Adriana Moraes da Silva

Evolução da imunidade passiva em fêmeas bovinas da raça holandesa

The zinc sulfate turbidity test (ZST) was used to determine the immunoglobulin concentration in 1.530 serum samples collected from 81 cows (28 days before parturition to 28 days after parturition - n=579). Heifers born from these cows were also tested untd 210 days of live (n=951) with the same test Levels of Igs in cows decreased during the two weeks prepartum, indicating a transfer of circulating Igs to the mammary gland. The average serum Igs at 24 hours after birth in 76 female calves was 11.66 mg/ml with a standart deviation (SD) of 7 4. Failure of passive transfer (FPT) was considered to occur m animals with levels of lgs lower than one SD below average (4.2 mg/ml). FPT animals had lower levels of serum Igs than the other group unlil 56 days of age. High correlation (r=O.91) between ZST and serum electrophoresis was observed Sodium sulfite precipitation and glutaraldehyde coagulation tests were less efficient than ZST.

Relationship between passive immunity and morbidity and weight gain in dairy cattle

Serum samples from 87 calves from a dairy herd in Southern Brazil were collected to determine the levels of passive transfer and its relationship to morbidity and mean daily weight gain (MDG). Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were measured by the zinc sulfate turbidity test at 24 hours of age in the calves. The average serum Ig level was 11.40g/l. Fourteen out of 87 calves (16.1%) showed serum Ig levels one standard deviation below the mean (4.59g/l) and were considered as having failure of passive immunity transfer (FPT). The occurrence of diarrhea from birth to weaning was higher in the FPT group (100%) than the normal group (90.7%) but the difference was not significant. The occurrence of signs of respiratory disease was similar in both groups (35.7% for FPT and 36.9% for the normal group). The mean daily gain from birth to 13-16 months of age in the FPT group was significantly (P>0.05) lower than in the group with normal serum Ig levels. The difference in MDG from birth to weaning between the groups was not significant. These results demonstrate the importance of passive immunity in cattle, and also provide regional parameters for the evaluation of FPT in cattle.

Infecção aguda e latente em ovinos inoculados com o herpesvírus bovino tipo 5 (BHV-5)

Experimental inoculation of lambs with bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BHV-5) reproduced several aspects of the BHV-5 infection in cattle. Intranasal inoculation was followed by efficient viral replication and shedding, establishment and reactivation of latency, and even the development of meningoencephalitis in one animal. Lambs inoculated with the brazilian isolate EVI-88 showed transient hipertermia, nasal hiperemia and discharge ranging from serous to muco-purulent. The animals shed virus in nasal secretions in titers up to 107.11 TCID50/ml during up to 16 days. One lamb showed clinical signs of encephalitis on day 10 post inoculation (pi), being euthanized in extremis on day 13. Infectious virus was recovered from several areas of the brain of this lamb, including anterior and posterior cerebrum, dorso- and ventro-lateral hemisphere, cerebellum, pons, midbrain and olfactory bulb. Histological changes were observed in several regions of the brain, most consistently in the anterior cerebrum, ventro-lateral cortex and midbrain, and consisted mainly of meningitis, perivascular mononuclear cuffing, focal gliosis, neuronal necrosis and intranuclear inclusions. Four lambs used as sentinels acquired the infection and shed virus starting at the 2nd day pi during up to 7 days. Lambs inoculated with the argentinian isolate A663 showed only mild respiratory signs, although they shed virus for up to 15 days. Administration of dexamethazone to the animals starting at day 50 pi was followed by reactivation of the latent infection and viral shedding during up to 11 days by 76.9% (10/13) of the inoculated lambs and 100% (3/3) of the sentinels. These results demonstrate that sheep are susceptible to BHV-5 acute and latent infection and suggest that natural infections by this virus in sheep may potentially occur. In this sense, a possible role of this species in the epidemiology of BHV-5 infections awaits further investigation.

Evolução da imunidade passiva contra o herpesvírus bovino tipo 1

The aim of the present study was to determine the evolution of the levels of anti-BHV-1 colostral antibodies. Serum samples were obtained at 6, 12 and 24 hours post-birth, weekly through the 63rd day of age, and monthly through the 180rd day. The study utilized the serum neutralization test (SN). The colostral antibodies against BHV-1 declined gradually: the first negativo samples were obseved at day 28, and the geometric mean titer of antibodies (GMT) was estimated to be £1:2 at day 180. These data suggest that serology for BHV-1 (using the SN) should be used only in calves older then six months.