Luciana de Almeida Lacerda

Composição do sangue e do leite em ovinos leiteiros do sul do Brasil: variações na gestação e na lactação

Dairy sheep industry has increased intensively in southern Brazil, however, without the corresponding knowledge of variations on metabolic and hematological parameters and on milk composition, with application in research and clinical activities. This work was carried out on Lacaune sheep, intensively grazed in the county of Bento Goncalves (RS), in southern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein for metabolic profiles and hematology. Samples were taken randomly from 14 sheep in each of the following periods: nonpregnant ewes; at 60, 90 and 120 of pregnancy and at 7, 30, 60 and 140 days of lactation. During the lactation period, milk samples were also taken to assay the physico-chemical composition. Milk acidity, protein and fat levels were different from reference levels in another countries. The most relevant changes on metabolic profile were noticed at the end of gestation and at the beginning of lactation. Urea values showed variation (P<0.05) during the gestation and lactation periods. The levels of glucose and fructosamine decreased and the BHB increased significantly at the end of gestation period (P<0.05). During the lactation period glucose level lowered and cholesterol level increased significantly (P<0.05). Phosphorus level lowered, specially at 30 days post parturition (P<0.05). Hematologic parameters did not show variation during the physiologic periods studied. An exception was the segmented neutrophils that increased with the advance of the gestation (P<0.05). The data presented here may help for further nutrition and metabolic studies on dairy sheep and milk quality.

Toxicity and genotoxicity evaluation of Passiflora alata Curtis (Passifloraceae)

UNLABELLED Passiflora alata is an official species of Brazilian Pharmacopoeia and its aerial parts are used as medicinal plant by local population as well as constitutes many phytomedicines commercialized in Brazil as sedative. AIMS OF STUDY To evaluate the acute and sub-acute toxicity and genotoxicity of an aqueous spray-dried extract (PA) of Passiflora alata (2.6% flavonoids). MATERIALS AND METHODS The acute and the sub-acute toxicity was evaluated in mice and rats, respectively. Behavioural, biochemical, hematological, histological and urine parameters were considered. Genotoxicity was assessed by using micronucleus test performed in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells and comet assay in peripheral blood leukocytes. RESULTS Mice deaths were not observed up to 4800 mg/kg, p.o., single dose. Rats treated with aqueous extract at dose of 300 mg/kg, p.o., for 14 days did not present biochemical, hematological or histopathological significant alterations when compared to control group. However, these rats showed signs of irritability and did not show weight gain. In addition, mice acutely treated with extract 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o., presented DNA damage determined by comet assay in peripheral blood cells 3h after treatment. The effect of lower doses (12.5, 25 and 50mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated at 3, 6 and 24h after treating. Only PA 50mg/kg (p.o.) induced significant damage at 3 and 6h. The maximum damage induction was observed at 6h. When the animals received PA 12.5, 25 or 50mg/kg/day during 3 days (i.e., 72h treatment) DNA damage (comet and micronucleus tests) increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION In conclusion Passiflora alata presented genotoxic effect and deserves further toxicity evaluation in order to guarantee its safety for human use.

Influence of sulfur amino acid levels in diets of broiler chickens submitted to immune stress

Several changes in amino acid levels occur during an infection. As a rule, glycine, taurine and serine levels diminish considerably, while cysteine levels increase. Such changes may be attributed to the intense consumption of sulfur amino acids (SAA- methionine+cysteine) during infectious challenge. Methionine plays an important role in humoral and cellular immune responses. It has been suggested that such effect is exerted by intracellular glutathione and cysteine levels. Four-hundred thirty-two day-old Ross male broiler chickens were fed (from 1 to 42 days of age) three SAA levels in the diet (0.72, 0.82, and 0.92% from 1 to 21 days of age; 0.65, 0.75, and 0.85% from 22 to 42 days of age) and submitted to two immunological stimulus series. Vaccines against Marek’s disease, Fowlpox, Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Bursal disease, Freund’s Complete Adjuvant, and avian tuberculin were used as immunological stimuli. The experiment comprised 6 treatments, with 6 replications using 12 birds per replicate. Performance data were collected weekly. Gumboro antibodies were measured by ELISA, and the cellular immune response by the tuberculin test. SAA levels tested did not influence immune response. Nevertheless, the vaccines applied on the 1 st day impaired chick performance up to the 21 days of age. The SAA levels generally adopted in poultry husbandry may not be enough to assure weight gain, especially when birds are raised if a lowchallenge infectious environment.

