Clemastine/tamoxifen hybrids as easily accessible antileishmanial drug leads.

A library of hybrid molecules is developed based on the common chemical features shared by clemastine and tamoxifen both of which are well known for their antileishmanial activities. In the initial screening against Leishmania major and L. amazonensis promastigotes, as well as cytotoxicity assays using HepG2 cells, several hybrids showed submicromolar activity against the parasite and no toxicity against human cells. The compounds with an EC50 < 2 µM against promastigotes of both species and a selectivity index >10 were further characterized against intracellular amastigotes as well as promastigotes of species that cause both visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, such as L. infantum and L. braziliensis, respectively. These sequential screenings revealed the high pan-activity of this class of molecules against these species, with several compounds displaying an EC50 ≤ 2 µM against both promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Two of them were identified as the potential templates for lead optimization of this series having shown the highest activities against all species in both stages of parasite. The present findings can serve as a good starting point in the search for novel antileishmanial compounds that are easy to access and highly active.

Identification of equine herpesvirus type 1 as cause of abortion in mares in Southern Brazil / Identificação do herpesvirus equino tipo 1 como causa de abortos em éguas no sul do Brasil

Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo dos casos suspeitos de aborto por herpesvírus equino observados na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul entre 1978 e 2016. Foram revisados os protocolos de necropsia do Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas resgatando-se os dados epidemiológicos, lesões macroscópicas e histológicas de cada caso. Foram observados dois surtos da enfermidade com prevalência entre 5,7% e 50% nos diferentes estabelecimentos, e dois casos individuais. Em todos os casos foram enviados fragmentos de órgãos fetais formolizados. Histologicamente, em todos os casos foram observados focos de necrose no fígado, pulmão e baço e presença de corpúsculos de inclusão acidofílico em hepatócitos, células epiteliais pulmonares e leucócitos. A imuno-histoquímica utilizando anticorpo policlonal comercial para herpesvirus equino-1 (EHV-1) revelou marcação positiva em todos os casos. Além disso, foi extraído DNA dos tecidos emblocados em parafina dos casos e submetidos à técnica de nested-PCR seguida de sequenciamento genômico dos amplicons em duas amostras. Estes achados indicam, que EHV-1 deve ser considerado como diagnóstico diferencial em casos de aborto em equinos no sul do Rio Grande do Sul.(AU)

Mesenteric lymph node granulomatous lesions in naturally infected wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Portugal--Histological, immunohistochemical and molecular aspects.

Several studies have demonstrated that wildlife reservoirs of mycobacteria are responsible for the maintenance and spreading of the infection to livestock and wildlife counterparts. Recent data report the role of wild boar (Sus scrofa) as a reservoir for Mycobacterium bovis. This study was conducted to evaluate the chronic inflammatory response in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of wild boar with granulomatous lymphadenitis (n=30). Morphological parameters of the lesions were recorded. The expression of CD3 and CD79α molecules was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Molecular genotyping and culture to identify mycobacteria were performed. The lesions consisted mainly of stage III and stage IV granulomas. CD3 and CD79α positive cells were observed in 15 (50%) and in 11 (36.6%) MLN, respectively. In these lesions, higher percentages of T lymphocytes were found and a limited number of animals exhibited a tendency for an increased percentage of B lymphocytes. Our results suggest that there are similar percentages and distribution patterns of CD3 and CD79α in the lesions, regardless of the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), M. bovis or Map-M. bovis co-infection, and confirm that wild boar is both susceptible and could be an important Map and M. bovis wild reservoir in the study area.

Diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium complex in granulomatous lymphadenitis in slaughtered domestic pigs.

The aim of this study was to compare two diagnostic methods for the detection of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in lymph nodes with granulomatous lymphadenitis from slaughtered domestic pigs. Fifty affected lymph nodes were collected from 50 pigs and examined microscopically and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Microscopically, granulomatous lesions were observed in 92% of the samples, consisting mostly of central necrosis (78%) with dystrophic calcification (46%) and associated with inflammatory infiltration by epithelioid giant cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils (92%), eosinophils (60%) and Langhans-type cells (70%). In 64% of the lesions, a capsule of connective tissue was found. Acid-fast bacilli were observed in all cases. PCR detected DNA from Mycobacterium spp. in 82% (41/50) of the lymph nodes. MAC was confirmed in 58% (24/41) and M. avium avium/silvaticum subspecies in 39% (16/41). The results of this study suggest that combined histopathology and PCR of lymph nodes are useful in the diagnosis of granulomatous lymphadenitis in slaughtered pigs.

