Thaís Ribeiro Correia

Dioctophyme renale (Goeze, 1782) in the abdominal cavity of a domestic cat from Brazil

This study reports a case of parasitism by the giant kidney worm, Dioctophyme renale (Goeze, 1782), in the abdominal cavity of a domestic cat from Brazil. A female adult cat presenting prostration, dehydration, physical debility, pronounced jaundice and ascitis, was taken to the Department of Animal Parasitology of the Veterinary Institute of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Clinical signs suggested a case of peritonitis. The cats clinical condition was grave and death occurred within a few days. During necropsy, a brownish-red nematode, 24.9cm long, was found in the abdominal cavity and was identified as a male adult D. renale. This study reports the first confirmed case of dioctophymatosis in the domestic cat. The parasites aberrant location in the abdominal cavity suggests that the domestic cat is not a suitable host.

Larvicidal efficacy of nitenpyram on the treatment of myiasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in dogs

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of nitenpyram for the treatment of screwworm myiasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax in naturally infested dogs. Seven Beagle dogs presenting with myiasis were treated with nitenpyram twice at an interval of 6 h. The animals received dosages between 1.43 and 4.42 mg/kg body weight of nitenpyram in each given treatment. The criteria used to determine the drug efficacy were larval expulsion and fall. These were quantified at 15 min intervals within the first hour followed by 2, 3, 4, 6, and 18 h post-treatment. The highest larval expulsion happened between 1 and 2 h post-treatment. The spontaneous larval expulsion percentages were 86% and 94.11% for 6 and 18 h after the first treatment, respectively. Larvae were expelled until 18 h post-treatment. After this period the remaining dead larvae were mechanically removed. Nitenpyram showed 100% efficacy on the treatment of myiasis by C. hominivorax in naturally infested dogs.

Survey on control and management practices of equine helminthes infection

Twenty-nine stud farms were selected in the Medium Paraiba region of the Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. After an interview with the person responsible for the animals, faecal samples were collected from mares and analyzed via the EPG technique, faecal cultures, Sedimentation-centrifugo-flotation, and modified Ueno and Baermann techniques. The prevalence of helminths in the mares and in the stud farms was calculated. The stocking rates of pasture, change of horse bedding, absence of pasture rotation, absence of technology in the property, and less frequent treatment of the animals were associated with a greater prevalence of helminths, showing that these variables must be considered in equine control programs. The intensity of the parasitism was also associated with the stocking rate of pasture, absence of dunghill, presence of the animals only in paddocks, lack of technology in the property, less frequent treatment of the animals, and absence of the use of rotation regarding the anthelmintic class.

Ocurrence of Philophthalmus gralli (Trematoda: Philophthalmidae) in farmed ostriches in Brazil

This paper reports the occurrence of parasitism by the Oriental eye-fluke, Philophthalmus gralli in ostriches reared in a commercial flock from the State of Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil. The two affected birds presented lacrimation, inflammatory reaction and loss of body condition. After physical examination the birds revealed, 17 and 15 trematodes each, only in the right eyes. The economic impact of this parasite on Brazilian ostrich industry is still undetermined, requiring further studies.

Effects of Disinfectants on Toxocara canis Embryogenesis and Larval Establishment in Mice Tissues

The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the effects of several different disinfectant solutions on embryonic development of Toxocara canis eggs and (ii) to investigate the potential infectivity of exposed eggs by assessing larval establishment in various tissues in a murine model. All the disinfectants tested were products routinely used in veterinary clinics, kennels, animal shelters and laboratories. Ova were obtained from gravid female T. canis uteri. Thirty samples containing 10 000 eggs were divided into five groups of six identical sample tubes per group. The treatments for the groups were as follows: Group H benzalconium chloride, Group A 70% ethanol, Group B 2–2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution, Group L 7.99% formaldehyde‐based disinfectant and Group C tap water (controls). Samples were incubated at 27 ± 1°C and 80 ± 10% relative humidity. Embryonic development was evaluated on days +6, +9, +12, +15, +18, +21, +25, +28 and +36 of exposure by visual observation under light microscopy. Seventy percent ethanol degenerated all eggs within a few days and thus inhibited larval development. Sodium hypochlorite removed the external layer of the ova, but eggs harboured infective larvae for up to 2 weeks. Benzalconium chloride and formaldehyde‐based disinfectants had no effect on T. canis embryogenesis according to comparison with control eggs (P > 0.05). Embryonated eggs from each of the six samples from Groups C, H and L were administered to mice as only these ova were considered viable based on in vitro trial. On day 30pi, those were euthanized and had their tissues were submitted to organ compression (brains) or acid‐isolation technique (kidneys, lungs, livers and carcasses) for larval counting. The mean number of recovered larvae for Groups C, H and L were: 512.8, 393.7 and 477 respectively (P > 0.05). Larvae derived from Groups H and L eggs maintained their ability to migrate. However, larval establishment pattern differed from control. While certain disinfectants do negatively affect embryogenesis (70% ethanol) and reduce the integrity and durability (sodium hypochlorite) of infective T. canis eggs, others have no effect upon embryogenesis. Those eggs can still be a threat to human and animal health even after over a month of disinfectant exposure.

