Evaluation of the behavioral, histopathological, and immunohistochemical effects resulting from ventriculosubcutaneous shunt obstruction in kaolin-induced hydrocephalus in rats.

PURPOSE: Hydrocephalus is a brain disease prevalent in the pediatric population that presents complex pathophysiology and multiple etiologies. The best treatment is still ventricular shunting. Mechanical obstruction is the most frequent complication, but the resulting pathological effects are still unknown. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation and comparison of clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical aspects in the acute phase of experimental hydrocephalus induced by kaolin, after treatment with adapted shunt, and after shunt obstruction and posterior disobstruction. METHODS: Wistar rats aged 7 days were used and divided into 4 groups: control group without kaolin injection (n = 6), untreated hydrocephalic group (n = 5), hydrocephalic group treated with ventriculosubcutaneous shunt (DVSC) (n = 7), and hydrocephalic group treated with shunt, posteriorly obstructed and disobstructed (n = 5). The animals were submitted to memory and spatial learning evaluation through the Morris water maze test. The rats were sacrificed at 28 days of age and histological analysis of the brains was performed with luxol fast blue, in addition to immunohistochemical analysis in order to evaluate reactive astrocytosis, inflammation, neuronal labeling, and apoptotic activity. RESULTS: The group with shunt obstruction had worse performance in memory tests. Reactive astrocytosis was more evident in this group, as was the inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS: Obstruction of the shunt results in impaired performance of behavioral tests and causes irreversible histopathological changes when compared to findings in the group with treated hydrocephalus, even after unblocking the system. The developed model is feasible and efficient in simulating the clinical context of shunt dysfunction.

Vancomycin-intermediate livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398/t9538 from swine in Brazil.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) has been mainly related with pig farming, in Europe and North America, with the ST398 as the most commonly identified type of LA-MRSA. Here we present the draft genome of the first vancomycin-intermediate MRSA ST398/t9538 isolated from a swine presenting exudative epidermitis in Brazil.

Antimicrobial Use in Pig Farms in the Midwestern Region of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The use of antimicrobials in swine production is an issue that concerns the whole world due to their impact on animal and public health. This study aimed to verify the antimicrobial use in 29 commercial full-cycle farms in the midwestern region of the state of Minas Gerais, since this region is a hub of intensive pig farming in Brazil, as well as the possible correlations between the use of antimicrobials, biosecurity, and productivity. A total of 28 different drugs used for preventive purposes were described. On average, the herds used seven drugs, exposing the piglets for 116 days and totaling 434.17 mg of antimicrobials per kilogram of pig produced. Just eight active ingredients made up 77.5% of the total number of drugs used on the studied herds. Significant differences were found between the variables, biosecurity score and number of sows, antimicrobial amount and number of drugs, number of drugs and number of sows, and between productivity and biosecurity scores. The use of antimicrobials was considered excessive in the swine farms in the state of Minas Gerais compared to what was reported in Brazil and in other countries. Educational measures and better control should be proposed to reduce the preventive use of antimicrobials.

Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolated from Sows Presenting Purulent Vulvar Discharge.

Purulent vulvar discharge is a clinical sign of genitourinary tract infections, which are a significant concern in swine facilities, leading to sow culling and mortality. Escherichia coli is one of the main agents involved in these diseases. This study aimed to characterize the virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles as well as the phylotype of Escherichia coli strains isolated from sows with purulent vulvar discharge. The results showed that at least 2 of the 29 tested virulence genes related to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli were present in all strains tested. The most frequent gene was iutA, present in all strains, followed by the genes iucD, csgA, iss2, and irp2. Associations between iron uptake genes, genes related to adhesion, attachment, and serum resistance, as well as genes related to toxin release and bacteriocin, were frequent. The most prevalent phylotype was B1 (40.0%), followed by A (18.5%), D (11.9%), C (9.6%), B2 (7.4%), E (4.4%), F (1.5%), and Clade I (0.7%), with B2 being related to highly virulent traits. The strains presented elevated resistance to antimicrobials such as ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, cephalexin, florfenicol, and ampicillin. More than 90% of the strains were identified as multidrug-resistant, indicating the selection that is induced by the high use of antimicrobials in swine farming.

