Cenurose em ovino com sinais neurológicos - diagnóstico com tomografia computadorizada / Cenurosis in a sheep with neurological signs - diagnosis with computed tomography

Background: Cenurosis is a parasitic disease caused by Coenurus cerebralis, an intermediate form of Taenia multiceps multiceps, causing a fatal disease in production animals. Its adult form (Taenia) lodges in the small intestine of canids and can infect several intermediate hosts. Sheep are the main species affected by the disease, having nervous symptoms as one of its manifestations. This study aimed to describe the changes observed in computed tomography, as well as the clinical findings of a case of Cenurosis in a sheep on the western border of Rio Grande do Sul. Case: A ram was referred to the Centro Universitário da Região da Campanha (URCAMP) with neurological signs. Clinical, hematological, radiographic, tomographic and necroscopic evaluation of the animal was performed. There were no significant hematological and radiographic changes. During the neurological examination, corneal opacity was found in the right eyeball, associated with a visual deficit in the same eye. Also, when stimulated to move, it was possible to observe ataxia with ambulation to the left side, with right lateral displacement of the head. The tomography showed a hypodense area of approximately 3 cm at the base of the brain, in the region of the thalamus and third ventricle. Macroscopically, a translucent spherical cyst with approximately 4 cm in diameter was observed, containing the protoescolex/scolices of Taenia multiceps in the same region. Discussion: Computed tomography identified the presence of an apparently circular volume of approximately 4 cm in diameter, causing ventricular dilatation. This evidence of ventricular dilation corroborates aspects described in the literature, which found bilateral dilation of the ventricles by compression promoted by a cyst in the 4th ventricle. As the location of the cyst was located at the base of the brain, in the region of the third ventricle, it would be difficult to perform the surgery in the treatment of this case. Signs of ataxia, walking movements, decreased reflexes, nystagmus, unilateral blindness and lateral decubitus are commonly observed. Reports described that the main neurological alterations observed in 20 sheep with cenurosis were postural deficit, locomotion alteration, visual deficit and behavioral alterations, with more than 50% of the animals showing at least one of these signs. The main neurological signs observed in the case described were changes in gait, with walking, blindness, lateral head deviation and ataxia. These signs guide the clinical diagnosis of cenurosis. At necropsy, a spherical translucent cyst with approximately 4 cm in diameter was observed, containing the protoescolex/scolices of Taenia multiceps, which extended dorsally from the third ventricle to the base of the thalamus, laterally displaced to the right side. Rostrocaudal the lesion extended rostrally across the entire length of the thalamus to the beginning of the caudate nucleus and caudally to the base of the caudal colliculus, causing compression of the adjacent parenchyma, enabling the diagnosis of cenurosis. Similar findings are described as Coenurus cerebralis. This lesion pattern macroscopically characterizes the parasite lesions. Thus, it is concluded that the visualization of a hypodense area in CNS regions of sheep with neurological signs allows the diagnosis of cenurosis and precise location of the lesion. The description of this case adds information so that other professionals in the field can be successful in diagnosing the disease.

Diarreia em bezerros no sul do Rio Grande do Sul em um período de 34 anos / Diarrhea in calves in Southern Rio Grande do Sul in a period of 34 years

O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os dados de um estudo retrospectivo nos registros de 34 anos atividade de um laboratório de diagnóstico sobre as causas de diarreia em bezerros na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram revisados os protocolos de necropsia e materiais desta espécie encaminhados ao Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Foram diagnosticados 94 casos de bezerros com diarreia, destes, 44,7% foram de causas parasitárias e 34,0% de causas bacterianas. Diarreia de causa parasitária foi a mais importante na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul e afetou bezerros de três a 12 meses de idade. A ocorrência de diarreia em animais mesmo lactentes pode estar associada a fatores ambientais e a forma de manejo no qual esses animais são mantidos. As enfermidades bacterianas foram, também, importantes causas de diarreia em bezerros de até três meses de idade na região.

The objective of this work was to describe the data from a retrospective study in the records of 34 years of activity in a diagnostic laboratory on the diarrhea causes of in calves in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. All necropsy protocols and materials received in the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Pelotas were reviewed. Ninety-four cases of calves with diarrhea were diagnosed, of these, 44.7% were caused by parasitic infections and 34.0% by bacterial infections. Parasites as cause of diarrhea was the most important diagnostic in southern Rio Grande do Sul and affected calves from three to 12 months of age. The occurrence of diarrhea in animals even infants may be associated with environmental factors and the form of management that these animals are kept. Bacterial diseases are also important causes of diarrhea in calves up to three months of age in the region.

