Eduardo Harry Birgel

Toxoplasma gondii infection in Brazilian domestic outpatient cats

The occurrence of Toxoplasma antibodies in domestic outpatient cats in the city of São Paulo was evaluated using the indirect immunofluorescence assay. A total of 248 blood samples obtained from male and female cats seen at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of São Paulo between February 1996 and January 1997 were tested. Of these, 17.7% were positive, with a 64 titer being detected in most animals. The frequence of Toxoplasma antibodies was significantly higher in older cats, those fed raw meat and those with free access to the outdoor environment. There was no significant difference in reactivity between males and females. We conclude that diet and free access to the outdoor environment were equally important as predisposing factors to the risk of Toxoplasma infection.

Productive and reproductive performance in cattle infected with bovine leukosis virus

Economic losses caused by enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) have been of interest since World War II, when the neoplastic form of EBL increased dramatically in Europe. Olson (1974) and House et al . (1975) showed that animals with lymphosarcoma caused by the bovine leukosis virus (BLV) had reduced milk yields, a less efficient reproductive performance and high veterinary costs and mortality rates, while many carcasses were rejected at slaughter. However, the actual impact of BLV infection in cattle without lymphosarcoma is not clear. The purpose of the study reported here was to compare some productive and reproductive responses of cattle that were antibody-positive (BLV+) or negative (BLV−) for BLV. Holstein dairy cows in commercial dairy farms were used in this study. Blood samples were collected and subjected to BLV serological examination by the agar gel immunodiffusion test of Miller & van der Maaten (1976). Animals were then grouped as BLV+ or BLV− according to their serological response to the BLV antigen. Productive and reproductive histories were obtained from individual animal records and the following factors were considered: milk production, calving interval and birth rate. For milk production, we had the daily milk yields of 547 animals, and for calving interval the time between two successive parturitions for 444 cows. These values were examined by ANOVA and when this was significant a Students t test was carried out for each age group. Birth rates, the percentage of animals that calved in 1 year, were available for 557 animals and were examined with the Z-two proportion test. For all analyses, P <0·05 was considered significant.

Chromosome aberrations in cattle raised on bracken fern pasture

Thirteen cows maintained on natural bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) were analyzed cytogenetically. The frequency of structural chromosome aberrations detected in peripheral blood cells was significantly higher when compared to that detected in animals raised on pasture containing no bracken fern. We discuss the clastogenic action of fern and its synergistic action with infection by type 2 and 4 papilloma virus in the same animals.

DIAGNÓSTICO DE FALHA DE TRANSFERÊNCIA DE IMUNIDADE PASSIVA EM BEZERROS ATRAVÉS DA DETERMINAÇÃO DE PROTEÍNA TOTAL E DE SUAS FRAÇÕES ELETROFORÉTICAS, IMUNOGLOBULINAS G E M E DA ATIVADE DA GAMA GLUTAMIL TRANSFERASE NO SORO SANGÜÍNEO

The total protein and its fractions (albumin, alpha globulin, beta globulin and gamma globulin), G and M immunoglobulins and the activity of gamma glutamyl transferase were determined in the blood samples of 40 calves, 24 hours old, in an attempt to identify calves with failure of passive immunoglobulin transfer. The majority of newborn calves that died in the first months of life had lower levels of total protein, beta globulin, gamma globulin, IgG, IgM and GGT, than those found in newborn calves that survived.

Epidemiological study of enzootic bovine leukosis in Brazil.

Enzootic bovine leukosis has been known in Brazil since 1943 when it was described by Rangel and Machado and is widely distributed in Brazilian farms, especially in dairy cattle. In many Brazilian states serological surveys showed high bovine leukosis virus (BLV) infection rates: 36% in Goiäs (Andrade and Almeida, 1991), 27% in Minas Gerais (Modena et al., 1984), 21% in Paranä (Kantec et al., 1983), 53% in Rio de Janeiro (Romero and Rowe, 1981), 21% in Rio Grande do Sul (Flores et al., 1990) and 45% in Sa¬ o Paulo (Birgel et al., 1988). Similar results were found in other Latin American countries: 50% in Argentina (Brunel et al., 1981), 14% in Colombia (Pena et al., 1985), 28% in Costa Rica (Ducreux et al., 1987), 36% in Mexico (Suzan et al., 1983) and 24% in Peru (Chung, 1983). The purpose of this work was to study some epidemiological aspects of BLV infection in dairy cattle raised in Sa¬ o Paulo state, Brazil. From 1980 to 1989, blood samples were collected from 978 Holstein cows kept on a dairy farm in Sa¬ o Paulo State. Animals were grouped according to their age and origin Tropical AnimalHealth and Production, 30 (1998) 13^15 # 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands

Valores de referência do leucograma de bovinos da raça Jersey criados no Estado de São Paulo

