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Background: The contamination of milk by fungi, often represented by potentially pathogenic species, may pose a riskfor consumers, when the product is consumed in natura or even in the processed form. Also, it should be considereddetrimental effects in the processing of milk derivative products. In relationship to other milk producing animal species,ovine milk occupies the fourth place in the global production, contributing with 1.3% from the grand total. In Brazil, themajority of sheep’s milk is used for the production of fine cheeses and yogurts. The aim of this study was to evaluate theoccurrence of yeasts in the ewe’s milk.Materials, Methods & Results: Five hundred and eighty-eight milk samples were obtained, of which 106 came fromanimals with clinical mastitis and 482 from healthy animals. Aliquots of 0.1 mL milk were first plated on acidified yeastmedium agar. Then the yeast colonies were streaked onto Hicrome Candida Differential Agar Base (HIMEDIA®) andsubjected to biochemical analysis by API 20C system (Biomérieux®). The identification was made by using conventionalstandardized test panel. A total of 60 fungal species were isolated from 53 (9%) milk samples. They were classified intothe following genera: Candida spp. (70.00%), Rhodotorula spp. (11.70%), Trichosporon spp. (6.70%), Geotrichum spp.(5.00%), Pichia spp. (5.00%) and Cryptococcus sp. (1.70%). Potentially pathogenic yeasts were identified as Candidaglabrata (n = 8), C. tropicalis (n = 6), C. parapsilosis 1 (n = 5), C. albicans (n = 4), Pichia guilliermondii (n = 3) andTrichosporon asahii (n = 1).Discussion: The majority of sheep’s milk is not directly consumed by the population, being mainly destined for the production of cheeses of important market value. Therefore, typical sensorial and organoleptic characteristics found in cheese maybe influenced, as early as the beginning...

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Background: Dermatophytoses are one of the most frequent skin diseases of pets and livestock in the world. Contagionamong animal communities, difficulty in implementing control measures, and the eventual transmission of ringworm topeople explain its great importance. Microsporum canis causes a zoonosis that has increased in several countries, outnumbering classical anthropophilic dermatophytes. The objective of this study was to isolate dermatophytes from the hair coatof cats without skin disorders in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, south of Brazil, as well as evaluate the influenceof age, sex, hair length, habitat and access or not to the street as potential risk factors.Materials, Methods & Results: Samples were obtained from 191 cats with no skin disorders by rubbing sterilized carpetsquares on the cats’ skin (head, neck, dorsum, limbs and tail) and cultured for dermatophytes on Sabouraud dextrose agarwith chloramphenicol and cyclohexamide and incubated at 27°C for up to 21 days. Only the genus Microsporum (8,4%)was isolated from positive specimens: M. canis (5,8%) and M. gypseum (2,6%). On 15 samples (7,8%) there was no fungalgrowth. From the remaining 160 samples (83,8%), several saprotrophic fungi were isolated: hyaline filamentous fungi[Penicillium sp. (27), Aspergillus sp. (23), Scopulariopsis sp. (22), Acremonium sp. (10), Chrysosporium sp. (7), Paecilomyces sp. (7), Fusarium sp. (2) and unidentified hyalohyphomycetes (13)]; dematiaceous filamentous fungi [Cladosporiumsp. (39), Alternaria sp. (10), Curvularia sp. (10) and unidentified phaeohyphomycetes (14)]; Zygomycetes [Rhizopus sp.(2) and Mucor sp. (1)] and yeasts [Malassezia sp. (2) and Candida sp. (4)]. Inittialy, the possibility of association between predictors variables and a variable answer was evaluated by an univariate logistic regression model. Variables with...

