Emprego da microscopia eletrônica na avaliação pós-vacinal de epitélio traqueal de patos (Anas platyrhynchos) imunizados contra a doença de Newcastle / The use of scanning electron microscopy in post-vaccinal evaluation of tracheal epithelium in ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) imunized against Newcastle disease

Avaliou-se o emprego da microscopia eletrônica de varredura no estudo da reação respiratória pós-vacinal em epitélio traqueal de patos (Anas platyrhynchos) imunizados contra a doença de Newcastle. Foram utilizadas 48 aves, distribuídas em quatro grupos: T1 - grupo de aves-controle (não vacinadas), T2 - grupo de aves vacinadas com a estirpe Ulster 2C, T3 - grupo de aves vacinadas com a estirpe B1 e T4 - grupo de aves vacinadas com a estirpe LaSota. Independente do grupo experimental, as aves não apresentaram sinais clínicos detectáveis de reação respiratória pós-vacinal. Ao microscópio eletrônico de varredura, observou-se que os animais vacinados com as estirpes B1 e LaSota desenvolveram descamação epitelial da traqueia, enquanto os vacinados com a estirpe Ulster 2C não, mostrando um epitélio traqueal íntegro, semelhante ao do grupo-controle. Os patos vacinados com a estirpe B1 mostraram evidências de regeneração epitelial da traqueia decorridos 21 dias pós-vacinação, o que não ocorreu com os vacinados com a amostra LaSota.

Scanning electron microscopy was used in the study of the post-vaccinal respiratory reaction of the tracheal epithelium of ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) immunized against Newcastle disease. Forty-eight ducks were distributed into four groups: T1 - control birds (non-vaccinated); T2 - birds vaccinated with Ulster 2C strain; t3 - birds vaccinated with B1 strain; and t4 - birds vaccinated with LaSota strain. Regardless the experimental group, birds did not show detectable clinical signs of post-vaccinal respiratory reaction. Scanning electron microscopy showed that birds vaccinated with B1 and LaSota strains developed epithelial sloughing of the trachea, whereas those vaccinated with Ulster 2C strain did not develop this change, showing intact tracheal epithelium, similar to the control group. However, the birds vaccinated with B1 strain showed evidences of regeneration of tracheal epithelium 21 days post-vaccination, which did not happen with the ducks vaccinated with LaSota strain.

Avaliaçäo da eficiência de um probiótico no controle de diarréia e no ganho de peso de bezerros / Evaluation of the efficiency of a probiotic in the control of diarrhea and weight gain in calves

Foram utilizadas 99 vacas prenhes distribuídas em oito grupos que receberam os seguintes tratamentos: grupo I, com 29 vacas näo vacinadas e seus bezerros que näo receberam probiótico, ficando como controle; grupo II, com 10 vacas vacinadas e seus bezerros que näo receberam probiótico; grupos III,IV e V, com 10 animais cada, vacas vacinadas e seus bezerros que receberam probiótico durante 5, 15 e 30 dias, respectivamente; os grupos VI, VII e VIII, com 10 animais cada, vacas näo vacinadas e seus bezerros que receberam probiótico durante 5, 15 e 30 dias, respectivamente. Cada animal dos grupos vacinados recebeu duas doses vacinais contendo os pili K99 e A14 de Escherichia coli na dose de 5,0ml por via subcutânea. O probiótico contendo Ruminobacter amylophilum, Ruminobacter succinogenes, Succinovibrio dextrinosolvens, Bacillus cereus, Lactobacillus acidophilus e Streptococcus faecium, na dose de 3,0X10 elevado a oitava potência células vivas (UFC) de cada amostra em 250ml de leite, era administrado por via oral. Os animais foram observados diariamente e foram determinados os títulos de anticorpos anti-K99 e anti-A14 no soro e no colostro. Anotaram-se os pesos dos bezerros ao nascimento e aos 30 dias. Os resultados mostraram que a associaçäo de vacina com probiótico administrado por 15 e 30 dias foram os tratamentos mais eficientes no controle da diarréia e ganho de peso

Antibody response to Newcastle disease vaccination in a flock of young partridges (Rhynchotus rufescens).

Ten young partridges (Rhynchotus rufescens) were vaccinated with the lentogenic strain of Newcastle disease virus. Another eight unvaccinated birds were kept in close contact with the treated flock. Antibodies levels were measured over the course of 3 mo in all birds using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and the liquid-phase blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (LPB-ELISA). The LPB-ELISA was standardized, and the results were compared with those obtained with the HI test. Antibodies increased after 23 days postvaccination in 16 birds with no side effects as determined by both the HI test and the LPB-ELISA.

Experimental toxoplasmosis in pregnant bitches.

Three Toxoplasma gondii free bitches (No. 3-5) were fed 15000 sporulated T. gondii oocysts at 56, 40 and 32 day of gestation and the outcome of the pregnancy was monitored. Two of the three dogs infected during pregnancy showed evidence of congenital infection and one aborted. Two control bitches not fed oocysts delivered eight uninfected healthy pups. This study demonstrated that T. gondii can be congenitally transmitted in dogs when bitches are infected during pregnancy.

Experimental toxoplasmosis in broiler chicks.

