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A criptococose é uma doença infecciosa sistêmica de origem fúngica, causada pelas espécies: Cryptococcus neoformans e Cryptococcus gattii. É considerada uma micose oportunista capaz de infectar mamíferos domésticos, animais silvestres e seres humanos, sendo classificada como uma doença zoonótica. Esse patógeno é encontrado principalmente em ambientes contaminados por fezes de pombos (Columba livia), que atuam como importantes fontes de infecção do fungo. De acordo com sua disseminação para os tecidos do organismo, a doença pode causar diferentes síndromes tanto em seres humanos como em animais síndrome respiratória, síndrome neurológica, síndrome ocular e síndrome cutânea. O diagnóstico pode ser realizado através da pesquisa de antígeno polissacarídeo circulante no soro ou líquor, por meio da prova de látex. Testes imunoenzimáticos (ELISA) também podem ser realizados para detecção de antígenos dessa levedura. Exame citológico, histopatológico e cultura fúngica para a identificação do agente tornam o diagnóstico da criptococose mais fácil. O tratamento é baseado no uso de antifúngicos e sua escolha é realizada através da avaliação dos sinais clínicos observados. Diante do exposto, o objetivo deste trabalho é relatar um caso de criptococose respiratória e cutânea em felino doméstico de vida livre da cidade de Sobral/CE.

Cryptococcosis is a systemic infectious disease of fungal origin caused by the species: Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. It is considered an opportunistic mycosis capable of infecting domestic mammals, wild animals, and humans, being classified as a zoonotic disease. This pathogen is mainly found mainly in environments contaminated by pigeon (Columba livia) feces, which act as important sources of fungal infection. According to its spread to the body's tissues, the disease can cause different syndromes in both humans and animals: respiratory syndrome, neurological syndrome, ocular syndrome, and cutaneous syndrome. The diagnosis can be made through the investigation of circulating polysaccharide antigen in serum or cerebrospinal fluid using the latex test. Immunoenzymatic tests (ELISA) can also be performed to detect yeast antigens. Cytological examination, histopathological examination, and fungal culture to identify the agent make the diagnosis of cryptococcosis easier. The treatment is based on the use of antifungals, and its choice is made through the evaluation of the observed clinical signs. In this context, this work aims to report a case of respiratory and cutaneous cryptococcosis in a free-range domestic cat in the city of Sobral/CE.

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The bacterial pathogen most commonly associated with endemic forms of childhood diarrhoea is Escherichia coli. Studies of epidemiological characteristics of HEp-2 cell-adherent E. coli in diarrhoeal disease are required, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was evaluate the presence and significance of adherent Escherichia coli from diarrhoeal disease in children. The prevalence of LA, AA, and DA adherence patterns were determined in HEp-2 cells, the presence of virulence genes and the presence of the O serogroups in samples obtained from 470 children with acute diarrhoea and 407 controls in Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil. E. coli isolates were identified by PCR specific for groups of adherent E. coli. Out of 1,156 isolates obtained, 128 (11.0%) were positive for eae genes corresponding to EPEC, however only 38 (29.6%) of these amplified bfpA gene. EAEC were isolated from 164 (14.1%) samples; of those 41(25%), 32 (19%) and 16 (9.7%) amplified eagg, aggA or aafA genes, respectively and aggA was significantly associated with diarrhoea (P = 0.00006). DAEC identified by their adhesion pattern and there were few isolates. In conclusion, EAEC was the main cause of diarrhoea in children, especially when the aggA gene was present, followed by EPEC and with a negligible presence of DAEC.

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Background: Newcastle disease (ND), caused by avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1), also known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is regarded as one of the two most devastating diseases of poultry with the characteristics of serious disease and high flock mortality. It causes severe economic losses in domestic poultry, especially in chickens. At present, there were no effective drugs to treat this disease and the main method to control ND was vaccination. Moreover, new strains of virus resistant to chemotherapy continue to emerge, so does the need for a safe and effective vaccine. The immune adjuvant can make vaccine generate a strong immune response providing long-term protection against infection. With commonly usage of some immune adjuvants (e.g. mineral oil and aluminium hydroxide), many problems were occurred, such as side effects, strong local stimulation and carcinogenesis, together with complicated preparation, or failure to increase immunogenicity of weak antigen and so on. Botanical polysaccharides, as a new type of adjuvant or immunopotentiator, had become the hot research area because of their less side effects and no toxicity. The purpose of this research was to observe whether Chuanminshen violaceum polysaccharide (CVPS) possessed synergistical immunoenhancement, and offer the theoretical evidence for developing potential new-type adjuvant. Materials, Methods &a

