First report of Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda, Strongyloididae) in Lutreolina crassicaudata (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) / Primeiro registro de Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda, Strongyloididae) em Lutreolina crassicaudata (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae)

Abstract The present study reports the first case of the presence of the intestinal nematode Strongyloides sp. in fecal examinations of a male Lutreolina crassicaudata, considered a synanthropic marsupial species with zoonotic potential. The Willis technique was used for the diagnosis. Presence of typical eggs of Strongyloides species in feces was detected. A fecal culture was performed to obtain larval stages, free-living adults and infective third stage larvae (L3) of this nematode after seven days, which was morphologically identified as Strongyloididae. This is the first report of infection by Strongyloides sp. in a tick-tailed opossum from Brazil.

Resumo O presente estudo relata o primeiro registro da presença do nematódeo intestinal Strongyloides sp. em exames de fezes de um macho de Lutreolina crassicaudata, considerado um marsupial sinantrópico com potencial zoonótico. A técnica de Willis foi empregada no diagnóstico. Presença de ovos típicos de Strongyloides spp. foi detectada nas fezes. Uma coprocultura foi realizada para obtenção de estágios larvais, adultos de vida livre e larvas infectantes de terceiro estágio (L3) deste nematódeo após sete dias, os quais foram identificados morfologicamente como Strongyloididae. Este é o primeiro relato de infecção por Strongyloides sp. em uma cuíca de cauda grossa do Brasil.

First report of Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda, Strongyloididae) in Lutreolina crassicaudata (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae).

The present study reports the first case of the presence of the intestinal nematode Strongyloides sp. in fecal examinations of a male Lutreolina crassicaudata, considered a synanthropic marsupial species with zoonotic potential. The Willis technique was used for the diagnosis. Presence of typical eggs of Strongyloides species in feces was detected. A fecal culture was performed to obtain larval stages, free-living adults and infective third stage larvae (L3) of this nematode after seven days, which was morphologically identified as Strongyloididae. This is the first report of infection by Strongyloides sp. in a tick-tailed opossum from Brazil.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in the milk of naturally infected ewes.

Toxoplasmosis is the major parasitic disease affecting sheep. It is important for veterinary medicine, animal science and public health since it causes reproductive and economic losses in the herd, as well as damaging human health due to consumption of contaminated meat and milk, which can facilitate zoonotic transmission. Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in ovine milk and lack of data in the literature describing differentiation between acute and chronic disease for this species stimulated the elaboration of the present research project. To achieve the aim of this study, the animals were allocated to two groups of 20 ewes each, of which group 1 was composed of animals with positive serology and group 2 with negative serology. Acute and chronic stages of the disease were differentiated by modified direct agglutination test (MAT), in which antigens were fixed with formalin (MAT-AF) and methanol (MAT-AM). The parasite was detected in milk by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the molecular identity of the amplified products was confirmed by sequencing. The serological results indicated that sheep had a chronic infection profile. T. gondii DNA was detected in seven milk samples from five seropositive sheep, and twice in milk of two sheep. Sequences of species shared 97-100% identity with T. gondii. These findings allowed the hypothesis that the peripartum period may also lead to the resurgence of tissue T. gondii tachyzoites cysts which can circulate again and be excreted in the milk. This study used sheep naturally infected with T. gondii as a prerequisite for further investigations on the possible participation of this species in toxoplasmosis epidemiology and as a potential transmission route related to consumption of milk from infected sheep.

Leptospiral antibodies in wild boars (Sus scrofa) bred in Brazil

In the recent years, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) trade has increased in Brazil. The present study aimed to detect Leptospira spp. infection in 308 blood samples from wild boars bred in São Paulo state, Brazil. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was performed using 29 serovars. Sixty three (63; 20.45 percent) animals tested positive against the serovars Hardjo (29/63; 46.0 percent), Copenhageni (11/63; 17.4 percent), Pomona (8/63; 12.7 percent), Pyrogenes (4/63; 6.3 percent), Wolfii (4/63; 6.3 percent), Autumnalis (3/63; 4.7 percent), Icterohaemorraghiae (2/63; 3.1 percent), and Hardjo-miniswajezak (1/63; 15.8 percent). These results indicate that captive wild boars were infected with Leptospira spp. and may represent a source of infection to humans and other animals.

