Cattle naturally infected by Eurytrema coelomaticum: Relation between adenosine deaminase activity and zinc levels.

The enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) is critical for modulating the immune system, and in the presence of zinc, its activity is catalyzed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ADA activity in pancreas of cattle naturally infected by Eurytrema coelomaticum in relation to the results of zinc levels, pathological findings and parasite load. For this study 51 slaughtered cattle were used. The animals were divided into two groups: Group A consisting of animals naturally infected by E. coelomaticum (n=33) and Group B of uninfected animals (n=18). Blood and pancreas were collected of each animal for analysis of zinc and ADA, respectively. Infected cattle showed a reduction on seric levels of zinc, and decreased ADA activity in the pancreas (P>0.05). A positive correlation between zinc levels and ADA activity was observed. Thus, high parasite load and severity of histopathologic lesions affect the ADA activity in pancreas, as well as the zinc levels in serum of infected animals (negative correlation between these variables). Therefore, we can conclude that cattle infected by E. coelomaticum have low ADA activity in pancreas, which can be directly related to zinc reduction, responsible for ADA activation and catalyzes.

Supplementation with copper edetate in control of Haemonchus contortus of sheep, and its effect on cholinesterase's and superoxide dismutase activities.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of copper edetate on biochemical parameters, oxidative profile, cholinesterase's activities, as well as its capacity to control gastrointestinal parasites in infected sheep. Thus, Lacaune sheep (n = 18) infected by Haemonchus contortus were used and divided into three groups of six animal each: the group A was composed of untreated animals (the control group), the group B was formed by animals treated with 0.3 mg/kg of copper edetate, and the group C was composed of animals treated with 0.5 mg/kg of copper edetate. Blood collection was performed on days 0, 10, 20 and 30 after mineral supplementation and different variables were measured. Cholinergic system was evaluated to determine the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in total blood and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity in serum. Eggs per gram of feces (EPG) were evaluated. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between groups regarding total protein, albumin, globulin and urea levels, GGT activity, as well as the hematocrit, and EPG. ALT activity decreased (P < 0.05) on groups B and C on day 30 compared to the control group (the group A). AChE activity decreased (P < 0.05) in the group C on days 10 and 30 compared to the control group, such decrease (P < 0.05) was also observed for BChE activity in the group C on day 10. ROS levels increased in the group C compared to groups A and B on day 10, while the SOD activity increased in the group C on days 20 and 30 compared to the control group (P < 0.05). CAT activity did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). In summary, the copper edetate was not efficient to control gastrointestinal parasites, but efficiently activated SOD, an important antioxidant enzyme. In addition, copper edetate was able to partially inhibit cholinesterase's activities when supplementated at its highest dose.

Experimental infection by Trypanosoma evansi in sheep: Occurrence of transplacental transmission and mice infection by parasite present in the colostrum and milk of infected ewes.

The aims of this study were to evaluate vertical transmission of Trypanosoma evansi in sheep experimentally infected, in addition to the mammary transmission by colostrum or milk of these infected sheep to mice. Three pregnant sheep were used: one uninfected, four months pregnant (Sheep A); and two (Sheep B and C) infected intravenously by T. evansi trypomastigotes (4.6×10(6) per animal) on the third (Sheep C) and fourth (Sheep B) month of pregnancy. Both infected sheep developed low and oscillating parasitemia measured by blood smears. Hemogram was performed at seven day intervals, showing anemia, leukocytosis, and lymphocytosis on sheep B and C. Three sheep had twins, where sheep A delivered healthy lambs and both infected sheep had delivered at least one stillborn. Additionally, lambs from sheep B and C died 24 and 72 h post-partum, respectively. Before colostrum intake, four lambs from infected sheep were positives for T. evansi according to blood smear evaluation, serology (CATT/T. evansi), and PCR. Sheep colostrum and milk samples collected from the first four days post-partum were positives for T. evansi on PCR, and these samples were able to infect seven mice (out of 10) orally (n=4/5) and intraperitoneally (n=3/5). Therefore, we conclude that the vertical transmission of T. evansi occurs in pregnant sheep, in addition to a strong possibility of the transmission by colostrum and milk.

Antibodies to Leptospira interrogans in goats and risk factors of the disease in Santa Catarina (West side), Brazil.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira spp. In goats, the productive impact of leptospirosis is not well known and totally unknown in Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil. This study aimed to investigate leptospirosis seroprevalence and its risk factors in goats in the west side of SC. A total of 654 blood samples were analyzed using the microscopic agglutination technique and 35.47% (232) of the animals were seropositives. Except for serogroup Autumnalis, positive samples for all other serogroups were found as follows: Sejroe (Hardjo, Wolffi), Grippotyphosa (Grippotyphosa), Canicola (Canicola), Icterohaemorrhagiae (Icterohaemorrhagiae, Copenhageni), Australis (Australis, Bratislava) and Pomona (Pomona). The contact among sheep and goats, and the addition of concentrate as food supplement were found to be risk factors for leptospirosis. Based on these results, we conclude that there is a high occurrence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in goats in the Western part of Santa Catarina State.