Background: Newcastle disease (ND), caused by avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1), also known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is regarded as one of the two most devastating diseases of poultry with the characteristics of serious disease and high flock mortality. It causes severe economic losses in domestic poultry, especially in chickens. At present, there were no effective drugs to treat this disease and the main method to control ND was vaccination. Moreover, new strains of virus resistant to chemotherapy continue to emerge, so does the need for a safe and effective vaccine. The immune adjuvant can make vaccine generate a strong immune response providing long-term protection against infection. With commonly usage of some immune adjuvants (e.g. mineral oil and aluminium hydroxide), many problems were occurred, such as side effects, strong local stimulation and carcinogenesis, together with complicated preparation, or failure to increase immunogenicity of weak antigen and so on. Botanical polysaccharides, as a new type of adjuvant or immunopotentiator, had become the hot research area because of their less side effects and no toxicity. The purpose of this research was to observe whether Chuanminshen violaceum polysaccharide (CVPS) possessed synergistical immunoenhancement, and offer the theoretical evidence for developing potential new-type adjuvant. Materials, Methods &a

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A osteomielite vertebral é uma doença emergente na avicultura mundial, caracterizada por imobilidade e mortalidade de frangos e matrizes de corte devido ao processo infeccioso na quarta vértebra torácica (T4). Assim, objetivou-se desenvolver um modelo experimental induzidopelo estresse entéricopara o melhor entendimento da patogênese de osteomielite vertebral, além de investigar o papel do estresse entérico na permeabilidade intestinal e translocação bacteriana para fígado, baço e coluna vertebral de frangos de corte. As cepas de Enterococcus cecorum(11 TXs e 11 TXb) que apresentavam os fatores de virulência: polissacarídeo capsular I e II, antígeno de polissacarídeo enterocócico M e P, proteína lipoato sintase e proteína de superfície LPTXG3 foram inoculadas após estresse entérico induzido pela utilização de dexametasona por sete dias na ração (DEX), grãos secos de destilaria com solúveis- DDGS (30%) na dieta e a restrição alimentar (RA) de 24 horas. Os achados macroscópicos de lesões responsáveis pela claudicação afetaram 19,37% (186/960) das aves submetidas ao estresse entérico e 9,06% (87/960) apresentaram osteomielite vertebral. O grupo que apresentou inflamação entérica induzida porDDGS na dieta apresentou aumento (p<0,05)na ocorrência de osteomielite vertebral e claudicação.A permeabilidade intestinal, avaliada pelos níveis séricos de FITC-d, aumentou(p<0,05) significativamentenos tratamentosDEX aos 16, 23 e 30 dias de idade e RA aos 30 dias de idade. Após inoculação de E. cecorum, houve aumento (p<0,05) da contagem de bactérias microaerófilas no fígado e baço no grupo DEX aos 20 dias. Da mesma forma, foi verificado um aumento dessas bactérias na T4 no grupo RA aos 27 dias de idade e no grupo DEX aos 34 dias.Por meio de isolamento bacteriano, identificou-se uma diversidade de bactérias como espécies de Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, bem como Escherichia colina T4, sugerindo que outros agentes microbianos, além de E. cecorum, podem estar envolvidos nas lesões de osteomielite vertebral.Portanto, o modelo de reprodução experimental de osteomielite vertebral induzido pelo estresse entérico em frangos de corte possibilita o estudo de lesões da osteomielite vertebral, o que favorece sua utilização na pesquisa aplicada de estratégias preventivas e terapêuticas para essa doença. Além disso, conclui-se que o estresse entérico aumenta a permeabilidade intestinal e propicia a translocação de bactérias oportunistas para o fígado, baço e coluna vertebral de frangos de corte podendo levar o desenvolvimento de osteomielite vertebral em frangos de corte.