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Background: Histoplasma capsulatum and Pneumocystis spp. may cause a host infection through the respiratory airway, mainlyaffecting the pulmonary tissue. These fungal pathogens affect a wide range of mammalian species, including humans and bats.The co-infection of bats with both organisms above has never been studied in Brazil. The aim of the present research was todetect the presence of the H. capsulatum and Pneumocystis spp. in lung samples of bat species from two states of Brazil. For thispurpose, a highly sensitive nested PCR was used with specific molecular markers for each pathogen.Materials, Methods & Results: Two hundred and forty-nine bats were captured between 2007 and 2009 in caves, forests, andurban areas of Mato Grosso (MT) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS), located respectively in the Mid-Western and Southern regions. Thebats were captured following the guidelines of the rabies control manual for herbivores, standardized by the Ministry of the Agriculture. Detection of Pneumocystis spp. DNA was based upon nested PCR, which amplified a portion of the mitochondrial smallsubunit (mtSSU) of the rRNA gene, whereas the H. capsulatum DNA was amplified employing the Hcp 100 locus. Amplificationproducts were sequenced to confirm fungal presence in bat lungs. The amplifications results for H. capsulatum and Pneumocystisspp. were positive in 63 [25.3%, IC95% (20.1%-31.25%)] and 95 [(38,2%, IC95% (32.1%-44.52%)] samples, respectively. Thegreatest occurrence of Histoplasma capsulatum was observed in Desmodus rotundus (20.6%), Tadarida brasiliensis (20.6%),Histiotus velatus (19.0%) and Molossus molossus (11.1%), with the detection in the other species being lower than 7.9%, amongthe 24 studied bat species. For Pneumocystis spp., the detection was higher in Tadarida brasiliensis (23.1%), Desmodus rotundus(18.%), Histiotus velatus (14.7%), and Molossus molossus (11,6%), being lower than 5.3% in the other species. A co-infection...

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Background: Candida organisms are ubiquitous pathogens that may cause mucosal or systemic infection in humans and animals. Candida albicans was the main Candida specie associated with cases of systemic candidosis, and Candida glabrata is the second most isolated in those cases. In animals there are few reports of candidosis. In pigs C. albicans was described as mucocutaneous disease affecting oral mucosa, esophagus and aglandular stomach of pigs affected by porcine circovirus type 2. Systemic invasion by Candida species in pigs is rare. This report describes the pathological changes observed in a case of systemic candidosis due to C. glabrata infection in a piglet. Case: In a nursery facility with 500 piglets a 47-days-old piglet showed lateral recumbency that progressed to inabilit to stand, paddling and death. In the necropsy it was observed valvular vegetative endocarditis in the left atrio-ventricular valve and in the kidneys multifocal to coalescing whitish foci in the sub-capsular and in the cut surface. Microscopical examination of the cerebral cortex, brain steam and cerebellum revealed multifocal random necrotic suppurative focci surrounded by mononuclear cells, epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells together with discret linfoplasmocitic meningitis. In the kidneys there was embolic suppurative nephritis with multifocal abscesses in renal parenchyma, characterized by large amount of neutrophils surrounded by mononuclear cells. In the left valve surface of the hearth there was extensive proliferation of connective tissue with large amount of fibrin, neutrophils and intralesional Gram-positive bacterial colonies with coccoid shape morphology. In brain, hearth and kidneys slides stained with Grocott's methenamine silver and periodic acid-Schiff technique a large amount of yeasts cells round to ovoid in shape were observed associated with necrotic foci and in multinucleated giants cells. Discussion: In the present report, a 47-days-old weaned piglet showed neurological signs that suggested a Streptococcus suis meningitis, and a presumptive diagnostic was reached based on those signs. Antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin was attempted, but there was no improvement in the clinical signs and the piglet died. S. suis was not isolated in the bacteriological analysis, however, PCR technique allowed the detection of the pathogen from the heart, raising the possibility for a role of the agent in the endocardial lesion, but not in the brain. Candida glabrata was detected in the hearth, kidneys and brain suggesting a septicemic spread candidosis in the piglet. Due to the presence of C. glabrata in the piogranulomatous lesions observed in the brain we assumed that the neurological signs were associated with the candidal infection. In humans, it is described the association among intracardiac candidal infection and an increased risk for the development of central nervous system infection. A recent study in slaughter pigs have shown that brain lesions associated with bacterial valvular endocarditis are common. Immunosuppression, low birth weight and broad spectrum antibiotic therapy are among the predisposing factor to the development of septicemic candidosis. In our case report, the piglet was the lighter in the litter at weaning and in the day of necropsy, besides antibiotic therapy was attempted twice in the piglet what could act as another predisposing factor for the septicemic candidosis. This was an unusual case of systemic candidosis with brain involvement and neurological clinical signs associated, due to C. glabrata infection in a piglet.