Análise de custo-benefício da vacinação com Rev.1 da brucelose ovina e caprina no norte de Portugal entre 2000 e 2005 / Cost-benefit analysis of sheep and goat brucellosis vaccination with Rev.1 in the north of Portugal from 2000 to 2005

In the North of Portugal, a mass vaccination programme of small ruminants was conducted from 2001 to 2004. A study of cost-benefit was carried out for the 2000/2005 period to ascertain the economic benefits of this strategy. In order to estimate the cost of the zoonosis, the compensation costs paid to farmers for culled animals in the Brucellosis Eradication Campaign, data from vaccine Rev. 1 costs, and costs of people internment due to brucellosis were studied. An increase in the cost was observed from 2000 to 2001 (aproximately US$ 110,000), essentially due to compensation for culled animals, but also from vaccination and human internment costs. However, a progressive decrease was observed from 2001 to 2004 (from more than US$1,200,000 in 2001 to US$180,000 in 2004), roughly US$ 1,020,000 less. As the main conclusion, the annual cost of this zoonosis decreased by an average of almost US$600,000 per year, and a total of more than three million dollars were saved from 2000 to 2005. The results of this study suggest that mass vaccination with Rev. 1 reduced overall costs and was effective in reducing animal and human brucellosis costs.

No norte de Portugal, procedeu-se à vacinação massiva contra a brucelose em pequenos ruminantes entre 2001 e 2004. Neste estudo, efetuou-se uma análise de custo benefício entre 2000 e 2005 para apurar os benefícios econômicos dessa estratégia. Para estimar o custo da zoonose, estudaram-se três variáveis: a indenização paga aos proprietários dos animais eliminados durante a campanha de erradicação da brucelose, o custo da vacina Rev. 1 e os custos de internamento das pessoas infectadas por brucelose nas unidades de Serviços de Saúde. Durante os anos em estudo, observou-se um aumento de custo de aproximadamente US$110.000, entre 2000 e 2001, principalmente, devido à indenização dos animais eliminados e à aplicação da vacina e os custos por internamento de pessoas infectadas, seguindo-se uma redução acentuada entre 2001 e 2004 (de US$1.200.000 para US$180.000 em 2004), o que perfez US$1.020.000 poupados. O custo anual da zoonose, em relação às variáveis estudadas, diminuiu em média US$600.000 por ano, sendo poupados mais de US$ 3.000.000 entre 2000 e 2005. Estes resultados sugerem que a vacinação com Rev. 1 reduziu os custos totais da infecção humana e animal relativamente às variáveis estudadas.

Complex inguinal hernia repairs.

INTRODUCTION: Complex inguinal hernia treatment is a challenge for general surgeons. The gold standard for the repair of inguinal hernias is the Lichtenstein repair (anterior approach). However, when multiple recurrent hernias or giant hernias are present, it is necessary to choose different approaches because the incidence of poor results increases. There are many preperitoneal approaches described in the literature. For example: (a) open procedure-Nyhus and Stoppa (b) laparoscopic technique-transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) and totally extraperitoneal (TEP). In this study, we show how we repair complicated cases using open access in huge unilateral or bilateral, recurrent, or multiple recurrent inguinal hernias. METHODS: The present study includes the period from November 1993 through December 2007. One hundred and eighty-eight patients, divided into 121 with unilateral hernias and 67 with bilateral hernias, totaling 255 inguinal hernia repairs, were treated by the Nyhus or Stoppa preperitoneal approach, depending on whether they were unilateral or bilateral. We used progressive preoperative pneumoperitoneum for oversize inguinal hernias in all patients. RESULTS: Orchiectomy was necessary on only two occasions. Despite the repair complexity involved, we had only two known recurrences. The mortality was zero and the morbidity was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that an accurate open preperitoneal approach using mesh prosthesis for complex inguinal hernias is safe, with very low recurrent rates and low morbidity. Progressive preoperative pneumoperitoneum for giant hernias was shown to be an important factor in accomplishing good intraoperative and immediate postoperative results.

