Giardia duodenalis: kinetics of cyst elimination and the systemic humoral and intestinal secretory immune responses in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) experimentally infected.

This study aimed to determine the pre-patent period and to evaluate the kinetics of cyst elimination and the systemic humoral (IgA, IgG(1), IgG(2a), IgM, IgE) and intestinal secretory (IgA) immune responses in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) experimentally innoculated with different doses of Giardia duodenalis trophozoites. Forty-eight animals aged 6-8 weeks were used, equally distributed among six groups, five groups innoculated with different doses of trophozoites (10(1), 10(2), 10(3), 10(4), 10(5)) and one control (non-infected) group. Coproparasitological examinations were carried out daily up to 91 days after inoculation (d.a.i.) to determine the pre-patent period and the kinetics of cyst elimination. Blood and stool samples were weekly collected for antibody assays. The pre-patent period was observed from the 9 d.a.i. onwards, with intermittent elimination of variable quantities of cysts up to 27 d.a.i.. All infected gerbils, irrespective of the dose received, were able to mount systemic humoral immune responses as evidenced by specific IgM titers from 7 to 28 d.a.i., corresponding to the peak of cyst elimination, followed by high and persistent IgG1 titers. Intestinal secretory responses were also seen with two peaks of fecal IgA titers, corresponding to IgM and IgG1 response peaks, respectively. In conclusion, systemic and intestinal humoral immune responses were related to the control of giardiasis in this experimental model.

Prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in dogs from different living conditions in Uberlândia, Brazil.

Infection rates with Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. were compared among dogs living under different conditions. Stool samples (n = 433) collected from dogs of different ages, gender, living conditions and origin were analyzed using three techniques, i.e., centrifugal flotation in zinc sulfate solution, centrifugal flotation in sucrose solution, and methylene blue gram safranin staining. Eighty-nine of the samples were from stay dogs living in shelters run by animal protection societies, 199 were from kennels and 122 from households. A total of 119 (29.0%) had G. duodenalis cysts and six (1.4%) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. Dogs from kennels were most frequently affected by G. duodenalis (49.7%) while those from shelters showed a higher prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. (2.2%). A significant difference (p < or = 0.05) was observed between immature dogs and adults only with respect to Giardia infection. There was no significant difference between the gender with regard to the presence of either protozoan.

Infection of dogs by experimental inoculation with human isolates of Giardia duodenalis: clinical and laboratory manifestations.

The susceptibility of dogs to experimental inoculation with trophozoites and cysts of human isolates of Giardia duodenalis and the clinical and laboratory profiles of infection of these animals were studied. Two groups (A and B), each comprising three dogs, were inoculated with G. duodenalis trophozoites and cysts, respectively. A third group of two dogs was not inoculated and remained as control. After inoculation feces were collected daily to determine the pre-patent period, by flotation in 33% zinc sulfate solution. Blood samples (5mL) were collected from animals at 15-day intervals during the 165 days of the experimental period and were used to carry out the hemogram and biochemical evaluation of the levels of total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyltransferase, urea and creatinine. A prepatent period was observed at 5-6 days post-inoculation (p.i.) in the inoculated dogs, with cysts eliminated for approximately 3 months. No alterations were seen in the clinical parameters evaluated. Anemia was observed at 15 p.i. in the inoculated dogs. The mean eosinophil count of inoculated groups was higher than that of the control (p< or =0.05) but none of the biochemical parameters analyzed presented significant differences. The results of this study show that G. duodenalis from human isolates is able to infect dogs with minimal systemic manifestations without producing clinical signs of giardiasis.

