Isolation and characterization of the aerobic bacterial microbiota of the esophagus and its probable association with obstructive caseous lesions in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) / Isolamento e caracterização da microbiota bacteriana aeróbia do esôfago e sua provável associação com lesões caseosas obstrutivas em tartarugas-verdes (Chelonia mydas)

Caseous lesions in the esophagus of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from the coast of Brazil have been described as obstructive lesions and can lead to the death of these animals. However, their etiology remains unclear. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the aerobic bacterial microbiota of the esophagus of green turtles (C. mydas) from the Brazilian coast and to verify its possible participation in the etiology of caseous lesions. For this, 42 animals were used, 33 alive and healthy and 9 naturally dead that had esophageal lesions confirmed by necropsy, from Anchieta and Piúma beaches, Espírito Santo. Microbiological tests and morphological evaluation of the esophagus were performed. We isolated 14 different bacterial agents from healthy animal samples, with the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa being (36.36%), Staphylococcus aureus (33.33%), Aeromonas hydrophila (27.27%), and Vibrio alginolyticus (24.24%). In dead animals, only three distinct agents were isolated: S. aureus (50.00%), A. hydrophila (25.00%), and V. alginolyticus (25.00%). Morphological evaluation revealed a predominance of the lesions at the gastroesophageal junction, with multifocal-to-coalescent distribution, discrete intensity, and absence of obstruction. Ulcerations and caseous exudates, inflammatory infiltrates, parasitic eggs, and giant foreign body cells were also observed as well as bacterial lumps and glandular alterations, such as necrosis, adenitis, and fragments of adult parasites. There was a positive correlation between bacterial lumps and microbiological culture and a negative correlation between bacterial lumps and microbiological culture with parasites. Thus, it was noted that the esophageal aerobic microbiota of C. mydas was predominantly composed of Gram-negative bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, A. hydrophila, and V. alginolyticus, in addition to several enterobacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, such as S. aureus. These agents are opportunists and may be involved in the etiology of caseous esophagitis in association with other pathogens as co-factors working in association or, even in a secondary way.(AU)

A ocorrência de lesão caseosa no esôfago de tartarugas-verdes (Chelonia mydas) da costa do Brasil tem sido descrita como de caráter obstrutivo e pode causar a morte dos animais. No entanto, sua etiologia permanece pouco esclarecida. Objetivou-se isolar e caracterizar a microbiota aeróbica esofágica das tartarugas-verdes (C. mydas) da costa brasileira e verificar sua possível participação na etiologia das lesões caseosas. Foram utilizados 42 animais, 33 vivos e hígidos e nove mortos naturalmente que apresentavam lesão esofágica confirmada pela necropsia, provenientes de Anchieta e Piúma, Espírito Santo, nos quais foram feitos testes microbiológicos e avaliação morfológica do esôfago. Foram isolados 14 agentes bacterianos diferentes nas amostras de animais saudáveis, com prevalência de Pseudomonas aeruginosa (36,36%), Staphylococcus aureus (33,33%), Aeromonas hydrophila (27,27%) e Vibrio alginolyticus (24,24%). Nos animais mortos, foram isolados apenas três agentes distintos: S. aureus (50,00%), A. hydrophila (25,00%) e V. alginolyticus (25,00%). A avaliação morfológica revelou predominância da lesão em junção gastroesofágica, com distribuição multifocal a coalescente, intensidade discreta e ausência de obstrução. Observou-se ainda ulceração e exsudato caseoso, infiltrado inflamatório, ovos de parasitos e células gigantes do tipo corpo estranho, além de grumos bacterianos e de alterações glandulares, como necrose, adenite e fragmentos de parasitos adultos. Houve correlação positiva dos grumos bacterianos com cultivo microbiológico e negativa dos grumos bacterianos e cultivo microbiológico com parasitos. Assim, nota-se que a microbiota esofágica aeróbica de C. mydas é constituída predominantemente por bactérias Gram-negativas como P. aeruginosa, A. hydrophila e V. alginolyticus, além de diversas enterobatérias e por Gram-positivas, como S. aureus. Esses agentes são oportunistas e podem estar envolvidos na etiologia da esofagite caseosa em associação a outros patógenos como co-fatores agindo em associação, ou mesmo, por via de infecção secundária.(AU)

Survey for tick-borne zoonoses in the state of Espirito Santo, southeastern Brazil.

