Frederico Celso Lyra Maia

Structural and ultrastructural changes in the lungs of cats Felis catus (Linnaeus, 1758) experimentally infected with D. immitis (Leidy, 1856)

Clinical signs are seldom observed in feline heartworm disease, and the pathophysiological changes in the lungs of infected animals remain undefined. The goal of this study was to evaluate the structural and ultrastructural changes in the lungs of cats experimentally infected with Dirofilaria immitis. Six healthy cats were each infected with two adult heartworms by intravenous transplantation (Receptor Group, RG). The control group consisted of two uninfected animals kept under the same conditions as the RG. At 42 days after transplantation, all cats were euthanized and necropsied for worm recovery and collection of lung samples for examination by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy. By LM, lung sections from the six infected cats exhibited bronchial and bronchiolar lesions. Alterations in all tissues of the pulmonary arteries were observed in the infected animals. In conclusion, cats infected experimentally with D. immitis developed lesions in their lungs as a consequence of arterial disease and intense interstitial pneumonia.

Perinatal exposure to fluoxetine via placenta and lactation inhibits the testicular development in male rat offspring

Due to the widespread use of fluoxetine to treat depression, including pregnant and nursing women, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of in utero and lactational exposure to fluoxetine in rat offspring at post natal day 22. Wistar rat dams were orally treated with fluoxetine (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) from day 13 gestation to day 21 lactation. Exposure to 10 and 20 mg/kg fluoxetine reduced the body and testis weights. The volume of the seminiferous tubules and epithelium were also reduced following 20 mg/kg fluoxetine exposure. The length of the seminiferous tubules and the population of Sertoli cells changed in offspring exposed to fluoxetine. The amount of seminiferous tubules lacking tubular lumen was higher in rats exposed to 20 mg/kg fluoxetine. Plasma testosterone showed no significant change. In conclusion, fluoxetine exposure via the placenta and lactation may inhibit and delay testicular development, adversely affecting several testicular parameters important for the establishment of sperm production in adulthood.

Histopathological findings and detection of parasites in the eyes of dogs infected naturally with Leishmania chagasi

The objective of the present study was to investigate the histopathological alterations and detection of parasites that occur in the eyes of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi. The eyes of 25 dogs with a positive parasitological and serological exam for L. chagasi were submitted to routine ophthalmic examination. Fragments were obtained from the eyeball and were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and histopathology. Among the structures studied, the conjunctiva of the third eyelid was the tissue most frequently stained for L. chagasi. Histopathological analysis revealed a predominantly mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate whose intensity ranged from discrete to intense in the various ocular structures. Vascular congestion and perivasculitis were also observed. The histopathological alterations that occur in the eyeball of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis might be related to the presence of antibodies.

Amastigota forms resembling Leishmania sp. on corneal ulceration in a dog: case report

One dog with visceral leishmaniasis is reported presenting cutaneous lesions, cachexia, and corneal ulceration. Parasitological and serological diagnoses were performed by exam of contents of the aspirative punction of the bone marrow and by immunofluorecence, respectively. Amastigota forms resembling Leishmania sp. were visualized by citology.

Ocorrência e caracterização da tuberculose em caprinos leiteiros criados no estado de Pernambuco

For a long time, it was believed that the goat species is resistant to infection by Mycobacterium bovis; however, this hypothesis changed when reports of the disease became apparent in various countries. Nevertheless, certain characteristics of tuberculosis in goats and its impact on public health are still unknown. The objective of this study was to describe nosologic, radiologic, anatomo-histopathological, bacilloscopic and biomolecular aspects of tuberculosis in dairy goats with respiratory disease naturally infected, from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. When we tuberculinized 442 goats with respiratory symptoms, 3.4% (15/442) of these were considered positive in the test. From the positive goats, seven were monitored clinically for 12 months. The etiological agent was identified through the polymerase chain reaction, by amplification of genomic sequences of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and later Mycobacterium bovis. This is the first molecular diagnosis which characterizes the involvement of Mycobacterium bovis in goat tuberculosis in Brazil.

