A linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine candidate reduces virus shedding in ferrets.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused more than 760 million cases and over 6.8 million deaths as of March 2023. Vaccination has been the main strategy used to contain the spread of the virus and to prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, two mRNA-based vaccines and one adenovirus-vectored vaccine have been approved and are available for use in the U.S. population. The versatility, low cost, and rapid production of DNA vaccines provide important advantages over other platforms. Additionally, DNA vaccines efficiently induce both B- and T-cell responses by expressing the antigen within transfected host cells, and the antigen, after being processed into peptides, can associate with MHC class I or II of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to stimulate different T cell responses. However, the efficiency of DNA vaccination needs to be improved for use in humans. Importantly, in vivo DNA delivery combined with electroporation (EP) has been used successfully in the field of veterinary oncology, resulting in high rates of response after electrochemotherapy. Here, we evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of a novel linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine candidate delivered by intramuscular injection followed by electroporation (Vet-ePorator™) in ferrets. The linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine candidate did not cause unexpected side effects. Additionally, the vaccine elicited neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses on day 42 post-immunization using a low dose of the linear DNA construct in a prime-boost regimen. Most importantly, vaccination significantly reduced shedding of infectious SARS-CoV-2 through oral and nasal secretions in a ferret model.

Sequence analysis of the DA domain of glycoprotein E2 of pestiviruses isolated from beef cattle in Southern Brazil.

The envelope glycoprotein E2 of pestiviruses is a major target for neutralizing antibodies. In this study, we analyzed the E2 DA domain of 43 pestiviruses from Southern Brazil. The isolates were identified as Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) subtypes 1a and 1b or BVDV-2b. Compared to reference strains, the BVDV-1 and -2 isolates had four and two mutations in the DA domain, respectively. All BVDV-2 isolates had a deletion of residues 724 and 725. All mutated amino acids in the BVDV isolates had the same aa substitution, and all were in previously identified antibody binding sites. It is possible that an immunity-mediated selection is acting on the pestiviruses circulating in Southern Brazil.

Persistent Infection and Transmission of Senecavirus A from Carrier Sows to Contact Piglets.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is a picornavirus that causes acute vesicular disease (VD), that is clinically indistinguishable from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), in pigs. Notably, SVA RNA has been detected in lymphoid tissues of infected animals several weeks following resolution of the clinical disease, suggesting that the virus may persist in select host tissues. Here, we investigated the occurrence of persistent SVA infection and the contribution of stressors (transportation, immunosuppression, or parturition) to acute disease and recrudescence from persistent SVA infection. Our results show that transportation stress leads to a slight increase in disease severity following infection. During persistence, transportation, immunosuppression, and parturition stressors did not lead to overt/recrudescent clinical disease, but intermittent viremia and virus shedding were detected up to day 60 postinfection (p.i.) in all treatment groups following stress stimulation. Notably, real-time PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) assays confirmed that the tonsil harbors SVA RNA during the persistent phase of infection. Immunofluorescence assays (IFA) specific for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) demonstrated the presence of double-stranded viral RNA in tonsillar cells. Most importantly, infectious SVA was isolated from the tonsil of two animals on day 60 p.i., confirming the occurrence of carrier animals following SVA infection. These findings were supported by the fact that contact piglets (11/44) born to persistently infected sows were infected by SVA, demonstrating successful transmission of the virus from carrier sows to contact piglets. Results here confirm the establishment of persistent infection by SVA and demonstrate successful transmission of the virus from persistently infected animals.IMPORTANCE Persistent viral infections have significant implications for disease control strategies. Previous studies demonstrated the persistence of SVA RNA in the tonsil of experimentally or naturally infected animals long after resolution of the clinical disease. Here, we showed that SVA establishes persistent infection in SVA-infected animals, with the tonsil serving as one of the sites of virus persistence. Importantly, persistently infected carrier animals shedding SVA in oral and nasal secretions or feces can serve as sources of infection to other susceptible animals, as evidenced by successful transmission of SVA from persistently infected sows to contact piglets. These findings unveil an important aspect of SVA infection biology, suggesting that persistently infected pigs may function as reservoirs for SVA.

