Detection of Leptospira spp. in genitourinary tract of female goats managed in the brazilian semiarid.

Studies related to the prevalence of leptospirosis in the semiarid region showed that even during long periods of drought, the disease has a remarkable frequency in herds in the region. It is a neglected disease and the extent of its effects in the Brazilian semiarid region is not known. The dynamics of this agent is well studied in the urinary tract, however, there are not many studies regarding the genital tract in female goats. Observing this scenario, the present work aimed to diagnose Leptospira spp. in female goats kept in the Brazilian semiarid region by means of serological, molecular and isolation techniques. Blood samples, vaginal fluid, urine and fragments of organs from the genitourinary tract were collected from 40 goats destined for slaughter. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used as a serological technique, with a battery of 24 serovars. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the vaginal fluid, urine and organ fragments was performed, as well as the bacterial growth of these same products in a selective medium. Isolation positive samples were subjected to PCR. It was observed that two (5%) animals were serologically positive for the Pyrogenes serogroup. A total of 29 (72.5%) animals were PCR positive, with DNA present in 51/160 (31.8%) samples from the genital tract and 34/120 (28.3%) from the urinary tract, with no statistical difference. For bacterial growth, 22/40 (55%) animals were positive for growth, with morphology being observed in 19/160 (11.8%) for the genital tract and 16/120 (13.3%) for the urinary tract, with no statistical difference. Two uterus samples showed 99% similarity with L. interrogans after sequencing. Thus, female goats kept under semiarid conditions were positive for Leptospira spp, with positive samples from both the urinary and genital tracts, which possible is an alternative way of adapting and maintaining the agent for severe and adverse conditions.

Leptospira interrogans infection of southern tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla, Linnaeus, 1758) in Brazil.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance caused by an obligate aerobic spirochaete that infects a wide variety of domestic and wild animals. Natural hosts are asymptomatic or show moderate signs of the disease. Accidental hosts develop a severe, often lethal, form of the disease. All young southern tamanduas died suddenly at the zoo in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. The animals were found dead without any noticeable clinical signs. Necropsy revealed extensive haemorrhage in the subcutaneous tissues, kidneys, lungs in addition to the presence of red fluid in the thoracic, abdominal and pericardial cavities. Histopathology of kidneys exhibited acute interstitial nephritis and tubular necrosis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed typical leptospiral wavy forms and aggregates in the lumen of several kidney tubules and lungs. Pathological and molecular investigations confirmed Leptospira interrogans infection. The adult tamanduas did not present with clinical alterations. To our knowledge, this investigation is the first study to report that leptospirosis should be considered as a possible cause of death in tamanduas. This article warns of the risks of anthropization with respect to Leptospira transmission to tamanduas, other animals and humans.

Susceptibility among breeds of sheep experimentally infected with Leptospira interrogans Pomona serogroup.

Leptospirosis is a disease that negatively affects the productive and reproductive indices of ruminants. Sheep are considered highly resistant to infection, although susceptibility may vary among breeds. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the susceptibility between sheep breeds to the experimental infection by leptospires of the Pomona serogroup. Pomona serogroup, Kennewicki serovar strain (1 × 107 bacteria) was inoculated via the conjunctival route in 12 sheep divided into two groups, one comprising Santa Inês ewes and the other comprising crossbred sheep. In each group, five ewes were challenged with the bacterial strain and one was used as control. All sheep were monitored for 60 days, during which blood samples were collected for serological diagnosis and urine and vaginal fluid samples for molecular and microbiological analyses. Finally, as ewes were submitted to euthanasia and necropsy, some tissues of interest were collected for microbiological, molecular, and histopathological diagnoses. The groups were compared regarding the number of positive reactions according to diagnostic tests. All sheep in each group presented antibodies to Leptospira in all serological analyses, except animals of the control group. However the Santa Inês sheep presented higher concentration and duration of the titers, and their positive reactions were detected earlier than those in crossbred sheep. The antibody titers in group A (median 200, geometric mean 317.48) were significantly different from the group B (median 800, geometric mean 918.96) at D60 post-infection (P = 0,032). The Santa Inês sheep presented a higher number of positive reactions than did the crossbred sheep in the molecular diagnostic tests. According to the molecular diagnosis, the Santa Inês sheep presented more reactions (urine and vaginal fluid) compared to crossbred ewes, but there was no predominance in the detection of leptospiral DNA when comparing urine and vaginal fluid results, nor even between the number of positive kidneys and uterus. The Santa Inês sheep presented a higher number of positive bacteriological cultures. No sheep in either group presented alterations in anatomopathological and histopathological findings. Pure-bred sheep may be more susceptible than crossbred sheep to infection by Leptospira sp. Our findings emphasize the importance of the genital tract as a site of extraurinary infection and indicate the possibility of venereal transmission in the species.

Paralytic rabies in Swine.

Rabies transmitted by vampire bats was diagnosed in pigs with paralysis of the pelvic limbs. Diffuse non-suppurative encephalomyelitis, affecting mainly the spinal cord, was observed histologically. Despite the various diagnosis of rabies in pigs this is the first report of clinical signs and pathology of rabies transmitted by vampire bats.