To evaluate chicken toxoplasmosis both as an economic and a public health subject, 84 broiler chicks of a commercial strain, 30 days old, were distributed into seven groups of 12 birds (three replications of four chicks) experimentally infected with three developing T. gondii stages of the P strain as follows: tachyzoites, intravenous (two groups: 5.0 x 10(5) and 5.0 x 10(6)), cysts, per os (two groups: 1.0 x 10(2) and 1.0 x 10(3)) and oocysts, per os (three groups: 5.0 x 10(2), 5.0 x 10(3) and 5.0 x 10(4)). Twelve chicks received only a placebo (control group). During the next 30 days the following parameters were estimated: productivity (weight gain and feed conversion), clinical signs, including rectal temperature and parasitemia (bioassay). No clinical signs suggesting toxoplasmosis were seen and no statistical differences on productivity standards were found in comparison between inoculated and control chicks. However, fowls inoculated with tachyzoites and oocysts occasionally showed hyperthermia. Some haematological changes were detected in fowls inoculated with T. gondii. Anatomo-histopathological changes were not observed. From 14 parasitemias detected, 35.7% appeared on the 5th day after inoculation and 57.1% of them resulted from oocysts inoculation. After 30-35 days all birds were slaughtered: fragments from 12 organs or tissues from each of them were subjected to artificial peptic digestion and after that injected into T. gondii antibody-free mice (IIFR). T. gondii was detected in brain (12), pancreas (five), spleen (five), retina (five), kidney (two), heart (four), proventriculus (three), liver (two), intestine (two), lung (one), and skeletal muscle (one). Similar to observations with parasitemia, from 42 T. gondii isolations, 59.5% came from chicks which had received oocysts. It can thus be inferred that the developing form, expelled by cats, is the most important for T. gondii chicken infection and that brain is the most infected organ in birds. Attention must be paid to the potential importance of chicken meat in public health, since T. gondii was isolated from skeletal and heart muscles.

A comparative study of the efficiency of a pro-biotic and the anti-K99 and anti-A14 vaccines in the control of diarrhea in calves in Brazil.

A total of 99 pregnant cows were divided into eight groups submitted to the following treatments: group I (n = 29) consisted of unvaccinated cows whose calves did not receive a probiotic and was used as control. Group II (n = 10) consisted of vaccinated cows whose calves did not receive a probiotic. Groups III, IV and V (n = 10 neach) consisted of vaccinated cows whose calves received a probiotic for 5, 15 and 30 days, respectively. Groups VI, VII and VIII (n = 10 each) consisted of unvaccinated cows whose calves received a probiotic for 5, 15 and 30 days, respectively. Each animal in the vaccinated groups received two 5.0 ml vaccine doses containing pili K99 and A14 of Escherichia coli by the subcutaneous route. The probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus at the dose of 2.0 x 10(8) live cells in 250 ml milk, was administered orally. All animals were observed clinically and bacteriologically and anti-K99 and anti-A14 antibody titers were determined in serum and colostrum. Mean calf weight was measured at birth and at 30 days of age. The results showed that a combination of the vaccine with the probiotic administered for 15 and 30 days was the most efficient treatment for the control of diarrhea.

Cinética das alteraçöes vasculares e celulares na peritonite induzida pela carragenina em Gallus gallus. Efeito de drogas antiinflamatórias esteroidais e näo esteroidais / Kinetic of vascular and cellular alterations in the carragenin-induced peritonitis in Gallus gallus. Effect of steroidal and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs

Neste trabalho investigou-se a cinética das alteraçöes vasculares e celulares na peritonite induzida pela carragenina (500 mcg) em Gallus gallus e o efeito do pré-tratamento com dexametasona (0,5; 1,0 ou 2,0 mg/kg), indometacina (2,0; 4,0 ou 8,0 mg/kg), ou piroxicam (20,0; 40,0 ou 80,0 mg/kg), administrados por via oral, 30 minutos antes do estímulo lesivo. Observou-se que os máximos aumento de permeabilidade vascular e acúmulo de leucócitos ocorreram 150 min. e 4 h, após a aplicaçäo do irritante, respectivamente. Os leucócitos polimorfonucleares foram o tipo celular predominante no exsudato após 2 e 4h, equilibraram-se com as mononucleares após 24h, predominando o último tipo celular após 48h. O maior acúmulo de células polimorfo e mononucleares ocorreu após 4h e 24 h, respectivamente. O pré-tratamento com indometacina ou piroxicam inibiu significativamente (p<0,05) o aumento de permeabilidade vascular mas näo o acúmulo de leucócitos, 150 min. e 4 h após o estímulo lesivo, respectivamente. A dexametasona foi efetiva em reduzir significativamente (p<0,05) ambos os componentes. Os resultados sugerem que os eicosanóides participem ativamente dos fenômenos vasculares mas säo de pouca relevância na quimiotaxia de leucócitos no processo inflamatório agudo induzido pela carragenina em Gallus gallus. Os achados indicam que quando o efeito de drogas antiinflamatórias é considerado, como no presente trabalho, o aumento de permeabilidade vascular e a migraçäo celular säo fenômenos independentes

[Anti-toxoplasma antibodies in bovine serums in Jaboticabal County; São Paulo, Brazil]. / Anticorpus anti-Toxoplasma em soros de bovinos do município de Jaboticabal; São Paulo, Brasil.

Sera of 204 cows in Jaboticabal, S.P., Brazil were examined by indirect immunofluorescent test for detecting anti-Toxoplasma antibody. Assuming titers from 1:64 as indicative of toxoplasmic infection it was observed 32.3% of positive reactions. The antibody titers even to 1:256 represented 7.8% of the reacting animals. The serological titers varied from 1:64 to 1:256. No clinical story could be correlated with the reacting animals and no isolation was performed.