The case for neuregulin-1 as a clinical treatment for stroke.

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability and the 5th leading cause of death in the United States. Revascularization of the occluded cerebral artery, either by thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy, is the only effective, clinically-approved stroke therapy. Several potentially neuroprotective agents, including glutamate antagonists, anti-inflammatory compounds and free radical scavenging agents were shown to be effective neuroprotectants in preclinical animal models of brain ischemia. However, these compounds did not demonstrate efficacy in clinical trials with human patients following stroke. Proposed reasons for the translational failure include an insufficient understanding on the cellular and molecular pathophysiology of ischemic stroke, lack of alignment between preclinical and clinical studies and inappropriate design of clinical trials based on the preclinical findings. Therefore, novel neuroprotective treatments must be developed based on a clearer understanding of the complex spatiotemporal mechanisms of ischemic stroke and with proper clinical trial design based on the preclinical findings from specific animal models of stroke. We and others have demonstrated the clinical potential for neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) in preclinical stroke studies. NRG-1 significantly reduced ischemia-induced neuronal death, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in rodent stroke models with a therapeutic window of >13 h. Clinically, NRG-1 was shown to be safe in human patients and improved cardiac function in multisite phase II studies for heart failure. This review summarizes previous stroke clinical candidates and provides evidence that NRG-1 represents a novel, safe, neuroprotective strategy that has potential therapeutic value in treating individuals after acute ischemic stroke.

Spatial and phenotypic heterogeneity of resident and monocyte-derived macrophages during inflammatory exacerbations leading to pulmonary fibrosis.

Introduction: Genetic mutations in critical nodes of pulmonary epithelial function are linked to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and other interstitial lung diseases. The slow progression of these pathologies is often intermitted and accelerated by acute exacerbations, complex non-resolving cycles of inflammation and parenchymal damage, resulting in lung function decline and death. Excess monocyte mobilization during the initial phase of an acute exacerbation, and their long-term persistence in the lung, is linked to poor disease outcome. Methods: The present work leverages a clinical idiopathic PF dataset and a murine model of acute inflammatory exacerbations triggered by mutation in the alveolar type-2 cell-restricted Surfactant Protein-C [SP-C] gene to spatially and phenotypically define monocyte/macrophage changes in the fibrosing lung. Results: SP-C mutation triggered heterogeneous CD68+ macrophage activation, with highly active peri-injured cells relative to those sampled from fully remodeled and healthy regions. Ingenuity pathway analysis of sorted CD11b-SigF+CD11c+ alveolar macrophages defined asynchronous activation of extracellular matrix re-organization, cellular mobilization, and Apolipoprotein E (Apoe) signaling in the fibrosing lung. Cell-cell communication analysis of single cell sequencing datasets predicted pro-fibrogenic signaling (fibronectin/Fn1, osteopontin/Spp1, and Tgfb1) emanating from Trem2/TREM2 + interstitial macrophages. These cells also produced a distinct lipid signature from alveolar macrophages and monocytes, characterized by Apoe expression. Mono- and di-allelic genetic deletion of ApoE in SP-C mutant mice had limited impact on inflammation and mortality up to 42 day after injury. Discussion: Together, these results provide a detailed spatio-temporal picture of resident, interstitial, and monocyte-derived macrophages during SP-C induced inflammatory exacerbations and end-stage clinical PF, and propose ApoE as a biomarker to identify activated macrophages involved in tissue remodeling.

Identification of an Immunodominant B-Cell Epitope in African Swine Fever Virus p30 Protein and Evidence of p30 Antibody-Mediated Antibody Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity.