Vertebral osteomyelitis is an emerging disease in the world poultry industry, characterized by immobility and mortality of broilers andbreeders chicken due to the infectious process in the fourth thoracic vertebra (T4). The aim of this study was to develop an experimental model induced by enteric stress to better understand the pathogenesis of vertebral osteomyelitis, as well as to investigate the role of enteric stress in intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation to liver, spleen and vertebral column of broiler chickens. Enterococcus cecorum strains (11 TXs and 11 TXb) that presented the virulence genes virulence factors: capsular polysaccharide I and II, enterococcal polysaccharide antigen M and P, protein lipoate synthase and surface protein LPTXG3 were inoculated after enteric stress induced by the use of dexamethasone for seven days in the diet (DEX), dried distilled grain with solubles - DDGS (30%) in the diet and the 24-hour food restriction (RA). The macroscopic findings of lesions responsible for claudication affected 19.37% (186/960) of the birds submitted to enteric stress and 9.06% (87/960) had vertebral osteomyelitis.The group that presented enteric inflammation induced by DDGS in the diet had an increase (p<0.05) in the incidence of vertebral osteomyelitis and lameness. The intestinal permeability, as assessed by serum FITC-d levels, increased (p<0.05) inDEX at 16, 23 e 30 days of age and RA at30 days of age. After inoculation of E. cecorum, there was an increase (p<0.05) in microaerophilic bacteria in the liver and spleen in the DEX group at 20 days.Likewise, an increase of these bacteria was observed in T4 in the RA group at 27 days of age and in the DEX group at 34 days.Bacterial isolation identified a diversity of bacteria as species of Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, as well as Escherichia coli in T4,suggesting that other microbial agents besides E. cecorum may be involved in vertebral osteomyelitis lesions. Therefore, the experimental reproduction model of vertebral osteomyelitis induced by enteric stress in broilers makes it possible to study vertebral osteomyelitis lesions, which favors its use in the applied research of preventive and therapeutic strategies for this disease. In addition, it is concluded that enteric stress increases intestinal permeability and promotes the translocation of opportunistic bacteria to the liver, spleen and spine of broiler chickens, which may lead to the development of vertebral osteomyelitis in broilers.

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Background: Newcastle disease (ND), caused by avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1), also known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is regarded as one of the two most devastating diseases of poultry with the characteristics of serious disease and high flock mortality. It causes severe economic losses in domestic poultry, especially in chickens. At present, there were no effective drugs to treat this disease and the main method to control ND was vaccination. Moreover, new strains of virus resistant to chemotherapy continue to emerge, so does the need for a safe and effective vaccine. The immune adjuvant can make vaccine generate a strong immune response providing long-term protection against infection. With commonly usage of some immune adjuvants (e.g. mineral oil and aluminium hydroxide), many problems were occurred, such as side effects, strong local stimulation and carcinogenesis, together with complicated preparation, or failure to increase immunogenicity of weak antigen and so on. Botanical polysaccharides, as a new type of adjuvant or immunopotentiator, had become the hot research area because of their less side effects and no toxicity. The purpose of this research was to observe whether Chuanminshen violaceum polysaccharide (CVPS) possessed synergistical immunoenhancement, and offer the theoretical evidence for developing potential new-type adjuvant. Materials, Methods & Results: 200 three-yellow chickens at one day of age were randomly divided into four groups and reared in separated pens. On 7 days old, the average maternal serum hemaglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titer was less than 3 log2, all chickens of each group (the average body weight (BW) was 120 g) were vaccinated with ND live vaccine through nasal drip and eye-drop. At the same time, the chickens in three CVPS groups (high, medium and low doses of CVPS) were orally administered with 0.5 mL of CVPS at concentrations of 100 mg/kg BW, 50 mg/kg BW, 25 mg/kg BW respectively, once a day for fi ve successive day, in negative control group (NC), with 0.5 mL of physiological saline, once a day for fi ve successive day. On days 14, 21 and 28, the serum antibody titer, erythrocyte-C3b receptor rosette rate (E-C3bRR), erythrocyte-C3b immune complex rosette rate (E-ICRR), peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and peripheral CD4+/CD8+ ratio were measured. The results showed that the antibody titer, E-C3bRR, elimination rate of immune complex and peripheral lymphocyte proliferation in three CVPS groups and peripheral CD4+/CD8+ ratio in medium dosage of CVPS group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in control group throughout the process of whole experiment almost. Discussion: The CVPS not only improved the E-C3bRR and accelerated the elimination rate of CIC, but also induced higher antibody titer, peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and peripheral CD4+ /CD8+ ratio in chickens vaccinated against ND live vaccine. This indicated that CVPS possessed immune-enhancement efficacy of ND live vaccine and might be expected as a candidate of new-type adjuvant.