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Background: Pneumocystis constitutes a highly diversified biological group, with numerous species, which are strongly host-specific and well adapted to live inside the lungs of a diverse range of mammals. The detection of DNA from Pneumocystis in clinical specimens by PCR assays is leading to important advances in pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis and its epidemiology. The aim of this study was to analyze two different diagnostic methods, real-time PCR (qPCR) using primers based in the Major Surface Glycoprotein (MSG) of Pneumocystis sp. and conventional nested PCR using primers designed to the small subunit of mitochondrial rRNA (mtSSU rRNA) for detection of Pneumocystis DNA in lung tissue from bats. Materials, Methods & Results: Bats (195 samples) were captured (2007-2009) in caves, forests, and urban areas, were obtained from the Program of Rabies Control of two states in Brazil: Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, located respectively in the Mid-Western and Southern regions of the country approximately 2000 km apart. Lung tissue (250 mg) was finely minced, homogenized with crushing and DNA extraction was carried out with commercial kit. DNA samples the lung tissue of bats were analyzed by nested PCR, using oligonucleotide primers designed for the gene encoding the mitochondrial small subunit rRNA (mtSSU rRNA) and Taqman probe and primers for qPCR were selected based on the Major Surface Glycoprotein (MSG) of Pneumocystis sp. Chi-square (P < 0.001 was considered signifi cant) and the McNemar's test was used to analyze nested PCR and qPCR as methods of detection of Pneumocystis sp. and the Kappa was calculated by Win Episcope 2.0. To assess the sensitivity and specificity of the qPCR assay, a nested PCR assay was considered as the reference method. The positivity was 36.4% in the nested PCR and 24.1% using the qPCR. Concordance was obtained in 68.2% of the samples (133/195). It was demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between the techniques used and, both tests proved to be specific for the detection of Pneumocystis species. Specificity was 71% for the nested PCR and 84.6% for the qPCR. Pneumocystis was detected (71/195) by the nested PCR assay in 14 species:. Tadarida brasiliensis, Histiotus velatus, Desmodus rotundus, Molossus molossus, Glossophaga soricina, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, Promops nasutus, Artibeus sp., Eptesocus furinalus, Lasurus blossevillii, Molossus currentium, Molossus rufus, Myotis levis and Nyctinomops macrotis. Discussion: This study detected the DNA from Pneumocystis through the nested PCR and qPCR assays, and the frequency found is comparable to that obtained in a previous study, which used the nested PCR in Central American, South American and European countries. Pneumocystis sp. was observed in a high number of different bat species (14) in two Brazilian States (RS and MT). The qPCR showed a higher specificity in comparison to the nested PCR. The literature has similar findings to the results obtained by this research, employing the same tests and genes. The nested PCR and qPCR assays are indicated in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis sp. in bats and it is important to highlight that a better diagnostic precision is achieved with the association of both tests. Additionally, this study was the first to detect Pneumocystis sp. in the lungs of bats using qPCR.