African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a large dsDNA virus that encodes at least 150 proteins. The complexity of ASFV and lack of knowledge of effector immune functions and protective antigens have hindered the development of safe and effective ASF vaccines. In this study, we constructed four Orf virus recombinant vectors expressing individual ASFV genes B602L, -CP204L, E184L, and -I73R (ORFVΔ121-ASFV-B602L, -CP204L, -E184L, and -I73R). All recombinant viruses expressed the heterologous ASFV proteins in vitro. We then evaluated the immunogenicity of the recombinants by immunizing four-week-old piglets. In two independent animal studies, we observed high antibody titers against ASFV p30, encoded by CP204L gene. Using Pepscan ELISA, we identified a linear B-cell epitope of 12 amino acids in length (Peptide 15) located in an exposed loop region of p30 as an immunodominant ASFV epitope. Additionally, antibodies elicited against ASFV p30 presented antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity. These results underscore the role of p30 on antibody responses elicited against ASFV and highlight an important functional epitope that contributes to p30-specific antibody responses.

Stability of Senecavirus A in animal feed ingredients and infection following consumption of contaminated feed.

Animal feed and feed ingredients have recently been investigated as sources of pathogen introduction to farms and as a potential source of infection to animals post-consumption of contaminated feed. Survival of several viruses for a prolonged period has been demonstrated in feed. Here, we determined the rate of decay of Senecavirus A (SVA) in swine feed ingredients as a function of time and temperature and established half-life estimates for the virus. Select feed ingredients were spiked with a constant amount of SVA (105 median tissue culture infectious dose 50) and incubated at 4, 15 and 30°C for up to 91 days. Virus viability and the presence of viral RNA were assessed in samples collected over time. At the three different temperatures investigated, dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) and soybean meal (SBM) provided the most stable matrices for SVA, resulting in half-lives of 25.6 and 9.8 days, respectively. At 30°C, SVA was completely inactivated in all feed ingredients and in the control sample, which did not contain a feed matrix. Although virus infectivity was lost, viral RNA remained stable and at consistent levels throughout the experimental period. Additionally, the ability of SVA to infect swine via ingestion of contaminated feed was investigated in 3-week-old, weaned pigs. Animals were provided complete feed spiked with three concentrations of SVA (105 , 106 and 107 per 200 g of feed) and allowed to naturally consume the contaminated feed. This procedure was repeated for three consecutive days. Infection of pigs through consumption of contaminated feed was confirmed by virus neutralization assay and the detection of SVA in serum, feces and in the tonsil of exposed animals by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. Our findings demonstrate that feed matrices are able to extend the survival of SVA, protecting the virus from decay. Additionally, we demonstrated that consumption of contaminated feed can lead to productive SVA infection.

Spatial Analysis of Neural Cell Proteomic Profiles Following Ischemic Stroke in Mice Using High-Plex Digital Spatial Profiling.

Stroke is ranked as the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the USA. The progression of neuronal damage after stroke is recognized to be a complex integration of glia, neurons, and the surrounding extracellular matrix, therefore potential treatments must target the detrimental effects created by these interactions. In this study, we examined the spatial cellular and neuroinflammatory mechanisms occurring early after ischemic stroke utilizing Nanostring Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP) technology. Male C57bl/6 mice were subjected to photothrombotic middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and sacrificed at 3 days post-ischemia. Spatial distinction of the ipsilateral hemisphere was studied according to the regions of interest: the ischemic core, peri-infarct tissues, and peri-infarct normal tissue (PiNT) in comparison to the contralateral hemisphere. We demonstrated that the ipsilateral hemisphere initiates distinct spatial regulatory proteomic profiles with DSP technology that can be identified consistently with the immunohistochemical markers, FJB, GFAP, and Iba-1. The core border profile demonstrated an induction of neuronal death, apoptosis, autophagy, immunoreactivity, and early degenerative proteins. Most notably, the core border resulted in a decrease of the neuronal proteins Map2 and NeuN; an increase in the autophagy proteins BAG3 and CTSD; an increase in the microglial and peripheral immune invasion proteins Iba1, CD45, CD11b, and CD39; and an increase in the neurodegenerative proteins BACE1, APP, amyloid ß 1-42, ApoE, and hyperphosphorylated tau protein S-199. The peri-infarct region demonstrated increased astrocytic, immunoreactivity, apoptotic, and neurodegenerative proteomic profiles, with an increase in BAG3, GFAP, and hyperphosphorylated tau protein S-199. The PiNT region displayed minimal changes compared to the contralateral cortex with only an increase in GFAP. In this study, we showed that mechanisms known to be associated with stroke, such as apoptosis and inflammation, occur in distinct spatial domains of the injured brain following ischemia. We also demonstrated the dysregulation of specific autophagic pathways that may lead to neurodegeneration in peri-infarct brain tissues. Taken together, these data suggest that identifying post-ischemic mechanisms occurring in a spatiotemporal manner may lead to more precise targets for successful therapeutic interventions to treat stroke.