Diarreia em bezerros no sul do Rio Grande do Sul em um período de 34 anos / Diarrhea in calves in Southern Rio Grande do Sul in a period of 34 years

The objective of this work was to conduct a retrospective study of causes of diarrhea in calves in southern Rio Grande do Sul between 1980 and 2014. All necropsy protocols and materials received in the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Pelotas were reviewed. Ninety-four cases of calves with diarrhea were diagnosed, of these, 44.7% were caused by parasitic infections and 34.0% by bacterial infections. Parasites as cause of diarrhea was the most important diagnostic in southern Rio Grande do Sul and affected calves from three to 12 months of age. The occurrence of diarrhea in animals even infants may be associated with environmental factors and the form of management that these animals are kept. Bacterial diseases are also important causes of diarrhea in calves up to three months of age in the region.(AU)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os dados de um estudo retrospectivo nos registros de 34 anos atividade de um laboratório de diagnóstico sobre as causas de diarreia em bezerros na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram revisados os protocolos de necropsia e materiais desta espécie encaminhados ao Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Foram diagnosticados 94 casos de bezerros com diarreia, destes, 44,7% foram de causas parasitárias e 34,0% de causas bacterianas. Diarreia de causa parasitária foi a mais importante na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul e afetou bezerros de três a 12 meses de idade. A ocorrência de diarreia em animais mesmo lactentes pode estar associada a fatores ambientais e a forma de manejo no qual esses animais são mantidos. As enfermidades bacterianas foram, também, importantes causas de diarreia em bezerros de até três meses de idade na região.(AU)

Diarreia em bezerros no sul do Rio Grande do Sul em um período de 34 anos / Diarrhea in calves in Southern Rio Grande do Sul in a period of 34 years

The objective of this work was to conduct a retrospective study of causes of diarrhea in calves in southern Rio Grande do Sul between 1980 and 2014. All necropsy protocols and materials received in the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Pelotas were reviewed. Ninety-four cases of calves with diarrhea were diagnosed, of these, 44.7% were caused by parasitic infections and 34.0% by bacterial infections. Parasites as cause of diarrhea was the most important diagnostic in southern Rio Grande do Sul and affected calves from three to 12 months of age. The occurrence of diarrhea in animals even infants may be associated with environmental factors and the form of management that these animals are kept. Bacterial diseases are also important causes of diarrhea in calves up to three months of age in the region.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os dados de um estudo retrospectivo nos registros de 34 anos atividade de um laboratório de diagnóstico sobre as causas de diarreia em bezerros na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram revisados os protocolos de necropsia e materiais desta espécie encaminhados ao Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Foram diagnosticados 94 casos de bezerros com diarreia, destes, 44,7% foram de causas parasitárias e 34,0% de causas bacterianas. Diarreia de causa parasitária foi a mais importante na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul e afetou bezerros de três a 12 meses de idade. A ocorrência de diarreia em animais mesmo lactentes pode estar associada a fatores ambientais e a forma de manejo no qual esses animais são mantidos. As enfermidades bacterianas foram, também, importantes causas de diarreia em bezerros de até três meses de idade na região.

Identificação de fatores de virulência de isolados de Escherichia coli oriundos de fezes de bezerros na região Sul do Brasil / Identification of virulence factors of Escherichia coli isolates from fecal samples of calves in southern Brazil

