Renata Assis Casagrande

Ectonucleotidases and adenosine deaminase activity in laying hens naturally infected by Salmonella Gallinarum and their effects on the pathogenesis of the disease.

Salmonella Gallinarum is the etiologic agent of fowl typhoid that affects chickens and turkeys causing egg production drops, infertility, lower hatchability, high mortality, and as a consequence severe economic losses to the poultry industry. The alterations in NTPDase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities have been demonstrated in several inflammatory conditions; however, there are no data in the literature associated with this infection. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activities of NTPDase, 5nucleotidase, and ADA in serum and hepatic tissue of laying hens naturally infected by Salmonella Gallinarum. Liver and serum samples were collected of 27 laying hens (20 S. Gallinarum infected and 7 uninfected). NTPDase and 5-nucleotidase activities in serum were increased (P < 0.001) in infected animals to hydrolysis of substrate ATP, ADP and AMP. In addition, it was observed decreased (P < 0.001) in ADA activity in serum of laying hens naturally infected by S. Gallinarum; as well as increased (P < 0.001) ADA activity in liver tissue of infected laying hens. Histopathological analyses revealed that S. Gallinarum caused fibrinoid necrosis in liver and spleen associated with infiltrates of heterophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells. Considering that NTPDase and ADA are involved in the cell-mediated immunity, this study suggests that activities of these enzymes could be important biomarkers to determine the severity of inflammatory and immune responses in salmonellosis, contributing to clarify the pathogenesis of the disease.

Fowl typhoid in laying hens cause hepatic oxidative stress

The aim of this study was to analyses nitric oxide, antioxidant status, and oxidative profile in the liver of laying hens naturally infected by Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum). The nitrite/nitrate (NOx), reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were measured in liver samples, as well the biomarkers of hepatic function (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total protein and albumin levels measured in serum. NOx levels and CAT activity were reduced in hepatic tissue of infected hens. On the other hand, TBARS and ROS levels, GR, GPx and GST activities were higher in infected animals. On biomarkers of tissue damage, ALT, AST, GGT and total protein levels were higher in serum of infected hens, and showed decreased albumin levels. In summary, ROS and TBARS production lead to damage on the membrane lipids that alter activities of antioxidant enzymes CAT, GR, GPx and GSH, an adaptive response against S. Gallinarum infection, contributing to the pathophysiology and clinical signs of the disease.

Hepatic cholinesterase of laying hens naturally infected by Salmonella Gallinarum (fowl typhoid)

Salmonella is a facultative intracellular pathogen that may cause foodborne gastroenteritis in humans and animals consisting of over 2000 serovars. The serovar Salmonella Gallinarum is an important worldwide pathogen of poultry. However, little is known on the mechanisms of pathogenesis of Salmonella in chickens. The aim of this study was to evaluate cholinesterase and myeloperoxidase activities in hepatic tissue of laying hens naturally infected by S. Gallinarum. Twenty positive liver samples for S. Gallinarum were collected, in addition to seven liver samples from healthy uninfected laying hens (control group). The right liver lobe was homogenized for analysis of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), and the left lobe was divided into two fragments, one for histopathology and the other for Salmonella isolation. The results showed changes in AChE and BchE activity in the liver of infected laying hens compared to the control group (Pxa0<xa00.05), i.e. reduced AChE and increased BChE activities in liver samples. Infected animals showed increased MPO activity compared to healthy animals (Pxa0<xa00.05). Furthermore, the histopathological findings showed fibrinoid necrosis associated to the infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages,heterophils in the liver of infected hens. These findings suggest that the inflammatory process was attenuated providing a pro-inflammatory action of both enzyme analyzed in order to reduce the free ACh, a molecule which has an anti-inflammatory action. Therefore, our results lead to the hypothesis that cholinesterase plays an important role on the modulation of immune response against S. Gallinarum with an inflammatory effect, contributing to the response against this bacterium. This study should contribute to a better understanding on the pathogenic mechanisms involved in laying hens infected by S. Gallinarum.