Influência do parasitismo por nematódeos sobre o perfil hematológico de caprinos

The interaction between ivermectin-resistant and ivermectin-sensitive nematodes and the effect of this anthelmintic on the hematological status of naturally infected goats was assessed using 36 animals. Of these animals, 12 were infected by ivermectin-sensitive gastrointestinal nematodes of the superfamily Trichostrongyloidea (G1s e G1s) 12 were infected by ivermectin-resistant nematodes (G2r e G2r) and 12 uninfect goats (G3np). Six infected goats of each group (G1sm e G2rm) received oral ivermectin al the dose of 200µg/kg, while six were used as controls (G1sc e G2rc). Blood and fecal samples were collected on the day of medication (day zero), at seven, and at 14 days thereafter. The erythrocyte count and hematocrit levels in goats infected by sensitive strains of Haemonchus was greater than that of the group infected by a resistant strain. These values are lower in comparison to those observed in uninfected goats. The increase in the number of eggs per gram of feces, regardless of the strain, is inversely related to the hematocrit level. The use of ivermectin did not significantly change the hematological parameters of goats.

Infecção por Hepatozoon canis em canino doméstico na região Sul do Brasil confirmada por técnicas moleculares

Canine Hepatozoonosis is a vector-borne disease caused by the protozoa Hepatozoon spp. There are few case reports in Brazil and the epidemiology, pathogenicity, vectors and molecular characterization is poorly understood. The present study used a canine presenting weight loss, regenerative anemia, neutropenia and hyperglobulinemia. Hepatozoon spp. gamonts were observed in the blood smear by microscopy. DNA was extracted from blood, and the diagnosis was confirmed by PCR assay. The PCR product was purified from gel and cloned. A fragment of 625bp was sequenced and submitted to the GenBank database as Isolate Porto Alegre. Molecular analysis showed a homology of 98-100% with Hepatozoon canis and less than 92% for H. americanum. This study represents the first molecular confirmation that H. canis is present in Southern Brazil.

Frequencies of DEA blood types in a purebred canine blood donor population in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

The study of canine immunohematology is very important for veterinary transfusion medicine. The objective of this study was to determine the DEA blood type frequencies in a purebred canine blood donor population from Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. One hundred clinically healthy purebred dogs were chosen, 20 dogs from each breed (Great Dane, Rottweiler, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd and Argentine Dogo). Blood samples were taken in ACD-A tubes and the MSU hemagglutination tube test (MI, USA) was used to determine the blood types. The studied population presented general frequencies of 61% for DEA 1.1, 22% for DEA 1.2, 7% for DEA 3, 100% for DEA 4, 9% for DEA 5 and 16% for DEA 7. A significant association was found between breeds and certain combinations of blood types in this population. The results are in agreement with the literature since most part of the canine population studied was positive for DEA 1.1, the most antigenic blood type in dogs. Differences were found among the studied breeds and those should be considered when selecting a blood donor. The knowledge of blood types frequencies and their combinations in different canine populations, including different breeds, is important because it shows the particularities of each group, helps to keep a data bank of local frequencies and minimizes the risks of transfusion reactions.

Prevalência dos tipos sangüíneos A, B e AB em gatos domésticos mestiços da cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar a prevalencia dos tipos sanguineos em felinos domesticos, mesticos, da cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foram selecionados aleatoriamente 100 gatos, clinicamente saudaveis, mesticos e sem parentesco entre si. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas da veia jugular e a tipagem sanguinea foi realizada atraves do teste RapidVet H Feline (DMS Laboratories, Flemington, USA) e do teste hemaglutinacao em tubo de ensaio. A tipagem reversa foi realizada para confirmar o tipo e a presenca de aloanticorpos naturais. No presente estudo encontrou-se prevalencia de 97% e 3% de gatos do tipo A e B, respectivamente. Nao foram encontrados gatos do tipo AB. Os resultados indicam que no sul do Brasil ha uma alta prevalencia de gatos domesticos mesticos do tipo A, entretanto a prevalencia de gatos do tipo B encontrada no trabalho e mais alta do que aquelas relatadas em alguns paises. O conhecimento da prevalencia dos tipos sanguineos da populacao de gatos de uma regiao pode auxiliar na determinacao dos riscos de reacoes transfusionais e de ocorrencia de isoeritrolise neonatal, e estes podem ser prevenidos atraves de tipagem sanguinea e teste de compatibilidade sanguinea.

