Antônio Oliveira Costa Neto

Genotoxic effects of vehicle traffic pollution as evaluated by micronuclei test in tradescantia (Trad-MCN)

The quality of life in large urban centers is directly affected by the air quality there. Atmospheric monitoring is therefore imperative, and bioassays using plant models to detect the effects of genotoxic agents are recognized as giving excellent results. The present study utilized Trad-MCN to evaluate the genotoxic effects of atmospheric pollutants in the city of Feira de Santana, Bahia State, Brazil, in three locations with varying traffic loads. Inflorescences were collected on a monthly basis from plants growing in these locations in both passive and active monitoring regimes. The occurrence of micronuclei (MCN) was found to be proportional to vehicular flux under both monitoring regimes; with the plants being accompanied by active monitoring demonstrating the greatest sensitivity to atmospheric contamination. The results indicated that locations with the most intense vehicular traffic demonstrated significant atmospheric contamination by pollutants able to damage DNA.

Interspecific transmission of small ruminant lentiviruses from goats to sheep

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the transmission of caprine lentivirus to sheep using different experimental groups. The first one (colostrum group) was formed by nine lambs receiving colostrum from goats positive for small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV). The second group (milk group) was established by nine lambs that received milk of these goats. Third was a control group, consisting of lambs that suckled colostrum and milk of negative mothers. Another experimental group (contact group) was formed by eight adult sheep, confined with two naturally infected goats. The groups were monitored by immunoblotting (IB), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). All lambs that suckled colostrum and milk of infected goats and six sheep of the contact group had positive results in the nPCR, although seroconversion was detected only in three of the exposed animals, with no clinical lentiviruses manifestation, in 720 days of observation. There was a close relationship between viral sequences obtained from infected animals and the prototype CAEV-Cork. Thus, it was concluded that SRLV can be transmitted from goats to sheep, however, the degree of adaptation of the virus strain to the host species probably interferes with the infection persistence and seroconversion rate.

Inquérito soroepidemiológico do lentivírus caprino e perfil das criações de caprinos na região do Baixo Médio São Francisco (BA)

This work aimed to determine the serological prevalence of caprine artrithis encephalitis (CAE) in the microregion of Juazeiro, in the state of Bahia, using the technique of agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) to characterize the farming systems of the region. We collected 693 blood serum samples of goats from 46 farms in 8 different locations belonging to the municipalities forming the microregion (Campo Alegre de Lourdes, Casa Nova, Curaca, Juazeiro, Pilao Arcado, Remanso, and Sobradinho). During the visits, a questionnaire was applied emphasizing information related to health management. All of the visited properties had extensive breeding systems, with predominance of mixed breed animals, low productivity and low technology rate, aiming mainly to use the meat. The main diseases reported were caseous lymphadenitis, diarrhea, ectoparasites and keratoconjunctivitis. Concerning seroprevalence, 0.29% (2/693) of samples tested positive for AGID. The positive animals belonged to the same property in the municipality of Curaca, which showed 12.5% (1/8) of positive properties, in contrast to 2.17% (1/46) of total seroprevalence in the other visited properties. These results therefore suggest the need for new epidemiological surveys in the region, especially at a time when the importation of animals for genetic improvement is taking place.

Evolução clínica e avaliação de parâmetros leucocitários e de proteínas de fase aguda na pododermatite infecciosa ovina

In this paper, Santa Ines crossbred sheep with footrot were evaluated, checking the changes on leukogram and the acute phase proteins. In the first experiment, 70 females were divided into three groups according to their podal scores: a control group (G1) with score 0, scald group (G2) with score 1 or 2 and a footrot group (G3) with score 3, 4 or 5. During two months, the clinical course and its effect on leukogram were observed at five moments: M1 (day 0), M2 (day 15), M3 (day 30), M4 (day 45) and M5 (day 60). The intensity of the white blood cell count was low magnitude, observing significant changes (p <0.05) as a mild leukocytosis (G3, M4), attributed to neutrophilia and a slight increase in the total number of monocytes (G3, M2 and M3) despite the extensive damage and tissue necrosis existed during the final stage of the disease. In the second experiment, 105 animals from seven farms were used with the objective of isolating the causative agent and to evaluate the effect of disease on total plasma protein and acute phase proteins. The animals were also divided into three groups: control, scald and footrot. In all farms, the isolation of Dichelobacter nodosus was regarded. For the different stages of the disease on the proteins studied there was no significant correlation (p<0.05) but the haptoglobin in scald and footrot groups showed higher average than the control group. Based on these results, we conclude that the acute phase proteins studied were not efficient in the characterization of the phases of the disease and the leukocyte response was mild, making it difficult to use for this purpose.

