Morphological and ultrastructural redescription of Calyptospora serrasalmi Cheung, Nicrelli & Ruggieri, 1986 (Apicomplexa: Calyptosporidae), a parasite found in two new host species of the genus Serrasalmus

Coccidians are pathogenic protoparasites found in various fish species. In this report, we used light and electron microscopy to study the morphological and ultrastructural features of Calyptospora serrasalmi, a coccidian parasite found to parasitize two additional species of the teleostean genus Serrasalmus, S. striolatus and S. rhombeus, from the Amazon river and the lagoonal region of Recife, Brazil, respectively. Infection involved only the liver parenchyma, with the coccidians occurring as isolated oocysts or in clusters of up to 40-50 oocysts encapsulated by a layer of connective tissue. Several life cycle stages were observed in the same section, with oocysts being the most evident. Each spherical oocyst (~25.5 um in diameter) contained four sporocysts, each surrounded by a thin membranous veil. The sporocysts were pear-shaped (11.8x6.0 um) with an attached apical sporopodium that had several small lateral projections (up to 0.5 um long). These small projections were formed by the same material as the sporocyst wall and were distributed over the basal portion of the wall in 10-12 longitudinal series. The sporocysts lacked a Stieda body and contained two vermiform sporozoites. Calyptospora serrasalmi was distinguishable from previously described species on the basis of sporocyst morphology.

Fine structure of the oocyst of Nematopsis mytella (apicomplexa, porosporidae),a parasite of the mussel Mitella falcata andof the oyster crassostrea rizophorae (Mollusca, Bivalvia)from the northeastern atlantic coast of Brasil

Oocystsof Nematopsis mytella, an apicomplexa gregarine parasite of the mussel Mytella falcata (fam. Mytelidae) and of the oyster Crassostrea rizophorae (fam. Ostreidae). Were collected from Itamaracá Island and Suape, two distinct zones in the estuarine region of the northeastern coast of Brazil, near the city of Recife. The oocysts were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. No morphological and ultrastructural differences were observed between oocysts the two host species. The oocysts were engulfed by the cytoplasm of host phagocytes, with each phagocyte containing 1-19 oocysts (usually 3-5). Each oocyst was located in the center of a spherical to ellipsoidal parasitophorous vacuole (PV) 20-25 um in diameter. The oocyst (13.2 um long and 8.4 um wide) consisted of an external wall 0.6 um thich surrounded by an internal, uninucleated sporozoit. The apical region of the wall of each oocyst contained a circular micropyle 0.8 um in diameter covered by an operculum. The oocyst wall was connected to the PV membrane by a complex network of anastomosed microfibrils. The PV matrix contained 1-2 dense bodies and the periphery was occupied by numerous glycogen particles. This is the first record of a Nematopsis sp. from the northeastern coast of Brazil and only the second from Brazil as a country.

Acanthocollaritrema umbilicatum Travassos, Freitas & Buhrnheim, 1965 (Digenea: Acanthocollaritrematidae) from common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, from Itamaracá, State of Pernambuco, Brazil

Acanthocollaritrema umbilicatum Travassos, Freitas and Buhrnheim, 1965, is the only species of Acanthocollaritrematidae described up to the moment. The systematic position of this species and the validity of the family has been questioned by the possible presence of a gonotyl and a genital atrium associated to the acetabulum. In this paper, specimens of this trematode, collected from Centropomus undecimalis cultivated at Itamaracá, State of Pernambuco, northeast Brazil, were studied under optical and scanning electron microscopy, and compared with available sintypes. Gonotyl and genital atrium were not observed and both family and species are considered valid taxonomic entities. A. umbilicatum is redescribed with the adition of new morphological information.

Extraction and characterization of proteins from cell walls of two strains of paracoccidioides brasiliensis

En el presente trabajo se analizaron las proteínas de la pared celular de 2 cepas de paracoccidioides brasiliensis en fase levaduriforme (PbHC-PE y Pb 18). Las proteínas fueron extraidas por tres difrentes métodos y estudiadas por electroféresis SDS-PAGE. Los resultados de los perfiles de las dos cepas fueron diferentes, permitiendo la posibilidad de su uso como marcadores quimiotaxonómicos. Se observó una secreción transitoria de la proteína gp 43 a través de la pared celular de las cepas de p. brasiliensis.