Rickettsia felis infection in cat fleas Ctenocephalides felis felis

The present study evaluated the rickettsial infection in a laboratory colony of cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche) in Brazil. All flea samples (30 eggs, 30 larvae, 30 cocoons, 30 males, and 30 females) tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were shown to contain rickettsial DNA. PCR products, corresponding to the rickettsial gltA, htrA, ompA and ompB gene partial sequences were sequenced and showed to correspond to Rickettsia felis, indicating that the flea colony was 100% infected by R. felis. The immunofluorescence assay (IFA) showed the presence of R. felis-reactive antibodies in blood sera of 7 (87.5%) out of 8 cats that were regularly used to feed the flea colony. From 15 humans that used to work with the flea colony in the laboratory, 6 (40.0%) reacted positively to R. felis by IFA. Reactive feline and human sera showed low endpoint titers against R. felis, varying from 64 to 256. With the exception of one human serum, all R. felis-reactive sera were also reactive to Rickettsia rickettsii and/or Rickettsia parkeri antigens at similar titers to R. felis. The single human serum that was reactive solely to R. felis had an endpoint titer of 256, indicating that this person was infected by R. felis.

Atividade residual in vitro do pelo de cobertura de cães tratados com dinotefuran sobre larvas e adultos de Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835) (Siphonaptera: pulicidae)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual activity of treated dogs hair coat with dinotefuran on larvae and adults of Ctenocephalides felis felis. Three female Beagle dogs were used. One female dog was treated with 0.834% dinotefuran spray, the second was treated with 30% dinotefuran strip-on and the third was not treated. Some areas of dogs hair were clipped on days 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 37 and 44 after treatment. For the evaluation of adulticidal and larvicidal activities, flea adults and larvae from the laboratory colony were used. Six repetitions were used with 10 samples of each flea stage per day, placed in assay tubes. In each repetition we added 0.02 g of treated or untreated dogs hair and larval diet for the immature stage. Flea adult assay was evaluated with 24 hours and the flea larvae 20 days after treatment. The residue on hair coat of both treated dogs showed efficacy on the flea larvae control for 44 days. Regarding the flea adults control the spray and strip-on formulations showed efficacy until days 16 and 23, respectively.

Efficacy of the d-phenothrin/pyriproxyfen association against mites in naturally co-infested rabbits

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a eficacia da associacao de d-fenotrina e piriproxifen no controle de infestacoes simultâneas por Psoroptes ovis, Cheyletiella parasitivorax e Leporacarus gibbus em coelhos naturalmente co-infestados. Vinte coelhos mesticos (Nova Zelândia Branco x California) infestados simultaneamente pelas tres especies de acaros foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. Todos os coelhos infestados por apresentavam eritema, hiperemia e formacao de crostas nas orelhas, causados por P. ovis. Infestacoes simultâneas por C. parasitivorax e L. gibbus foram considerados assintomaticas em todos os animais. Dez animais foram tratados com uma formulacao spray contendo d-fenotrina a 4,4% e piriproxifen a 0,148%, pulverizando toda a superficie corporal de forma uniforme, incluindo a face interna das orelhas. Os outros 10 coelhos nao foram t ratados, sendo mantidos como grupo controle. Os animais foram avaliados nos dias 7, 14, 21, 28 e 35 pos-tratamento. A associacao de d-fenotrina e piriproxifen foi 100% eficaz no controle das tres especies de acaros e foi responsavel pela remissao das lesoes de sarna psoroptica nos animais tratados. Nao foram observados sinais de intoxicacao. Os resultados indicam que a formulacao spray de d-fenotrina e piriproxifen em uma unica aplicacao e uma opcao clinicamente segura e eficaz no controle de infestacoes por acaros em coelhos.

Eficácia da ivermectina oral no controle de Psoroptes ovis e Leporacarus gibbus em coelhos naturalmente infestados

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral ivermectin in the control of Psoroptes ovis and Leporacarus gibbus in naturally infested rabbits. Twenty adult rabbits were selected; they were distributed in two groups with equal proportions of both sexes, containing ten animals per group. In the control group the same volume of the treatment was administered of saline solution, meanwhile the treated group received a single dose of oral ivermectin (400µg/kg). The diagnosis of the mites was made with a stereoscopic microscope, after the proper collection of material. For P. ovis it was performed by collecting of ear wax with swabs and for L. gibbus it was performed by collecting hairs in the dorsal part of the neck, lumbar right, lumbar left, ventral side of the tail and ventral abdomen. The evaluation of the efficiency and the clinical evaluation of the lesions, measured in scores (grade 0 to 4) was made in days 0, +3, +7, +4, +21, +28, and +35, after treatment. An efficiency of 100% was observed for P. ovis following day +7, and for L. gibbus following day +14, remaining negative until the final day of the study. The score of lesions in the ears of the treated group regressed following day +14 and on day +21 all animals reached a score of 0. In the control group, two animals presented an increase in ear lesion score, one rabbit presented an increase from score 1 to 2, and the other rabbit, from score 3 to 4. No adverse reactions were observed in the treated animals. The single dose administration of oral ivermectin was successful in the control of P. ovis and L. gibbus in naturally infested rabbits.

Eficácia acaricida de uma emulsão contendo 10% de óleo de nim (Azadirachta indica) no controle de Psoroptes ovis em coelhos naturalmente infestados

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of an emulsion containing 10% of neem (Azadirachta indica) oil on the control of Psoroptes ovis in naturally infested rabbits. Twelve rabbits were randomly divided in two groups of six animals. The control group remained without treatment; while animals in the other group were treated with the 10% neem extract formulation by spraying both ears daily for seven consecutive days. The animals were evaluated daily for the presence of adverse effects. Material from ears all animals was collected on days +3, +7, +14, +21, +28 and +35, and evaluated for the presence of living mites. Animals from control group presented mites in both ears along all days of observation. The treated group presented an efficacy of 41.7% on day +3 and 100% from day +7 to +35. The product containing 10% neem oil has demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of psoroptic mange on rabbits. However, treated animals presented dermatological reaction such as alopecia and hyperemia at the site of application, varying from low to medium severity.