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A aspergilose é uma doença infecciosa não contagiosa causada por fungos do gênero Aspergillus, especialmente aqueles pertencentes à secção Fumigati e já foi descrita em diversas espécies, dentre elas os pinguins. As altas taxas de mortalidade atribuídas a esta doença, são decorrentes especialmente da dificuldade de realização de um diagnóstico precoce. Técnicas diagnósticas diretas para detecção do antígeno fúngico galactomanana (GM) em amostras clínicas têm sido utilizadas de modo crescente para o diagnóstico de aspergilose invasiva (AI) em humanos. A GM constitui-se de um polissacarídeo presente na parede celular de fungos do gênero Aspergillus. Embora sua aplicabilidade já esteja estabelecida para o diagnóstico precoce da AI em humanos, uma única testagem sérica por ELISA sanduíche a partir do kit comercial Platelia® Aspergillus EIA, deve ser interpretada com cautela, pois a técnica apresenta algumas limitações. Em animais sua aplicabilidade ainda não é bem elucidada. Com isso, o estudo objetivou avaliar a eficácia do teste Platelia EIA® Aspergillus para diagnóstico da aspergilose em pinguins e a influência da contaminação ambiental nos resultados do mesmo. Foram incluídas no estudo diagnóstico, amostras séricas de 29 pinguins de Magalhães que vieram a óbito por aspergilose (grupo caso) e 23 hígidos (grupo controle), as quais foram testadas a partir do kit para ensaio imunoenzimático tipo sanduíche em microplaca (Platelia Aspergillus EIA®, Bio-Rad) conforme as instruções do fabricante. Para o experimento de interferência ambiental foram utilizados 12 isolados de A. fumigatus da micoteca do Laboratório de Micologia da Faculdade de Medicina da FURG/FAMED incluindo cepas padrão, isolados clínicos de pinguins, humanos e isolados ambientais. Foram utilizadas para padronização do inoculo etapa de filtração, sedimentação, Pour-plate e espectrofotometria de acordo com CLSI, 2008. A detecção de GM foi realizada em três diluições sucessivas dos inoculos seguindo instruções do fabricante. Ao final foi calculado o índice de GM dividindo o valor da média da DO da duplicata da amostra (clínica ou da cepa testada) pelo valor da média da DO da duplicata da amostra de cut-off fornecida pelo kit. O índice de GM sérica não diferiu entre os animais do grupo caso e controle (pKW=0,097). A partir dos valores determinados pelas coordenadas da curva ROC, quatro diferentes pontos de corte (0,5, 1,0, 1,5 e 2,0) foram analisados, resultando em taxas de sensibilidade variando de 86,2% a 34,5%, e de especificidade entre 87% e 26,1%. Já na avaliação da interferência ambiental, a menor concentração de propágulos fúngicos de Aspergillus fumigatus capaz de gerar um resultado positivo foi de 480 conidios, sendo a concentração mediana de 4,8x103. Conclui-se que a detecção sérica de GM pelo teste Platelia Aspergillus EIA® não parece ser útil para o diagnóstico da aspergilose em pinguins naturalmente infectados, resultando em muitos falso-positivos. E, em relação a quantidade de conídios de A. fumigatus necessária para determinar resultado falso-positivo no teste de detecção de GM, evidenciou-se que há necessidade de uma maciça contaminação ambiental, por no mínimo 500 conídios, para que haja interferência no Platelia Aspergillus EIA®.