Background: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an enteropathogen that commonly causes diarrhea in calves. However, not all E. coli isolates are pathogenic. The aim of this study was to identify E. coli virulence factors derived from fecal samples collected in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul state (RS) from calves with and without diarrhea, as well as investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli isolates from calves with diarrhea. Materials, Methods & Results: Forty stool samples were collected in 12 farms, each one from calves having one day to six months of age, with and without diarrhea. The total DNA of from these isolates was extracted and a PCR using primers specific for the virulence factors Stx1, Eae, F41, F5 and STa was conducted. The susceptibility testing used the disk diffusion method and the susceptibility profile was evaluated against the following antimicrobials: ampicillin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, trimethoprim, sulfonamide, tetracycline and streptomycin. From all calves, 15 (15/40, 37.5%) had diarrheal stools and 25 (25/40, 62.5%) had normal or semi-liquid stools. Twelve (12/40; 30%) E. coli isolates showed at least one virulence factor. These factors were found in four isolates (4/15; 26.6%) from diarrheal stools and eight isolates (8/25; 28.5%) from normal stool. The Stx1 factor was identified in five isolates (5/40; 12.5%), and the Eae and the Sta factors in one (1/40; 0.2%) and in atypical associations between Stx1 and Eae and also between Eae and F41 in two isolates (2/40; 0.5%). Also, the Eae and Sta factors were identified in one isolate (1/40; 0.2%). The susceptibility test showed resistance to penicillin and tetracycline in 93% and 80% of the tested isolates, respectively. Discussion: The identification of virulence factors is necessary because E. coli is an enterobacterium present in calves gastrointestinal tract, to prove its pathogenicity. […](AU)

Identificação de fatores de virulência de isolados de Escherichia coli oriundos de fezes de bezerros na região Sul do Brasil / Identification of virulence factors of Escherichia coli isolates from fecal samples of calves in southern Brazil

Background: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an enteropathogen that commonly causes diarrhea in calves. However, not all E. coli isolates are pathogenic. The aim of this study was to identify E. coli virulence factors derived from fecal samples collected in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul state (RS) from calves with and without diarrhea, as well as investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli isolates from calves with diarrhea. Materials, Methods & Results: Forty stool samples were collected in 12 farms, each one from calves having one day to six months of age, with and without diarrhea. The total DNA of from these isolates was extracted and a PCR using primers specific for the virulence factors Stx1, Eae, F41, F5 and STa was conducted. The susceptibility testing used the disk diffusion method and the susceptibility profile was evaluated against the following antimicrobials: ampicillin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, trimethoprim, sulfonamide, tetracycline and streptomycin. From all calves, 15 (15/40, 37.5%) had diarrheal stools and 25 (25/40, 62.5%) had normal or semi-liquid stools. Twelve (12/40; 30%) E. coli isolates showed at least one virulence factor. These factors were found in four isolates (4/15; 26.6%) from diarrheal stools and eight isolates (8/25; 28.5%) from normal stool. The Stx1 factor was identified in five isolates (5/40; 12.5%), and the Eae and the Sta factors in one (1/40; 0.2%) and in atypical associations between Stx1 and Eae and also between Eae and F41 in two isolates (2/40; 0.5%). Also, the Eae and Sta factors were identified in one isolate (1/40; 0.2%). The susceptibility test showed resistance to penicillin and tetracycline in 93% and 80% of the tested isolates, respectively. Discussion: The identification of virulence factors is necessary because E. coli is an enterobacterium present in calves gastrointestinal tract, to prove its pathogenicity. […]

Rhododendron simsii poisoning in goats in Southern Brazil / Intoxicação por Rhododendron simsii em caprinos no Sul do Brasil

This study describes the natural poisoning of goats by Rhododendron simsii in Southern Brazil. Five of eight goats died after ingesting branches of plants, which were pruned and placed near the goats. Clinical signs observed were restlessness, shrill bleating, profuse regurgitation, looking and kicking at the flank, a loss of balance, irregular gait, staggering, and opisthotonos. At necropsy or histopathology affected goats had not showed lesions. Two goats were fed with 21.5g kg-1 bw and 30g kg-1 bw of fresh leaves of R. simsii. Both goats developed signs similar to those naturally affected goats. These findings indicated that R. simsii is highly toxic and lethal to goats.(AU)

Descreve-se um surto de intoxicação espontânea por R. simsii em caprinos no sul do Brasil. Cinco de oito cabras morreram após a ingestão da planta que foi podada e colada no local onde estavam os caprinos. Os sinais clínicos caracterizam-se por excitação, balidos estridentes, regurgitação, coicear o flanco, desequilíbrio e opistótono. Não foram observadas lesões macroscópicas e histológicas nos animais necropsiados. Dois animais receberam doses de 21,5 e 30g kg-1 de folhas verdes de R. simsii. Ambos desenvolveram sinais clínicos similares aos animais intoxicados espontaneamente. Esses achados indicam que R. simsii é altamente tóxica e letal para caprinos.(AU)