Helicobacter monodelphidis sp. nov. and Helicobacter didelphidarum sp. nov., isolated from grey short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica) with endemic cloacal prolapses.

In a search for potential causes of increased prolapse incidence in grey short-tailed opossum colonies, samples from the gastrointestinal tracts of 94 clinically normal opossums with rectal prolapses were screened for Helicobacter species by culture and PCR. Forty strains of two novel Helicobacter species which differed from the established Helicobacter taxa were isolated from opossums with and without prolapses. One of the Helicobacter species was spiral-shaped and urease-negative whereas the other Helicobacter strain had fusiform morphology with periplasmic fibres and was urease-positive. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that all the isolates had over 99 % sequence identity with each other, and were most closely related to Helicobacter canadensis. Strains from the two novel Helicobacter species were subjected to gyrB and hsp60 gene and whole genome sequence analyses. These two novel Helicobacter species formed separate phylogenetic clades, divergent from other known Helicobacter species. The bacteria were confirmed as novel Helicobacter species based on digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity analysis of their genomes, for which we propose the names Helicobacter monodelphidis sp. nov. with the type strain MIT 15-1451T (=LMG 29780T=NCTC 14189T) and Helicobacter didelphidarum sp. nov with type strain MIT 17-337T (=LMG 31024T=NCTC 14188T).

Rickettsia amblyommii associado a roedores e marsupiais nativos da Estação Experimental Rafael Fernandes da UFERSA, Rio Grande do Norte / Rickettsia amblyommii associated with rodent and marsupials native of Raphael Fernandes Experimental Station da UFERSA, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

O presente estudo teve como objetivo registrar a ocorrência de Rickettsia sp. em roedores e marsupiais nativos da Estação Experimental Rafael Fernandes da UFERSA, Mossoró/RN. O trabalho consistiu em uma pesquisa de campo, com roedores e marsupiais silvestres, com os dados expressos em frequência simples e porcentagem através do programa estatístico IBM SPSS (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), versão 22.0. Coletaram-se amostras de plasma sanguíneo de marsupiais (36) e de roedores (5). Destes, 64 continham Amblyomma auricularium, 7 Amblyomma parvum e 12 Amblyomma sp. As amostras de plasma sanguíneo foram analisadas através da técnica de Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta. Exemplares de A. auricularium e a A. parvum foram macerados e submetidos a Técnica de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase. Das amostras de plasma testadas, 17,60% apresentaram soropositividade para Rickettsia amblyommii. Oito exemplares de A. auricularium estavam positivos para R. amblyommii na análise de fragmentos dos genes gltA (350 bp) e ompA (587 pb), com 100% de similaridade com Candidatus R. amblyommii estirpe Bahia e AaPE, corres­pondendo a uma baixa circulação do agente dentre os vetores e hospedeiros. Esta pesquisa registra pela primeira vez a ocorrência de R. amblyommii em marsupiais Gracilinanus agilis e Monodelphis domestica pertencentes a Família Didelphidae, e roedores das Famílias Echimyidae e Cricetidae, cujas espécies foram Thrichomys sp. e Wiedomys sp., respectivamente, em Mossoró, estado do Rio Grande do Norte.(AU)

The study aimed to register the occurrence of Rickettsia sp. in rodents and marsupials native of the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Station of UFERSA, Mossoró/RN, Brazil. The study consisted of field research on small wild mammals, with data expressed in simple frequency and percentage through IBM SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), version 22.0. Samples of blood plasma from 36 marsupials and 5 rodents were collected. From these, 64 contained Amblyomma auricularium, 7 Amblyomma parvum and 12 Amblyomma sp. All blood plasma samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence technique, and 16 macerated specimens of A. auricularium and 3 of A. parvum were analyzed by reaction technique Polymerase Chain. From the tested plasma samples 17.60% were seropositive for Rickettsia amblyommii, 8 were positive for A. auricularium e R. amblyommii in gene gltA analysis of the fragments (350 bp) and ompA (587 bp) with 100% similarity with Candidatus R. amblyommii Bahia and AAPE strain, what corresponded to a low circulation of the agent from the vectors and hosts. This study registers for the first time the occurrence of R. amblyommii in marsupials Gracilinanus agilis and Monodelphis domestica belonging to the Didelphidae family, and in rodents of the Echimyidae and Cricetidae families, the species of which were Thrichomys sp. and Wiedomys sp. respectively, in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte.(AU)

Normal organ weights, serum chemistry, hematology, and cecal and nasopharyngeal bacterial cultures in the gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica).

Gray short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica) currently are used in genetic, developmental, oncology, and neurologic research. Little is known about their natural flora or potential for pathogenic infectious disease. The present study aims to improve existing comparative normal blood and organ weight values available to researchers and to describe flora of clinically normal M. domestica to obtain an understanding of potential pathogenic flora in clinically abnormal animals. For evaluation of serum hematology and serum chemistry, clinically normal animals were assigned to 1 of 6 groups stratified by age (younger than 1 y, 1 to 2 y, and 2 to 3 y) and sex. Hemoglobin and phosphorus levels were higher in male than female opossums, whereas monocyte and eosinophil counts were greater in females than males. Hemoglobin concentration decreased with increasing age. The youngest group had significantly higher levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and lower serum protein levels compared with older age groups. Liver and kidney weights of adult animals (1 to 3 y) were greater in female than male opossums. The predominant nasopharyngeal flora in 20 clinically normal animals from the 2- to 3-y-old group were Streptococcus viridans, Escherichia coli, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.; predominant cecal organisms were Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. The availability of reference hematologic values and flora for Monodelphis domestica will aid researchers in comparisons and analysis of experimental data and in diagnosis and evaluation of potential pathogens in clinically ill animals.