Gildenor Xavier Medeiros

Epidermolysis bullosa in animals: a review

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a hereditary mechanobullous disease of animals and humans, characterized by an extreme fragility of the skin and mucous membranes. The main feature of EB in humans and animals is the formation of blisters and erosions in response to minor mechanical trauma. Epidermolysis bullosa is caused by mutations in the genes that code for structural proteins of the cytoskeleton of the basal keratinocytes or of the basement membrane zone. Based on the ultrastructural levels of tissue separation, EB is divided into the following three broad categories: epidermolysis bullosa simplex, junctional epidermolysis bullosa and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Human types of EB are divided into several subtypes based on their ultrastructural changes and the mode of inheritance; subtypes are not fully established in animals. In humans, it is estimated that EB affects one in 17,000 live births; the frequency of EB in different animals species is not known. In all animal species, except in buffalo with epidermolysis bullosa simplex, multifocal ulcers are observed on the gums, hard and soft palates, mucosa of the lips, cheek mucosa and dorsum of the tongue. Dystrophic or absent nails, a frequent sign seen in human patients with EB, corresponds to the deformities and sloughing of the hooves in ungulates and to dystrophy or atrophy of the claws in dogs and cats. This review covers aspects of the molecular biology, diagnosis, classification, clinical signs and pathology of EB reported in animals.

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa in a calf

A case of epidermolysis bullosa in a calf descendent from a Gir bull and a Gir crossbreed cow is reported. The calf presented with exungulation of all hooves, widespread erosions and crusts on the skin, and ulcers in the oral cavity. Histologically, the skin showed subepidermal separation with clefts occasionally filled with eosinophilic clear fluid, cellular debris, or neutrophils. Ultrastructurally, there was epidermal–dermal separation at the level of the lamina lucida, with the lamina densa attached to the papillary dermis. The hemidesmosomes were poorly defined and small. The clinical, histological, and ultrastructural findings are characteristic of junctional epidermolysis bullosa.

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa in goats.

Clinical, histopathological and ultrastructural findings of caprine dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) with autosomal recessive inheritance are reported. The goats presented with exungulation, erosions, crusts and scars on the skin and ulcers in the oral cavity. Microscopically, the skin showed subepidermal separation with clefts filled occasionally with clear eosinophilic fluid, cellular debris or neutrophils. Ultrastructurally, the site of blister formation was the sublamina densa in the epidermal basement membrane zone. In skin with blister formation and in clinically uninvolved skin, the basal lamina was preserved, but the anchoring fibrils were sparse and rudimentary. A twin brother of an affected kid was mated over 5 years with his mother; three out of the 10 kids born presented with epidermolysis bullosa, indicating that the disease has an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. It is suggested that the disease is similar to human severe generalized recessive DEB.

Skeletal Dysplasia with Craniofacial Deformity and Disproportionate Dwarfism in Hair Sheep of Northeastern Brazil

This paper reports a newly described form of skeletal dysplasia affecting Brazilian hair sheep of the Cabugi breed. This breed is characterized by having a short head and in some cases the animals are smaller and more compact than sheep of similar breeds. Lambs born with craniofacial abnormalities and dwarfism that die at 2-6 months of age are frequent in this breed. In a flock of 68 ewes and three rams of the Cabugi breed, 134 lambs were born over a 4-year period. Of these, 14 (10.4%) had marked cranial abnormalities and dwarfism and died or were humanely destroyed, 43 (32%) had a normal face and 77 (57.5%) had the short face characteristic of the breed. Dwarf lambs were much smaller than normal, with short legs, a domed head with retruded muzzle and protruded mandible, sternal deformities and exophthalmic eyes situated more laterally in the face than normal. Microscopical examination of long bones of the limbs, bones of the base of the skull and vertebrae showed no lesions. Bones from four affected lambs and one control lamb were macerated for morphometric examination. Although the length of the spinal cord was similar, there was disproportionate shortening of the appendicular bones, particularly the distal segments. Thus the disease was defined as a skeletal dysplasia characterized by craniofacial deformity and disproportionate dwarfism. It is suggested that the disease is inherited as an incomplete dominant trait. The shortened face, which is a feature of the Cabugi breed, may represent the heterozygous state and the more severe, often lethal, dwarfism may occur in homozygotes.