Helmintos e protozoários em fezes de javalis (Sus scrofa scrofa) criados em cativeiro / Helminths and protozoa in wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa) feces raised in captivity

Faecal samples from 79 wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa) were examined by sedimentation method, zinc sulfate flotation method, and centrifugal flotation in sugar solution for endoparasites research. The results showed that 97.5 por cento of the samples were positive for helminths and/or protozoa as follows: strongilides (70.9 por cento), Ascaris suum (46.9 por cento), Trichuris suis (29.1 por cento), Metastrongylus sp. (12.6 por cento), Strongyloides ransomi (3.8 por cento), Balantidium coli (38.0 por cento), Entamoeba spp. (15.2 por cento), Giardia spp. (1.3 por cento), Blastocystis sp. (12.6 por cento). The frequency of Entamoeba was higher in young animals. Coccidian oocysts were observed in 59.5 por cento samples and five species of Eimeria and one Isospora were recovered: Eimeria scabra (31.9 por cento), E. deblieck (31.9 por cento), E. perminuta (23.4 por cento), E. cerdonis (17.0 por cento), E. scrofae (12.8 por cento) and Isospora suis (12.8 por cento).

Freqüência de Giardia spp. por duas técnicas de diagnóstico em fezes de cães / Frequency of Giardia spp. for two diagnosis methods in feces of dogs

One hundred fecal samples from male and female dogs of several ages and breeds were collected in kennels of Uberlândia in Minas Gerais, Brazil. These samples were analyzed to determine the frequency of Giardia spp. using two different diagnostic methods: zinc sulfate flotation technique and merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde concentration (MIFC). The frequency of giardiasis was 41 percent. Dogs, which were less than 12 months of age, were the most parasitized (68.4 percent). No difference between male and female frequency of giardiasis (31.4 percent and 46.1 percent, respectively) was observed. MIFC detected 38 percent of positive samples and zinc sulfate flotation technique 29 percent. Giardia spp. is present in dogs of Uberlândia's kennels in a high frequency

Eimeria spp (Schneider, 1875) em bezerros do Município de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais / Eimeria spp (Schneider, 1875) in calves from Uberlandia, Brazil

Foram colhidas amostras de fezes de 117 bezerros, de 15 a 180 dias de idade, para identificaçäo das espécies de Eimeria, que ocorrem em Uberlândia, MG. Cinquenta e cinco animais (47 por cento) apresentaram oocistos nas fezes e nove espécies de Eimeria foram identificadas. Destas somente E. alabamensis näo havia sido econtradas pelos autores nacionais

Hepatozoon canis (James, 1905) em cäes de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais. Relato de dois casos / Hepatozoon canis (James, 1905) in dogs from Uberlandia, Minas Gerais. Reports of two cases

Gametócitos de Hepatozoon canis, medindo 9,56 um x 5,60 um, foram identificados no citoplasma de leucócitos circulantes de dois cäes atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. Essa hemoparasitose ocorreu associada à infecçäo por E. canis. É relatada a primeira ocorrência do H. canis em Uberlândia, Minas Gerais

Distribuiçäo geográfica e freqüência da gasterofilose em equídeos abatidos em Araguari, Minas Gerais / Geographic distribution and frequency of gasterophilosis in slaughtered horses of Araguari, Minas Gerais

Em um estudo feito no Frigorífico FAVA S/A, Araguari, Minas Gerais, verificou-se que de 14.162 eqüídeos abatidos, procedentes de 9 estados brasileiros, no período compreendido entre 14 de maio de 1987 a 10 de maio de 1988, 31,49//achavam-se positivos para larvas de moscas do gênero Gasterophilus. Durante este período foram encontrados animais positivos procedentes de 7 estados: Mato Grosso do Sul (85,71//); Säo Paulo (75,95//); Paraná (65,61//); Goiás (44,02//); Mato Grosso ($2,03//); Minas Gerais (14,03//) e Pará (8,33//), enquanto animais negativos procederam de 2 estados: Espírito Santo e Rio de Janeiro. Foram estudados 226 municípios nesses estados e 77,43//desses apresentaram eqüídeos positivos para gasterofilose. A espécie identificada foi a G. nasalis