uso terapêutico e ao óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides, além da determinação da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e da concentração bactericida mínima (CBM). A análise cromatográfica do óleo apresentou o timol como composto majoritário (48,70%), além de pequena quantidade de carvacrol (1,14%). No teste de sensibilidade frente aos antibióticos, 75% dos isolados apresentaram resistência a, no mínimo, três antibióticos. Em relação ao óleo essencial, os isolados de Staphylococcus sp oriundos de leite bovino mostraram-se mais resistentes e os isolados de carne ovina apresentaram-se mais sensíveis. A CIM foi maior para os Staphylococcus sp. isolados de leite bovino e leite ovino (60µL/mL). Enquanto que para os isolados de carcaça de ovinos e queijo, a CIM foi de 15µL/mL e 30µL/mL respectivamente. A CBM, consequentemente, foi maior para os isolados de leite bovino e leite ovino, sendo de 240µL/mL e 120µL/mL respectivamente. O óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides apresenta atividade antimicrobiana sobre Staphylococcus sp. isolados de alimentos.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Lippia origanoides in relation to Staphylococcus sp. isolated from food of animal origin. For this purpose, we performed the chemical analysis to determine the oil composition, evaluated the bacteria sensibility to ten antibiotics of therapeutic use and determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The chromatographic analysis showed that tymol was the main compound (48.70%) and that carvacrol was present in a small amount (1.14%). In the test of antibiotic susceptibility, 75% of the microorganism isolates were resistant to at least three of the ten antibiotics tested. The Staphylococcus sp isolated from bovine milk was more resistant to the essential oil of Lippia origanoides, and the microorganism isolated from sheep meat was more susceptible to this oil. The Staphylococcus sp. isolated from bovine or sheep milk showed a MIC of 60µL/mL and for those isolated from sheep carcass and cheese the MIC was 15µL/mL and 30µL/mL, respectively. Consequently, the MBC was higher for isolates from cow's (240µL/mL) and sheep's milk (120µL/mL) when compared with other food sources. These results suggest that the essential oil of Lippia origanoides has antimicrobial activity against staphylococcus sp. isolated from food.

Biological characterization of a myotoxin phosphoplipase A2 homologue purified from the venom of the snake Bothrops moojeni

A myotoxin phospholipase A2 homologue, BmooMtx, was isolated from the venom of Bothrops moojeni by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel column and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. SDS-PAGE showed the enzyme to be a monomer with a molecular weight of 16,500. BmooMtx induced release of creatine kinase and morphological analyses indicated that it provoked an intense myonecrosis, with visible leukocyte infiltrate and damaged muscle cells 24 hours after injection. Anti-BmooMTx antibodies partially neutralized the myotoxic activity of BmooMtx and crude B. moojeni venom, as judged by determination of plasma creatine kinase levels and histological evaluation of skeletal muscle in mice. Anti-BmooMTx antibodies were effective in reducing the plasma creatine kinase levels of crude B. alternatus and B. leucurus venoms, evidencing immunological cross-reactivity between BmooMTx and other bothropic venoms. Intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of BmooMtx (1 to 15 ìg/animal) caused a dose- and time-dependent hyperalgesia and edematogenic responses. Dexamethasone (0.4 mg/kg), meloxicam (2 mg/kg) and promethazine (5 mg/kg) markedly reduced the hyperalgesia. Our data suggest that these drugs may likely serve as complementary therapies in cases of accidents with Bothrops moojeni, provided that such pharmacological treatments are administered immediately after the incident.

Purification and biochemical characterization of Eumiliin from Euphorbia milii var. hislopii latex.

A protease, which we designate Eumiliin, was isolated from the latex of Euphorbia milii var. hislopii by a combination of ion-exchange chromatographic steps using DEAE-Sephacel and gel-filtration with Sephadex G-75. Eumiliin is a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions and gave one main peak at 29,814 KDa in MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Eumiliin has caseinolytic and fibrinogenolytic activities, but no hemorrhagic or defibrinating activities. The enzyme readily hydrolyzes the Aalpha-chain of fibrinogen and, more slowly, the Bbeta-chain. Its fibrinogenolytic activity is inhibited by beta-mercaptoethanol and leupeptin. In contrast, EDTA and benzamidine did not affect the activity of Eumiliin. The caseinolytic activity of Eumiliin had a pH optimum of 8.0 and was stable in solution at up to 40 degrees C; activity was completely lost at >or=80 degrees C. Intraplantar injection of Eumiliin (1-25 microg/paw) caused a dose- and time-dependent hyperalgesia, which peaked 1-5h after enzyme injection. Intraplantar injection of Eumiliin (1-25 microg/paw) also caused an oedematogenic response that was maximal after 1h. Morphological analyses indicated that Eumiliin induced an intense myonecrosis, with visible leukocyte infiltrate and damaged muscle cells 24h after injection.