Anatomia do cone medular aplicada à via epidural de administração de fármacos em macacos-prego (Sapajus libidinosus)

Com este estudo objetivou-se descrever a topografia do cone medular do macaco-prego (Sapajus libidinosus) a fim de fornecer suporte para que a realizacao de procedimentos anestesicos, bem como exames de mielografia e coleta de liquor, dentre outros procedimentos que utilizam a via epidural. Para tanto foram dissecados oito animais, sendo seis machos e duas femeas, de diferentes faixas etarias. Rebateu-se a pele para retirada da musculatura da regiao dorsal, exposicao de toda a coluna vertebral e identificacao das vertebras lombares e sacrais. Para estabelecer o final da medula espinhal e medir o comprimento do cone medular, foi aberto todo o canal vertebral lombossacro, seccionando-se lateralmente os arcos vertebrais. Em seguida a duramater foi seccionada para visualizacao do cone medular e observacao da relacao topografica deste com as vertebras. Todos os animais apresentaram cinco vertebras lombares e tres vertebras sacrais. As vertebras se apresentaram, de forma geral, muito proximas e com os processos espinhosos bem desenvolvidos e direcionados em sentido cranial. O cone medular dos macacos-prego situou-se entre as vertebras L2 e L5, com a base localizando-se com maior frequencia na altura da vertebra L3, enquanto o apice em L4. O comprimento corporal (espaco interarcual occiptoatlântico ate o espaco interarcual sacrocaudal) variou de 22,9 a 31,8cm, com media de 27,44 ±3,1cm enquanto que comprimento do cone medular variou de 1,70 a 3,51cm, com media de 2,47 ±0,57cm. Nao houve correlacao entre o tamanho do corpo e o comprimento do cone medular (r = 0,212). Conclui-se que apesar das variacoes do comprimento e posicionamento do cone medular, o seu apice nao ultrapassa a articulacao lombossacral, tornando seguro o acesso ao espaco epidural por esta via.

Infestação parasitária por Spirura sp. em Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus, 1758): relato de caso

The knowledge of gastrointestinal parasites in primates is important for the management of the population of monkeys and for the maintenance of the health of the people, since they are common animals in captivity. The study reports a case of parasitism by Spirura sp. in an adult Common marmoset found in the Zona da Mata region of Paraíba state. Spirura sp. was identified in the final portion of the esophagus of a Sagittarian corpse that was donated for anatomical study by the Paraíba Wild Animal Triage Center.

Anatomic Bases for Brachial Plexus Block of Capuching (Sapajus libidinosus)