Epidemiology of hydrocephalus in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the epidemiological profile and social-economic burden that hydrocephalus patients represent to the national public health system, using data available at the online database of the Brazilian Health Ministry (DataSUS). METHODS: This is a populational study based on descriptive statistics of all clinical and surgical appointments included in the DataSUS database. Data included herein were collected between 2015 and 2021 and subdivided into three main groups, related to hydrocephalus incidence and mortality, hospitalizations, and financial costs. RESULTS: In the study period, 3993 new cases of congenital hydrocephalus were diagnosed, with 6051 deaths overall. The mortality rate in the country was 1.5/100000 live births and the prevalence was 0.374/100000 inhabitants. The number of hospitalizations resulting from treatment procedures and complications of hydrocephalus was 137,880 and there was a reduction of up to 27.2% during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics concerning previous years. Total costs for hydrocephalus management in the country amounted to 140,610,585.51 dollars. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrocephalus has a significant impact on public health budgets and pediatric mortality rates; however, it is probably underestimated, due to the paucity of demographic data and epidemiological studies in Latin America and, specifically, in Brazil. The dataSUS also has several limitations in accessing certain data related to hydrocephalus, making it difficult to have a more assertive understanding of the disease in Brazil. The results of this study provide important guidance for future research projects in clinical and experimental hydrocephalus and also the creation of public policies for better governance and care of hydrocephalus patients.

Celecoxib attenuates neuroinflammation, reactive astrogliosis and promotes neuroprotection in young rats with experimental hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition with altered cerebrospinal fluid flow (CSF). The treatment is surgical and the most commonly used procedure is ventricle-peritoneal shunt. However, not all patients can undergo immediate surgery or achieve complete lesion reversal. Neuroprotective measures are valuable in such cases. It was evaluated whether the use of celecoxib, a selective inhibitor of COX-2, associated or not with ventricular-subcutaneous derivation, could offer benefits to the brain structures affected by experimental hydrocephalus. Seven-day-old male Wistar Hannover rats induced by intracisternal injection of kaolin 15% were used, divided into five groups with ten animals each: intact control (C), untreated hydrocephalus (H), hydrocephalus treated with celecoxib 20 mg/kg intraperitoneal (HTC), hydrocephalus treated with shunt (HTS) and hydrocephalus treated with shunt and celecoxib 20 mg/kg intraperitoneal (HTCS). Celecoxib was administered for 21 consecutive days, starting the day after hydrocephalus induction and continuing until the end of the experimental period. The surgery was performed seven days after inducing hydrocephalus. Multiple assessment methods were used, such as behavioral tests (water maze and open field), histological analysis (hematoxylin and eosin), immunohistochemistry (caspase-3, COX-2, and GFAP), and ELISA analysis of GFAP. The results of the behavioral and memory tests indicated that celecoxib improves the neurobehavioral response. The improvement can be attributed to the reduced neuroinflammation (p < 0.05), and astrogliosis (p < 0.05) in different brain regions. In conclusion, the results suggest that celecoxib holds great potential as an adjuvant neuroprotective drug for the treatment of experimental hydrocephalus.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Associated with Ventricular-Subcutaneous Shunt Promotes Neuroprotection in Young Hydrocephalic Rats.

Hydrocephalus is characterized by the accumulation of CSF within the cerebral ventricles and the subarachnoid space. Ventricular volume can progressively increase and generate serious damage to the nervous system, with cerebral hypoxia/ischemia as one of the most important factors involved. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves oxygen supply to tissues, which can reduce the progression of lesions secondary to ventricular enlargement. We evaluated whether HBOT associated with CSF diversion can promote neuroprotective effects to structures damaged by ventriculomegaly and understand its role. Seven-day-old male Wistar Hannover rats submitted to hydrocephalus by intracisternal injection of 15% kaolin were used. The animals were divided into six groups, with ten animals in each: control, control associated with hyperbaric therapy, hydrocephalic without treatment, hydrocephalic treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hydrocephalic treated with CSF deviation, and hydrocephalic treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy associated with CSF deviation. To assess the response to treatment, behavioral tests were performed such as modified Morris water maze and object recognition, evaluation by transcranial ultrasonography, histology by Hematoxylin-Eosin and Luxol Fast Blue, immunohistochemistry for GFAP, Ki-67, Caspase-3, COX-2, NeuN and SOD1, and biochemical ELISA assay for GFAP and MBP. The results show that the association of treatments exerts neuroprotective effects such as neurobehavioral improvement, preservation of periventricular structures, antioxidant effect, and reduction of damage resulting from ischemia and the neuroinflammatory process. We conclude that HBOT has the potential to be used as an adjuvant treatment to CSF deviation surgery in experimental hydrocephalus.

Vaginal microbiota signatures in healthy and purulent vulvar discharge sows.

