Celso Guimarães Barbosa

Efeito prebiótico do mel sobre o crescimento e viabilidade de Bifidobacterium spp. e Lactobacillus spp. em leite

To be considered prebiotic, a microorganism must fulfill a series of requirements and the maintenance of viability is a major one. Probiotic cultures of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. were cultured in 12% (w/v) reconstituted nonfat dry milk containing 3% (w/v) of pasteurized honey. Controls without honey were prepared. All cultures remained viable for up 46 days at 7 °C conforming to the regulation requirement. The higher cell number of L. casei-01 and L. casei Shirota (>9.0 log10 CFU.mL-1) were maintained in the presence of honey. The titratable acidity produced by these cultures was of 1.44%. On the 46th day of storage, the number of L. acidophilus Sacco® viable cells in the presence of honey was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to the control. Considering the overall storage period, honey exerted significant positive effect (p < 0,05) only on Bifidobacterium cultures. The lowest growth and acidity on the 46th day was observed with Bf. Lactis Bb12, being 7,63 log10 CFU.g-1 and 0,61% of acidity in the presence of honey and 6.11 log CFU.mL-1 and 0,30% of acidity in the control. Differently, Bf. lactis Sacco® cultures reached counts of 9,11 log10 CFU.mL-1 and produced 1.11% acidity.

Eusocial Apidae in tropical insular region

This study examined species richness and relative abundance of eusocial Apidae in an insular region of rain-forest, southeastern Brazil. Sampling took place during one year, using an standardized method with entomological net, at sites of secondary growth habitats surrounded by Atlantic rain-forest. Thirteen species of eusocial Apidae were netted at flowers, over 80% of the captured individuals were meliponine species, although the presence of Apis mellifera, commonly dominant in Brazilian habitats. Foraging activity of these bee species were essentially non-seasonal, apparently affected by high humidity. The patterns in abundance and species richness observed in Ilha Grande differed with other studies conducted at tropical islands, which were characterized by the poverty of meliponine species.

Distribuição e frequência de larvas de Dermatobia hominis (Linnaeus Jr., 1781) (Diptera: Cuterebridae) em peles de bovinos

The Dermatobia hominis larvae (Linnaeus Jr., 1781) (Diptera: Cuterebridae) causes a subcutaneous nodular miyasis and brings about irreversible perforation on skin, which damages the leather and therefore lowers its price for commercialization. The main purpose of the present work is to establish the larva distribution in cattle corporal area and also to define the infestation according to sex, age and color of skin. This survey was elaborated covering 8124 cattle slaughted in a slaughterhouse in Nilopolis city, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with the intention of to identify larvae localization and distribution. The leather surface was divided into four regions: I (left anterior quadrant), II (right anterior quadrant), III (left posterior quadrant), IV (right posterior quadrant); the skin color was also registered. 84,8% leather skin examined were totally free from parasite. The incidence of parasited on region I was significantly larger: 33.4% (3029), on region II 30.9% (2796), on region III 20% (1813), on region IV 15.7% (1423). As to sex frequency the females presented more parasites 16.7% (342) than the males 14.7% (894). The adults were more vulnerable (15.4%) than the younger ones (12.1%). The parasite appeared more in black skins (18.1%), black and red (15.2%), black and white (15.3%), red (15.2%), spotted (13.2%), gray (11.8%).

Fase parasitária e alterações clínicas em bovinos infestados experimentalmente com larvas de Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae)

DAI, it was already possible to observe theparasitic nodules in the subcutaneous tissues of the infested animals. With the larval development,these nodules reached about 2 to 3 cm of diameter, and the duration of the parasitic phase rangedfrom 33 to 41 days. In relation to the clinical parameters studied (rectal temperature, heart andrespiratory rates), there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the averages ofinfested group and control group, during the study period. The variations of the rectal temperaturevalues showed, during the whole experimental period, inside of the normality limits. It was alsoverified in the infested and control animals a significant Pearson coefficient (r = 0.89, P < 0.01)between the values of the respiratory rate and room temperature.

Eficácia de Chenopodium ambrosioides (erva-de-santa-maria) no controle de endoparasitos de Gallus gallus (galinha caipira)

The present survey was carried out at Zoology Laboratory, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, and Animal Parasitology Sector, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro state, from 2011 to 2012. The aim was to test in vitro and in vivo the effectiveness of the medicinal plant Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, 1786 (santa maria herb) regarding phytotherapeutic and homeopathic alternative methods to control endoparasites of Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758 (free range chicken), a serious problem affecting domestic poultry performance causing losses, retarded development, decreased food conversion rate and increase of susceptibility to infectious diseases. In vitro essay demonstrated high reduction rate on eggs eclosion inhibition (97.18%), and in vivo essay showed high fecal eggs counting reduction rate (91.67%). Presence of the genera Ascaridia (35.00%), Capillaria (30.00%), Heterakis (25.00%) and Strongyloides (10.00%) was displayed by this survey. The plant C. ambrosioides showed upper rates front traditional products (Thiabendalol/Mebendazol) as well as to those ones advocated by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and the World Health Organization as effective.

Período pupal da Dermatobia hominis (Diptera:Cuterebridae) em condições de temperatura ambiente

The period pupal stage of Dermatobia hominis has been studied from third instar larvae, extracted from cattle, under ambient temperature conditions. Emergency of adults of D. hominis ranged from 6.7% to 42.9%. The pupal stage duration ranged from 23 to 37 days, with average of 27.4 days. The average duration of this stage (27.0 days), in males, was significantly lower (P < 0,01) than the females (27.7 days). It has been showed a significant Pearson correlation (r = - 0.90, P < 0.01) between pupal stage duration and minimum and maximum temperatures averages.