Aspergillosis is a non-contagious infectious disease caused by fungi of the genus Aspergillus, especially those belonging to the Fumigati section and has been describe in several species, among them penguins. The high mortality rates attributed to this disease are due in particular to the difficulty of performing an early diagnosis. Direct diagnostic techniques for the detection of galactomannan (GM) fungal antigen in clinical samples have been increase used for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (AI) in humans. GM is a polysaccharide present in the cell wall of fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Although its applicability from the demonstration of circulating GM kinetics is already establish for the early diagnosis of AI in humans, a single serum test by Platelia® Aspergillus EIA should be interpreted with caution, since the technique has some limitations. In animals, its applicability is still not well understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Platelia EIA® Aspergillus test for the diagnosis of aspergillosis in penguins and the influence of environmental contamination on the results. Serological samples of 29 Magellanic penguins that died of aspergillosis (case group) and 23 healthy (control group) were included in the diagnostic study, which were tested from the micro plate sandwich immunoenzymatic assay kit (Platelia Aspergillus EIA ®, Bio-Rad) according to the manufacturer's instructions. For the environmental interference experiment, 12 isolates of A. fumigatus from the mycology laboratory of the FURG / FAMED School of Medicine including standard strains, clinical isolates of penguins, humans and environmental isolates were use. The filtration, sedimentation, Pour-plate and spectrophotometry steps was use to standardize the inoculum according to CLSI, 2008. GM detection was performing on three successive dilutions of the inoculums following the manufacturer's instructions. At the end, the GM index was calculated by dividing the mean OD value of the sample duplicate (clinical or strain tested) by the mean OD value of the duplicate cut-off sample provided by the kit. The serum GM index did not differ between the animals in the control and the case group (pKW = 0.097). From the values determined by the coordinates of the ROC curve, four different cutoff points (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) were analyzed, resulting in sensitivity rates ranging from 86.2% to 34, 5%, and specificity between 87% and 26.1%. In the evaluation of environmental interference, the lowest concentration of fungal propagates of Aspergillus fumigatus capable of generating a positive result was 480 conidia, with a median concentration of 4.8x103. It is conclude that the serum detection of GM by the Platelia Aspergillus EIA® test does not seem to be useful for the diagnosis of aspergillosis in naturally infected penguins, resulting in many false positives. And, in relation to the amount of A. fumigatus conidia required to determine false-positive results in the GM detection test for AI diagnosis, it was shown that the degree of environmental contamination capable of causing interference in the Platelia Aspergillus EIA® test Be robust, of about 500 conidia.

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Este trabalho teve como objetivo padronizar e avaliar a técnica dot blotting para o diagnóstico sorológico da brucelose bovina, comparar os resultados com os encontrados nos testes de antígeno acidificado tamponado (AAT), 2-mercaptoetanol (2-ME) e fixação de complemento (RFC), além de estimar a sensibilidade e a especificidade relativa do dot blotting em comparação com os testes de diagnóstico oficiais. Para tanto, utilizaram-se 50 amostras de soro sanguíneo bovino para padronização do teste, e foram avaliados dois antígenos: Brucella abortus B19 obtida a partir da vacina ANABORTINA® B19 Merial, após processo de ruptura do microrganismo, e extrato polissacarídico obtido de amostra de Brucella abortus S99 pelo método água quente - fenol quente. Ao final da padronização foi estabelecida como ideal para a técnica a utilização de membrana de nitrocelulose no formato de círculo, o antígeno obtido da Brucella abortus após passar por um processo de ruptura do microrganismo, como suporte a placa de cultivo celular de 24 poços e fundo chato, a diluição do soro de 1:100 e do conjugado de 1:30.000, além de 3 lavagens por etapa. A avaliação e a comparação da sensibilidade e especificidade relativa aos testes de AAT, 2-ME e RFC foram feitas utilizando 1.315 amostras, sendo estes resultados comparados por meio do indicador Kappa. A comparação dos resultados do dot blotting com o AAT mostrou índice Kappa de 0,9081 (IC95%: 0,8542 - 0,9621), sensibilidade 88% (IC95%: 83,75% - 92,25%) e especificidade 99,45% (IC95%: 98,8% - 99,75%); com o 2-ME, índice Kappa de 0,9939 (IC95%: 0,939 - 1,0484), sensibilidade 99,48% (IC95%: 97,11% - 99,91%) e especificidade 99,91% (IC95%: 99,49% - 99,989%); com a RFC, índice Kappa de 0,8226 (IC95%: 0,7690 - 0,8761), sensibilidade 100% (IC95%: 97,42% - 100,0%) e especificidade 95,40% (IC95%: 94,03% - 96,47%). Usando a combinação dos resultados do 2-ME e da RFC para estabelecer a condição verdadeira do animal, o dot blotting apresentou sensibilidade relativa de 100% (IC95%: 97,25% - 100,00%), e especificidade relativa de 99,91% (IC95%: 99,48% - 99,98%). O teste avaliado mostrou-se eficaz e confiável, além de fácil manipulação e interpretação dos resultados.