Purulent vulvar discharges, primarily caused by genito-urinary tract infections, are an important source of economic loss for swine producers due to sow culling and mortality. However, the agents that compose the vaginal microbiota of sows and their changes during infections are not well understood. The first goal of this study was to characterize and compare the vaginal bacterial content of healthy (HE, n = 40) and purulent vulvar discharge sows (VD, n = 270) by a culture-dependent method and MALDI-TOF MS identification. Secondly, we performed 16S rRNA targeted metagenomic approach (n = 72) to compare the vaginal microbiota between these groups. We found a wide variety of bacteria, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota being the most abundant phyla in both groups, as well as Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, and Bacteroides at the genus level. Most agents identified in the sequencing method also grew in the culture-dependent method, showing the viability of these bacteria. Alpha diversity did not differ between HE and VD sows, regarding sample richness and diversity, but a beta-diversity index showed a different microbiota composition between these groups in two tested herds. ANCOM analysis revealed that Bacteroides pyogenes were more abundant in VD females and can be a marker for this group. Other agents also require attention, such as the Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staphylococcus hyicus found in remarkably greater relative abundance in VD sows. Network analysis revealed important positive correlations between some potentially pathogenic genera, such as between Escherichia-Shigella, Trueperella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Prevotella, which did not occur in healthy sows. We conclude that the alteration of the vaginal microbiota between healthy and purulent vulvar discharge sows, although not extreme, could be due to the increase in the relative abundance of specific agents and to associations between potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Causes of Sow Mortality and Risks to Post-Mortem Findings in a Brazilian Intensive Swine Production System.

The present study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for post-mortem findings and causes of sow mortality. A post-mortem examination and microbiological investigation were conducted on 123 sows from a breeding herd with 15,000 dams. The mortality of spontaneous death in sows occurred mostly in the peripartum period (53%; p < 0.05). The spontaneous deaths were associated with heart failures, hemorrhagic and perforating gastric ulcers, and liver torsion, while in the euthanized sows, the post-mortem findings were associated with locomotor disorders. A higher body condition score (BCS ≥ 3.5) increased (p < 0.05) heart failure on the post-mortem examination. The excessive use of manual obstetric interventions increased sow deaths resulting from cervix/uterus ruptures and increased the odds of death (p < 0.05) due to metritis. Sow mortality had a multifactorial etiology. Infections were polymicrobial. The main microbial agents identified from a septic lesion in locomotor, genitourinary, and respiratory systems were Trueperella pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, respectively. In conclusion, sow mortality involved multiple risk factors and several bacterial agents. These results indicate that better management practices can reduce sow mortality in swine production and increase sow welfare.

Antimicrobial Use in Brazilian Swine Herds: Assessment of Use and Reduction Examples.

Brazil, as a major pig producer, is currently experiencing the widespread use of antimicrobials as a serious issue to be addressed. For measures to be taken in this direction, the extent of the problem must be known. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of antimicrobials in 25 Brazilian swine herds. Antimicrobial use from birth to slaughter was correlated with biosecurity and productivity. After the first assessment (2016; M0), 13 herds implemented good practices to reduce antimicrobial use. Four years after the implementation of these measures (2020; M1), data about antimicrobial usage from these herds were collected. The results of the first assessment (M0) demonstrated a troublesome scenario: the mean value of antimicrobials used was 358.4 mg/kg of pig produced; the median of the pig's lifetime exposure to antimicrobials was 73.7%, and the median number of drugs used was seven. A positive correlation between the antimicrobials consumed and the pig's antimicrobial exposure time was detected. Nevertheless, these data did not correlate with biosecurity score or productivity. A significant difference was detected in M1, where a median 30% reduction in antimicrobials consumed was detected. There was also a 44.3% reduction of the pig's lifetime exposure to antimicrobials. The median number of drugs used was reduced from seven to five. Antimicrobial use did not always reflect the sanitary condition or the real therapeutic needs, easily leading to overuse.

