Cristine Cerva

CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM OF THE MAGELLANIC PENGUIN (SPHENISCUS MAGELLANICUS) BY SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Abstract The corneal endothelium is essential for the maintenance of the corneal transparency. The aim of this study was to examine the morphology of the endothelial surface and perform morphometric analysis of the normal corneal endothelial cells of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) using scanning electron microscopy. The present work demonstrates that the corneal endothelium of the Magellanic penguin is similar to those described in other vertebrates.

Morphological analysis of the corneal endothelium in eyes of dogs using specular microscopy

Both healthy eyes of 10 six-year-old male and female mongrel dogs were studied. With a contact specular microscope the corneal endothelium was examined. Endothelial cells were analyzed in the central and peripheral cornea. Morphological analysis with regard to polymegathism and pleomorphism was performed. Three images of each region with at least 100 cells were obtained. The analysis showed that polygonal cells formed a mosaic-like pattern uniform in size and shape. The predominant number of cells was hexagonal. The polymegathism index was 0.22. The study demonstrates that the morphology of the normal corneal endothelial cells of dogs is similar to that found in the human cornea.

Bovine digital dermatitis in southern Brazil

near the heel bulbs (WVeaver and others 1981, Blowey and Sharp 1988, Read 1994). The disease was first described in Italy by Cheli and Mortellaro (1974). Since then, digital dermatitis and a similar condition named papillomatous digital dermatitis have beeni reported worldwide (Peterse 1986, Blowey and Sharp 1988, Van Amstel and others 1991, Read and others 1992, Rodriguez-Lainz and others 1999). Lately, both designations appear to represent the same disease complex, which in the USA is also known as footwarts, hairy footwarts, heel warts and strawberry foot disease (Read 1994, Read and Walker 1998). The rapid therapeutic response following topical treatment with antibiotics in most affected animals supports the involvement of bacterial species in the development of the disease (Read and others 1992, Read and Walker 1998). In addition, several bacterial agents, including spirochaetes related to human treponemes (Blowey and others 1992, Read and others 1992, Walker and others 1995, Dopfer and others 1997), Bacteroides species (Peterse 1986, Blowey and Sharp 1988) and Catinpylobacter species (Dopfer and others 1997, Ohya and others 1999), have been implicated in the aetiology of digital dermatitis. Outbreaks of the disease have mainly been reported in housed cattle (Peterse 1986, Blowey and Sharp 1988, Bassett and others 1990, Bergsten and others 1998, Read and Walker 1998, Rodriguez-Lain7z and others 1999) suggesting that environmental or biological factors associated with those systems of managenment may be important risk factors (RodriguezLainz and others 1996, 1999). Typical lesions have been described as red in colour, circular to oval in shape, alopecic, prone to bleeding, moist and painful to the touch. Larger ulcerative lesions or characteristic raised proliferative processes are associated with later stages of the disease (Blowey and Sharp 1988, Bassett and oth-

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of bovine digital lesions in southern Brazil

Realizaram-se o diagnostico e o tratamento de afeccoes podais responsaveis por claudicacao em bovinos leiteiros no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Durante 18 meses, 524 animais apresentaram 883 lesoes digitais clinicas. A prevalencia de bovinos afetados foi de 50,2% e as lesoes mais comuns foram dermatite digital (29,9%), ulceras de sola (18,3%) e dermatite interdigital (17,8%). Das lesoes corneas, 91,5% ocorreram nas unhas laterais posteriores.

Food safety in raw milk production: risk factors associated to bacterial DNA contamination.

While human illness from milkborne pathogens may be linked to contamination of the product after pasteurization or improper pasteurization, such diseases are usually associated with consumption of raw milk or its by-products. Molecular biology tools were applied to investigate contamination by Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., some pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter jejuni in 548 raw milk samples from 125 dairy farms established in two regions from southern Brazil. Moreover, 15 variables were evaluated for their association with raw milk contamination levels, and the risk factors were determined by multiple regression analysis. Salmonella spp. were more frequently detected, followed by pathogenic E. coli. There was difference in contamination index between the regions, in which risk factors such as temporary cattle confinement, low milk production, low milking machine cleaning frequency, and milk storage area without tile walls were identified. The risk factors were specific to each region studied. Nevertheless, the data can be used to improve milk quality of dairy farms/herds with similar management practices.