This study aimed to standardize and evaluate the dot blotting technique for the serologic diagnosis of bovine brucellosis, compare the results with those found in the Bengal test (AAT), 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and complement fixation (CF) and also estimate the relative sensitivity and specificity of dot blotting in comparison with the official diagnostic tests. In order to do this, 50 samples of bovine blood serum were used for test standardization, and two antigens were evaluated: Brucella abortus B19 bacteria obtained from ANABORTINA® B19 vaccine - Merial, after the rupture process of the microorganism, and a polysaccharide extract obtained from a sample of Brucella abortus S99 by the hot water method - hot phenol. At the end of standardization, the use of nitrocellulose membrane in a circle format was established as ideal for the technique, the antigen obtained from B. abortus bacteria after going through the rupture process of the microorganism, as a support a cell culture plate with 24 flat bottom wells was used, a dilution serum of 1:100 and the conjugate of 1:30,000, and washing 3 times per step. The evaluation and comparison of relative sensitivity and specificity with the AAT, 2-ME and CF tests was done using 1,315 samples, and these results were compared using the Kappa indicator. The comparison between the results of dot blotting and the AAT showed a Kappa index of 0.9081 (IC95%: 0.8542 0.9621), sensitivity of 88% (IC95%: 83.75% - 92.25%) and specificity of 99.45% (IC95%: 98.8% - 99.75%); 2-ME test, Kappa index of 0.9939 (IC95%: 0.939 1.0484), sensitivity of 99.48% (IC95%: 97.11% - 99.91%) and specificity of 99.91% (IC95%: 99.49% - 99.989%); complement fixation test, Kappa index of 0.8226 (IC95%: 0.7690 0.8761), sensitivity of 100% (IC95%: 97.42% - 100%) and specificity of 95.40% (IC95%: 94.03% - 96.47%). Using the combination of the results of 2-ME and RFC to establish the true condition of the animal, the "dot blotting" showed a relative sensitivity of 100% (IC95%: 97.25% - 100%), and a specificity of 99.91% (IC95%: 99.48% - 99.98%). The assessed test proved itself to be effective and reliable, as well as being easy to handle and interpret the results.

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Meningococcal disease is an important cause of death and morbidity throughout the world. Nearly 330,000 cases and 35,000 deaths occur yearly. Neisseria meningitidis, serogroup B strain N.44/89, is prevalent in Brazil. Its outer membrane vesicles (OMV) with iron regulated proteins (IRP) are released to the culture medium and are used as antigen for vaccine production. In order to have knowledge about the kinetic parameters, especially the final OMV concentration values, 20-h batch cultivations were carried out in Catlin medium with iron restriction. Process conditions comprised: 7 L bioreactor, 36°C, 0.5 atm, overlay air flowrate of 1 L/min, agitation varying from 250 rpm to 850 rpm and dissolved oxygen control set at 10 percent of saturation condition. Biomass was determined by optical density at 540 nm and dry weight. Glycerol, lactate, pH and dissolved oxygen were measured from samples taken during cultivation. Outer membrane vesicle (OMV) concentration was determined by Lowry's method after ultracentrifugation. IRP presence was verified by SDS-PAGE. Highest biomass value, corresponding to the highest initial lactate concentration (7.84 g/L) was achieved at the 9th hour process time corresponding to 1.0 g/L dry biomass and 2.3 optical density at 540 nm. Lactate consumption was directly related to cell growth (yield factor: 0.24 g dry biomass / g lactate). Glycerol concentration in the medium did not change significantly during the process. OMV concentration reached the highest value of 80 mg/L at end cultivation time. The obtained results suggest that lactate is a main limiting growth factor and the maximum amount of antigen is obtained during stationary growth and cell death phases.

