Toxoplasmosis in black-faced lion tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara) / Toxoplasmose em mico-leão-de-cara-preta (Leontopithecus caissara)

Neotropical primates are susceptible to several parasitic diseases, the most relevant of which is toxoplasmosis. The black-faced lion tamarin is one of the most endangered callitrichid, with no more than 400 individuals in the wild. A young specimen of black-faced lion tamarin died acutely after being rescued and sent to the Sorocaba Zoological Park. This is the first report of acute fatal toxoplasmosis in L. caissara in Brazil.

Os primatas neotropicais são suscetíveis a inúmeras enfermidades parasitárias, sendo a mais relevante a toxoplasmose. O mico-leão-de-cara-preta é um dos calitriquídeos mais ameaçados no mundo, com aproximadamente 400 indivíduos em estado selvagem. Um exemplar de mico-leão-de-cara-preta, jovem veio à óbito de forma aguda após ser resgatado e enviado ao Zoológico do interior de São Paulo. Este é o primeiro relato de toxoplasmose aguda fatal em L. caissara no mundo.

Toxoplasmose sistêmica em filhotes de gatos / Systemic toxoplasmosis in kittens

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide disease that affects virtually all species of warm-blooded animals. The felids,domestic and wild, are considered the definitive hosts of the protozoan. In Brazil, Toxoplasma gondii infection has beendiagnosed in horses, goats, primates, dogs and cats. In the backlands of Paraíba, the disease has been sporadically reportedaffecting dogs with canine distemper and swine, but cases of systemic toxoplasmosis in cats have not yet been described.The aim of the present study was to describe the main epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological aspects of twocases of systemic toxoplasmosis in kittens.Cases: Two kittens were affected with three (cat 1) and six (cat 2) months old, females, and crossbreed. The kittens had notbeen vaccinated or dewormed, and were raised with other cats in a peridomiciliary regime in a rural area in the backlandsof Paraíba. Cat 1 was thin, apathetic, dehydrated, tachypneic and with pale mucous membranes. Cat 2, showed inappetence,apathy, jaundice, fever, dehydration, dyspnea and abdominal breathing pattern. At necropsy, non-collapsed, shiny, reddishlungs with multifocal whitish areas, punctuated or nodular, measuring from 0.1 to 0.3 cm in diameter, were found on thepleural surface and parenchyma. The livers were pale, with lobular pattern accentuation, and reddish depressed multifocalareas randomly distributed on the capsular surface. Histologically, multifocal to coalescent areas of necrosis, moderate (cat1) or marked (cat 2), associated with intralesional bradyzoites and tachyzoites and variable lymphoplasmacytic infiltratewere observed. In cat 2, numerous bradyzoites were visualized in the gray matter of the left cerebral hemisphere (temporaland parietal lobes), sometimes associated with a moderate lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. In the perivascularspaces of the...

Toxoplasmose sistêmica em filhotes de gatos / Systemic toxoplasmosis in kittens

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide disease that affects virtually all species of warm-blooded animals. The felids,domestic and wild, are considered the definitive hosts of the protozoan. In Brazil, Toxoplasma gondii infection has beendiagnosed in horses, goats, primates, dogs and cats. In the backlands of Paraíba, the disease has been sporadically reportedaffecting dogs with canine distemper and swine, but cases of systemic toxoplasmosis in cats have not yet been described.The aim of the present study was to describe the main epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological aspects of twocases of systemic toxoplasmosis in kittens.Cases: Two kittens were affected with three (cat 1) and six (cat 2) months old, females, and crossbreed. The kittens had notbeen vaccinated or dewormed, and were raised with other cats in a peridomiciliary regime in a rural area in the backlandsof Paraíba. Cat 1 was thin, apathetic, dehydrated, tachypneic and with pale mucous membranes. Cat 2, showed inappetence,apathy, jaundice, fever, dehydration, dyspnea and abdominal breathing pattern. At necropsy, non-collapsed, shiny, reddishlungs with multifocal whitish areas, punctuated or nodular, measuring from 0.1 to 0.3 cm in diameter, were found on thepleural surface and parenchyma. The livers were pale, with lobular pattern accentuation, and reddish depressed multifocalareas randomly distributed on the capsular surface. Histologically, multifocal to coalescent areas of necrosis, moderate (cat1) or marked (cat 2), associated with intralesional bradyzoites and tachyzoites and variable lymphoplasmacytic infiltratewere observed. In cat 2, numerous bradyzoites were visualized in the gray matter of the left cerebral hemisphere (temporaland parietal lobes), sometimes associated with a moderate lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. In the perivascularspaces of the...(AU)

Clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemistry characterization of toxoplasmosis in dogs with distemper in the semiarid region of Paraíba, Brazil / Caracterização clínica, patológica e imuno-histoquímica da toxoplasmose em cães com cinomose no semiárido da Paraíba, Brasil

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemistry characteristics of five cases of toxoplasmosis, an infection often associated with distemper in dogs. From January 2000 to December 2012, a retrospective study was performed analyzed dogs with distemper in the semiarid region of Paraíba. We evaluated this sample to focus on individuals who presented with concomitant structures in protozoa characteristics, and performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests using polyclonal anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody. In all cases, the clinical signs were similar including digestive changes, as well as respiratory, neurological, and ocular lesions, suggesting an infection of canine distemper virus. The diagnosis of distemper was confirmed on histopathological analysis depending on the presence of intranuclear and intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies in different tissues. Histopathological examination also revealed the characteristic presence of parasitic cysts T. gondii in the brain in four cases, and in the lung in one case. The brain cysts were associated with multifocal areas of malacia and lung there was alveolar septa thickening due to infiltration of macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells, with moderate proliferation of type II pneumocytes and coalescing multifocal areas of necrosis. These cysts are characterized by round and strongly basophilic structures, measuring approximately 5 to 70 μm, delimited by thin wall, stained by hematoxylin and eosin, and immunomarked as brown by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the chromogen DAB. The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis associated with infection by canine distemper virus in the five case studied was based on microscopic findings and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Toxoplasmosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dogs with severe progressive systemic signs, especially when respiratory and neurological involvement is suspected.(AU)

Objetivou-se com este trabalho descrever as características clínicas, patológicas e imuno-histoquímica de cinco casos de toxoplasmose associados à cinomose em cães no semiárido da Paraíba. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo durante o período de janeiro de 2000 a dezembro de 2012, sendo identificados e selecionados os casos de cães com cinomose. Destes, foram avaliados os que apresentavam concomitantemente estruturas características de protozoários e realizada a imuno-histoquímica (IHQ) com anticorpo policlonal anti-Toxoplasma gondii. Em todos os casos os sinais clínicos foram semelhantes e sugestivos de infecção pelo vírus da cinomose canina, variando de alterações digestivas, respiratórias, neurológicas e lesões oculares. O diagnóstico de cinomose foi confirmado na histopatologia através da presença de corpúsculos de inclusões virais eosinofílicos intranucleares e intracitoplasmáticos em diferentes tecidos. O exame histopatológico revelou ainda a presença dos cistos parasitários característicos de T. gondii no encéfalo em quatro casos e no pulmão em um caso. No encéfalo os cistos estavam associados a áreas multifocais de malacia e no pulmão havia espessamento dos septos alveolares por infiltrado de macrófagos, plasmócitos e linfócitos, com proliferação moderada de pneumócitos tipo II e áreas multifocais a coalescentes de necrose. Esses cistos caracterizaram-se por estruturas arredondadas fortemente basofílicas medindo aproximadamente de 5 a 70 μm, delimitadas por uma fina parede pela hematoxilina e eosina e na IHQ foram fortemente imunomarcados em marrom para T. gondii. O diagnóstico de toxoplasmose associado à infecção pelo vírus da cinomose nos cinco casos estudados foi baseado nos achados microscópicos e confirmado através da imuno-histoquímica. A toxoplasmose deve ser incluída no diagnóstico diferencial de cães com sinais sistêmicos progressivos severos, principalmente quando há envolvimento respiratório e neurológico.(AU)

Clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemistry characterization of toxoplasmosis in dogs with distemper in the semiarid region of Paraíba, Brazil / Caracterização clínica, patológica e imuno-histoquímica da toxoplasmose em cães com cinomose no semiárido da Paraíba, Brasil

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemistry characteristics of five cases of toxoplasmosis, an infection often associated with distemper in dogs. From January 2000 to December 2012, a retrospective study was performed analyzed dogs with distemper in the semiarid region of Paraíba. We evaluated this sample to focus on individuals who presented with concomitant structures in protozoa characteristics, and performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests using polyclonal anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody. In all cases, the clinical signs were similar including digestive changes, as well as respiratory, neurological, and ocular lesions, suggesting an infection of canine distemper virus. The diagnosis of distemper was confirmed on histopathological analysis depending on the presence of intranuclear and intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusion bodies in different tissues. Histopathological examination also revealed the characteristic presence of parasitic cysts T. gondii in the brain in four cases, and in the lung in one case. The brain cysts were associated with multifocal areas of malacia and lung there was alveolar septa thickening due to infiltration of macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells, with moderate proliferation of type II pneumocytes and coalescing multifocal areas of necrosis. These cysts are characterized by round and strongly basophilic structures, measuring approximately 5 to 70 μm, delimited by thin wall, stained by hematoxylin and eosin, and immunomarked as brown by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the chromogen DAB. The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis associated with infection by canine distemper virus in the five case studied was based on microscopic findings and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Toxoplasmosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dogs with severe progressive systemic signs, especially when respiratory and neurological involvement is suspected.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho descrever as características clínicas, patológicas e imuno-histoquímica de cinco casos de toxoplasmose associados à cinomose em cães no semiárido da Paraíba. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo durante o período de janeiro de 2000 a dezembro de 2012, sendo identificados e selecionados os casos de cães com cinomose. Destes, foram avaliados os que apresentavam concomitantemente estruturas características de protozoários e realizada a imuno-histoquímica (IHQ) com anticorpo policlonal anti-Toxoplasma gondii. Em todos os casos os sinais clínicos foram semelhantes e sugestivos de infecção pelo vírus da cinomose canina, variando de alterações digestivas, respiratórias, neurológicas e lesões oculares. O diagnóstico de cinomose foi confirmado na histopatologia através da presença de corpúsculos de inclusões virais eosinofílicos intranucleares e intracitoplasmáticos em diferentes tecidos. O exame histopatológico revelou ainda a presença dos cistos parasitários característicos de T. gondii no encéfalo em quatro casos e no pulmão em um caso. No encéfalo os cistos estavam associados a áreas multifocais de malacia e no pulmão havia espessamento dos septos alveolares por infiltrado de macrófagos, plasmócitos e linfócitos, com proliferação moderada de pneumócitos tipo II e áreas multifocais a coalescentes de necrose. Esses cistos caracterizaram-se por estruturas arredondadas fortemente basofílicas medindo aproximadamente de 5 a 70 μm, delimitadas por uma fina parede pela hematoxilina e eosina e na IHQ foram fortemente imunomarcados em marrom para T. gondii. O diagnóstico de toxoplasmose associado à infecção pelo vírus da cinomose nos cinco casos estudados foi baseado nos achados microscópicos e confirmado através da imuno-histoquímica. A toxoplasmose deve ser incluída no diagnóstico diferencial de cães com sinais sistêmicos progressivos severos, principalmente quando há envolvimento respiratório e neurológico.