Scanning electron microscopy of vegetative and reproductive structures from beauveria bassiana (bals.) vuill. strain stored in mineral oil

Se estudió por microscopía electrónica de barrido, la morfogénesis de cepas de beauveria bassiana mantenidas en aceite mineral durante 7 años, comparándolas con otras más recientes conservadas en medios organizados. Se observó regularmente el clásico modelo simposial con proliferación de la célula conidiogéna y el desarrollo conidial holoblástico. La conidiogénesis de ambos grupos de cepas presentó pocas diferencias morfológicas, comprobándose que el método de conservación en aceite mineral, no afecta mayormente a esta especie en este lapso de tiempo

Utilizaçäo de artéria bovina tratada pelo glutaraldeido em aorta abdominal de cäo: análise morfológica de nove enxertos após 196 dias de implantaçäo / Use of bovine artery treated by glutaraldehyde in abdominal aorta of the dog: morphological analysis of 9 grafts after 196 days of implantation

Nove cäes mestiços adultos foram submetidos a interposiçäo de segmento de artérias bovina em aorta abdominal infrarrenal. Os segmentos arteriais foram preparados a partir da artéria torácica interna, as quais foram colocadas em soluçäo salina gelada, até transporte para o laboratório, onde era feita a retirada do tecido conjuntivo e adiposo perivascular e ligadas as colaterais. A seguir, usando-se o aparelho apresentado por KAPLAN e col., as artérias foram fixadas em sol. de glutaraldeído a 0,65//, objetivando-se a avaliaçäo da eficácia deste método, através de análise morfológica dos enxertos com mais de seis meses de implantaçäo. Após este período os animais foram sacrificados para retirada do enxerto. Foi encontrada como achado mais marcante, rigidez de seis enxertos, a qual correspondia à calcificaçäo nas preparaçöes histológicas. Dois animais evoluíram com trombose dos enxertos, a qual ocorreu gradativamente, com formaçäo de rica circulaçäo colateral. Nenhum caso de aneurisma, infecçäo ou rejeiçäo do enxerto foi registrado. Hiperplasia de íntima em dois casos, discreta reaçäo inflamatória linfo-plasmacitária perienxerto e tendência a hialinizaçäo em todos foram os achados dos microscópicos mais marcantes. Conclui-se que a metodologia empregada foi eficaz em evitar reaçäo de rejeiçäo, degeneraçäo, dilataçäo e infecçäo em todos os casos, com ocorrência de clacificaçäo em dois terços dos casos, mas proporcionando uma boa aceitaçäo do enxerto pelo hospedeiro

Ocorrência do Campylobacter pylori em pacientes com gastrite e úlcera péptica / Occurrence of Campylobacter pylori in patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer

Biopsias endoscópicas do antro e da borda da lesäo péptica (úlcera gástrica e úlcera duodenal)foram obtidas de 56 pacientes para estudo histológico e microbiológico, no sentido de se determinar a ocorrência do C. pylori. Trinta e nove pacientes apresentaram evidências de gastrite antral e em 37 (94,8%) deles o bacilo foi detectado, enquanto que nos 17 com histologia normal a cultura foi positiva em somente dois (p<0,01). Nos pacientes com úlcera duodenal e úlcera gástrica a positividade para o C. pylori, no fragmento da borda da lesäo, foi de 100% e 88,8%, respectivamente. Os achados sobre a microbiologia do C. pylori näo diferiram daqueles previamente descritos em estudos similares. A microscopia eletrónica o bacilo foi encontrado próximo ou aderido às superfícies celulares sem haver sinais e localizaçäo intraepitelial. Este estudo confirma a associaçäo do C. pylori com a gastrite e a úlcera gastroduodenal, descrita na literatura

Schistosoma mansoni: structural damage after treatment with oxamniquine

The effects of a single dose (100 mg/kg-body weight of mouse) of oxamniquine on the worm's tegument and paranchyma in relation to the process of immunological granulomatous reaction of the host's liver are described under light and electron microscopy (EM). The lesions caused by the drug are sequentially and simultaneously described in form of swelling, surface bulble and disruption with erosions. Ulceration in the tubercules with loss of spines is often more extensive and severe in male worms and concentration of host's mononuclear cells is observed. The possible role of host's immune response is discussed.