Marcele Bettim Bandinelli

Mortes súbitas em bovinos causadas por Amorimia exotropica (Malpighiaceae) no Rio Grande do Sul

Cases of sudden death in cattle were associated with the consumption of Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica and occurred in six ranches located in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul and the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Affected cattle were found dead with no history of previous clinical signs, or showed muscular tremors, falls, paddling, opistotonus, panting, and lateral recumbence after being induced to move, few minutes before death. Most cases were recorded between May and August. Nine cattle were necropsied and main gross findings were oral mucosae slightly cyanotic (3/9), mild to intermediate hydropericardium (3/9), epicardial petechiae and ecchymoses (5/9), clot within the left ventricle (4/9), lung edema (5/9), apart of abomasal and small intestinal reddened mucosa (6/9). Histologically, there was myocardial coagulation necrosis (9/9), which was characterized by cellular retraction, enhanced cytoplasmic eosinophilia, lack of cytoplasmic striations, intracytoplasmic vacuoles, nuclear piknosis, intranuclear vacuoles, chromatin marginalization and occasional nuclear karyorrhexis and karyolysis. There also were interstitial edema (3/9) and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate (mainly mononuclear) (7/9) in the heart, apart of multifocal vacuolar-hydropic degeneration in the epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubules associated with pyknotic and eccentric nuclei in the kidneys of three cattle.

Natural Infection of Wild Canids (Cerdocyon thous and Lycalopex gymnocercus) with the Intraendothelial Piroplasm Rangelia vitalii in Southern Brazil

Abstract Rangelia vitalii is a piroplasm that infects canines, causing lesions typical of a hemolytic disorder. Two wild canids, a crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) and a Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus), were presented for necropsy in Setor de Patologia Veterinária at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. On gross examination, both animals had pale mucosae and moderate tick infestation (Amblyomma aureolatum). There was severe splenomegaly, and the liver had a diffusely orange-reddish lobular pattern. The mesenteric lymph nodes were brownish and slightly enlarged. Structures compatible with R. vitalii were observed in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells in the liver, stomach, heart, kidney, lungs, lymph nodes, and bladder. The agent was characterized by PCR and genetic sequencing of liver samples and ticks. We show that parasitism with R. vitalii follows an epidemiologic cycle in which wild canids act as reservoirs.

Decreased expression of cardiac troponin C is associated with cardiac lesions in Amorimia exotropica poisoned cattle

The plants which cause sudden death of cattle in Brazil occupy a leading position for losses in the cattle industry. Amorimia exotropica is one of the plants pertaining to this group. Diagnostic findings in these cases may be inconclusive; further knowledge is necessary. This paper identifies cardiac lesions through anti-cardiac troponin C (cTnC) immunehistochemistry performed in tissues from cattle poisoned after consumption of A.exotropica in southern Brazil. Heart fragments from nine A. exotropica-poisoned cattle were studied immunohistochemically using anti-human cTnC as the primary antibody. In the hearts from all of the poisoned cattle, there was a sharp decrease in the cTnC expression level in the cytoplasm of groups of cardiomyocytes. A significant decrease in anti-cTnC immunoreactivity occurred particularly in degenerated or necrotic cardiomyocytes. Occasional groups of cells showed complete loss of immunolabeling. In the remaining intact cardiomyocytes from poisoned cattle and in cardiomyocytes from six cattle that died from other causes there was intense cytoplasmic staining.

Estudo retrospectivo de lesões em baços de cães esplenectomizados: 179 casos

Gross changes in spleen size and shape are frequently recognized in dogs, and splenectomy is the usual measure adopted in such cases. This study includes the changes observed in spleen samples excised from dogs. Cases were evaluated on the basis of general, clinical, and histopathological findings. In the 2000-2010 period, 9085 samples of canine tissues were evaluated, 179 (2%) of which were taken from total surgical spleen removal. The mean age of dogs studied was 9.9 years. A conclusive diagnosis was obtained in 173 spleen samples, of which 120 (69.3%) were neoplastic disorders and 53 (30.6%), non-neoplastic diseases. Malignant changes corresponded to 92.5% (111/120) of the neoplastic cases, and benign ones to 7.5% (9/120). The main changes observed in spleen samples were hemangiosarcoma 44.1% (79/179), nodular lymphoid hyperplasia 20.1% (36/179), fibrosarcoma 10.6% (19/179), hemangioma 3.9% (7/179), and immune-mediated hemolytic diseases 3.9% (7/179), apart of different metastatic neoplasms 3.3% (6/179).