Toxoplasmose em primatas neotropicais: estudo retrospectivo de sete casos

Toxoplasmosis is considered to be a fatal parasitic disease in New World primates. The objective of this report was to describe, through a retrospective study, the toxoplasmosis cases in New World primates. From 1999 to 2009 eighty-six anatomopathological exams was performed in primates and toxoplasmosis was the most common disease (7/86). One case occurred in Black-Tufted-Marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) and six in Brown-Howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba). Two monkeys were found death and five died within few days. The most common clinical signs were apathy and anorexia (5/7), abdominal distension (4/7) and fever (3/7). The main gross lesions were splenomegaly (4/7), hemorrhage in digestory system, lymph nodes and urinary bladder (4/7), reddish lungs (3/7) and hepatomegaly (2/7). Histopathological findings were necrotizing hepatitis (7/7), splenitis (3/7), myocarditis (2/7), enteritis (2/7), lymphadenitis (1/7) and sialitis (1/7), and interstitial pneumonia (4/7). In the liver, lungs, spleen, heart, lymph nodes and salivary gland there were tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii that also detected by immunohistochemistry against T. gondii in liver, spleen and lungs (5/7). Toxoplasmosis can cause high mortality in New World primate colonies and can be a threat to preservation of those species in captivity. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken to avoid the contamination of those animals.

Intoxicação espontânea por larvas de Perreyia flavipes (Pergidae) em suínos no estado de Santa Catarina

The study reports an outbreak of spontaneous poisoning by Perreyia flavipes in pigs. The outbreak occurred at the end of May 2009, in the municipality of Urubici, plateau of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The farm had about 50 pigs reared extensively and 10 animals got sick. The clinical signs were anorexia, apathy, constant movement of the head and hitting the ears, difficulty to walk and stagger, gnashing of teeth and agitation that increased with noise and movement nearby. At necropsy, pronounced hepatic lobular pattern and P. flavipes larvae mixed with the stomach content were observed. Microscopically, hepatocellular centrilobular to diffuse coagulation necrosis with severe congestion and hemorrhage was observed, with vacuolar degeneration in one or two layers of hepatocytes in the portal zones. Clinical signs, epidemiology and lesions in the pigs were characteristic of toxic hepatitis by larvae of P. flavipes.

Anaemia, Serum Iron Concentrations and δ-Aminolevulinate Dehydratase Activity in Laying Hens Infected Naturally by Salmonella Gallinarum.

The aim of this study was to evaluate anaemia, serum iron concentrations and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity in laying hens infected naturally by Salmonella Gallinarum and having severe hepatic lesions. Liver and serum samples were collected from 27 laying hens (20 infected and seven uninfected). The δ-ALA-D activity, haematocrit and serum iron concentrations were evaluated. There were significant decreases in δ-ALA-D activity, haematocrit and serum iron concentrations (Pxa0<0.01) in birds infected by S. Gallinarum when compared with uninfected birds. There was a positive correlation (Pxa0<0.001) between serum iron concentration, haematocrit (r(2)xa0=xa00.82) and δ-ALA-D activity (r(2)xa0=xa00.75). A positive correlation was also observed between δ-ALA-D activity and haematocrit (r(2)xa0=xa00.78; Pxa0<0.01). Liver samples showed moderate focal coagulative necrosis associated with infiltration of lymphoplasmacytic cells, macrophages and heterophils. The anaemia in the infected hens may be related to reduction in δ-ALA-D activity and serum iron concentrations, since both are important for haemopoiesis.

Ocorrência de doenças infecciosas em gatos do Planalto Catarinense

Os gatos estao entre os animais de estimacao mais comuns no mundo inteiro e e cada vez mais estreito o seu convivio com os humanos, o que torna os estudos epidemiologicos relativos as doencas que afetam essa especie de grande importância. Portanto, este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a ocorrencia de doencas infecciosas em gatos atendidos no Hospital de Clinicas Veterinarias (HCV) da Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), no municipio de Lages, assim como identificar os principais sinais clinicos apresentados por cada uma destas. Para isso, foram revisados 825 prontuarios de consultas clinicas de gatos, arquivados no HCV, do periodo de fevereiro de 2013 a julho de 2015. Dentre os prontuarios revisados, 20/825 (2,42%) apresentaram diagnostico definitivo de doencas infecciosas. A distribuicao das enfermidades classificadas como infecciosas foram as seguintes: virais 12/20 (60,00%); bacterianas 4/20 (20,00%); fungicas 3/20 (15,00%) e causadas por protozoario 1/20 (5,00%). Dentre as doencas infecciosas, a mais ocorrente foi com o virus da leucemia felina (FeLV) [12/20 (60,00%)], cujas manifestacoes clinicas encontradas foram a anemia [6/12 (50,00%)], seguida pela leucemia [4/12[(33,33%)] e pelo linfoma [2/12(16,67%)]. Tambem foi obtida a ocorrencia das doencas infecciosas de acordo com alguns criterios de selecao, como raca, idade, sexo, acesso a rua, contato com outros animais e status de vacinacao. Gatos machos, nao vacinados, com acesso livre a rua e contato direto com outros felinos estiveram em maior numero dentre os doentes, o que demonstra a intima relacao da falta de cuidados basicos de saude desses animais com a ocorrencia das doencas infecciosas na especie.