Faecal virome of healthy chickens reveals a large diversity of the eukaryote viral community, including novel circular ssDNA viruses

This study is focused on the identification of the faecal virome of healthy chickens raised in high-density, export-driven poultry farms in Brazil. Following high-throughput sequencing, a total of 7743 de novo-assembled contigs were constructed and compared with known nucleotide/amino acid sequences from the GenBank database. Analyses with blastx revealed that 279 contigs (4 %) were related to sequences of eukaryotic viruses. Viral genome sequences (total or partial) indicative of members of recognized viral families, including Adenoviridae, Caliciviridae, Circoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picobirnaviridae, Picornaviridae and Reoviridae, were identified, some of those representing novel genotypes. In addition, a range of circular replication-associated protein encoding DNA viruses were also identified. The characterization of the faecal virome of healthy chickens described here not only provides a description of the viruses encountered in such niche but should also represent a baseline for future studies comparing viral populations in healthy and diseased chicken flocks. Moreover, it may also be relevant for human health, since chickens represent a significant proportion of the animal protein consumed worldwide.

Detection of human adenovirus, rotavirus and enterovirus in water samples collected on dairy farms from Tenente Portela, Northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Viral gastroenteritis and other waterborne diseases are a major concern for health in Brazil. A number of studies were conducted about the presence of viruses on water samples from Brazilian areas. However, the knowledge about the occurrence of viral contamination of drinking water sources in rural settings of the country is insufficient. On the present work, 15 samples from 5 dairy farms located at the municipality of Tenente Portela were collected and analysed for the presence of human adenoviruses (HAdV), as well as human enteroviruses (EV) and rotaviruses (RV). HAdV was present on 66.66% of the water samples, and have been found in all samples from artesian wells and springs, which are used as sources of drinking water for the individuals inhabiting those farms. EV and RV found only in one sample each. The detection rates of HAdV on the water from these dairy farms are alarming and point towards a situation of elevated environmental contamination by fecal microorganisms of human origin and poor basic sanitation conditions.

Records of performance and sanitary status from a dairy cattle herd in southern Brazil

Over the last decades, the emphasis on the health of dairy cows has changed from an individual to a herd level. In this scenario, the role played by the recording system and its interpretation by veterinarians has gained primordial importance. The records of productive and reproductive performance and of sanitary status from a southern Brazilian dairy cattle herd have been presented and discussed. The period of study was 2000-2009. Mean values per lactation period were 349D 8436M 290F 275P 201SCS (D: days in lactation, M: kg of milk yield, F: kg of fat, P: kg of protein and SCS: somatic cell score in 1000 cells/ml of milk). Major indexes of reproductive efficiency included age at first calving (31 months), services per conception (2.1), intercalving interval (428 days), calving to conception interval (146 days), mean annual rates of parturitions (76.2%), fetal losses (9.8-19.0%), and stillbirths (3.6%), apart of voluntary waiting period (94 days). Main information on sanitary status of the herd was associated with the mean prevalence of common disorders of dairy cattle such as anaplasmosis (29.8%), mastitis (27.8%), digital diseases (26.3%), ovarian cysts (21.3%), placental retention (19.7%), postpartum uterine infections (10.6%), and calf diarrhea (23.7%) and pneumonia (16.8%), among others. In addition, culling reasons (low reproductive performance [56.3%] and udder/mastitis problems [33.6%]), causes of cattle deaths (anaplasmosis [16.4%] and leukosis [11.4]), and the impact of cattle diseases such as tuberculosis, leukosis, and neosporosis on the herd have also been presented and succinctly discussed. Numbers between brackets represent rates accumulated in the 10-year period.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium Complexes by Real-Time PCR in Bovine Milk from Brazilian Dairy Farms.