Paralysis in pigs with spinal cord injury due to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) infection

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) is the causative agent of a number of diseases and syndromes. Of these, postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is the most extensively studied, with the main lesions occurring in lymphoid tissues, although a number of other tissues can also be affected. Unthriftiness, respiratory distress and diarrhoea are frequently reported clinical signs. Neurological signs associated with lesions in the CNS are, however, uncommonly reported (Segales 2012). This report describes the occurrence of marked spinal cord injury in pigs associated with PCV-2 infection. The condition was observed in two finishing herds in southern Brazil composed of 400 pigs each. Clinical signs observed were staggering gait and paraparesis progressing to paralysis and permanent lateral decubitus. Death occurred within one day after recumbency due to acute bacterial pneumonia. Six 100-day-old to 120-day-old pigs displayed these clinical signs, four in one herd and two in the other. Postmortem examination was performed in two of these animals, one from each herd. The main necropsy findings were detected in the spinal cord, accompanied …

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor as a cause of chronic cardiac insufficiency in cattle

Chronic cardiac insufficiency was associated with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a cow. An eight-year-old cow developed a progressive condition (over a period of three months) characterized by an enhanced abdominal volume, reluctance to move, a positive jugular pulse, watery diarrhea and death. At necropsy, moderate subcutaneous edema and an enhanced hepatic lobular pattern were observed. A 23x20x11 cm firm, grayish-white mass adhered to and infiltrated the right atrium. Multiple firm, yellowish-white nodules of 0.5 to 12 cm in diameter were diffusely scattered in the epicardium and parietal pericardium. Histologically, the tumor was poorly circumscribed with foci of infiltration of the myocardium. The neoplastic cells had two major histologic patterns, Antoni types A and B. Within occasional foci, pleomorphic cells with an epithelioid appearance were present in addition to multinucleated cells with periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive cytoplasmic globules. Foci of cartilaginous and granular differentiations were interspersed among the neoplastic cells. Multiple vessels presented wall hyalinization and tumoral embolus. Large necrotic foci with mineralization and cholesterol clefts were also observed. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for S100 protein, vimentin and neuron-specific enolase labeling.

Novos aspectos sobre a intoxicação por Trema micrantha (Cannabaceae) em equídeos

Trema micrantha e uma planta arborea distribuida amplamente no Brasil. Descrevem-se nesse trabalho novos aspectos epidemiologicos e patologicos relacionados com a intoxicacao por essa planta em equideos. Dois equinos adultos da raca Crioula e dois asininos, de localidades distintas, foram intoxicados naturalmente por Trema micrantha, apos consumirem grande quantidade da planta que ficou disponivel a eles apos uma poda. Alem disso, um cavalo adulto, de outra propriedade, que estava passando por restricao alimentar, se intoxicou apos consumir as partes baixas de um grande numero de arvores jovens de T. micrantha. Clinicamente, em todos os equideos a doenca se caracterizou por alteracoes neurologicas, que apareceram tres a quatro dias apos o consumo da planta, com curso clinico de dois a quatro dias (abreviadas por eutanasia). Os principais achados de necropsia foram observados no figado, que estavam levemente aumentados e com padrao lobular evidente e no sistema nervoso central (SNC), com multiplas areas amareladas, focos de malacia e hemorragia, principalmente, no tronco cerebral e cerebelo. Histologicamente, havia necrose hepatica aguda, edema acentuado no SNC com degeneracao fibrinoide da parede de vasos associada a hemorragia e trombose e, frequentemente, com infiltrado de neutrofilos. Outras alteracoes observadas nos encefalos foram: grande quantidade de astrocitos de Alzheimer tipo II na substância cinzenta, acumulos de celulas Gitter e degeneracao Walleriana proxima a focos de lesoes vasculares.

Osteitis fibrosa cystica in a domestic young cat

Case summary A 4-month-old cat had bilateral swellings of the mandible, maxilla, humerus and femur, and angular deviations in the axial and appendicular skeleton. The biochemical profile indicated hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and increased parathyroid hormone levels. Because of the poor prognosis, the cat was euthanized. At necropsy, malleable and fragile bones, associated with numerous cystic areas containing yellowish and translucent liquid, were observed. Histologically, the bones showed marked diffuse proliferation of fibrous connective tissue, and large numbers of osteoclasts surrounding numerous cystic structures were also observed within fibrotic areas at the periphery of the trabecular bone. In addition, enlargement of the parathyroid glands, which was associated with increased serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone, was detected. Relevance and novel information The changes observed in this cat are consistent with hyperparathyroidism-associated osteitis fibrosa cystica, which is an unusual presentation in the cat. Hyperparathyroidism, either primary (neoplastic) or secondary (nutritional or renal), is the primary cause of this condition.

Intoxicação aguda por cobre em ovinos

Cases of acute copper intoxication in Santa Ines sheep are described. The disease occurred on a farm in Rio Grande do Sul. Three ewes that had recently lambed and that were fed cattle diet became severely ill and died one week after ingestion of a commercial mineral mix for beef cattle. The sheep showed anorexia, lateral and sternal recumbency, fasciculation and muscle stiffness and death. At necropsy from one of these sheep, the main changes were moderate hepatomegaly, prominent hepatic lobular pattern, and multifocal randomly distributed erosions and ulcerations on the abomasal mucosa. Histological evaluation of the liver showed marked centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis; diffuse hepatocyte swelling predominantly in the periportal area, and a few Kupffer cells contained cytoplasmic pigment granules. The diagnosis was based on the clinical history, necropsy and histopathologic findings, and confirmed by the high copper concentrations detected in the liver, feed, and mineral mix samples.