Molecular evidence of sporadic Coxiella burnetii excretion in sheep milk, central Portugal.

Coxiella burnetii is the etiologic agent of Q fever, a worldwide zoonosis. Cattle, sheep and goats are considered the main reservoirs of the disease. Transmission to humans occurs mainly through the inhalation of infectious aerosols from milk, faeces, urine, and birth products from infected ruminants. In this study, a 2-year longitudinal approach was performed to ascertain the excretion of C. burnetii in bulk tank milk samples of sheep from a mountain plateau in central Portugal, with sampling conducted during the years 2015 and 2016. From a total of 156 bulk tank milk samples tested by qPCR, only one showed to be positive for C. burnetii (1.28% [95%CI: 0.03-6.94]), from 2015, the first year of collection. Bidirectional sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of IS1111 transposase partial region confirmed the presence of C. burnetii DNA. The presence of C. burnetii in raw milk samples highlights the necessity for additional research to determine if raw milk is a potential source for human infection. Animal health surveillance and prevention measures against this zoonotic disease should be considered.

Hunting for Answers: Assessing Brucella spp. Seroprevalence and Risks in Red Deer and Wild Boar in Central Portugal.

Between 2016 and 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the central region of Portugal in order to better understand the epidemiology and public health risks resulting from the handling and consumption of game animals infected with Brucella spp. The seroprevalence and risk factors for Brucella spp. seropositivity were evaluated. Antibodies against Brucella spp. were determined using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results showed that in the 650 serum samples collected from red deer (n = 298) and wild boars (n = 352) in Portugal, 21.7% (n = 141; 95% CI: 18.6-25.1%) tested positive. Wild boar had a significantly higher prevalence (35.5%; 95% CI: 30.5-40.8%) than red deer (5.4%, 95% CI: 3.1-8.6%; p ≤ 0.001). Risk factors for seropositivity were investigated using multivariable logistic regression models. The odds of being seropositive was 8.39 (95% CI: 4.75-14.84; p ≤ 0.001) times higher in wild boar than in red deer. Correlations between sex, age, body condition, and seropositivity could not be observed. The higher seroprevalence in wild boar suggests that this species may primarily contribute to the Brucella spp. ecology in central Portugal.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hepatitis E Virus in Wild Boar and Red Deer in Portugal.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic foodborne virus with an annual infection prevalence of 20 million human cases, which seriously affects public health and economic development in both developed and developing countries. To better understand the epidemiology of HEV in Central Portugal, a cross-sectional study was conducted from 2016 to 2023 with sera samples from wild ungulates. The seroprevalence and risk factors for HEV seropositivity were evaluated in the present study. Specifically, antibodies against HEV were determined by a commercial enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Our results show that in the 650 sera samples collected from 298 wild red deer and 352 wild boars in Portugal, 9.1% red deer and 1.7% wild boar were positive for antibodies to HEV. Regarding age, the seropositivity in juvenile wild ungulates was 1.3%, whereas it was 7.2% in adults. Logistic regression models investigated risk factors for seropositivity. The odds of being seropositive was 3.6 times higher in adults than in juveniles, and the risk was 4.2 times higher in red deer than in wild boar. Both wild ungulate species were exposed to HEV. The higher seroprevalence in red deer suggests that this species may make a major contribution to the ecology of HEV in Central Portugal. Further research is needed to understand how wildlife affects the epidemiology of HEV infections in Portugal.

Seropositivity for Coxiella burnetii in Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Portugal.

Q fever is caused by the pathogen Coxiella burnetii and is a zoonosis that naturally infects goats, sheep, and cats, but can also infect humans, birds, reptiles, or arthropods. A survey was conducted for the detection of antibodies against C. burnetii in a sample of 617 free-ranging wild ruminants, 358 wild boar (Sus scrofa) and 259 red deer (Cervus elaphus), in east-central Portugal during the 2016-2022 hunting seasons. Only adult animals were sampled in this study. Antibodies specific to C. burnetii were detected using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; IDVet®, Montpellier, France) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection was 1.5% (n = 9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7-2.8%). Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in 4/358 wild boar (1.1%; 95% CI: CI: 0.3-2.8%) and 5/259 red deer (1.9%; 0.6-4.5%). Results of the present study indicate that antibodies against C. burnetii were present in wild boar and red deer in Portugal. These findings can help local health authorities to focus on the problem of C. burnetii in wildlife and facilitate the application of a One Health approach to its prevention and control.

Geospatial analysis applied to seroepidemiological survey of canine leishmaniosis in east-central Portugal.

Despite the high prevalence of canine Leishmania infantum infection in Portugal, significant differences associated with different risk factors can be found between geographically contiguous areas. In this study, a geographical area within the central region of Portugal (municipalities of Proença-a-Nova, Mação and Vila de Rei) was investigated. An epidemiological survey involved the analysis by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of serum samples collected during the anti-rabies vaccination campaign from 282 dogs. Geospatial analysis showed the distribution of geospatial prevalence of leishmaniosis and has delimited two areas (clusters) with a statistically significant higher risk of seropositivity in dogs (p =  0.003 and p = 0.027, for clusters 1 and 2, respectively). The highest seroprevalence (56.0%; CI: 41.2-70.0) was found in Vila de Rei. Five land occupation types showed a possible influence on the geographic distribution of seropositivity, with statistically significant differences between seropositive and seronegative dogs. Land occupied by temporary irrigated crops (p =  0.026), olive groves (p =  0.013), complex cultural systems and parcelling (p =  0.021), open forests, logging and new plantations (p =  0.043) and watercourses (p =  0.012) influenced the geographical distribution of canine Leishmania infection. Seropositive dogs had a greater average area of occupied land (i.e. open forests, logging and new plantations) than the seronegative ones (3.1439 km2 versus 2.5650 km2, respectively; p =  0.043).

