Host-Parasite Relationship of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae and Argasidae) and Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa) in the Nhecolândia Region of the Pantanal Wetlands in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Feral pigs (S. scrofa) were introduced to the Pantanal region around 200 years ago and the population appears to be in expansion. Its eradication is considered to be impossible. The population of feral pigs in the Pantanal wetlands is currently estimated at one million. Two scientific excursions were organized. The first was conducted during the dry season, when 21 feral pigs were captured and the second was during the wet season, when 23 feral pigs were captured. Ticks were collected and the oviposition and hatching process were studied to confirm the biological success of each tick species. Three tick species were found to be feeding on feral pigs: Amblyomma cajennense, A. parvum, and Ornithodoros rostratus. During the dry season, 178 adult A. cajennense were collected, contrasting with 127 A. cajennense specimens in the wet season. This suggests that the seasonality of these ticks in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands could be different from other regions. The results indicate that A. parvum and A. cajennense are biologically successful parasites in relation to feral pigs. A. cajennense appears to have adapted to this tick-host relationship, as well as the areas where feral pigs are abundant, and could play a role in the amplification of this tick population.

Pathogenesis of Newcastle disease in commercial and specific pathogen-free turkeys experimentally infected with isolates of different virulence.

The pathogenesis of five different Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates representing all pathotypes was examined in commercial and specific pathogen-free (SPF) turkeys. Experimentally-infected birds were monitored clinically and euthanatized, with subsequent tissue collection, for examination by histopathology, by immunohistochemistry for the presence of NDV nucleoprotein, and by in situ hybridization for the presence of replicating virus. Clinically, the lentogenic pathotype did not cause overt clinical signs in either commercial or SPF turkeys. Mesogenic viruses caused depression in some birds. Turkeys infected with velogenic neurotropic and velogenic viscerotropic isolates showed severe depression, and neurologic signs. Histologic appearances for all strains had many similarities to lesions observed in chickens inoculated with the various isolates; that is, lesions were present predominantly in lymphoid, intestinal, and central nervous tissues. However, in general, disease among turkeys was less severe than in chickens, and turkeys could be considered a subclinical carrier for some of the isolates.

Mesotelioma pleural com metástase renal em gato / Pleural mesothelioma with renal metastasis in a cat

It has been described the anatomopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of a multinodular neoplasm distributed in the parietal and visceral pleurae, pericardium, thoracic portion of the diaphragm and renal cortex of an eight year-old, female, mixed breed, cat. Based on the anatomopathological and immunohistochemical findings it was firmed the diagnosis of biphasic pleural mesotelioma with renal metastasis.

Clinical and electroencephalographic effects of topiramate in patients with epilepsy and healthy volunteers.

Although topiramate, one of the newer drugs used in treating epilepsy, is effective in reducing seizure frequency and has a wide spectrum of action, it often induces intolerable adverse effects, predominantly related to the central nervous system. Information that would help document adverse reactions early, thus allowing topiramate doses to be adjusted during the drug titration and maintenance phases, could be obtained from electroencephalogram (EEG) studies. We studied the clinical effects and EEG changes induced by topiramate in patients with refractory partial epilepsy receiving the drug as add-on therapy. To exclude effects related to the other drugs and to epilepsy itself, we compared data from patients and healthy volunteers. After receiving topiramate, 22.6% of patients became seizure free and 29% had their seizures reduced by 50% or more. Topiramate nevertheless induced noteworthy adverse reactions, the main problems being sedative and cognitive changes. Also, in healthy volunteers, a single 100-mg dose of topiramate induced mild adverse reactions, mainly affecting concentration and attention, with difficulties in speech and writing. In patients with epilepsy, the EEG changes induced by topiramate consisted of increased delta and theta activities and decreased activity in the rapid bands. This recognizable topiramate-induced EEG pattern was again evident in the healthy volunteers, in whom we also detected a significant reduction in the alpha frequency rhythm. Our results confirm that topiramate needs to be introduced gradually while patients undergo close neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic monitoring to detect adverse sedative and cognitive reactions early. The EEG correlate of these events seems to be increased activity in the slower frequency bands.