Background: In captivity, capuchin monkeys compete for space and rank. Fights can result in traumas, especially to the limbs, requiring interventions that are often outpatient. Local anesthesia as a tool in these procedures, as an aid to chemical restraint, is very relevant for small outpatient surgeries, or even for pain relief. Knowledge of peripheral nerve anatomy is essential to perform local anesthesia. Thus the objective of the present study was to determine, by anatomical studies of the brachial plexus region, the best access pathways for anesthetic blocking of the nerve. Materials, Methods & Results: Seven adult capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) were used, weighing 2-3 kg, fixed and preserved in formaldehyde aqueous solution at 10%. In five of these animals the supraclavicular, infraclavicular and axillar regions were dissected to visualize the muscles, clavicle and bracchial plexus nerves. An analogical pachymeter was used to measure the depth of the plexus in relation to the cranial and caudal clavicle face and axillary fossa, comparing the length of two hypodermic needles (13x4.5 mm and 15x5 mm). Simulation of the anesthetic block was tested in two animals: before dissecting an acrylic varnish solution was injected using a syringe and 13x4.5 mm needle in the supraclavicular, infraclavicular regions and axillary fossa. To assess the positioning points of the syringe, dissection was performed and the varnish perfusion in the plexus was observed. For the anesthetic block in the supraclavicular region the dorsal median of the clavicle with a 95o deltoclavicular angle with the needle perpendicular to the skin was taken as point of reference. In the infraclavicular the reference point was the caudal face of the median clavicle with an 80o deltoclavicular angle. In the axillar region, with the limb at 90o, the syringe was positioned perpendicular to the axillar at the height of the mid portion of the thorax. The mean and standard deviation of the skin-brachial plexus distance for the supraclavicular, infraclavicular and axillar techniques were, respectively, 1.76 ± 0.1387 cm, 1.12 ± 0.239 cm and 1.59 ± 0.365 cm. These data showed the viability of executing the anesthesia technique by three access pathways. However, in the supraclavicular access pathway in the anesthetic simulation with the 13x4.5 mm hypodermic needle, the stain diffused to the plexus, showing, when compared with the 1.76 cm mean skin- plexus distance a safe distance to prevent the needle from perforating the nerve. Discussion: The techniques reported in the human literature for brachial plexus block presented a series of complications, with incomplete blocks and hemorrhages when the axillar access pathway was used and presented risk of pneumothorax in the supraclavicular. In the capuchin monkey the supraclavicular access pathway in anesthetic simulation with 13x4.5mm hypodermic needle showed a safe distance for the needle not to perforate the nerve, so that the use of this needle could be indicated in 2-3 kg animals. However, hypodermic needles are not recommended for use in this area because of the risk of perforating the subclavicular artery close to the plexus. As an alternative some anesthesiologists use the infraclavicular access pathway with atraumatic needles recommended for brachial plexus block, with relative success and fewer complications. Although the supraclavicular region showed the best depth in relation to the technique used here, anesthetic tests should be made to confirm the efficaciousness of executing the brachial plexus anesthetic technique in capuchin monkeys using atraumatic needles for nerve block.

Anatomia do cone medular do cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous) aplicada à via epidural de administração de fármacos

In order to determine the best location for performing the technique of epidural access either to epidural anesthesia, myelography scans, spinal tap, among others, this study aimed to describe the anatomy of the conus of the crab eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), particularly its esqueletopia. For the realization of this work six adult animals of both sexes were dissected, withdrawing from the muscles of the lumbar and sacral vertebrae column to identify, removing the muscles of the lumbar and sacral vertebrae column to identify which were sectioned in their vertebral arches to expose the spinal cord. Medullary cone was identified, measured with a pachymeter and identified its esqueletopia. In all

Anatomical description of the main vessels for venipuncture in the black-striped capuchin monkey (Sapajus libidinosus, Silva Junior, 2002)

The scarcity of data on the anatomy of Sapajus libidinosus has impeded the execution for appropriate veterinary treatment. The objective of this study was to describe the main peripheral veins of the capuchin monkey, used in venipuncture and indicate the best access route for venipuncture procedures.

Sequencing and expression analysis of hepcidin mRNA in donkey (Equus asinus) liver

The hypoferremia that is observed during systemic inflammatory processes is mediated by hepcidin, which is a peptide that is mainly synthesized in the livers of several mammalian species. Hepcidin plays a key role in iron metabolism and in the innate immune system. Its up-regulation is particularly useful during acute inflammation, and it restricts the iron availability that is necessary for the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, the hepcidin mRNA of Equus asinus has been characterized, and the expression of donkey hepcidin in the liver has been determined. The donkey hepcidin sequence has an open reading frame (ORF) of 261 nucleotides, and the deduced corresponding protein sequence has 86 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of donkey hepcidin was most homologous to Equus caballus (98%). The mature donkey hepcidin sequence (25 amino acids) was 100% homologous to the equine mature hepcidin and has eight conserved cysteine residues that are found in all of the investigated hepcidin sequences. The expression profile of donkey hepcidin in the liver was high and was similar to the reference gene expression. The donkey hepcidin sequence was deposited in GenBankTM (HQ902884) and may be useful for additional studies on iron metabolism and the inflammatory process in this species.