Evidência molecular da transmissão vertical precoce de Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum em um cão

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by the protozoon Leishmania infantum. Transmission of this parasite to hosts occurs mainly through the bite of infected sand flies. However, alternative infection routes have been hypothesized, especially in areas where the biological vector is absent. The exact time of infection and whether in utero transmission occurs have still not been fully elucidated. This report demonstrates molecular evidence of vertical transmission of L. infantum from a pregnant dog to the embryo. Samples (e.g. vulva, vagina, cervix, uterine body, uterine horn and ovaries) from a female naturally infected by L. infantum and from her embryo were molecularly analyzed by means of qPCR and cPCR followed by DNA sequencing. The gestational age was estimated to be 23±1 day. Through qPCR, the presence of L. infantum DNA was detected in all the samples analyzed (n=7), including the embryo, conversely through cPCR, only four samples (vagina, cervix, uterine body and embryo) were positive. This study demonstrated that transmission of L. infantum from a pregnant dog to the embryo might occur in the early days of pregnancy. In conclusion, this is the first report showing L. infantum infecting a canine embryo.

Hemangiosarcoma of the nictitant membrane in a Brazilian Fila dog: case report

It was reported a case of a 9-year-old Brazilian Fila male dog that had been affected by a tissular formation of the nictitant membrane of the right eye with four months of evolution. Conjunctival hyperemia and edema, serosanguinolent secretion, and a conjunctival neoformation at the nictitant membrane were observed. Surgical exeresis of the neoformation was performed. Endothelial cells slightly differentiated and pleomorphic, with an intense vascular neoformation compatible to nictitant membrane hemangiosarcoma, were found at the histological exam.

Avaliação da superexpressão da proteína p53 e das mutações no éxon 8 do gene TP53 em carcinomas mamários caninos e glândulas normais

This study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the p53 expression, applying the immunohistochemical technique to malignant primary mammary neoplasms histopathologically diagnosed in female dogs, and to investigate exon 8 of the Tp53 suppressor gene for mutation types by means of PCR-RFLP pattern of bands. Nineteen healthy mammary glands were used as a control group (group 1). Samples from 18 cases diagnosed with malignant mammary tumors (group 2), and the contralateral mammary glands (group 3) were collected during the UFRPE Veterinary Hospital routine. The tumors were diagnosed by histopathology and subdivided into grades of malignity. The streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method was used to analyze the immunohistochemical expression of p53, evaluated according to the location and intensity of stain. Expression of p53 protein was not observed in the samples of group 1. On the contrary, it was observed in all malignant tumors; the protein p53 was localized either only in the nucleus or in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm, in samples of group 2. In group 3, expression of p53 protein was observed in the tumors (2 samples) and in normal mammary tissues (4 samples). For the molecular analyses, genomic DNA was extracted and submitted to PCR-RFLP with the following endonuclease enzymes: AluI, BsoBI, DdeI and SmaI. The band pattern showed polymorphism between groups, but not between histological variants of tumors. This polymorphism detected mutations in the fragment studied - exon 8 of Tp53 - which could account for changes in nucleotides, located in the restriction sites of the endonuclease enzymes. In conclusion, the immunoexpression of p53 had no relationship with histological subtype or malignity grade, but it can be related to the presence of mammary tumors in female dogs. The PCR-RFLP technique can be an important tool for the study of mammary carcinogenesis in bitches because the polymorphism obtained may allow early diagnosis in tissues of mammary glands.

Comparação entre dois protocolos para obtenção de plasma rico em plaquetas, em cães

The objective of this paper was to analyze two protocols for the production of platelet rich plasma (PRP) in dogs. Peripheral blood of 20 adult dogs was collected into three tubes. The first was processed through protocol A - single centrifugation at 1200rpm for 10min - , the second was submitted to protocol B - a first centrifugation at 1200rpm for 10min and a second centrifugation at 1600rpm for 10min - and the third was used to perform platelet count in whole blood, which served as a parameter for values obtained in PRP. The protocol in which it was possible to achieve a higher platelet count was tested in other 20 dogs to evaluate its reproducibility. Protocol B resulted in a superior platelet count in 100% of the samples, concluding that the referred protocol is effective for PRP production in dogs.

Farmacodermia em um cão após administração de antibióticos do grupo betalactâmico: relato de caso

A severe cutaneous reaction in a female dog after administration of penicillin and cephalexin is described, in which the main signs presented by the patient were fever, lack of appetite, and detachment of epidermis in the dorsal region of body.The established treatment was surgical debridement of the region, topical application of Aloe Vera with sugar, and systemic antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin, resulting in the recovery and wound closure in approximately 45 days.