Anticorpos para Leptospira spp., Toxoplasma gondii e Neospora caninum em cães errantes albergados em canil privado / Antibodies to Leptospira spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Neospora caninum in mongrel dogs kept in private kennel

The serological profile of 300 mongrel dogs of various ages and gender were investigated. Animals were captured in the streets and afterwards directed to a private kennel in Avaré city (SP) to search for leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and neosporosis. Blood samples were obtained from jugular or cephalic vein for the obtention of sera. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used to leptospirosis. MAT detect the prevalence of 9.3%. The most frequent reactant serovars were Bratislava (35.7%), Cynopteri (17.9%), Autumnalis (14.3%), and Copenhageni (10.7%), besides 7.1% to others serovars: Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, and Hardjo. The modified agglutination test used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis showed 26% of positive animals, with titers varying from 16 to 256, with 16 in 3.3%, 64 in 13.7%, and 256 in 9% of the samples. To canine neosporosis, it was used the indirect fluorescent antibody test, and two animals (0.7%) demonstrated antibodies with titers 25 and 100. The results show the participation of the animals in the epidemiological chain of the researched diseases.

Environmental risk factors for canine toxoplasmosis in a deprived district of Botucatu, SP, Brazil

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii that can infect a large variety of animals, including humans. The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of anti-T.gondii antibodies in dogs from a peripheral district of Botucatu and to establish the association among some epidemiological variables in order to evaluate risk factors for toxoplasmosis infection. Serum samples from dogs were screened using an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Anti-T.gondii antibody prevalence was 56 percent. The highest titer was 1024 (1.79 percent) and the most frequent titers were 16 (57.14 percent) and 64 (33.93 percent). The chi-square (X²) test revealed significant association among variables such as dog access to street, ingestion of raw meat and presence of synantropic animals in the domestic environment. These results demonstrate that toxoplasmosis is present in dogs from Jardim Santa Elisa district.

Correlação entre métodos tradicionais e espectroscopia de ultra-som na determinação de características físico-químicas do leite / Correlation between traditional methods and ultrasonic spectroscopy for measurement of milk physical-chemical characteristics

Compararam-se a espectroscopia de ultra-som (US) e os métodos tradicionais (MT) utilizados para a determinação de características físico-químicas do leite e estimaram-se as correlações entre esses métodos e suas acurácias. As características densidade, extrato seco desengordurado (ESD), teor de proteínas e teor de gordura foram determinadas em 65 amostras de leite cru por ambos os métodos. As densidades médias determinadas pelo US e pelos MT não diferiram entre si (P=0,14), e a correlação encontrada entre os dois métodos para a determinação da densidade não foi significativa (P= 0,08). Os teores médios de ESD, proteína e gordura encontrados pelo US e pelos MT foram diferentes (P=0,04, P<0,0001 e P<0,0001, respectivamente), as correlações entre os dois métodos utilizados para a análise dessas características foram positivas e significativas (r=0,0109, r=0,0007, r= <0,0001, respectivamente) e as acurácias dos métodos para essas determinações foram de 0,160, 0,062 e 0,145, respectivamente. Foi determinada a equação de regressão linear, que associa o teor de gordura obtido no método de espectroscopia de ultra-som ao do método butirométrico, que apresentou coeficiente de determinação de 0,5936

The ultrasonic spectroscopy (US) and the traditional methods (TM) used for the measurement of milk physical-chemical characteristics were studied and the correlations between these methodologies and their accuracies were estimated. Milk density, solids-non-fat (SNF), protein and fat contents were determined in 65 raw milk samples by both methods. Means of density determined by US and TM did not differ (P=0.14), although no significant correlation was found (P=0.08) between the methods used for the determination of this characteristic. Means of SNF, protein and fat contents determined by US and TM differed (P=0.04, P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). Correlations between both methods used for the analysis of these characteristics were positive and significant (r=0.0109, r=0.0007 and r= <0.0001, respectively), and the accuracies of the methods for these analysis were 0.160, 0.062 and 0.145, respectively. The regression equation of US results on TM for fat content showed a coefficient of determination of 0.5936