Vagococcus sp. a porcine pathogen: molecular and phenotypic characterization of strains isolated from diseased pigs in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Vagococcus spp. is known for its importance as a systemic and zoonotic bacterial pathogen even though it is not often reported in pigs. This is related to the pathogen misidentification due to the lack of usage of more discriminatory diagnostic techniques. Here we present the first report of Vagococcus lutrae in swine and the characterization of Vagococcus fluvialis and Vagococcus lutrae isolated from diseased animals. METHODOLOGY: Between 2012 and 2017, 11 strains with morphological characteristics similar to Streptococcus spp. were isolated from pigs presenting different clinical signs. Bacterial identification was performed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical profile. Strains were further genotyped by single-enzyme amplified fragment length polymorphism (SE-AFLP). Broth microdilution was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration of the antimicrobials of veterinary interest. RESULTS: Ten strains were identified as V. fluvialis and one was identified as V. lutrae. The SE-AFLP analysis enabled the species differentiation with specific clustering of all V. fluvialis separately from the V. lutrae strain. Most strains presented growth in the maximum antibiotic concentration values tested for eight of the 10 analyzed antimicrobial classes. CONCLUSIONS: The observed resistance pattern can represent a problem for veterinary and producers in the treatment of diseases associated Vagococcus spp. in swine production. Vagococcus species may also be a risk for pig industry workers. The data described here will be of great value in further understanding the behavior of this pathogen in animal production.

Epidemiology of hydrocephalus in Brazil

Abstract Objective Describe the epidemiological profile and social-economic burden that hydrocephalus patients represent to the national public health system, using data available at the online database of the Brazilian Health Ministry (DataSUS). Methods This is a populational study based on descriptive statistics of all clinical and surgical appointments included in the DataSUS database. Data included herein were collected between 2015 and 2021 and subdivided into three main groups, related to hydrocephalus incidence and mortality, hospitalizations, and financial costs. Results In the study period, 3993 new cases of congenital hydrocephalus were diagnosed, with 6051 deaths overall. The mortality rate in the country was 1.5/100000 live births and the prevalence was 0.374/100000 inhabitants. The number of hospitalizations resulting from treatment procedures and complications of hydrocephalus was 137,880 and there was a reduction of up to 27.2% during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics concerning previous years. Total costs for hydrocephalus management in the country amounted to 140,610,585.51 dollars. Conclusions Hydrocephalus has a significant impact on public health budgets and pediatric mortality rates; however, it is probably underestimated, due to the paucity of demographic data and epidemiological studies in Latin America and, specifically, in Brazil. The dataSUS also has several limitations in accessing certain data related to hydrocephalus, making it difficult to have a more assertive understanding of the disease in Brazil. The results of this study provide important guidance for future research projects in clinical and experimental hydrocephalus and also the creation of public policies for better governance and care of hydrocephalus patients.

Characterization of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, C. confusum and C. amycolatum isolated from sows with genitourinary infection.

Porcine Corynebacterium infection is still poorly studied, even though the pig has been described as an asymptomatic carrier of Corynebacterium species, including the zoonotic species C. ulcerans, C. confusum and C. amycolatum. Here we present the identification, molecular and antimicrobial susceptibility characterization of coryneform bacteria isolated from sows with urinary tract infection. C. diphtheriae, C. confusum and C. amycolatum were isolated from sows with urinary infection and metritis. Corynebacterium species were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and confirmed by 16S rRNA and rpoB sequencing. All porcine C. diphtheriae strains were further characterized as non-toxigenic (tox-). SE-AFLP genotyping was also performed and enabled not only Corynebacterium species differentiation but also the assessment of C. amycolatum genetic heterogeneity. All studied porcine Corynebacterium strains presented alarming resistance profiles with high MIC values for macrolides/lincosamide, tetracyclines and quinolones, which can be related with high usage in both veterinary and human medicine. Isolation of zoonotic Corynebacterium species from commercial swine is important for assessing the potential zoonotic risk for farmers and further implication for both human and animal treatment.

Characterization of porcine Trueperella pyogenes by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), molecular typing and antimicrobial susceptibility profiling in Sao Paulo State.

Trueperella pyogenes can be found as a commensal or pathogenic bacterium among animals causing a variety of pyogenic infections in several species. The agent appears to act primarily as an opportunistic pathogen but may disseminate and produce metastatic abscesses accompanied or not by mastitis, metritis or pneumonia. In this study, 30 porcine T. pyogenes strains were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA sequencing and further evaluated in relation to their resistance and genetic profiles through broth microdilution and single enzyme AFLP. All strains were susceptible to ß-lactams, florfenicol, gentamicin, spectinomycin and tiamulin. The highest resistance rates were observed for sulfonamides, tetracyclines and clindamycin. All isolates could be characterized by SE-AFLP presenting more than 80% of similarity, despite their distinct origins. Four genotypes were detected with the segregation of T. pyogenes ATCC 19411 from Brazilian T. pyogenes strains. No correlation between genotypes and isolates origins and susceptibility profile was observed.

