Brain Tissue Pulmonary Embolism Due to Severe Blunt Force Head Trauma in a Dog.

A 9-week-old male puppy was submitted for necropsy examination after a reported history of developing acute melaena and vomiting blood before death. Grossly, the animal had multiple skull fractures, mostly affecting the occipital region and cranial floor, associated with extensive regions of subcutaneous, periosteal and subdural haemorrhages, as well as petechial haemorrhages within the right middle and caudal lung lobes. Histopathology of the brain revealed multifocal acute meningeal and parenchymal haemorrhage with laceration of the cerebellar folia. In the lung, multiple small- and medium-calibre branches of pulmonary arteries were occluded by aggregates of brain tissue, which exhibited weak immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein and strong labelling for neuron specific enolase on immunohistochemistry. These findings were consistent with brain tissue pulmonary embolism, an infrequent phenomenon following severe head trauma. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of canine brain tissue pulmonary embolism.

Intraspecific sequence variation in 16S rRNA gene of Ureaplasma diversum isolates.

Ureaplasma diversum infection in bulls may result in seminal vesiculitis, balanoposthitis and alterations in spermatozoids. In cows, it can cause placentitis, fetal alveolitis, abortion and the birth of weak calves. U. diversum ATCC 49782 (serogroups A), ATCC 49783 (serogroup C) and 34 field isolates were used for this study. These microorganisms were submitted to Polymerase Chain Reaction for 16S gene sequence determination using Taq High Fidelity and the products were purified and bi-directionally sequenced. Using the sequence obtained, a fragment containing four hypervariable regions was selected and nucleotide polymorphisms were identified based on their position within the 16S rRNA gene. Forty-four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were detected. The genotypic variability of the 16S rRNA gene of U. diversum isolates shows that the taxonomy classification of these organisms is likely much more complex than previously described and that 16S rRNA gene sequencing may be used to suggest an epidemiologic pattern of different origin strains.

Detection of Bartonella spp. in neotropical felids and evaluation of risk factors and hematological abnormalities associated with infection.

Although antibodies to Bartonella henselae have been described in all neotropical felid species, DNA has been detected in only one species, Leopardus wiedii. The aim of this study was to determine whether DNA of Bartonella spp. could be detected in blood of other captive neotropical felids and evaluate risk factors and hematological findings associated with infection. Blood samples were collected from 57 small felids, including 1 Leopardus geoffroyi, 17 L. wiedii, 22 Leopardus tigrinus, 14 Leopardus pardalis, and 3 Puma yagouaroundi; 10 blood samples from Panthera onca were retrieved from blood banks. Complete blood counts were performed on blood samples from small felids, while all samples were evaluated by PCR. DNA extraction was confirmed by amplification of the cat GAPDH gene. Bartonella spp. were assessed by amplifying a fragment of their 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region; PCR products were purified and sequenced. For the small neotropical felids, risk factors [origin (wild-caught or zoo-born), gender, felid species, and flea exposure] were evaluated using exact multiple logistic regression. Hematological findings (anemia, polycythemia/hyperproteinemia, leukocytosis and leukopenia) were tested for association with infection using Fisher's exact test. The 635bp product amplified from 10 samples (10/67=14.92%) was identified as B. henselae by sequencing. Small neotropical felid males were more likely to be positive than females (95% CI=0.00-0.451, p=0.0028), however other analyzed variables were not considered risk factors (p>0.05). Hematological abnormalities were not associated with infection (p>0.05). This is the first report documenting B. henselae detection by PCR in several species of neotropical felids.

Detection of Mycoplasma pulmonis in laboratory rats and technicians.

Five species of mycoplasma are associated with several rat diseases. Mycoplasma pulmonis is the most important and most studied, possibly causing disease in rats and undermining the validity of laboratory experiments. M. pulmonis was isolated in 144/240 laboratory rats and identified by PCR in 155/240. This species was also detected in 12 human individuals (technicians of a laboratory animal house hold) in contact with these rats. The results were confirmed by sequencing of DNA products. Mycoplasma species are host specific; however, M. pulmonis was identified in humans, suggesting a case of unspecific colonization. Statistical analysis shows a greater risk for M. pulmonis colonizing individuals who are exposed to infected rats in animal facilities than individuals who do not. The detection of M. pulmonis in humans indicates a new status for this mollicute mycoplasmas in animal-holding facilities.

Seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B virus, and syphilis in women at their first visit to public antenatal clinics in Vitória, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In some countries, HIV infection in pregnancy has become a common complication of pregnancy. GOAL: To determine the seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B virus, and syphilis among pregnant women, and to assess risk factors for these infections. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed. METHODS: Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of Vitória Municipality from March to December 1999 were included in this study after giving written informed consent. The women were systematically interviewed. During the interview, their demographics and patterns of risk behavior were explored. A blood sample was collected for testing HIV, hepatitis B virus, and syphilis. RESULTS: The participants in this study were 1608 pregnant women. The prevalence of HIV infection was 0.8% (95% CI, 0.4-1.2), hepatitis B virus carriers 1.1% (95% CI, 0.8-1.3), and syphilis 3% (95% CI, 2.6-3.5). The potential risk behaviors were found to be a history of STDs (6.5%), condoms never used (52.8%), prostitution (0.5%), noninjection drug use (6.3%), blood transfusion (1.5%), and intravenous drug abuse (0.7%). CONCLUSION: These results show the necessity of implementing programs aimed at preventing transmission of these infections in women and their children.