Natural Transmission and Experimental Models of SARS CoV-2 Infection in Animals.

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020, millions of people have contracted SARS-CoV-2 and died from the infection. Several domestic and wild species have contracted the disease as well. From the beginning, scientists have been working to develop vaccines and establish therapies that can prevent disease development and improve the clinical outcome in infected people. To understand various aspects of viral pathogenesis and infection dynamics and to support preclinical evaluation of vaccines and therapeutics, a diverse number of animal species have been evaluated for use as models of the disease and infection in humans. Here, we discuss natural SARS-CoV-2 infection of domestic and captive wild animals, as well as the susceptibility of several species to experimental infection with this virus.

Neuroprotection by Exogenous and Endogenous Neuregulin-1 in Mouse Models of Focal Ischemic Stroke.

Identifying novel neuroprotectants that can halt or reverse the neurological effects of stroke is of interest to both clinicians and scientists. We and others previously showed the pre-clinical neuroprotective efficacy of neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) in rats following focal brain ischemia. In this study, we examined neuroprotection by exogenous and endogenous NRG-1 using a mouse model of ischemic stroke. C57BL6 mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion. NRG-1 or vehicle was infused intra-arterially (i.a.) or intravenously (i.v.) after MCAO and before the onset of reperfusion. NRG-1 treatment (16 µg/kg; i.a.) reduced cerebral cortical infarct volume by 72% in mice when delivered post-ischemia. NRG-1 also inhibited neuronal injury as measured by Fluoro Jade B labeling and rescued NeuN immunoreactivity in neurons. Neuroprotection by NRG-1 was also observed in mice when administered i.v. (100 µg/kg) in both male and female mice. We investigated whether endogenous NRG-1 was neuroprotective using male and female heterozygous NRG-1 knockout mice (NRG-1+/-) compared with wild-type mice (WT) littermates. NRG-1+/- and WT mice were subjected to MCAO for 45 min, and infarct size was measured 24 h following MCAO. NRG-1+/- mice displayed a sixfold increase in cortical infarct size compared with WT mice. These results demonstrate that NRG-1 treatment mitigates neuronal damage following cerebral ischemia. We further showed that reduced endogenous NRG-1 results in exacerbated neuronal injury in vivo. These findings suggest that NRG-1 represents a promising therapy to treat stroke in human patients.

Genetic identification of pestiviruses from beef cattle in Southern Brazil.

Bovine pestiviruses, e.g., bovine viral diarrhea virus types 1 (BVDV-1 or Pestivirus A), BVDV-2 (Pestivirus B), and HoBi-like pestiviruses (HoBiPeV or Pestivirus H), have been shown to circulate in Brazilian cattle in varied proportions. In this study, we identified genetically pestiviruses circulating in beef cattle in Rio Grande do Sul, the southern most Brazilian state. Screening of serum of 15.584 beef calves destined to be export by an antigen capture ELISA and, subsequently, by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), revealed 135 containing pestivirus RNA. Genetic typing of these viruses based on nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of the viral genome allowed for the identification of 90 different viruses, being 38 BVDV-1 (42.2%), 31 BVDV-2 (34.4%), and 21 HoBiPeV (23.4%). Among BVDV-1, only subtypes BVDV-1a (n = 28, 31.1%) and BVDV-1b (n = 10, 11.1%) were identified. All 31 BVDV-2 isolates belonged to BVDV-2b subtype and the 21 HoBiPeV viruses clustered to subgroup 3a. Thus, this study provides an approximate genetic profile of pestiviruses circulating in beef cattle in a traditional Brazilian beef cattle-raising state.