Molecular survey of Cytomegalovirus shedding profile in commercial pig herds in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV) causes rhinitis in both young and older pigs. The present study describes the detection and characterization of shedding profiles of PCMV in nine farrow-to-finish Brazilian swine herds. METHODOLOGY: Tonsil swabs from sows, nursery and grow-finish pigs of nine farrow-to-finish commercial herds (n = 756) were evaluated for the presence of PCMV by PCR. RESULTS: The virus was detected in all herds. Positive samples were concentrated in piglets of ages varying from 40 to 60 days (nursery phase), while none of the sows were positive for PCMV detection. CONCLUSIONS: These findings corroborate the literature regarding PCMV worldwide distribution, and introduce the first report of PCMV shedding profile in Brazilian pig farms.

Nem tudo que parece ser, é lesão: aspectos anatômicos, não lesões, artefatos, lesões sem significado clínico e alterações post mortem encontrados na necropsia de suínos domésticos e selvagens (Sus scrofa) / Not everything is an important lesion: anatomical structures, non-lesions, artifacts, lesions without clinical significance, and postmortem findings in domestic and feral pigs (Sus scrofa)

A interpretação das alterações encontradas na necropsia é uma etapa importante para o sucesso do diagnóstico final. Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever e ilustrar os aspectos anatômicos, não lesões, artefatos, lesões sem significado clínico e alterações post mortem encontradas em suínos domésticos e selvagens. Além disso, também se recomenda técnicas de colheita de tecidos para o diagnóstico de doenças que acometem essa espécie. Os principais aspectos anatômicos e não lesões descritos são fímbrias linguais, quadrilátero esofágico, toro pilórico e demarcação do padrão lobular do fígado (sistema gastrintestinal); tonsilas do palato mole, tecido linfoide associado ao estômago, placas de Peyer do intestino delgado e dobras da margem do baço (sistema hematopoiético); mediastino proeminente do testículo e aréolas da placenta (sistema reprodutor); atelectasia pulmonar e apêndice decidual (feto); e glândulas carpais (sistema tegumentar). Os artefatos de eutanásia abordados são petéquias na superfície do pulmão e rim, falsa anemia por sangria, hemorragia subdural por concussão cerebral, pseudo-infartos do baço e aspecto cerebriforme do intestino delgado. As lesões de pouco significado clínico descritas são cistos renais, linfonodos com pigmento de ferro, papilomas e hemangiomas no escroto, ossos no mesentério e hiperemia da mucosa gástrica. As alterações post mortem comumente encontradas são livor mortis, músculos pálidos, pseudomelanose e líquido serosanguinolento nas cavidades torácica e abdominal em fetos.

The interpretation of the changes observed at necropsy is an important step for the success of the final diagnosis. This article aims to describe and illustrate the anatomical structures, non-lesions, artifacts, lesions without clinical significance and postmortem changes observed in domestic and wild pigs. Moreover, the article also recommends collection techniques of organs or structures for the diagnosis of diseases affecting this species. The main anatomical structures and non-lesions described are marginal lingual papillae, pars oesophagea of the stomach, torus pyloricus, and well demarcated lobular pattern of the liver (gastrointestinal system); tonsils of the soft palate, gastric lymphoid tissue, Peyer's patches of the small intestine, marginal folds of the spleen (hematopoietic system); prominent mediastinum testis and placental areolae (reproductive system); pulmonary atelectasis and periople (fetus); and carpal glands (integumentary system). The discussed artifacts related to euthanasia are petechiae on the surface of the lung and kidney, false anemia due to exsanguination, subdural hemorrhage due to cerebral concussion, pseudoinfarcts of the spleen, and cerebriform appearance of the small intestine. Lesions without clinical significance described are renal cysts, lymph nodes with iron pigment, papillomas and hemangiomas on the scrotum, osseous metaplasia in the mesentery, and hyperemia of the gastric mucosa. Commonly found postmortem changes are livor mortis, pale muscles, pseudomelanosis, and serosanguinous fluid in the thoracic and abdominal cavities of fetuses.

Simulaçäo da ejeçäo ventricular tipo "WINDKESSEL" com átrio ativo / Simulation of the \"WINDKESSEL\" ventricular ejection with active atrium

Este trabalho simula um modelo do batimento cardíaco, considerando a contração atrial no final da diástole e demonstra sua influência na ejeção ventricular. A circulação sistêmica é representada pelo modelo tipo "windkessel". A simulação foi desenvolvida num microcomputador IBM-PC compatível, utilizando-se da ferramenta de modelagem "bons graphs", através do programa de simulação Tutsim.