Duration of passive immunity to small ruminant lentiviruses in lambs

In order to evaluate the passive immunity against small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) in lambs, this study was conducted from two experimental groups. The first one (G1) was established by nine lambs subjected to artificial feeding of colostrum of goats positive for SRLV. The second one (G2) was the control group, consisting of ten lambs subjected to suckling of colostrum from their negative mothers. Blood samples were obtained before the first feeding, after 24 hours of birth and at 7, 15, 30, 50, 70, 90 and 120 days of age. The concentrations of total serum protein (TSP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were determined and antibodies to SRLV were surveyed from the techniques of agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) and immunoblotting (IB). In both groups, the lowest averages of TSP, GLOB and IgG were observed at birth and the highest averages were observed at 24 hours of life, due to absorption of colostral immunoglobulins. For G1, transfer of immunity could also be detected by immunodiagnostic tests. At birth, the animals were seronegative. After 24 hours, all animals were positive in three serological tests. Negative results began to be observed after 15 days of age by the AGID test. As for Elisa testing, all animals remained reagent until 50 days old. Only IB was able to detect anti-SRLV at 70 days. Regarding G2, all animals tested negative in AGID and IB, from birth until 120 days of age. However, false-positive results were observed until day 15 in Elisa, due to nonspecific reactions. These data are consistent with the sensitivity and specificity of serological tests and show that starting at 90 days of age, colostral antibodies to SRLV are no longer detected in the serum of lambs.

Effects of age on the frequency of micronuclei and degenerative nuclear abnormalities

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do envelhecimento, do genero e de fatores relacionados ao estilo de vida na inducao de danos cromossomicos (micronucleo) e de alteracoes nucleares degenerativas com o uso do teste de micronucleo em celulas esfoliadas da mucosa oral. A amostra incluiu oitenta individuos saudaveis divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com a faixa etaria e o genero: homens e mulheres de 19-29 anos (H19, M19), homens e mulheres com mais de sessenta anos (H60, M60). Questionario de entrevista foi aplicado para caracterizar a amostra e para determinar um indice refletindo o estilo de vida (IVS). A frequencia de micronucleos e alteracoes nucleares degenerativas foi significativamente maior entre os idosos (p 0,05). Ocorrencia de micronucleos foi similar entre homens e mulheres idosos (p>0,10), mas cariorrexis e cariolise foram mais frequentes entre os homens (p<0,005 e p<0,025, respectivamente), que tambem apresentaram o menor IVS em relacao aos demais grupos (p<0,0004). Os resultados deste estudo permitem concluir que a idade foi o principal fator associado a inducao de danos ao material genetico.

Serum epidemiological survey and risk factors investigation for lentivirus in goats from Sisal Region, Bahia, Brazil

Arq. Inst. Biol., v.85, 1-6, e0812016, 2018 RESUMO: Este trabalho teve por objetivo realizar um levanta‐ mento soroepidemiológico da artrite encefalite caprino na região sisaleira do estado da Bahia e avaliar os fatores de risco. Foram ava‐ liadas 831 amostras de soros sanguíneos de caprinos entre machos e fêmeas, com idade superior a seis meses, provenientes de 49 proprie‐ dades rurais distribuídas entre os municípios de Araci, Cansanção, Conceição do Coité, Itiúba, Monte Santo, Nordestina, Queimadas, Santa Luz, São Domingos e Valente. Foi aplicado um questioná‐ rio epidemiológico destinado à análise de possíveis fatores de risco. Todos os soros foram submetidos ao teste da imunodifusão em gel de ágar. A soroprevalência obtida nos rebanhos pesquisados foi de 1,56% (13/831). Houve diferença significativa (p≤0,05) para padrão racial dos animais, tipo de exploração e sistemas de criação. Quando se consideraram apenas os rebanhos com raças predomi‐ nantemente leiteiras (Saanen e Pardo alpina), dos municípios de Valente, Conceição do Coité e São Domingos, a soropositividade nos animais elevou‐se para 5,06% (12/237). Nesses municípios, de 14 propriedades analisadas, 5 (38,5%) apresentaram pelo menos um animal sororeagente. Esse resultado é extremamente preocu‐ pante quando se constata que poucas medidas de controle são ado‐ tadas pelos criadores para impedir a disseminação dessa importante enfermidade na bacia leiteira mais relevante do estado da Bahia.