Detection of bovine pestiviruses in sera of beef calves by a RT-PCR based on a newly designed set of pan-bovine pestivirus primers.

The pestiviruses bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 and 2 (BVDV-1 and -2, respectively) and HoBi-like pestivirus (HoBiPeV) are important pathogens of cattle, and a number of reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR)-based assays have been developed for their detection in clinical specimens. We evaluated a newly designed set of pan-bovine pestivirus primers (BP189-389) in a gel-based RT-PCR screening test for pestiviruses in the sera of beef calves destined for export from southern Brazil. Serum samples positive for BVDV antigens by an antigen ELISA ( n = 135) were submitted to RT-PCR assays using different sets of primers, followed by nucleotide sequencing of the amplicons. RT-PCR with pestivirus primers 324-326 detected 110 positive samples: BVDV-1 ( n = 62), BVDV-2 ( n = 38), and HoBiPeV ( n = 10). A PCR using primers HCV90-368 detected 97 positive samples (64 BVDV-1; 33 BVDV-2). An additional RT-PCR round using BVDV-2-specific primers (2F-2R) detected 45 positive samples (including 38 detected by primers 324-326 and 33 by HCV90-368); whereas a RT-PCR using HoBiPeV-specific primers (N2-R5) detected 26 positive samples (including 10 detected by primers 324-326).The assay using the primers BP189-389 detected all 135 ELISA-positive samples, including the 26 HoBiPeV detected by primers N2-R5. Our results demonstrated that primers BP189-389 compare favorably against other primer sets in the detection of bovine pestiviruses, especially HoBiPeV. This conventional PCR may be useful for efficient detection of pestiviruses in bovine sera and other specimens as well, especially in laboratories without real-time PCR equipment.

Spontaneous Isomerization of Long-Lived Proteins Provides a Molecular Mechanism for the Lysosomal Failure Observed in Alzheimer's Disease.

Proteinaceous aggregation is a well-known observable in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but failure and storage of lysosomal bodies within neurons is equally ubiquitous and actually precedes bulk accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaque. In fact, AD shares many similarities with certain lysosomal storage disorders though establishing a biochemical connection has proven difficult. Herein, we demonstrate that isomerization and epimerization, which are spontaneous chemical modifications that occur in long-lived proteins, prevent digestion by the proteases in the lysosome (namely, the cathepsins). For example, isomerization of aspartic acid into l-isoAsp prevents digestion of the N-terminal portion of Aß by cathepsin L, one of the most aggressive lysosomal proteases. Similar results were obtained after examination of various target peptides with a full series of cathepsins, including endo-, amino-, and carboxy-peptidases. In all cases peptide fragments too long for transporter recognition or release from the lysosome persisted after treatment, providing a mechanism for eventual lysosomal storage and bridging the gap between AD and lysosomal storage disorders. Additional experiments with microglial cells confirmed that isomerization disrupts proteolysis in active lysosomes. These results are easily rationalized in terms of protease active sites, which are engineered to precisely orient the peptide backbone and cannot accommodate the backbone shift caused by isoaspartic acid or side chain dislocation resulting from epimerization. Although Aß is known to be isomerized and epimerized in plaques present in AD brains, we further establish that the rates of modification for aspartic acid in positions 1 and 7 are fast and could accrue prior to plaque formation. Spontaneous chemistry can therefore provide modified substrates capable of inducing gradual lysosomal failure, which may play an important role in the cascade of events leading to the disrupted proteostasis, amyloid formation, and tauopathies associated with AD.

Deletion of the thymidine kinase gene attenuates Caprine alphaherpesvirus 1 in goats.