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Background: Wild boar population is present worldwide. Contact between wild boars and domestic pigs may occur occasionally, and several diseases, as well as the occurrence of opportunistic infections are observed in both species. Mycotic rhinitis and pneumonia were reported before in pig herds, mainly associated with immunosuppression caused by viral infection. This study reports the occurrence of mycotic rhinitis in two wild boars due to Aspergillus fumigatus, A. fl avus and Candida albicans, together with Pneumocystis sp. in the lungs, originating from a herd infected with PCV2. Cases: In a commercial wild boar herd, poor body condition, sneezing and diarrhea were observed. Three animals were euthanized and, in two of them, yellow and green plaque-like masses of fungal growth in the mucosal and in cartilage surface and accentuated atrophy of nasal turbinates were observed. Additionally, multifocal subcutaneous abscesses in the maxillary area and bilateral reddening of the ocular mucosa with muco-purulent discharge were noted. Microscopically, in fragments from the nasal cavity of the two affected wild pigs, massive ulceration of the mucosal surface and presence of hyphae with septations and dichotomous branching and pseudohyphae were observed. Multifocal moderated interstitial pneumonia and alveolar edema were the main histological lesions founded in the lungs of 3 animals. In the lymph nodes multifocal moderated lymphoid depletion and lymphohistiocytic infi ltrated was the main microscopical lesion. Aspergillus fumigatus, A. fl avus and Candida albicans were isolated in nasal cavity. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from the subcutaneous abscesses and Staphylococcus hyicus and Streptococcus equisimilis from ocular swab. Pneumocystis was detected in lungs from the three wild boars by nested PCR, Grocott´s staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) was detected in lungs by PCR. Virus detection by IHC was only confi rmed in one wild boar. Discussion: Diagnostic of mycotic rhinitis and pneumonia was based on macroscopical and microscopical fi ndings, as well as mycological analysis, IHC and Groccott ´s methenamine staining. Pneumocystis carinii, Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. are considered as opportunistic fungal pathogens commonly associated with immunosuppression in animals and humans and have been found in lungs and in muco-cutaneous tissue of PMWS affected pigs. Clinically, immunodeficiency is usually associated with illness caused by organisms of low pathogenicity or well-know secondary pathogens, among other factors. Besides immunodefi ciency, prolonged antimicrobial therapy is another predisposing factor to the development of mycotic infections, well described in animals. In the present report, antimicrobial therapy was performed when respiratory signs were noted in therapeutic doses, suggesting that massive antibiotic use was not the trigger of mycotic rhinitis. PCV2 IHC result positive only in one wild pig, although all the samples were positive by PCR. This fi nding could indicate a subclinical infection or a recovery phase of the disease in the IHC negative cases, as previously suggested for domestic and wild pigs using in situ hybridization. PCV2 load in wild boar was lower when compared with domestic pigs. A viral load higher than 108 PCV2 genomes per 500 ng DNA was required to give a visible IHC staining in swine. Although quantitative PCR it was not used in order to detect PCV2 in the present report, the viral load could be another possible explanation for the IHC negative cases observed. The role of PCV2 as a cause of immunosupression, facilitating the infection with secondary agents as Aspergillus, Candida and Pneumocystis cannot be ruled out.

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As feohifomicoses são doenças cutâneas, subcutâneas e sistêmicas que acometem humanos e animais. São causadas por fungos que possuem melanina em sua parede celular (dematiáceos) e estão geralmente associadas com imunocomprometimento do hospedeiro. Este trabalho descreve alterações clínicas e histopatológicas de feohifomicose cutânea em um equino, macho, da raça crioula, de 6 anos de idade. O animal apresentou dois nódulos cutâneos com aproximadamente 4 a 5 cm de diâmetro, nas regiões laterais direita e esquerda do abdômen, que foram removidos cirurgicamente e encaminhados para exame histopatológico. Macroscopicamente, as lesões consistiam em nódulos cutâneos, um ulcerado, apresentando ao corte múltiplas áreas circunscritas e esbranquiçadas contendo em seu interior grânulos enegrecidos. Na histopatologia, as lesões se caracterizavam por dermatite ulcerativa piogranulomatosa com hifas septadas intralesionais apresentando parede pigmentada. No cultivo micológico, observou-se crescimento fúngico de Curvularia sp. O diagnóstico de dermatite fúngica por Curvularia sp. foi baseado nos achados histológicos associados com o isolamento fúngico. O tratamento se restringiu à retirada cirúrgica completa das lesões; entretanto, um ano após a excisão, novas lesões surgiram nas proximidades das lesões prévias no abdômen.