Foodborne diseases are a public health problem worldwide. The consumption of contaminated raw milk has been recognized as a major cause of transmission of bovine tuberculosis to humans. Other mycobacteria that may be present in raw milk and may cause diseases are those belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex. In this study, molecular biology tools were applied to investigate raw milk contamination with Mycobacterium spp. in family dairy farms from Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Furthermore, different variables related to the source of the milk, herd characteristics, and management were evaluated for their effect on milk contamination. Five hundred and two samples were analyzed, of which 354 were from the Northwest region (102 farms with samples from 93 bulk tanks and 261 animals) and 148 from the South region of the state (22 farms with samples from 23 bulk tanks and 125 animals). Among them, 10 (1.99%) and 7 (1.39%) were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (9 confirmed as Mycobacterium bovis) and M. avium complexes, respectively. There was no difference in the frequencies of positive samples between the regions or the sample sources. Of the positive samples, 4 were collected from a bulk tank (1 positive for M. avium and 3 for M. tuberculosis). Moreover, 1 sample was positive concomitantly for M. tuberculosis and M. avium complexes. On risk analysis, no variable was associated with raw milk contamination by M. tuberculosis complex species. However, washing the udders of all animals and drying them with paper towels were weakly classified as risk factors for M. avium contamination. Positive samples were obtained from both animals and bulk tanks, which emphasizes the importance of tuberculosis control programs and provides evidence that milk monitoring can be used as a control practice. Moreover, the findings of this study reinforce the need for awareness of the problems of raw milk consumption among the general population.

Mycobacterium bovis infection in a collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu): insights on tuberculosis wild reservoirs.

Bovine tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease caused mainly nfection with Mycobacterium bovis (Michel et al., 2010). disease represents a risk to human health and is ponsible for high economic losses to the cattle industry, n in developed countries (Parra et al., 2008). The main y of tuberculosis control and eradication is based on a tem of diagnosis and slaughter of infected animals arez et al., 2012), but this practice is hampered by the stence of wild reservoirs such as skunks, badgers, and r, among others (Taylor et al., 2007). In this report we ntified M. bovis as the causative agent of death of a ared peccary (Tayassu tajacu) in southern Brazil. An adult collared peccary (CP) from a conservation eding located in southern Brazil died after showing a onic condition characterized by respiratory distress and gressive wasting. The CP was kept with other 20 from ame specie in an area of approximately 2000 m, which s delimited by a wire screen and covered by vegetation, provided with no roof. When the animal presented ical disease, it was kept in a covered stall. Additional mals in the farm included cattle, white-lipped peccs, deer, capybaras, agouti, coatis, pacas and birds. mals kept close to the collared peccaries were cattle, us and capybaras. The source of water consumed by st of the animals in the farm was the same and itional six collared peccaries had died previously with similar clinical disease; however, no laboratory testing had been done to identify those ailments. At necropsy, CP lungs showed caseous lesions, which were sampled for isolation of Mycobacterium using the Petroff method for decontamination as described by De Kantor et al. (1998b). Next, the sample was inoculated on Löwenstein-Jensen and Stonebrink media and incubated at 37 8C for primary isolation (Corner, 1994). After 4 weeks, colonies with characteristic growth patterns of Mycobacterium were detected. A culture smear was stained with Ziehl–Neelsen technique (De Kantor et al., 1998a) and revealed acid-fast bacilli (Fig. 1A). The identity of M. bovis was confirmed from a bacterial loop through molecular analysis as described hereafter. A lung sample was fixed in neutral-buffered formalin for 48 h, and processed following standard procedures for histopathology. The analysis evidenced granulomatous pneumonia with prominent caseous necrosis and islands of mineralization. There were epithelioid macrophages and multinucleated giant cells surrounding necrosis, mixed with lymphocytes clusters (Fig. 1B). DNA was extracted from lungs as described by Singh et al. (2000) and quantified at Nanodrop 1000 (Thermo Scientific, USA). About 200 ng were used as template. First, a screening PCR, as described by Gómez-Laguna et al. (2010), differentiate between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complexes. The sample was positive for M. tuberculosis complex. Then, primers (Forward: BoF: 50 CCTTCCGCACACCGTTCAG 30 and