Transmissibility of Leishmania infantum from maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) to Lutzomyia longipalpis.

Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum is the cause of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. The disease is transmitted mostly through the bite of the invertebrate vector, the phlebotomine Lutzomyia longipalpis in the New World. Although the domestic dog is considered the most important reservoir of the disease, other mammalian, including wildlife, are susceptible to infection. The goal of this study was to perform xenodiagnosis to evaluate the capacity of naturally infected maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) to transmit Leishmania infantum to female sand flies (L. longipalpis). Xenodiagnoses were performed in February and August, 2013, when 77.7% (three maned wolves and four bush dogs) or 100% of the animals were positive, respectively. However, parasite loads in the engorged sand flies was low (<200 promastigotes and <150.2 parasites/µg of DNA). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two species or the two time points (February and August). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that maned wolves (C. brachyurus) and bush dogs (S. venaticus) asymptomatically infected with L. infantum are capable of transmitting L. infantum to the invertebrate host L. longipalpis, although the parasite loads in engorged phlebotomines exposed to these animals were very low.

Diagnosis of Leishmania infantum infection by Polymerase Chain Reaction in wild mammals / Diagnóstico de infecção por Leishmania infantum pela reação em cadeia da polimerase em mamíferos silvestres

Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Leishmania infantum (synonym: Leishmania chagasi) and transmitted by the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis in Brazil. It is an endemic zoonosis in several regions of the country, including Belo Horizonte (State of Minas Gerais). In urban areas, the domestic dog is susceptible and considered the most important animal reservoir. However, L. infantum has been previously diagnosed in other species, including captive primates and canids. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of the agent DNA in captive animals as well as some free ranging animals from the Zoo-Botanical Foundation of Belo Horizonte by Polymerase Chain Reaction. Eighty one blood samples from primates, carnivores, ruminants, edentates, marsupial, and a monogastric herbivore were analyzed. Three primates Alouatta guariba (brown howler monkey), and two canids Speothos venaticus (bush dog) were positive, demonstrating the importance of leishmaniasis control in endemic areas for preservation of wildlife species in captivity.

A leishmaniose visceral é uma doença infecciosa crônica de mamíferos causada, no Brasil, pelo protozoário Leishmania infantum (sinonímia: Leishmania chagasi) e transmitida pelo flebótomo Lutzomyia longipalpis. Trata-se de uma zoonose endêmica em muitas regiões do Brasil, inclusive em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Em centros urbanos, leishmaniose visceral acomete principalmente o cão doméstico. Entretanto, L. infantum já foi diagnosticada em outras espécies, incluindo canídeos e primatas de cativeiro em zoológicos. Este estudo buscou avaliar a presença do DNA deste agente em animais de cativeiro e de vida livre da Fundação Zoobotânica de Belo Horizonte através da reação em cadeia da polimerase. Foram analisadas oitenta e uma amostras de sangue oriundas de primatas, carnívoros, ruminantes, edentatos, marsupial e herbívoro de estômago simples. Três primatas Alouatta guariba (bugio marrom) e dois canídeos Speothos venaticus (cachorro-do-mato-vinagre), foram positivos, demonstrando a importância do controle da leishmaniose em áreas endêmicas com a finalidade de conservar a fauna silvestre mantida em cativeiro.

Sexual and vertical transmission of visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important zoonosis caused by Leishmania infantum, which has in the domestic dog its principal vertebrate host. VL is usually transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, however atypical routes of transmission have been described. In this review we discuss the the role of sexual and vertical transmissions, and their role in the maintenance of VL in canine populations.