Caprine alphaherpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) is a pathogen associated with systemic infection and respiratory disease in kids and subclinical infection or reproductive failure and abortions in adult goats. The enzyme thymidine kinase (TK) is an important viral product involved in nucleotide synthesis. This property makes the tk gene a common target for herpesvirus attenuation. Here we deleted the tk gene of a CpHV-1 isolate and characterized the recombinant CpHV-1ΔTKin vitro and in vivo. In vitro characterization revealed that the recombinant CpHV-1ΔTK replicated to similar titers and produced plaques of similar size to the parental CpHV-1 strain in BT and CRIB cell lines. Upon intranasal inoculation of young goats, the parental virus replicated more efficiently and for a longer period than the recombinant virus. In addition, infection with the parental virus resulted in mild systemic and respiratory signs whereas the kids inoculated with the recombinant CpHV-1ΔTK virus remained healthy. Goats inoculated with the parental virus also developed higher neutralizing antibody titers when compared to CpHV-1ΔTK inoculated animals. Dexamethasone (Dx) administration on days 35-39 post-inoculation did not result in virus shedding in nasal secretions, indicating lack of reactivation from latency. However, viral DNA was detected in the trigeminal ganglia of animals euthanized at 14 days post-Dx, indicating that both viruses successfully established latent infection. Our results show that the recombinant CpHV-1ΔTK presents an attenuated phenotype when compared to the parental virus, and hence may represent a promising vaccine candidate to prevent CpHV-1 disease in goats.

Identification of novel blood biomarker panels to detect ischemic stroke in patients and their responsiveness to therapeutic intervention.

The use of blood biomarkers for stroke has been long considered an excellent method to determine the occurrence, timing, subtype, and severity of stroke. In this study, venous blood was obtained from ischemic stroke patients after stroke onset and compared with age and sex-matched controls. We used a multiplex panel of 37 inflammatory molecules, analyzed using Luminex MagPix technology, to identify the changes in plasma proteins after ischemic stroke. We identified eight key molecules that were altered within the blood of stroke patients as compared to controls. Plasma levels of interleukin 6 signal transducer (sIL-6Rß/gp130), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), osteopontin, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 were significantly higher in stroke patients compared to controls. Interferon-ß, interleukin-28, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) were decreased in plasma from stroke patients. No other immunological markers were significantly different between patient groups. When stroke patients were treated with tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasma levels of interferon-α2 significantly increased while interleukin-2 and pentraxin-3 decreased. The discriminatory power of the molecules was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. According to ROC analysis, the best markers for distinguishing stroke occurrence were MMP-2 (AUC = 0.76, sensitivity 62.5%, specificity 88.5%), sTNF-R2 (AUC = 0.75, sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 65.3%) and TSLP (AUC = 0.81, sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 96.2%). Multivariate logistic regression, used to evaluate the combination of proteins, identified a biomarker panel with high specificity and sensitivity (AUC = 0.96, sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 96.2%). These results indicate a novel set of blood biomarkers that could be used in a panel to identify stroke patients and their responsiveness to therapeutic intervention.

Multiparasitism in a wild cat (Leopardus colocolo) (Carnivora: Felidae) in southern Brazil.

Parasitic diseases reflect the health and balance of ecosystems, affecting not only individuals but also entire populations or communities. The aim of this study was to report on the diversity of parasitic helminths detected in the feces of a wild feline in southern Brazil. Parasites were obtained from fecal samples, and four techniques were used for parasitological examination: direct examination, centrifugal flotation with zinc sulfate (Faust technique), simple sedimentation (Hoffman technique) and Baermann-Moraes. The parasites were identified through micrometry and morphology, as follows: Ancylostoma sp., Toxocara sp., Trichuridae, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Alaria sp., and Spirometra sp. We recorded the genus Ancylostoma parasitizing L. colocolo for the first time.

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.