Phaeohyphomycosis include cutaneous, subcutaneous, and systemic diseases that affect humans and animals. The diseases are usually associated with immunocompromised hosts and are caused by fungi whose wall cell contains melanin (dematiaceous). This communication describes clinical, histopathological, and microbiological aspects observed in a case of phaeohyphomycosis affecting a 6-year-old male Crioulo horse. Animal showed two cutaneous nodules with about 4-5 cm of diameter located in the lateral abdominal walls (one in the right, the other in the left). Nodules were excised and submitted to the pathological laboratory SPV-UFRGS. Grossly, one of the cutaneous nodules was ulcerated and had, at the cut surface, multiple circumscript whitish areas containing blackish granules. Microscopically, nodules had piogranulomatous ulcerative dermatitis associated with intralesional septate and pigmented hyphae. Mycological culture, performed at the Mycology Laboratory-UFRGS, yielded fungal growth of Curvularia sp. Those findings support the diagnosis of fungal dermatitis by Curvularia sp. Treatment was complete surgical excision of lesions; however, one year after the procedure, recurrence of lesions was observed in the areas close to that where the previous lesions were.

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Researches have been developed to observe the normal microbiota of different animal species. This subject is of major importance for the control of potential infection risks. Fungi can be found in various substrates, foodstuffs (cereals, meat, milk, vegetables) and also in the skin, mucosae, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of animals. With the dissemination of immunosuppressive diseases in swine herds over the last years, the number of concomitant diseases caused by opportunist microorganisms is gradually increasing in literature. The objective of this study was to determine the microbiota of pig skin with no apparent lesions.

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A ocorrência de casos esporádicos de mastite causados por microrganismos de origem ambiental pode ser considerada como emergente e as leveduras, os fungos leveduriformes e os filamentosos são alguns dos principais agentes envolvidos. Em relação à mastite micótica, as leveduras são freqüentemente causas de infecções da glândula mamária em animais produtores de leite. A maior parte dos casos ocorre sob a forma de surtos localizados e/ou após tratamento com antimicrobianos. Os principais gêneros envolvidos são Candida e Cryptococcus, além de outros como Geotrichum, Pichia e Trichosporon. O objetivo do trabalho é revisar os aspectos gerais sobre a mastite micótica causada por leveduras e fungos leveduriformes, tais como etiologia, causas predisponentes, patogenicidade, diagnóstico, tratamento e profilaxia por meio de uma abordagem cronológica dos primeiros relatos, mas com enfoque principal nos resultados descritos recentemente na literatura veterinária nacional e internacional. O controle da mastite micótica é fundamentado em métodos preventivos, como adequado manejo da ordenha, correta higienização dos equipamentos e das instalações, com a finalidade de reduzir o número de animais acometidos, além de garantir a qualidade e a inocuidade dos produtos lácteos.

The veterinary literature registers sporadic cases of infections caused by environmental microorganisms in which the main agents involved are yeasts, yeasts-like and filamentous fungi. In relation to dairy animals, the yeasts are more frequently incriminated as the aetiological agents of mycotic mastitis. Most cases occur under the form of localized outbreaks and / or after treatment with antimicrobial agents. The main genera involved in mastitis are Candida and Cryptococcus, besides others such as Geotrichum, Pichia and Trichosporon. The purpose of this review is to point out the main aspects of mastitis caused by yeasts and yeast-like fungi, such as etiology, predisposing factors, pathogenicity, diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis, through a chronological approach of the first reports, with main focus on results described recently in national and international veterinary literature. The mycotic mastitis control should be mainly focused on preventive methods, especially based on adequate management of essential factors like proper milking procedures and a high level of hygiene of the environment and equipments, with the aim of reducing the number of affected animals, assuring the quality and innocuity of dairy food safety.

