Chemotactic behavior of Campylobacter fetus subspecies towards cervical mucus, bovine placenta and selected substances and ion.

The chemotaxis of C. fetus subsp. venerealis and C. fetus subsp. fetus was determined in the presence of bovine cervical mucus and bovine placental extract. Some reported substances and ion in those materials, such amino acids, ferrous iron, hormones, sugars and organic acids were also investigated. Bovine cervical mucus, bovine placenta extracts and some substances and ion of these materials namely L-fucose, L- aspartate, L-glutamate, L-serine, ferrous iron, fumarate, pyruvate and succinate were chemoattractants. The chemottraction was significantly larger in higher concentrations of the tested substances and ion and significant differences among tested strains were also observed. Meso-erythritol and hormones bovine placental lactogen, 17ß-estradiol, and progesterone did not elicit chemotactical response. In conclusion, this chemotactic behavior may guide the C. fetus navigation in the bovine host's genital tract and be an important cofactor of tissue tropism for this bacterium.

Serological study of feline leishmaniasis and molecular detection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis in cats (Felis catus).

Blood samples and swabs from ocular conjunctiva and mouth were obtained from 64 cats. Of 64 serum samples, 19 were positive for Leishmania antibodies by ELISA (29.80%). Eight cats were positive by PCR (12.5%) in swab samples from mouth and/or ocular mucosa. Poor kappa agreement between serological and molecular results (k = 0.16) was obtained. From five positive PCR samples one was L. braziliensis and four were L. infantum. Phylogenetic analysis performed with the five isolates of Leishmania, showed that samples of L. infantum isolated from the cats were phylogenetically close to those isolated from domestic dogs in Brazil, while the L. braziliensis is very similar to the one described in humans in Venezuela. The study demonstrated that, despite high seropositivity for Leishmania in cats living in the study region, poor agreement between serological and molecular results indicate that positive serology is not indicative of Leishmania infection in cats. Parasite DNA can be detected in ocular conjunctiva and oral swabs from cats, indicating that such samples could be used for diagnosis. Results of phylogenetic analyzes show that L. infantum circulating in Brazil is capable of infecting different hosts, demonstrating the parasite's ability to overcome the interspecies barrier.

Serological study of feline leishmaniasis and molecular detection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis in cats (Felis catus) / Pesquisa sorológica da leishmaniose felina e detecção molecular de Leishmania infantum e Leishmania braziliensis em gatos (Felis catus)

Abstract Blood samples and swabs from ocular conjunctiva and mouth were obtained from 64 cats. Of 64 serum samples, 19 were positive for Leishmania antibodies by ELISA (29.80%). Eight cats were positive by PCR (12.5%) in swab samples from mouth and/or ocular mucosa. Poor kappa agreement between serological and molecular results (k = 0.16) was obtained. From five positive PCR samples one was L. braziliensis and four were L. infantum. Phylogenetic analysis performed with the five isolates of Leishmania, showed that samples of L. infantum isolated from the cats were phylogenetically close to those isolated from domestic dogs in Brazil, while the L. braziliensis is very similar to the one described in humans in Venezuela. The study demonstrated that, despite high seropositivity for Leishmania in cats living in the study region, poor agreement between serological and molecular results indicate that positive serology is not indicative of Leishmania infection in cats. Parasite DNA can be detected in ocular conjunctiva and oral swabs from cats, indicating that such samples could be used for diagnosis. Results of phylogenetic analyzes show that L. infantum circulating in Brazil is capable of infecting different hosts, demonstrating the parasite's ability to overcome the interspecies barrier.

Resumo Amostras de sangue e swabs da conjuntiva ocular e oral foram obtidas de 64 gatos. Das 64 amostras de soro, 19 foram positivas para anticorpos contra Leishmania por ELISA (29,80%). Oito gatos foram positivos por PCR (12,5%) em amostras de swab da boca e / ou mucosa ocular. Demonstrou-se baixa concordância kappa entre os resultados sorológicos e moleculares (k = 0,16). Das cinco amostras positivas para PCR, uma era L. braziliensis e quatro eram L infantum. A análise filogenética realizada com os cinco isolados de Leishmania, mostrou que amostras de L. infantum, isoladas dos gatos, eram filogeneticamente próximas às isoladas de cães domésticos do Brasil enquanto L. braziliensis era muito semelhante ao descrito em humanos na Venezuela. O estudo demonstrou que, apesar da alta soropositividade para Leishmania, em gatos que vivem na região do estudo, pouca concordância entre os resultados sorológicos e moleculares indica que a sorologia positiva não é indicativa de infecção por Leishmania em gatos. O DNA do parasita pode ser detectado na conjuntiva ocular e nas zaragatoas orais de gatos, indicando que essas amostras podem ser usadas para o diagnóstico. . Resultados de análises filogenéticas mostram que L. infantum, circulando no Brasil, é capaz de infectar diferentes hospedeiros, demonstrando a capacidade do parasita de superar a barreira interespécies.