Adapted Bailenger method improves the rate of Ascaris suum eggs recovery from liquid pig manure compost / Adaptações no método de Bailenger melhora taxa de recuperação de ovos de Ascaris suum em dejetos líquidos de suínos compostado

ABSTRACT: Liquid pig manure (LPM) is widely used as a compost fertilizer for vegetable crops destined for human consumption. However, these wastes may contain parasites eggs, such as the nematode Ascaris suum, that pose serious health risks to humans. We attempted to determine the most appropriate technique for recovering A. suum eggs from LPM compost. Samples were collected from two waste sources during composting, including 23 samples containing LPM, sawdust, and wood shavings, and 14 samples of LPM alone-both in triplicate. Samples were analyzed using several different recovery methods. Recovery of eggs by the modified Bailenger method with adaptations was significantly more effective and recovered 57% more eggs than by the modified Bailenger method alone. Willis-Mollay method, modified Faust method, and the simple sedimentation technique only recovered 4.4%, 13.9%, and 26% of eggs, respectively, compared with the modified Bailenger method with adaptations, indicating that the adjustments made to the Bailenger method were key to improving the recovery of A. suum eggs from compost and LPM.

RESUMO: Dejetos líquidos de suínos (DLS) são amplamente utilizado como adubo para as culturas vegetais destinados ao consumo humano. No entanto, estes resíduos podem conter os ovos de parasitas, tais como o nematoide Ascaris suum, que apresentam riscos graves para a saúde dos seres humanos. Neste estudo tentamos determinar a técnica mais apropriada para a recuperação de ovos de A. suum no composto de DLS e nos dejetos líquidos. Foram coletadas amostras de dois tratamentos destes resíduos, que consiste de 23 amostras de DLS + serragem + maravalha e 14 amostras de DLS sozinhos, todos em triplicata. Em ambos, dejetos líquidos e dejetos compostado foram analisados usando um método modificado Bailenger (BM), um método de Faust modificado (FM), o método de Willis-Mollay (WM), sedimentação simples (SS), e pelo método de Bailenger modificado com adaptações (BMA). A recuperação de ovos pelo Método BMA foi significativamente mais eficaz do que pela BM, com 57% mais ovos recuperados usando a técnica de BMA; além disso, o WM, FM, e o método SS recuperaram 4,4%, 13,9% e 26%, respectivamente, em comparação com o método BMA, indicando que os ajustes feitos com o método BM foram fundamentais para melhorar a recuperação de ovos de A. suum ovos em dejetos compostados e DLS puro.

Multiparasitism in a wild cat (Leopardus colocolo) (Carnivora: Felidae) in southern Brazil / Multiparasitismo em um felino silvestre (Leopardus colocolo) (Carnivora: Felidae) no Sul do Brasil

Abstract Parasitic diseases reflect the health and balance of ecosystems, affecting not only individuals but also entire populations or communities. The aim of this study was to report on the diversity of parasitic helminths detected in the feces of a wild feline in southern Brazil. Parasites were obtained from fecal samples, and four techniques were used for parasitological examination: direct examination, centrifugal flotation with zinc sulfate (Faust technique), simple sedimentation (Hoffman technique) and Baermann-Moraes. The parasites were identified through micrometry and morphology, as follows: Ancylostoma sp., Toxocara sp., Trichuridae, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Alaria sp., and Spirometra sp. We recorded the genus Ancylostoma parasitizing L. colocolo for the first time.

Resumo Doenças parasitárias refletem a saúde e o equilíbrio dos ecossistemas, influenciando não só um indivíduo e sim uma população ou comunidade. Este trabalho teve por objetivo relatar a diversidade de helmintos encontradas nas fezes de um felino silvestre na região Sul do Brasil. Os parasitos foram obtidos a partir de amostras fecais, sendo utilizadas quatro técnicas para os exames parasitológicos: exame direto, centrífugo-flutuação com sulfato de zinco (Técnica de Faust), sedimentação simples (Técnica de Hoffman) e Baermann-Moraes. Os parasitos foram identificados através de micrometria e morfologia, sendo esses: Ancylostoma sp., Toxocara sp., Trichuridae, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Alaria sp. e Spirometra sp. Estudos da fauna parasitária de animais silvestres são relevantes, tanto para o equilíbrio e saúde desses animais, como para o controle e prevenção de doenças transmitidas ao homem. Ancylostoma spp. foi identificado pela primeira vez em L. colocolo.