Blood samples collected from 201 humans, 92 dogs, and 27 horses in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, were tested by polymerase chain reaction, indirect immunofluorescence assays, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tick-borne diseases (rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, borreliosis, babesiosis). Our results indicated that the surveyed counties are endemic for spotted fever group rickettsiosis because sera from 70 (34.8%) humans, 7 (7.6%) dogs, and 7 (25.9%) horses were reactive to at least one of the six Rickettsia species tested. Although there was evidence of ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis) and babesiosis (Babesia canis vogeli, Theileria equi) in domestic animals, no human was positive for babesiosis and only four individuals were serologically positive for E. canis. Borrelia burgdorferi-serologic reactive sera were rare among humans and horses, but encompassed 51% of the canine samples, suggesting that dogs and their ticks can be part of the epidemiological cycle of the causative agent of the Brazilian zoonosis, named Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome.

Hepatozoon canis infecting dogs in the State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.

From May 2007 to March 2008, blood samples were collected from 92 healthy dogs living in 21 households (17 farms in rural area, and 4 homes in urban area) in 6 counties of the State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. In addition, ticks were collected from these dogs. A mean of 4.4+/-3.0 dogs (range: 1-12) were sampled per household; 78 and 14 dogs were from rural and urban areas, respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) designed to amplify fragments of the 18S rDNA gene of Babesia spp or Hepatozoon spp revealed amplicons of the expected size in 20 (21.7%) dogs for Babesia, and 54 (58.7%) dogs for Hepatozoon. All Babesia-positive dogs were also Hepatozoon-positive. Among the 21 households, 15 (71.4%) from 3 counties had at least one PCR-positive dog, including 13 farms (rural area) and 2 homes (urban area). A total of 40 PCR products from the Hepatozoon-PCR, and 19 products from the Babesia-PCR were submitted to DNA sequencing. All generated sequences from Hepatozoon-PCR were identical to each other, and to corresponding 18S rDNA sequences of H. canis in GenBank. Surprisingly, all generated sequences from the Babesia PCR were also identical to corresponding 18S rDNA sequences of H. canis in GenBank. Dogs from 10 rural and 2 urban households were found infested by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. Immature of Amblyomma cajennense ticks were found in dogs from only 4 rural households (also infested by R. sanguineus). All but one household with R. sanguineus-infested dogs had at least one Hepatozoon-infected dog. Statistical analysis showed that the presence of ticks (i.e. R. sanguineus) infesting dogs in the households was significantly (P<0.05) associated with at least one PCR-positive dog. There was no significant association (P>0.05) between PCR-positive dogs and urban or rural households. Canine hepatozoonosis caused by H. canis is a high frequent infection in Espírito Santo, Brazil, where it is possibly vectored by R. sanguineus. Since all infected dogs were found apparently healthy, the pathogenicity of H. canis for dogs in Espírito Santo is yet to be elucidated.

[Sensibility and reproducibility of a sedimental technique (Foreyt, 2005) for Fasciola hepatica diagnosis]. / Sensibilidade e reprodutibilidade da técnica de sedimentação (Foreyt, 2005) para o diagnóstico de Fasciola hepatica.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the sensibility and reproducibility of Foreyt (2005) technique in the diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica. A total of 686 bovines were examined at a slaughtered house and 97 were positive for Fasciola hepatica. Feces samples were collected and 58 were positive for the Foreyt technique. The validity was tested by the sensibility (59.8%) and specificity (100%). The reproductability, calculated by the Kappa agreement was 0.70 and the Chi-square showed differences between the tests (p < 0.001).