Combination therapy of itraconazole and an acylhydrazone derivative (D13) for the treatment of sporotrichosis in cats.

Acylhydrazone (AH) derivatives represent a novel category of anti-fungal medications that exhibit potent activity against Sporothrix sp., both in vitro and in a murine model of sporotrichosis. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-fungal efficacy of the AH derivative D13 [4-bromo-N'-(3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-benzohydrazide] against both planktonic cells and biofilms formed by Sporothrix brasiliensis. In a clinical study, the effect of D13 was then tested in combination with itraconazole (ITC), with or without potassium iodide, in 10 cats with sporotrichosis refractory to the treatment of standard of care with ITC. Improvement or total clinical cure was achieved in five cases after 12 weeks of treatment. Minimal abnormal laboratory findings, e.g., elevation of alanine aminotransferase, were observed in four cats during the combination treatment and returned to normal level within a week after the treatment was ended. Although highly encouraging, a larger and randomized controlled study is required to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of this new and exciting drug combination using ITC and D13 for the treatment of feline sporotrichosis. IMPORTANCE: This paper reports the first veterinary clinical study of an acylhydrazone anti-fungal (D13) combined with itraconazole against a dimorphic fungal infection, sporotrichosis, which is highly endemic in South America in animals and humans. Overall, the results show that the combination treatment was efficacious in ~50% of the infected animals. In addition, D13 was well tolerated during the course of the study. Thus, these results warrant the continuation of the research and development of this new class of anti-fungals.

Sporothrix brasiliensis and Feline Sporotrichosis in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1998-2018).

Feline sporotrichosis is enzootic in different regions of Brazil, especially in Rio de Janeiro. This study compared the genotype profiles of Sporothrix sp. isolated from cats in Rio de Janeiro between 1998 and 2018 and evaluated their association with clinical and epidemiological characteristics. One hundred nineteen Sporothrix sp. isolates from a cohort of cats with sporotrichosis seen at INI/Fiocruz were included. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from the medical records of the animals. T3B PCR fingerprinting was used for molecular identification of the Sporothrix species. All isolates were characterized as Sporothrix brasiliensis, with the observation of low intraspecific variation in 31 isolates (31.3%). The interval between lesion onset and first medical visit at INI/Fiocruz, as well as treatment duration until clinical cure, was longer in cats from the first decade of the epizootic. In addition, the frequency of the variables "good general status" and "presence of lymphadenomegaly" was higher among cats whose strains did not exhibit intraspecific variation. So far, S. brasiliensis has been the only species identified in feline cases of sporotrichosis since the beginning of the epizootic in Rio de Janeiro at INI/Fiocruz.

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats of humans diagnosed with COVID-19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Infection by SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals has been related to close contact with humans diagnosed with COVID-19. Objectives: To assess the exposure, infection, and persistence by SARS-CoV-2 of dogs and cats living in the same households of humans that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and to investigate clinical and laboratory alterations associated with animal infection. METHODS: Animals living with COVID-19 patients were longitudinally followed and had nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal and rectal swabs collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, blood samples were collected for laboratory analysis, and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT90) to investigate specific SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. RESULTS: Between May and October 2020, 39 pets (29 dogs and 10 cats) of 21 patients were investigated. Nine dogs (31%) and four cats (40%) from 10 (47.6%) households were infected with or seropositive for SARS-CoV-2. Animals tested positive from 11 to 51 days after the human index COVID-19 case onset of symptoms. Three dogs tested positive twice within 14, 30, and 31 days apart. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were detected in one dog (3.4%) and two cats (20%). In this study, six out of thirteen animals either infected with or seropositive for SARS-CoV-2 have developed mild but reversible signs of the disease. Using logistic regression analysis, neutering, and sharing bed with the ill owner were associated with pet infection. CONCLUSIONS: The presence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been identified in dogs and cats from households with human COVID-19 cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. People with COVID-19 should avoid close contact with their pets during the time of their illness.

Avaliação da acurácia de dois glicosímetros veterinários para uso em cães / Accuracy evaluation of two veterinary glucometers for use in dogs

Os glicosímetros (GT) são estratégia importante para mensuração da glicemia. Devem estar dentro das especificações da ISO 15197:2013 e avaliados pela análise da grade de erros. Objetivou-se avaliar a acurácia de dois glicosímetros veterinários (GT1 e GT2), pela comparação dos valores de glicemia mensurados em sangue capilar, com aqueles fornecidos por métodos laboratoriais de referência em amostras plasmáticas, transformadas ou não em valores de plasma equivalente. Na avaliação de GT1 em amostras de sangue capilar e o método laboratorial hexoquinase obtiveram-se média das diferenças de 25,90 mg/dL e 26 % das amostras recaíram sobre os limites propostos pela ISO15197: 2013. A comparação de GT1 aos valores de glicemia estimados para plasma equivalente, mostrou média de diferenças de 10,89 mg/dL e 99 % das amostras atenderam aos limites pretendidos. Comparações avaliação de GT2 e o método laboratorial glicose oxidase em amostras de sangue total capilar, a média das diferenças foi 10,58 mg/dL e 22 % das amostras atenderam aos intervalos propostos pela ISO15197: 2013; quando avaliado pela glicemia estimada para plasma equivalente, a média das diferenças foi de 9,7029 mg/dL e 99% das amostras atenderam aos limites. Quando avaliados pela grade de erros de erros, 87% das amostras avaliadas por GT1 recaíram sobre as zonas de erros A e B e aquelas avaliadas por GT2 apresentaram 86% das amostras sobre tais zonas. Os glicosímetros avaliados não apresentaram a acurácia para mensuração da glicemia capilar conforme os padrões expostos pela normativa ISO 15197:2013.

The glucometers (GT) are important strategy for measuring blood glucose. They must be within the specifications of ISO 15197: 2013 and evaluated by analysis of the error grid. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of two veterinary glucometers (GT1 and GT2) by comparing the blood glucose values measured in capillary blood with those provided by reference laboratory method in plasma samples, transformed or not at equivalent plasma values. In the evaluation of GT1 in capillary blood samples and the hexokinase laboratory method, the mean differences were 25.90 mg / dL and 26% of the samples fell within the limits proposed by ISO 15197: 2013. The comparison of GT1 to the estimated plasma glucose values showed a mean difference of 10.89 mg / dL and 99% of the samples were in the desired limits. Comparisons of GT2 and laboratory glucose oxidase in capillary blood samples, mean differences were 10.58 mg / dL and 22% of the samples met the ranges proposed by ISO; 15197: 2013. When evaluated by the estimated plasma glucose, the mean differences were 9.7029 mg / dL and 99% of the samples met the limits. When evaluated by the error grid, 87% of the samples evaluated by GT1 fell on the zones of errors A and B and those evaluated by GT2 presented 86% of the samples on such zones. The glucometers evaluated did not present the accuracy to measure capillary glycaemia according to the standards set in ISO 15197: 2013.