Avaliação do desgaste produzido em esmalte por cremes dentais clareadores / Evaluation of enamel wear caused by whitening toothpastes

Muitos cremes dentais propagam ter efeito clareador sobre os dentes, tornando-os mais claros com o uso contínuo. Observando-se as fórmulas destes produtos, nota-se, não conterem componentes que liberam oxigênio, único modo de se modificar os pigmentos da estrutura dental clareando-os. Em verdade, estes cremes dentais, na sua maioria, contêm abrasivos potentes capazes de eliminar manchas extrínsecas, mas que riscam o esmalte, removendo seu brilho, e dióxido de titânio, um pó branco que poderia impregnar-se nestas irregularidades criadas. Foram avaliados 8 cremes dentais, sendo 3 normais ( Close up red fruits + mint – N1; Sensodyne original – N2; Sorriso proteção que refresca – N3) e 5 clareadores ( Close up fresh whitening – C1; Close up xtra whitening – C2; Colgate ultra branco – C3; Sensodyne branqueador + antitártaro – C4; Sorriso branqueador brite – C5), quanto à sua capacidade em desgastar o esmalte. Cada um foi aplicado em 5 dentes bovinos, através de um escova dental macia ( Oral B 30- Indicator Plus), em máquina de escovação simulada por 25.000 ciclos, simulando 3 meses de escovação. A perda estrutural foi determinada por experimento perfilométrico através de um rugosímetro. Os resultados, analisados estatisticamente através do teste ANOVA e TUKEY, mostraram as seguintes taxas de desgaste, em micrometros, a partir da menor: N1 (162.155) < C5 (244.775) < C1 (313.743) < N3 (314.883) < N2 (344.591) < C3 (358.598) < C2 (361.375) < C3 (381.028)

Many toothpastes claim to have a whitening effect, upon the teeth by making them clearer through the continuous use. By observing the formula of these products, it is noticeable that they do not contain oxygen-releasing components, which happen to be the only way of modifying the pigments of the dental structure thus whitening them. In effect, most of toothpastes contain strong abrasives capable of removing extrinsic spots that scratch the tooth enamel, removing its brightness, and titanium dioxide, a white powder that could impregnate these created irregularities. Eight toothpastes were evaluated, in which three were ordinary ones (Close up red fruits + mint; Sensodyne original; Sorriso proteção que refresca) and five whitening ones (Close up fresh whitening; Close up xtra whitening; Colgate ultra branco; Sensodyne branqueador + antitártaro; Sorriso branqueador brite) regarding their capacity of wearing off the enamel. Each one has been applied on five bovine teeth, through a soft toothbrush (Oral B 30 Indicator Plus), in a brushing machine simulated by 25.000 cycles, simulating a 3-month brushing. The structural loss has been determined by profilemetric experiments through a creasemeter. The results statistically, analised thorough the ANOVA and TUKEY test have shown the following off wearing rates in micrometers, starting from the lowest: N1 (162.155) < C5 (244.775) < C1 (313.743) < N3 (314.883) < N2 (344.591) < C3 (358.598) < C2 (361.375) < C3 (381.028)

Avaliação da dureza Vickers de 29 resinas compostas / Vickers hardness of 29 composite resins

A dureza é um importante aspecto dentre as características dos materiais, sendo indicativa de algumas outras propriedades mecânicas, inclusive para as resinas compostas. No presente trabalho, foi avaliada a dureza Vickers de 29 compósitos, nos quais a fotoativação sempre foi de 80 segundos. Em cada um dos 3 corpos-de- prova de cada material, a dureza denominada inicial era aquela verificada na idade de 15 minutos; a dureza final era determinada após aquele mesmo espécime ter sido armazenado em água desionizada, a 37ºC, durante 168 horas. O tratamento estatístico dos dados permitiu constatar que a dureza final foi maior que a inicial apenas em 20 das resinas analisadas. Os maiores valores de dureza final foram detectados nas resinas Filtek Z-100 e Filtek P-60, que apresentaram valores estatisticamente semelhantes entre si, enquanto os menores foram observados nas resinas Helioprogress, Amelogen Micro Fill, Durafill VS, Heliomolar e Silux Plus, também de comportamento estatisticamente semelhante

Between the characteristics of materials, surface hardness is an important factor, presumably indicative of some others properties, inclusively for composite resins. At this paper, Vickers hardness of 29 composite resins was determined, always after a polymerization time of 80 seconds. At each one of the 3 specimens from each material, hardness denominated initial was that measured at the age of 15 minutes; final hardness was that measured after that same specimen stay immersed in deionized water, at 37ºC by 168 hours. Statistical treatment of data showed that final hardness was greater than initial only in 20 of the studied resins. The largest values of final hardness were detected to Filtek Z-100 and Filtek P-60, with statistically similar values between themself, while the smallest were obtained with Helioprogress, Amelogen Micro Fill, Durafill VS, Heliomolar and Silux Plus, equally with similar values