Clinicopathologic and electrocardiographic features of Akita dogs with high and low erythrocyte potassium phenotypes.

BACKGROUND Canine RBCs are expected to have high sodium and low potassium (LK) concentrations. However, some dogs have a low sodium and high potassium (HK) phenotype due to a Na-K pump in the mature RBC membrane. Awareness of this particularity avoids misinterpretation of hyperkalemia in affected dogs. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the CBCs, serum biochemistry profiles, urinalysis data, and electrocardiography data in HK and LK Akita dogs. METHODS In this study, the intra-RBC potassium (KRBC) was measured in 48 healthy adult Akita dogs. The HK group included dogs with KRBC concentration at least 5-fold that of plasma, while the LK dogs served as controls. RESULTS The HK phenotype was determined in 10 dogs (21%). With the exception of higher plasma potassium concentrations in the HK group compared with LK controls (6.6 mmol/L vs 4.4 mmol/L, P < .001), there were no other differences in serum biochemistry variables. In hematology, mean HGB concentration (13.5 vs 15.9, P < .001), PCV (42.9 vs 46.7, P = .009), RBC (6.1 vs 7.4, P < .001), and MCHC (31.3 vs 34.0, P < .001) were significantly lower in the HK group, while MCV (70.0 vs 63.4, P < .001) was higher compared with the LK controls. There were no significant differences in urinalysis or electrocardiography data between groups. CONCLUSIONS HK Akita dogs showed significant differences in several hematologic variables, as well as higher plasma potassium concentration. Therefore, the HK phenotype should be considered in the interpretation of these variables in this breed.

Titulação de aloanticorpos anti-a e anti-b em gatos domésticos sem raça definida em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

The probability of occurrence of a transfusion reaction in a cat depends on the local prevalence of feline blood typesand alloantibody titres. Determination of alloantibody titres assists in estimating the risk and the severity of transfusionreactions following an unmatched transfusion in a cat population. The objective of this study was to determine alloantibodytitres and the risk of a possible transfusion reaction in non-pedigree domestic cats in Porto Alegre, Brazil. One hundredclinically healthy non-pedigree and non-related cats with no history of previous transfusion were randomly selected.Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and the alloantibody titres were determined by tube serial dilution ofthe serum from cats with known blood types, the estimated risk was calculated according previous studies. In the presentstudy, 82.5% and 100% of types A and B cats, respectively, showed varied alloantibodies titres. Based on the titres foundin the present study, the risk of an acute severe reaction is 33.3% and an acute mild reaction is 66.7% in a type B cattransfused with blood type A or AB. In type A cats transfused with blood type AB or B, the risk of an acute severe reactionis 1.0%, an acute mild reaction is 37.1% and premature red cell destruction is 44.3%.

Frequência dos antígenos eritrocitários do sistema AB em felinos domésticos no estado da Paraíba

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of the AB blood group antigens system in domestic cats of Paraiba, Brazil. We randomly selected 178 cats which were clinically healthy, with no prerequisites in terms of gender or race, weighing above 1.5 kg, and were over one year of age. These cats were randomly selected when they entered the small animal clinic facilities in the cities of Joao Pessoa, Campina Grande and Patos. The determination of blood types was made using the hemagglutination test tube, and the reverse typing was performed for samples B and AB types and for confirmation of alloantibodies natural disclosure. In this study the relative frequency of A, B and AB blood group antigens in cats without a determined breed was 98.1%, 1.21% and 0.69% respectively. All cats with breed definition were blood type A. The likelihood of random transfusion reactions was 2.78%, approximately 40% (1.11%) potentially fatal. Thus, given knowledge of the frequency of different blood types in cats, from a given region, it is concluded that blood typing and compatibility test are important tools that enable the veterinarian to take preventative measures to minimize risks of isoelectrolisys reactions and neonatal transfusion, and establishes prerequisites about the risks of hemotherapic procedures in cats that require circumstantially to be conducted randomly.