A doença meningocócica é uma causa importante de morte a nível mundial. Aproximadamente 330.000 casos e 35.000 mortes ocorrem anualmente. A cepa N.44/89 do sorogrupo B de Neisseria meningitidis é prevalente no Brasil. Suas vesículas de membrana externa (OMV - "outer membrane vesicles"), com proteínas reguladoras de ferro (IRP - "iron regulated proteins") liberadas no meio de cultura, são empregadas como antígeno para a produção da vacina. A fim ter o conhecimento sobre os parâmetros cinéticos, especialmente os valores finais da concentração de OMV, cultivos batelada de 20 hs foram realizados no meio de Catlin com limitação do ferro. As condições de processo compreenderam: biorreator de 7 litros, 36°C, 0,5 atm, vazão de ar de 1 L/min, agitação variando entre 250 a 850 rpm, controle do oxigênio dissolvido em 10 por cento da condição de saturação. A biomassa foi determinada pela densidade ótica em 540 nm e peso seco. Glicerol, lactato, pH e oxigênio dissolvido foram medidos das amostras retiradas durante o cultivo. A concentração de OMV foi determinada pelo método de Lowry após ultracentrifugação. A presença de IRP foi verificada por SDS-PAGE. O valor mais elevado de biomassa, correspondendo à concentração inicial mais elevada de lactato (7,84 g/L) foi obtido no tempo de processo de 9 horas, o qual corresponde a biomassa seca de 1,0 g/L e a densidade ótica de 2,3 em 540 nm. O consumo de lactato. foi relacionado diretamente ao crescimento celular (fator de conversão de 0,24 biomassa por lactato g/g). A concentração do glicerol no meio não se alterou significativamente ao longo do processo. A concentração de OMV alcançou o valor mais elevado de 80 mg/L no tempo final de cultivo. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o lactato é o principal fator limitante do crescimento e o máximo do antígeno é obtido durante a fase estacionária de crescimento e de morte celular.

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In the first chapter of the paper a review is made of the literature concerning the immunology of the more important deep mycosis. Types of antigens, immunological reactions used, cross reactions observed and the results supplied by the immunological study are described. In this way, a review of the literature about Coccidioidomycosis, Histoplasmosis, North American Blastomycosis and South American Blastomycosis is made. Regarding the South American Blastomycosis, suggestions are made to achieve a better knowledge on the immunology of this disease. In chapter two, the material and methods used in complement fixation and precipitin reactions are described. In this chapter, some findings about the antigen are included. First, a table (table I) with data regarding 22 batches of antigen prepared up to 1959 are presented. The data refer to the strains of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the days of culturing and the optimal fixing capacity of the antigens with 3 and 6 units (50% hemolysis) of complement. An experiment on preservation of the antigen is recorded. It can be kept in the ice-box under sterile conditions without preservative for a period of time as long as three years. Under these conditions there is no modification in the properties of the antigen. In this chapter it is also reported an experiment about immunization of rabbits using as antigen the polysaccharide and a sus

Numerosos pesquisadores têm dedicado seus esforços ao estudoimunológico das mícoses profundas. Procuraremos fazer revisãolimitada da literatura pertinente ao assunto, para justificarmosnossos estudos na blastomicose de Lutz.

Resumo

Polysaccharide of N. meningitidis serogroup C constitutes the antigen for the vaccine against meningitis. The goal of this work was to compare three cultivation media for production of this polysaccharide: Frantz, modified Frantz medium (with replacement of glucose by glycerol), and Catlin 6 (a synthetic medium with glucose). The comparative criteria were based on the final polysaccharide concentrations and the yield coefficient cell/polysaccharide (Y P/X). The kinetic parameters: pH, substrate consumption and cell growth were also determined. For this purpose, 9 cultivation runs were carried out in a 80 L New Brunswick bioreactor, under the following conditions: 42 L of culture medium, temperature 35°C, air flow 5 L/min, agitation frequency 120 rpm and vessel pressure 6 psi, without dissolved oxygen or pH controls. The cultivation runs were divided in three groups, with 3 repetitions each. The cultivation using the Frantz medium presented the best results: average of final polysaccharide concentration = 0.134 g/L and Y P/X=0.121, followed by Catlin 6 medium, with results of 0.095 g/L and 0.067 respectively. Considering the principal advantages in the use of the synthetic medium, i.e. facilitation of a cultivation and purification steps of the polysaccharide production process, there is a possibility that in the near future, Catlin 6 will replace the traditional Frantz medium.