Estabeleceram-se os valores de referencia do leucograma de bovinos da raca Jersey, criados no Estado de Sao Paulo, avaliando-se a influencia exercida pelos fatores etarios em amostras de sangue colhidas de 253 femeas clinicamente sadias e nao-reagentes ao antigeno do Virus da Leucose dos Bovinos. Nas amostras de sangue, que continham EDTA como anticoagulante, foi realizada a contagem do numero total de leucocitos, em câmara de Neubauer modificada, utilizando-se o liquido de Thoma como diluidor e a contagem diferencial de leucocitos, efetuada em esfregacos sanguineos, corados pelo metodo de Rosenfeld. Demonstrou-se que o leucograma desses bovinos sofria influencia dos fatores etarios. O numero total de leucocitos e linfocitos aumentou ate 12 meses de idade, estabilizando-se entre 12 e 24 meses, para, a seguir, diminuir, progressivamente, com o desenvolvimento etario, sendo o quadro leucocitario predominantemente linfocitario. Essas variacoes foram atribuidas, principalmente, ao comportamento do numero absoluto de linfocitos. O numero absoluto do total de neutrofilos nao demonstrou variacoes significativas que pudessem ser atribuidas a influencia dos fatores etarios, mas o numero absoluto de neutrofilos com nucleo em bastonete foi maior nos bezerros com ate 6 meses de idade. O numero absoluto de eosinofilos aumentou gradativamente com o desenvolvimento etario, nao se observando variacoes significativas do numero absoluto de basofilos e monocitos. Os valores de referencia determinados para o leucograma, expressos em numeros absolutos, foram os seguintes: leucocitos- 11.847 ± 3.374 celulas/mm3; neutrofilos bastonete- 80 ± 122 celulas/mm3; neutrofilos segmentado- 2.457 ± 1.311 celulas/mm3; total de neutrofilos- 2.537 ± 1.354 celulas/mm3; eosinofilos- 335 ± 415 celulas /mm3; basofilos- 84 ± 108 celulas/mm3; linfocitos- 8.716 ± 3.028 celulas/mm3; monocitos- 174 ± 132 celulas/mm3.

Valores de referência do eritrograma de bovinos da raça Jersey criados no Estado de São Paulo

In order to determine erythrogram reference values for Jersey cattle raised in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and the influence of bovine of leukosis virus (BLV), 253 BLV-negative blood samples were obtained from clinically healthy females. Samples were collected with EDTA and submitted to erythrocyte counting (Neubauer chamber; Gower diluent), determination of the packed cell volume (microhematocrit), evaluation of hemoglobin content (cyanmethemoglobin) and calculation of MCV (mean capsular volume), MCH (mean capsular hemoglobin) and MCHC (mean capsular hemoglobin concentration). Results showed influence of age on the erythrogram values. The number of erythrocytes and packed cell volume were significantly higher in younger animals, while the hemoglobin content did not vary with age. The reference values for erythrocyte counts were respectively, 6.62±1.47 cells ´ 106/mm3; 31.6±3.5% e 10.45±1.29g/dl. The mean results for the absolute erythrocytic indexes increased with age, the reference values of MCV, MCH and MCHC were, respectively, 49,18±8.28mm3, 16.37±3,37pg e 33.14±2.57%

Hematological values of Cebus apella anesthetized with ketamine

Amostras de sangue foram colhidas de 124 macacos-prego (Cebus apella) da Fundacao Parque Zoologico de Sao Paulo, anestesiados com quetamina (10 mg/kg, IM), com a finalidade de determinar os seguintes parâmetros hematologicos: contagens globais de hemacias e leucocitos, contagem diferencial de leucocitos, hematocrito, hemoglobina e indices hematimetricos (VCM, HCM e CHCM), expressos em media e desvio padrao. Estudou-se a influencia do sexo e da idade sobre os referidos parâmetros.

Influência da gestação e do puerpério sobre o leucograma de caprinos da raça Saanen, criados no Estado de São Paulo

With the intention of evaluating the influence of pregnancy and puerperium in the leucogram of Saanen goats (Capra hircus), blood samples were taken from 150 goats bred on the State of Sao Paulo and were allotted into 5 experimental groups of 30 goats each as described: non-pregnant; initial pregnancy (30 to 60 days of pregnancy); middle pregnancy (60 to 120 days of pregnancy); late pregnancy (more than 120 days of pregnancy); kidding goats (until 30 days after parturition). The blood samples were collected with EDTA and submitted to the following tests: total leukocyte counts (in the modified Neubauer hemocytometer, using Thomas liquid as a dilute); and differential leukocyte count (made up with blood smears and stained with Rosenfeld method). The influence of pregnancy and puerperium on the leucogram was verified due to a gradual decrease on the number of leucocytes further on in pregnancy, reaching its lower values at the end of pregnancy and puerperium. This decrease occurred due to behavior observed on the absolute number of lymphocytes that also decreased further on in pregnancy. Therefore the leucograma became mostly neutrophilic at the end of pregnancy and puerperium.

Aspectos clínicos da artrite-encefalite dos caprinos

In a clinical survey of caprine arthritis-encephalitis in 14 naturally infected herds in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 17.1% (64/374) of seroreagents presented the articular form of the disease and 6.6% (17/249) of the seroreagent females presented the mammary form of the disease.