Ocorrência de Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biótipo 1 em pulmões de suínos com pleuropneumonia no Norte de Portugal / Occurrence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biotype 1 in swine with pleuropneumonia in the North of Portugal

The isolation and identification of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in swine lungs with pleuropneumonia in the North of Portugal were reported. A total of 127 swine lungs with and without lesions were examined. The system of lesions classification was based on a semi-quantitative method. Diagnosis was made by isolation and identification of the etiological agent in typical lesions. The occurrence of observed lesions was 75.6 percent and the occurrence of isolation of A. pleuropneumoniae was 19.7 percent. In 25 out of 96 (26.0 percent) lung samples with lesions of pleuropneumonia, A. pleuropneumoniae was isolated.

Coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen como método rápido de diagnóstico de paratuberculose ovina / Ziehl-Neelsen staining as a fast method in the diagnosis of ovine paratuberculosis

Estudou-se a presença de bacilos álcool-ácido resistentes compatíveis com Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis em esfregaços de fezes e tecidos de ovinos. Vinte e seis esfregaços de fezes e 104 de tecidos, pertencentes a 26 animais diagnosticados como paratuberculosos, foram analisados pelo método de Ziehl-Neelsen. Dezesseis (61,5 por cento) esfregaços fecais apresentaram bacilos álcool-ácido resistentes compatíveis no exame microscópico. Vinte animais (76,9 por cento) foram diagnosticados pelo método nos esfregaços de tecidos. Vinte e um animais apresentaram esfregaços positivos nas fezes e nos tecidos, simultaneamente. A sensibilidade de Ziehl-Neelsen para os esfregaços fecais, esfregaços de tecidos e para a combinação de ambos foi de 61,5 por cento, 76,9 por cento e 80,8 por cento, respectivamente.

The presence of acid-fast bacilli compatible with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in fecal and tissues smears was investigated using the Ziehl-Neelsen staining. A total of 26 fecal smears and 104 tissues smears collected from 26 sheep with confirmed paratuberculosis were analyzed. Sixteen (61.5 percent) fecal smears showed compatible with acid-fast bacilli on microscopic examination after staining. Twenty animals (76.9 percent) were diagnosed based on the positivity of tissues smears. The Ziehl-Neelsen sensitivities to faecal smears, tissues smears, and a combination of both were 61.5 percent, 76.9 percent, and 80.8 percent, respectively.

Situação epidemiológica da leucose bovina enzoótica em Portugal entre os anos de 1995 e 2005 / Epidemiological survey of enzootic bovine leukosis in Portugal from 1995 to 2005

This paper evaluated the epidemiological situation of the enzootic bovine leucosis from 1995 to 2005, in Portugal. With exception of the South region, Algarve, the disease was distributed throughout the country, being more prevalent in the north, between Douro and Minho and Trás-os-Montes, than in the centre. A decrease in prevalence and incidence of the infection throughout the studied period was also observed.

Isolamento de dermatófitos em animais domésticos em Vila Real, Portugal / Dermathophytes isolated from domestic animals in Vila Real, Portugal

During a six-year period from 2000 to 2006, 257 animal samples (fur and skin desquamation) were submitted to mycological examination in the Laboratory of Microbiology at the Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. Dermathophytes were cultured from 38 of 257 (14.8 percent) specimens. Chi-squared test was used to compare differences between independent groups. The most frequent isolated dermathophyte was Microsporum canis (47.4 percent). Other isolated dermathophytes were: Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (31.5 percent), Microsporum gypseum (15.8 percent), and Microsporum nanum (5.3 percent). The rates of dermathophytes isolation were 8.4 percent in dogs; 21.3 percent in cats; 66.7 percent in rabbits; and in 11.1 percent in horses.

Mucormicose por Rhizopus sp. em peixes: apresentaçäo do primeiro caso em Portugal / Mucormycosis due to Rhizopus sp. in fishes: first case described in Portugal

This paper describes the first case of fish-boces (Chondrostoma polylepsis) with cutaneous lesions caused by Rhizopus sp. The results point out the role of fish-boces as a surveillance sentinel of cutaneous mucormycosis infections in aquatic recreation areas

Comparative morphology of Astraea latispina (Philippi, 1844) and Astraea olfersii (Philippi, 1846) (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Turbinidae)

The present study examines comparatively the soft parts of turbinids Astraea latispina and Astraea olfersii. The characters of soft parts of these species, in agreement with Trochoidea organization, allow a differencial diagnosis on the cefalic lappets, appendix of eye-stalk, hypobranchial glands, jaws, radulae, and stomach spiral caecum, which information will be helpful in taxonomic studies