Hemorrhagic colitis associated with Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis infection in a captive western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Enteric diseases are among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in gorillas, and it is often caused by bacteria. METHODS: A thirteen-year-old captive female western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) developed hemorrhagic diarrhea. Despite the treatment, the animal died 7 days after the onset of clinical signs. The animal was submitted to a thorough pathological and microbiological evaluation. RESULTS: Pathologic examination revealed a severe acute hemorrhagic colitis, neutrophilic splenitis, glomerulitis, and interstitial pneumonia. Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis was isolated from a mesenteric lymph node. CONCLUSION: A diagnosis of hemorrhagic colitis associated with Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis was established.

Brucella ovis lacking a species-specific putative ATP-binding cassette transporter is attenuated but immunogenic in rams.

Ovine brucellosis caused by Brucella ovis is considered one of the most important reproductive diseases of rams worldwide. This study aimed to characterize the kinetics of infection of a ΔabcAB B. ovis mutant strain in rams. Twelve 1-year-old crossbred rams were used. Six rams were challenged with 2 mL of a suspension containing 1.2×10(9) CFU/mL of B. ovis strain ATCC25840 (wild type) by intraprepucial inoculation and additional 50 µL in each conjunctival sac of a suspension containing 1.2×10(10) CFU/mL of the same strain. The other six rams were challenged with an equivalent number of CFU of the mutant strain ΔabcAB B. ovis through the same routes. Serum samples for serology and semen and urine samples for bacteriologic culture and PCR were collected weekly during 24 weeks. At 24 weeks post infection, tissue samples were collected for bacteriologic culture and PCR. All rams inoculated with wild type or the ΔabcAB strain seroconverted at the fourth week post infection, remaining positive up to the 16th week post infection. PCR and bacteriology demonstrated that only rams inoculated with the wild type strain shed the organism in semen and urine. Lymphocytes from rams inoculated with wild type or ΔabcAB B. ovis had significantly higher proliferation in response to B. ovis antigens when compared with unstimulated controls. Tissue bacteriology and PCR detected B. ovis in all rams challenged with the wild type strain, whereas only one ΔabcAB-infected ram had a positive iliac lymph node sample by PCR.

Distribution of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus provirus, RNA, and antigen in the reproductive tract of one naturally and seven experimentally infected bucks.

Caprine arthritis encephalitis is a worldwide, multisystemic disease caused by a small ruminant lentivirus. Although the main route of transmission is oral, detection of proviral DNA of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) in caprine semen has been previously described. However, the presence of viral antigens in the male reproductive tract has apparently never been reported. The objective was to study lesions in the buck reproductive system and to detect, in these tissues, the presence of proviral DNA, viral RNA and CAEV antigens. Tissues from eight CAEV-infected bucks (one naturally and seven experimentally infected) were analyzed by histopathology, nested polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. Interstitial pneumonia, synovitis, and lesions in the male reproductive tract were detected in some of the bucks. Proviral DNA was detected in the lungs and joints as well as in the reproductive systems of all animals, whereas viral RNA was detected only in the genital tract of the naturally infected buck. Viral antigens were immunostained in most of the organs of the male reproductive tract. This report was apparently the first to clearly demonstrate CAEV antigen expression in the male reproductive tract, which indicates the possibility of venereal transmission of CAEV.

Stimulation of fibroblast proliferation by the plant cysteine protease CMS2MS2 is independent of its proteolytic activity and requires ERK activation.

The cysteine protease CMS2MS2 from Carica candamarcensis latex has been shown to enhance proliferation of L929 fibroblast and to activate the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK). In experiments with CMS2MS2 irreversibly inhibited by E-64, the proliferative effect on fibroblasts remains unaffected. ERK phosphorylation mediated by CMS2MS2 was abolished in the presence of PD 98059 or U0126, both MAPK cascade inhibitors. In addition, these inhibitors suppress the mitogenic activity of intact CMS2MS2 or CMS2MS2-E-64. Furthermore, ERK phosphorylation and the mitogenic effect are partially suppressed by a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. These data suggest that the mitogenic effect of CMS2MS2 on fibroblasts is independent of its proteolytic activity, requires ERK phosphorylation, and involves activation of PLC.