Rosecler Alves Pereira

Presence of avipoxvirus DNA in avian dermal squamous cell carcinoma

Dermal squamous cell carcinoma (DSCC; avian keratoacanthoma) is a neoplastic skin lesion of broiler chickens of unknown aetiology. In previous studies, the possibility of the involvement of pox viruses in the cause of DSCC was considered. In this work, a sensitive and specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed that could amplify a 419 base pair DNA fragment of fowlpox virus with a detection limit of less than one infectious unit. Fowlpox virus DNA was always detected in skin samples with fowlpox lesions while it was not detected in samples of unrelated diseases such as cowpox, Mareks disease or infectious laryngotracheitis. Some macroscopically normal skin samples from vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds also produced PCR-positive results, corroborating previous studies on the possibility that a latent or chronic form of fowlpox occurs. Fowlpox virus DNA was consistently detected from DSCC skin lesions, and this finding is discussed.

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.

Parâmetros de bioquímica sérica de machos, fêmeas e filhotes de Araras canindé (Ara ararauna) saudáveis mantidas em cativeiro comercial

O Brasil possui um consideravel numero de especies de psitacideos catalogados, perfazendo cerca de 80 especies, sendo que as Araras caninde (Ara ararauna), uma das maiores representantes dessa ordem, podem ser encontradas em florestas nas diversas regioes brasileiras. O Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renovaveis (IBAMA) normalizou a comercializacao de animais da fauna silvestre provenientes de criadouros e consequentemente ocorreu um aumento do numero destes animais como de estimacao. Atualmente, ha pouco conhecimento sobre os parâmetros clinicos e laboratoriais de especies silvestres em cativeiro. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar parâmetros de bioquimica sanguinea de Araras caninde (Ara ararauna) saudaveis de sexo e faixa etaria distintas mantidas em um criatorio comercial com alimentacao e manejo controlados e padronizados. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue de 35 araras caninde (11 filhotes e 24 adultos) e remetidas ao Laboratorio de Analises Clinicas Veterinarias da Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF) para determinacao dos seguintes indicadores bioquimicos: acido urico (AU), albumina (ALB), aspartato aminotransferase (AST), calcio (Ca), colesterol (Col), creatina quinase (CK), fosfatase alcalina (FA), fosforo inorgânico (Pi), frutosamina (Fru), gama glutamil transferase (GGT), proteinas totais (PT) e ureia (UR). Entre as aves adultas, foram encontradas diferencas significativas nos valores de CK (superior nos machos), Ca e AU (superiores nas femeas). Entre aves adultas e filhotes foram constatadas diferencas significativas nos valores de AU, Ca, ALB, COL, FA, Pi e FRU. A maioria das alteracoes detectadas pode ser relacionada a diferenca na dieta fornecida e a condicao fisiologica de cada categoria de aves. Os dados obtidos podem ser utilizados como parâmetros de referencia para as araras caninde brasileiras.

Molecular diagnosis of Salmonella species in captive psittacine birds

Cloacal swabs were collected from 280 captive psittacine birds belonging to 13 species. Samples of dna were tested by pcr using a pair of primers that amplify a 284 base pair fragment of the Salmonella genus invA gene, and the pcr-positive samples were tested by standard microbiological techniques. Thirteen per cent of the samples were positive by pcr, but negative by microbiological techniques. The infection rates were significantly different among the 13 species, the most commonly infected being Amazona amazonica (28 per cent) and Amazona pretrei (20 per cent). Specific tests for Salmonella Typhimurium Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum did not produce positive results.

Detection and characterization of fibropapilloma associated herpesvirus of marine turtles in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a benign tumoral disease that affects sea turtles, hampering movement, sight and feeding, ultimately leading to death. In Brazil, the disease was described for the first time in 1986. Research suggests the involvement of a herpesvirus in association with environmental and genetic factors as causal agents of FP. The objective of the present study was to detect and characterize this herpesvirus in sea turtles living in the coast of state Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. From October 2008 to July 2010, 14 turtles were observed between the beaches of Torres and Tavares, of which 11 were green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and 3 were loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). All turtles were young and mean curved carapace length was 37.71±7.82cm, and varied from 31 to 55cm. Only one green turtle presented a 1cm, papillary, pigmented fibropapilloma. Skin and fibropapilloma samples were analyzed by conventional and real time PCR assays to detect and quantify herpesvirus. All skin samples were negative, though the fibropapilloma specimen was positive in both tests. Viral load was 9,917.04 copies of viral genome per milligram of tissue. The DNA fragment amplified from the fibropapilloma sample was sequenced and allocated in the Atlantic phylogeographic group. This study reports the first molecular characterization of herpesvirus associated with fibropapilloma in turtles from the coast of RS.

Detecção do vírus da laringotraqueíte das galinhas no Brasil

A study was carried out in search for evidences of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) infections in some Brazilian chicken flocks. Tracheal tissues and swabs were collected from 10 different flocks of layers and broilers displaying respiratory signs of disease. Samples were processes for virus isolation in embryonated eggs and the membranes examined by histopathology. In addition, specimens were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three flocks had ILTV positive chickens by virus isolation and PCR. These results confirm the occurrence of ILTV in chickens in Brazil.

Detecção de Salmonella Anatum em ema (Rhea americana)

In aiming to investigate the Salmonella spp. presence in one slaughterhouse in Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil, liver and cecum samples from 70 Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) were collected. One Salmonella-like colonie was serologically typed and identified as Salmonella Anatum. Considering the high zoonotical potential of this microorganism, an effective microbiological control of wild animal slaughterhouses and the final product is needed.

Detecção sorológica e microbiológica de Salmonella spp. em emas (Rhea americana)

The fast agglutination screening test, using S. Typhimurium as the antigen, was compared with the standard bacterial method to identify rheas (Rhea americana) contaminated with Salmonella spp.at slaughter.Seventy birds were serologically tested for Salmonella enterica Pullorum using a commercial antigen.Of these, 66 were also submitted to a macroagglutination test, using a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium isolated from rheas.All birds did not react with the commercial S. Pullorum antigen, but 37 were positive for the FAST-ST.The isolation of Salmonella spp. was verified in 66 (94.2%) birds. 85.7% were found in liver samples, 60% in feces and 42.3% in cloacal swabs.A total of 16.6% were identified as being S. enterica enterica rugosa, 35.9% as S. Typhimurium, 46.5% as S.Newport and 0.9% as S. Anatum. An insignificant concordance between the results of bacterial isolation and the serological response was observed (k=0.016).The detection of Salmonella spp. by bacteriological and serological methods in samples from rheas must be deemed important, because birds without a clinical manifestation can be significant sources of salmonellas in food infections.