Oxidative Stress and Changes on the Adenosinergic System of Cats Infected by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Background: The feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is clinically important retroviruses that infect domestic and wild feline worldwide, affecting more than 3 million cats representing a great risk for premature death. Some studies have demonstrated that oxidative stress, as well as the adenosinergic system, exert an important role in the pathogenesis of viral diseases. Oxidative stress is considered a disturbance in the antioxidant/oxidant status in favor of the excessive generation or lower removal of free radicals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether changes on the adenosinergic system and oxidative stress occurred in cats positives for feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-nine serum samples of cats (between 4 months and 13 years of age) seen at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Santa Catarina State (UDESC - Lages, SC, Brazil) were used. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and stored in tubes without anticoagulant to obtain serum. An aliquot was used to detect both viral infections using the kit SNAP FIV/FeLV, that detects the p27 protein from FeLV and antibodies against the p24 protein from FIV. The test was performed according the manufacture’s recommendations. Based on this result, this study involved 20 FeLV negative cats, 20 FeLV positive symptomatic cats, and 9 FeLV positives asymptomatic cats. Serum samples were used to determine the activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), as well as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reactive oxygen levels (ROS). Seric ADA and GST activities, as well as TBARS (lipid peroxidation) and ROS (free radical) levels were determined spectrophotometrically according to the specific method. Seric ADA activity was increased in symptomatic animals compared to negatives and also to asymptomatic positive animals, and the same was observed for seric TBARS levels. On the other hand, GST activity decreased in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups compared to the negative control group. No difference was observed regarding seric ROS levels. Discussion: The upregulation of seric ADA activity observed in this present study could contribute to the inflammatory process since it would decrease seric levels of Ado, a nucleoside with anti-inflammatory effects. Lipids, especially the polyunsaturated fatty acids, are sensitive to oxidation by free radicals, generating MDA, and cause to increase of TBARS levels. A significant negative correlation between lipid peroxidation and ADA activity in kidney samples of rats experimentally infected by protozoan, and these authors demonstrated that increase on lipid peroxidation is linked to decreased ADA activity. The reduction on seric GST activity can be explained since the antioxidant enzyme was unable to remove the excess of peroxides and superoxide anion, resulting on decreased cellular antioxidant activity. Based on these evidences, it is possible to conclude that symptomatic FeLV cats showed an upregulation on seric ADA activity associated to the impairment of the immune response, contributing to inflammatory processes. Moreover, FeLV symptomatic cats showed damage to lipids and an impairment on antioxidant/oxidant status, alterations compatible to oxidative stress and oxidative damage. In summary, these alterations contribute to the pathophysiology of FeLV infection, and can be used as markers of this disease.

Adenocarcinoma renal metastático em uma Codorna Japonesa (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

A 2-year-old Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), female, which stopped egg production presented: weight loss, increased abdominal volume, and death. Macroscopically, it was observed: ascites, whitish left lung, whitish masses measuring 1.0cm in diameter in the caudal right lobe of the liver and in the gizzard serosa; 0.1-0.5cm masses in the mesentery and intestinal serosa; and a 5.0x2.0cm mass in synsacral area that encompassed 90% of the renal parenchyma and part of ovary and oviduct. Histologically, epithelial cells proliferation with formation of tubules, sometimes without lumen supported by mild fibrovascular stroma and multifocal necrosis was observed in the renal mass. The neoplastic cells were cuboidal, with round to oval nuclei, and evident nucleolus, abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, moderated pleomorphism. Mitotic figures were rare. Metastasis was seen diffuse in ovary, oviduct, left lung, multifocal in intestinal serosa, focal in liver and serosal and muscular layer in gizzard. Immunohistochemically, tumors cells were positive for cytokeratin (clones AE1+AE3) and negative for cytokeratin 5/6, CD10 and placental alkaline phosphatase. According to localization, morphology features and immunohistochemistry evaluation, the present study reports a metastatic renal adenocarcinoma.