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Pneumocystis has been isolated from a wide range of unrelated mammalian hosts, including humans, domestic and wild animals. It has been demonstrated that the genome of Pneumocystis of one host differs markedly from that of other hosts. Also, variation in the chromosome and DNA sequence of Pneumocystis within a single host species has been observed. Since information about the occurrence and nature of infections in wild animals is still limited, the objective of this work was to detect the presence of Pneumocystis sp. in lungs of bats from two states from Brazil by Nested-PCR amplification. The bats, captured in caves and in urban areas, were obtained from the Program of Rabies Control of two States in Brazil, Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, located in the Mid-Western and Southern regions of the country, respectively. DNAs were extracted from 102 lung tissues and screened for Pneumocystis by nested PCR at the mtLSU rRNA gene and small subunit of mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (mtSSU rRNA). Gene amplification was performed using the mtLSU rRNA, the primer set pAZ102H - pAZ102E and pAZ102X - pAZY, and the mtSSU rRNA primer set pAZ102 10FRI - pAZ102 10R-RI and pAZ102 13RI - pAZ102 14RI. The most frequent bats were Tadarida brasiliensis (25), Desmodus rotundus (20), and Nyctinomops laticaudatus (19). Pneumocystis was more prevalent in the species Nyctinomops laticaudatus (26.3 percent = 5/19), Tadarida brasiliensis (24 percent = 6/25), and Desmodus rotundus (20 percent = 4/20). Besides these species, Pneumocystis also was detected in lungs from Molossus molossus (1/11, 9.1 percent), Artibeus fimbriatus (1/1, 100 percent), Sturnira lilium (1/3, 33.3 percent), Myotis levis (2/3, 66.7 percent)and Diphylla ecaudata (1/2, 50 percent). PCR products which could indicate the presence of Pneumocystis (21.56 percent) were identified in DNA samples obtained from 8 out of 16 classified species from both states (5 bats were not identified). This is the ...

Pneumocystis tem sido isolado de uma grande variedade de hospedeiros mamíferos, incluindo humanos, animais domésticos e selvagens. Tem se demonstrado que o genoma do Pneumocystis de um hospedeiro difere marcadamente do de outros, assim como há variação no cromossomo e na seqüência de DNA dentro de uma única espécie de hospedeiro. Sabendo que a informação da ocorrência e natureza da infecção em animais silvestres ainda é limitada, o objetivo do trabalho foi detectar, por Nested-PCR, a presença de Pneumocystis sp. em pulmões de diferentes espécies de morcegos de dois estados do Brasil. Estes mamíferos voadores foram capturados em cavernas, áreas florestadas, de campo e urbanas pelo Programa de Controle da Raiva do Mato Grosso (região Centro-Oeste) e do Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (RS) e Instituto Sauver no Rio Grande do Sul (região Sul). Os DNAs foram extraídos de 102 pulmões e realizado Nested-PCR utilizando os primers pAZ102H-pAZ102E e pAZ102X/R1-pAZY/R1 para amplificação do gene mtLSU-rRNA, e pAZ102 10F-RI - pAZ102 10R-RI e pAZ102 13-RI - pAZ14-RI para amplificação do gene mtSSU-rRNA. As espécies mais freqüentes foram Tadarida brasiliensis (25), Desmodus rotundus (20) e Nyctinomops laticaudatus (19). Pneumocystis foi detectado com maior prevalência nas Nyctinomops laticaudatus (26,3 por cento = 5/19), Tadarida brasiliensis (24 por cento = 6/25) e Desmodus rotundus (20 por cento = 4/20). Além destas espécies, Pneumocystis foi também detectado nos pulmões de Molossus molossus (1/11, 9,1 por cento), Artibeus fimbriatus (1/1, 100 por cento), Sturnira lilium (1/3, 33 por cento), Myotis levis (2/3, 66,7 por cento)e Diphylla ecaudata (1/2, 50 por cento). Os produtos de PCR indicaram a presença de Pneumocystis (21.56 por cento) em amostras obtidas de 8 das 16 espécies classificadas para ambos os estados (cinco morcegos não foram classificados). Este é o primeiro registro de detecção de Pneumocystis em morcegos no Brasil.

