Experimental poisoning by cassava wastewater in sheep / Intoxicação experimental por manipueira em ovinos

The processing of Manihot esculenta (cassava) tubers yield different by-products, including cassava wastewater, which is the liquid pressed out of the tuber after it has been mechanically crushed. Cyanide poisoning after ingestion of cassava wastewater has been reported in ruminants and pigs in Northeastern Brazil. With the aim of studying its toxicity, cassava wastewater was administered orally to six sheep at doses of 0.99, 0.75, 0.70, 0.63, and 0.5 mg of hydrocyanic acid kg-1 body weight, which corresponded to 14.2, 10.6, 9.8, 8.89, and 7.1 mL of wastewater kg-1. On the second day, the sheep received a volume of wastewater which corresponded to 0.46, 0.34, 0.31, 0.28, and 0.23 mg of HCN kg-1. A sheep used as control received 9.9 mL of water kg-1 BW. Sheep that received from 0.75 to 0.99 mg kg-1 of HCN on the first day exhibited severe clinical signs of poisoning, and the sheep that received 0.63 and 0.5 mg kg-1 exhibited mild clinical signs. All sheep were successfully treated with sodium thiosulfate. On the second day, only the sheep that received 0.46 mg kg-1 and 0.34 mg kg-1 exhibited mild clinical signs and recovered spontaneously. The concentration of HCN in the wastewater was 71.69±2.19 μg mL-1 immediately after production, 30.56±2.45 μg mL-1 after 24 hours, and 24.25±1.28 μg mL-1 after 48 hours. The picric acid paper test was strongly positive 5 minutes after production; moderately positive 24 hours after production, and negative 48 hours after production. We conclude that cassava wastewater is highly toxic to sheep if ingested immediately after production, but rapidly loses toxicity in 24-48 hours.(AU)

O processamento dos tubérculos de Manihot esculenta (mandioca) produzem diferentes subprodutos, incluindo a manipueira, líquido que escorre das raízes da mandioca depois de ter sido mecanicamente prensada. A intoxicação por cianeto após a ingestão de manipueira tem sido relatada em ruminantes e suínos no Nordeste do Brasil. Com o objetivo de estudar sua toxicidade, administrou-se manipueira por via oral a seis ovelhas em doses de 0,99, 0,75, 0,70, 0,63 e 0,5 mg de peso corporal de ácido cianídrico kg-1, correspondendo a 14,2, 10,6, 9,8, 8,89 e 7,1 mL de manipueira kg-1 de peso corporal. No segundo dia, as ovelhas receberam um volume de manipueira que correspondeu a 0,46, 0,34, 0,31, 0,28 e 0,23 mg de HCN kg-1. Uma ovelha usada como controle recebeu 9,9 mL de água kg-1 de peso corporal. Ovelhas que receberam doses de 0,75 a 0,99 mg kg-1 de HCN no primeiro dia exibiram sinais clínicos graves de intoxicação e as ovelhas que receberam 0,63 e 0,5 mg kg-1 exibiram sinais clínicos leves. Todas as ovelhas foram tratadas com sucesso com tiossulfato de sódio. No segundo dia, apenas as ovelhas que receberam 0,46 mg kg-1 e 0,34 mg kg-1 apresentaram sinais clínicos leves e se recuperaram espontaneamente. A concentração de HCN na manipueira foi de 71,69 ± 2,19 μg mL-1 imediatamente após a produção, 30,56 ± 2,45 μg mL-1 após 24 horas e 24,25 ± 1,28 μg mL-1 após 48 horas. O teste de papel picrosódico foi fortemente positivo 5 minutos após a produção; moderadamente positivo 24 horas após a produção e negativo 48 horas após a produção. Concluímos que a manipueira é altamente tóxica para ovinos se ingeridas imediatamente após a produção, mas rapidamente perdem toxicidade em 24-48 horas.(AU)

Hepatitis B and C in the hemodialysis unit of Tocantins, Brazil: serological and molecular profiles

A survey was conducted in the hemodialysis population of the state of Tocantins, Brazil, aiming to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, to analyze associated risk factors, and also to investigate these viruses genotypes distribution. During January and March 2001, all patients (n = 100) were interviewed at the unique dialysis unit in Tocantins. Blood samples were collected and serum samples were screened for HBV serological markers. Hepatitis B surface antigen positive samples were tested for HBV DNA. All samples were also tested for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. An overall prevalence of 45 percent was found for HBV infection (4 percent were HBsAg/anti-HBc positive, 2 percent were anti-HBc only and 39 percent had anti-HBc/anti-HBs markers). Concerning HCV infection, anti-HCV and HCV RNA were detected in 13 percent and 14 percent of the subjects, respectively. Three patients were HCV RNA positive and anti-HCV negative, resulting in an overall HCV prevalence of 16 percent. Univariate analysis of risk factors showed that only shift and length of time on hemodialysis were associated with HBV and HCV positivity, respectively. Among the four HBsAg-positive samples, HBV DNA was detected in three of them, which were identified as genotype A by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. All 14 HCV RNA-positive samples were genotyped by INNO-LiPA. Genotypes 1a and 3a were found in 85 percent and 15 percent, respectively. The present data show low HBsAg and HCV prevalence rates. The risk factors associated with HBV and HCV positivity suggest that nosocomial transmission may influence in spreading these viruses in the dialysis unit studied

Prevalence and genotypes of GB Virus C/Hepatitis G virus among blood donors in Central Brazil

A survey was conducted in a blood donor population of Central Brazil aiming to investigate the prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection and also to analyze the virus genotypes distribution. A total of 241 voluntary blood donors were interviewed at the State Blood Bank in Goiânia, State of Goiás, Brazil. Blood samples were collected and serum samples tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA by polymerase chain reaction. Genotypes were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Seventeen samples were GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive, resulting in a prevalence of 7.1 percent (95 percent CI: 4.2-11.1). A significant trend of GBV-C/HGV RNA positivity in relation to age was observed, with the highest prevalence in donors between 29-39 years old. Ten infected individuals were characterized by reporting parenteral (30 percent), sexual (18 percent), both (6 percent) and intrafamiliar (6 percent) transmission. However, 7 (40 percent) GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive donors did not mention any potential transmission route. RFLP analysis revealed the presence of genotypes 1 and 2 of GBV-C/HGV; more precisely, 10 (58.9 percent) samples were found belonging to the 2b subtype, 4 (23.5 percent) to the 2a subtype, and 3 (17.6 percent) to genotype 1. The present data indicate an intermediate endemicity of GBV-C/HGV infection among this blood donor population, and a predominant circulation of genotype 2 (subtype 2b) in Central Brazil