STATUS OF THE AMERICAN TEGUMENTARY LEISHMANIASIS IN THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO , BRAZIL, FROM 2004 TO 2013

SUMMARY The aim of the present study was to analyze the status of the American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) in the state of Rio de Janeiro, from 2004 to 2013, through its spatiotemporal distribution. We also described variables considered relevant to the epidemiology of the disease, such as the clinical form, gender, ethnic group, age group, and progression of disease. This is a descriptive study, which used notified secondary data from the Brazilian Information System of Notifiable Diseases (SINAN), Ministry of Health, Brazil, regarding confirmed diagnoses. To help the calculation of coefficients of detection and mortality, we used population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). We analyzed 1,470 cases of ATL with the predominance of the cutaneous clinical form (1,292/87.89%). The data has also revealed seven deaths, a predominance of males (922/62.72%), and a higher incidence of ATL in the white ethnic group (731/49.72%). We observed a high incidence of ATL in the group of 20 - 39 years old (477/32.44%). We concluded that there was a decrease in the number of ATL cases in the state of Rio de Janeiro, based on a coefficient of detection of 1.44/100.000 inhabitants in 2004 decreasing to 0.20/100.000 inhabitants in 2013. The localities with the highest occurrences of ATL were the metropolitan region (843 cases) and the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (740 cases). In 2005, the highest incidence of the disease was observed (351 cases) in the study. Among the variables selected to describe the epidemiology of the disease, the following categories: cutaneous clinical form, male patients, white ethnic group, and the age group of 20 - 39 years old were more affected than the others.

Levantamento qualitativo de gêneros de parasitos em amostras fecais de jacarés criados comercialmente em sistema fechado no estado do Rio de Janeiro

The objective of this paper was to diagnose qualitatively parasite genera found in environmental fecal samples of alligators (Caiman latirostris Daudin, 1802) commercially bred from 2008 to 2009 in a closed farming system in the state of Rio de Janeiro. A total of 300 samples were collected from 150 young, 80 fattening and 70 breeding processed by two different methods, the flotation (method of Willis-Mollay) and simple sedimentation (method of Lutz), according to Hoffmann (1987). The samples were then examined by optical microscopy. The results revealed presence of Eimeria and Isospora oocysts, Balantidium cysts, and Acanthostomum and Dujardinascaris eggs.

Humoral immune response in cattle experimentally infested with larvae of Dermatobia Hominis

Six bovines were infested with 60 first instar larvae of Dermatobia hominis. The animals were bleed weekly, and their antibodies levels to D. hominis L1, L2 and L3 instars measured during the time, following the infestation course. The antisera were submitted to a titration against optimal dilutions of antigen coated wells of microplates, previously sensitized with L1, L2 and L3 preparations, respectively. The ELISA assay was used to test single dilutions of antisera, which results were comparatively analyzed with a control of not infested animals. Antibodies against L1 were detected between the first and 21st day post-infestation (DPI) and, from the 42nd DPI on. Anti-L2 antibodies, could be detected on the 21st DPI and from the 35th DPI until approximately the 49th DPI, when it was observed a decreasing of antibodies titration equivalent to the control group. No antibodies were detected against the L3 instar-antigens. Antibodies levels against L1 showed absorbance higher than 1.500 O.D. at 492nm in the ELISA assay, when compared to the 0.096 O.D. observed to the negative animals. High anti-L2 antibodies were also detected on the 21st DPI, where two animals showed O.D. of 0.450 and 0.900 at 492nm, with a cut-off estimated on 0.110 O.D. It was also demonstrated a rising of anti-L2 antibodies in the same four animals, which presented antibodies response against L1 instar. The obtained results, with an estimated prevalence of 50%, were comparatively evaluated, taking the double diffusion immunoassay precipitation test as a standard, and showed a concordance of 98%. The association between infestation and presence of specific antibodies was also discussed.

Eficácia de Chenopodium ambrosioides (erva-de-santa-maria) no controle de endoparasitos de Coturnix japônica (codorna japonesa)

The aim was in vitro and in vivo to test the effectiveness of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, 1786 (santa maria herb) medicinal plant, in regard to phytotherapeutic and homeopathic forms as alternative methods to control Coturnix japonica Temminck & Schlegel, 1849 (japanese quail) endoparasites. The parasitosis is a serious problem affecting domestic poultry raising and performance causing death, delay in grow, food conversion rate reduction and increase of susceptibility to infectious diseases. Methodologies were advocated by Coles et al. (1992), corroborated by World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP). Presence of the genera Ascaridia and Eimeria was displayed by this survey. In vitro essay demonstrated high reduction rate on eggs eclosion inhibition of Ascaridia sp. (100.00%) and significant reduction rate on oocyst destruction of Eimeria sp. (47.06%). In vivo essay demonstrated high fecal egg counting reduction rate of Ascaridia sp. (100.00%) and expressive fecal oocyst counting reduction rate of Eimeriasp. (60.33%). C. ambrosioides showed upper rates front traditional product (Thiabendalol/Mebendazol) as well as to those ones advocated by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculturel and the World Health Organization as effectiveness indicative.