Clinical aspects of toxoplasmosis in small animal / Aspectos da toxoplasmose na clínica de pequenos animais

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonosis of worldwide distribution, has importance in human and veterinary medicine. Animals can be direct or indirect source of infection to man, and this intermediate host, the disease may be responsible for encephalitis and deaths due to congenital form as coinfection in neonates and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The man and animals can acquire the disease by eating undercooked meat or cures, infected with tissue cysts, as well as food and water contaminated with oocysts. Iatrogenic, such as, blood transfusion and organ transplantation are other less frequent routes of transmission. The causative agent of this disease is Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan obligate intracellular coccidian. In small animals, the infection has been reported in several countries, promoting varied clinical manifestations and uncommon but severe and fatal, which is a challenge in the clinical diagnosis of small animals, especially when the nervous system involvement. Thus, constitute the purpose of this review address the participation of small animals in the spread of the disease, clinical aspects related to it, as well as discuss methods of diagnosis, therapeutic measures, prophylaxis and control of this disease.(AU)

A toxoplasmose, zoonose de distribuição mundial, apresenta importância em medicina veterinária e saúde pública. Os animais podem ser a fonte direta ou indireta da infecção ao homem, e neste, esta doença pode ser responsável por encefalite e óbitos, devido sua forma congênita em neonatos e como coinfecção em pacientes portadores da síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida. O homem e os animais, hospedeiros intermediários, podem adquirir a doença pelo consumo de alimentos, como carne crua ou mal cozida e água contaminados com cistos e oocistos de T. gondii, respectivamente. Via iatrogênica como transfusões de sangue e transplante de órgãos são outras formas menos frequentes de transmissão. O agente causador desta enfermidade é o Toxoplasma gondii, protozoário coccídio intracelular obrigatório. Em pequenos animais, esta infecção tem sido reportada em diversos países, promovendo manifestações clínicas variadas e incomuns, porém severas e fatais, que constituem em um desafio em diagnóstico na clínica de pequenos animais, principalmente quando no comprometimento do sistema nervoso. Desse modo, constituem no objetivo da presente revisão literária abordar a participação dos pequenos animais na disseminação da doença, os aspectos clínicos a ela relacionados, bem como discutir métodos de diagnóstico, medidas terapêuticas, de profilaxia e controle desta enfermidade.(AU)

Effects of infection with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts on the intestinal wall and the myenteric plexus of chicken (Gallus gallus) / / Efeitos da infecção por oocistos de Toxoplasma gondii sobre a parede intestinal e o plexo mientérico de Gallus gallus