Resultados das conformidades e não conformidades dos parâmetros microbiológicos de queijo Minas Artesanal Canastra / Conformity and non-conformity results of the microbiological parameters of Minas Artesanal Canastra cheese

O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a qualidade microbiológica do Queijo Minas Artesanal produzido por queijarias certificadas da microrregião Canastra durante os anos de 2016 e 2017, utilizando os resultados das análises microbiológicas do queijo nestes anos. Foram encontradas não conformidades nos queijos estudados em 7,84% das amostras para Coliformes totais, 3,92% para coliformes termotolerantes e 9,8% para Staphylococcus coagulase positivo, porém nenhuma análise apresentou presença de Listeria spp. ou Salmonella spp. Apesar das principais bactérias patogênicas não terem sido encontradas, as não conformidades indicam a necessidade da orientação do produtor sobre as Boas Práticas de Fabricação e de Ordenha. Além disto, é imprescindível a orientação sobre as exigências do órgão fiscalizador e a realização da análise do queijo periodicamente, tornando possível o acompanhamento da qualidade do queijo produzido na região e a correção das não conformidades encontradas.

Economic evaluation and efficacy of strategic-selective treatment of gastrointestinal parasites in dairy calves.

In the Experimental Farm of the Universidade Federal de Lavras (EF-UFLA), state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on their day of birth, female Holstein calves were randomly selected and placed into two groups containing fifteen animals each: Strategic-Selective Treatment (S-ST) or Conventional Treatment (CT). In the S-ST, calves were treated after coproparasitological examinations according to criteria established previously by the researchers. Calves in the CT were treated according to the opinion of the veterinarian of EF-UFLA. For statistical analysis, the frequency (%) of fecal samples with count of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) ≥300, count of oocysts per gram of feces (OoPG) ≥500 and fecal samples with count of cysts of Giardia spp. ≥1 were conducted. The overall average frequency of fecal samples with EPG ≥300, OoPG ≥500 and Giardia spp. cysts ≥1, respectively, was similar (p >0.05) between S-ST (20.3%; 17.3%; and 31.5%) and CT (26.4%; 23.9%; and 37.3%). The effective operational cost, per animal, in 12 months, was of R$ 784.58 (US$ 241.41) and R$ 83.90 (US$ 25.81) in S-ST and CT, respectively. The S-ST requires adjustments to be used as a technically efficient and economically viable alternative for the control of gastrointestinal parasitosis in female Holstein calves.

Economic evaluation and efficacy of strategic-selective treatment of gastrointestinal parasites in dairy calves / Avaliação econômica e eficácia do tratamento estratégico-seletivo de parasitos gastrointestinais em bezerras leiteiras

Abstract In the Experimental Farm of the Universidade Federal de Lavras (EF-UFLA), state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on their day of birth, female Holstein calves were randomly selected and placed into two groups containing fifteen animals each: Strategic-Selective Treatment (S-ST) or Conventional Treatment (CT). In the S-ST, calves were treated after coproparasitological examinations according to criteria established previously by the researchers. Calves in the CT were treated according to the opinion of the veterinarian of EF-UFLA. For statistical analysis, the frequency (%) of fecal samples with count of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) ≥300, count of oocysts per gram of feces (OoPG) ≥500 and fecal samples with count of cysts of Giardia spp. ≥1 were conducted. The overall average frequency of fecal samples with EPG ≥300, OoPG ≥500 and Giardia spp. cysts ≥1, respectively, was similar (p >0.05) between S-ST (20.3%; 17.3%; and 31.5%) and CT (26.4%; 23.9%; and 37.3%). The effective operational cost, per animal, in 12 months, was of R$ 784.58 (US$ 241.41) and R$ 83.90 (US$ 25.81) in S-ST and CT, respectively. The S-ST requires adjustments to be used as a technically efficient and economically viable alternative for the control of gastrointestinal parasitosis in female Holstein calves.

Resumo Na Fazenda Experimental da Universidade Federal de Lavras (FE-UFLA), Minas Gerais, Brasil, no dia do nascimento, bezerras da raça holandesa foram sorteadas de forma aleatória para compor um dos dois grupos, formados por 15 animais cada: Tratamento Estratégico-Seletivo (TE-S) ou Tratamento Convencional (TC). No TE-S, as bezerras foram tratadas após exames coproparasitológicos de acordo com critérios previamente estabelecidos pelos pesquisadores. No TC, as bezerras foram tratadas conforme orientação do veterinário da FE-UFLA. Em ambos grupos, as bezerras foram monitoradas a cada 14 dias, do nascimento até os 12 meses de idade, por meio de exames coproparasitológicos. Para análise estatística, considerou-se a frequência (%) de amostras fecais com contagem de ovos por grama de fezes (OPG) ≥300, contagem de oocistos por grama de fezes (OoPG) ≥500, e amostras fecais com contagem de cistos de Giardia spp. ≥1. A frequência média global de amostras fecais com contagem de OPG ≥300, OoPG ≥500 e cistos de Giardia spp. ≥1, respectivamente, foi similar (p >0,05) entre TE-S (20,3%; 17,3%; e 31,5%) e TC (26,4%; 23,9%; e 37,3%). O custo operacional efetivo, por animal, em 12 meses, foi R$ 784,58 (US$ 241.40) e R$ 83,90 (US$ 25.81) para TE-S e TC, respectivamente. O TE-S necessita de ajustes para que possa ser indicado como uma alternativa, tecnicamente eficiente e economicamente viável, no controle das parasitoses gastrointestinais em bezerras leiteiras.