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As doenças respiratórias constituem um sério problema em sistemas intensivos de criação de suínos, causando enormes prejuízos à industria suína no Brasil e no mundo. Estes prejuízos estão freqüentemente relacionados à redução de peso, mortalidade, maior predisposição a doenças entéricas, gastos com vacinas e medicamentos. Os distúrbios respiratórios em suínos são manifestados através de um complexo de doenças, com envolvimento de agentes virais, bacterianos e fúngicos. Dentre estes, a presença do circovírus (PCV2) e o Pneumocystis sp. começa a ser gradativamente caracterizada como uma associação entre um agente causador de imunossupressão e um organismo de ação oportunista. O trabalho objetivou diagnosticar Pneumocystis sp. através das técnicas de imunohistoquímica, Grocott e nested-PCR, em suínos abatidos nos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul (RS) e Mato Grosso (MT), diagnosticar a ocorrência de PCV2 na mesma população de suínos, verificar a associação entre Pneumocystis sp. e PCV2, e determinar as relações filogenéticas entre as amostras de Pneumocystis sp. O estudo avaliou um total de 591 pulmões, 297 com alterações macroscópicas (pneumonia) e 294 normais obtidos em frigoríficos. Foram analisados 292 pulmões procedentes do RS e 299 pulmões do MT Para diagnóstico do Pneumocystis sp. as amostras foram analisadas através das técnicas de Grocott, Imunohistoquímica e nested-PCR (mtLSU e mtSSU rRNA). Do total das amostras, 36,9% foram positivas para Pneumocystis. O índice de positividade para o vírus PCV2 foi de 32,7% na amostra total. Os resultados revelaram uma alta prevalência do vírus (PCV2) em pulmões sem lesões macroscópicas. A co-infecção (PCV2 e Pneumocystis sp.), foi detectada em 28,0% em 564 pulmões examinados. As análises das seqüências dos nucleotídeos dos produtos de PCR dos genes mtLSU e mtSSU do rRNA do Pneumocystis sp. nos pulmões analisados, sugerem a presença até o presente momento de 2 espécies diferentes de Pneumocystis no Brasil. Este estudo evidencia a ocorrência da co-infecção de dois agentes (Pneumocystis sp. e PCV2) em animais hígidos, fato que, indica a necessidade de planejamento e implementação de medidas de controle para melhorar a produtividade na suinocultura

Respiratory diseases are a major problem in intensive systems of swine husbandry. They are a cause for high losses in the swine industry in Brazil and in the world. These losses are often related to weight reduction, mortality, higher vulnerability to enteric diseases, and expenses with vaccines and drugs. Respiratory diseases in swine appear through a complex of diseases, caused by virus, bacteria and fungi; among these, the porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) and Pneumocystis sp., the former an agent which causes immunosupression and the latter an oportunistic microorganism. Both are being recognized as capable of being associated. The objectives of this study were to: identify Pneumocystis sp. through immunohystochemistry techniques, Grocott and nested-PCR in swine slaughtered in the States of Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso (MT); investigate PCV2 in the same swine population; investigate the association between Pneumocystis sp. and PCV2, and establish a filogenetic relationship between isolated of Pneumocystis sp. The study was carried out with a total of 591 lungs, 297 with macroscopic alterations characteristic of pneumonia, and 294 normal lungs from the industry. 292 lungs came from RS and 299 lungs came from MT. In order, to diagnose Pneumocystis infection, samples were analysed through Grocott technique, immunohystochemistry and nested-PCR (mtLSU and mtSSU rRNA). Among all samples 36,9% were positive for Pneumocystis sp.. PCV2 virus was found in 37,2% of the samples. Results revealed a high prevalence of the PCV2 virus in lungs without macroscopic lesions. Co-infection (PCV2 and Pneumocystis sp.) was found in 28,0% of 564 lungs examined. So far, the analyses of the sequences of nucleotides from the products of PCR from the genes mtlSU rRNA and mtSSU rRNA from Pneumocystis obtained from the examined lungs suggest that, it is possible the existence of two different species of Pneumocystis in Brazil. This study shows co-infection by two agents (Pneumocysts sp. and PCV2) in apparently healthy animals. This fact points out the necessity planning and implementation of control measures in order to improve productiviy in swine husbandry and industry