This paper aims to analyze the effects of the Toxoplasma gondii infection in the intestinal wall and myenteric plexus of chicken (Gallus gallus). Ten 36-day-old chickens were separated into two groups: control and experimental, orally inoculated with oocysts of the T. gondii strain M7741 genotype III. After 60 days the birds were submitted to euthanasia and had their duodenum removed. Part of the intestinal segments was submitted to histological routine, HE staining, PAS histochemical technique, and Alcian Blue. Qualitative analysis of the intestinal wall and comparative measurements among the groups with respect to total wall thickness, muscle tunic, mucosa, and tunica mucosa were carried out. Caliciform cells were quantified. The other part of the intestinal segments was fixed in formol acetic acid and dissected having the tunica mucosa and the tela submucosa removed. Neurons were stained with Giemsa, counted, and measured. Chickens from the experimental group presented diarrhea and inflammatory infiltrates in the tunica mucosa, thickness reduction of all the parameters assessed in the intestinal wall, and an increase of the number of caliciform cells. There was a ~70 percent reduction regarding the intensity of myenteric neurons; and the remaining cells presented a reduction of ~2.4 percent of the perikarion and ~40.5 percent of the nucleus (p<0.05). Chronic infection induced by T. gondii oocysts resulted in intestinal wall atrophy, mucin secretion increase, death and atrophy of chicken myenteric plexus neurons. Death and atrophy of myenteric plexus neurons may be related with the causes of diarrhea observed in chickens with toxoplasmosis.(AU)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos da infecção pelo Toxoplasma gondii sobre a parede intestinal e o plexo mientérico de Gallus gallus. Dez galinhas de 36 dias de idade separadas em dois grupos: controle e experimental inoculado com oocistos da cepa M7741 de T. gondii (genótipo III) pela via oral. Após 60 dias os animais foram submetidos à eutanásia e o duodeno coletado. Parte dos segmentos intestinais foi submetida à rotina histológica, coloração por HE e técnica histoquímica de PAS e Alcian Blue. Realizou-se uma avaliação qualitativa da parede intestinal e medidas comparativas entre os grupos da espessura da parede total, túnica muscular, muscular da mucosa e túnica mucosa. As células caliciformes foram quantificadas. Outra parte dos segmentos intestinais foi fixada em formol acético e dissecada retirando-se a túnica mucosa e a tela submucosa. Os neurônios foram corados pela técnica de Giemsa, contados e mensurados. Os animais do grupo experimental apresentaram diarréia e infiltrados inflamatórios na túnica mucosa, redução da espessura de todos os parâmetros avaliados da parede intestinal e aumento do número das células caliciformes. Houve uma redução de ~70 por cento da densidade dos neurônios mientéricos e as células remanescentes sofreram redução de ~2,4 por cento do pericário e ~40,5 por cento do núcleo (p<0,05). A infecção crônica induzida por oocistos de T. gondii levou a atrofia da parede intestinal, aumento da secreção de mucinas, morte e atrofia dos neurônios do plexo mientérico de galinhas. A morte e atrofia dos neurônios do plexo mientérico podem estar envolvidas na causa da diarréia observada em galinhas com toxoplasmose.(AU)

Clinical aspects of toxoplasmosis in small animal / Aspectos da toxoplasmose na clínica de pequenos animais

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonosis of worldwide distribution, has importance in human and veterinary medicine. Animals can be direct or indirect source of infection to man, and this intermediate host, the disease may be responsible for encephalitis and deaths due to congenital form as coinfection in neonates and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The man and animals can acquire the disease by eating undercooked meat or cures, infected with tissue cysts, as well as food and water contaminated with oocysts. Iatrogenic, such as, blood transfusion and organ transplantation are other less frequent routes of transmission. The causative agent of this disease is Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan obligate intracellular coccidian. In small animals, the infection has been reported in several countries, promoting varied clinical manifestations and uncommon but severe and fatal, which is a challenge in the clinical diagnosis of small animals, especially when the nervous system involvement. Thus, constitute the purpose of this review address the participation of small animals in the spread of the disease, clinical aspects related to it, as well as discuss methods of diagnosis, therapeutic measures, prophylaxis and control of this disease.

A toxoplasmose, zoonose de distribuição mundial, apresenta importância em medicina veterinária e saúde pública. Os animais podem ser a fonte direta ou indireta da infecção ao homem, e neste, esta doença pode ser responsável por encefalite e óbitos, devido sua forma congênita em neonatos e como coinfecção em pacientes portadores da síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida. O homem e os animais, hospedeiros intermediários, podem adquirir a doença pelo consumo de alimentos, como carne crua ou mal cozida e água contaminados com cistos e oocistos de T. gondii, respectivamente. Via iatrogênica como transfusões de sangue e transplante de órgãos são outras formas menos frequentes de transmissão. O agente causador desta enfermidade é o Toxoplasma gondii, protozoário coccídio intracelular obrigatório. Em pequenos animais, esta infecção tem sido reportada em diversos países, promovendo manifestações clínicas variadas e incomuns, porém severas e fatais, que constituem em um desafio em diagnóstico na clínica de pequenos animais, principalmente quando no comprometimento do sistema nervoso. Desse modo, constituem no objetivo da presente revisão literária abordar a participação dos pequenos animais na disseminação da doença, os aspectos clínicos a ela relacionados, bem como discutir métodos de diagnóstico, medidas terapêuticas, de profilaxia e controle desta enfermidade.