Resumo

Capsular polysaccharide, extracted from microorganism cultivations, is the principal antigen for elaboration of vaccine against the disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C. The final protein content allowed in this vaccine is 1 (per cent). In order to find a relationship between nitrogen consumption and cell growth, including polysaccharide production, and cell nitrogen content, cultivations were carried out in an 80 liters bioreactor (total capacity), under the following conditions: Frantz medium; temperature of 35ºC; air flow of 5L/min (0.125vvm); agitation frequency of 120 rpm and vessel pressure of 6 psi (k(L)a=0.07min(-1).Concentrations of biomass, total polysaccharide, cellular nitrogen, residual organic and inorganic nitrogen in the medium were measured during cultivation. From five cultivations carried out under the same conditions, a mean cell nitrogen percentage of 12.6(per cent)(w/w) in respect to the dry biomass was found. The inorganic nitrogen in the medium did not change significantly along the cultivation time, whereas the organic nitrogen consuption was linearly related to cell growth, with constant yeield factors (average of 8.44). Polysaccharide production kinetics followed the cell growth kinetics until the beginning of the stationary growth phase. A supplemental polysaccharide production was observed until the end of cultivation, but without cell nitrogen absorption. Thus, the results indicate that polysaccharide is produced in two phases, being the first one biomass formation followed by non-associated to growth. /

Resumo

Vacinação tem sido uma prática comum para prevenir ou minimizar os sintomas de doenças causadas por agentes infecciosos. Vacinas têm sido desenvolvidas utilizando-se microrganismos atenuados ou inativados. Recentemente peptídeos sintéticos e proteínas recombinantes constituem a base da nova geração de vacinas. Entretanto, ainda há necessidade de associação destes antíg¬enos a adjuvantes para potencializar seu efeito imunológico. Embora várias substâncias tenham sido avaliadas para sua utilização em vacinas de uso veterinário, a produção de vacinas continua atrelada à utilização dos sais de alumínio ou de emulsões oleosas. O polissacarídeo produzido pela bactéria Xanthomonas sp. é uma nova alternativa para utilização como adjuvante vacinal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a ação adjuvante da Xantana na resposta humoral de camundongos a uma vacina de herpes suíno tipo 1 (SuHV-1). Os animais foram divididos em cinco grupos, utilizando adjuvantes diferentes para cada grupo. Os títulos de anticorpos foram determinados por ELISA, utilizando como antígeno a respectiva cepa vacinal. O adjuvante à base de Xantana apresentou a maior soroconversão dentre os adjuvantes todos adjuvantes testados. Este efeito foi mais pro¬nunciado quando a via subcutânea foi utilizada. Baseado nos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que o polissacarídeo produzido pela bactéria Xanthomonas sp. possui ação adjuvante superior ou igual aos adjuvantes utilizados em vacinas comerciais

Vaccination has been a common practice to prevent or minimize the symptoms of diseases caused by infectious agents. Vaccines have been developed using an attenuated or inactivated microorganisms. Recently, synthetic peptides and recombinant proteins form the basis of the new generation of vaccines. However, there is need the association of these antigens wich adjuvants to increase its immunological effect. Although several substances have been evaluated for use in vaccines for veterinary use the production of vaccine remains tied to the use of aluminum salts or oily emulsions. The polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas sp. is a new alternative for use as an adjuvant vaccine. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant xanthan in humoral response of mice to a vaccine for pig herpes type 1 (SuHV-1). The animals were divided into five groups, using different adjuvants for each group. The titles of antibodies were determined by ELISA, using as antigen the vaccine strain. The adjuvant-based xanthan had the highest seroconversion among all tested adjuvants. This effect was more pronounced when subcutaneous via was used. Based on the results, we conclude that the adjuvant action of the polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas sp. has greater than or equal to the adjuvant used in commercial vaccines