Associação entre medidas lineares e angulares de equinos da raça Mangalarga Marchador / Phenotypic association between linear and joint angle traits of Mangalarga Marchador horses

Foram analisadas 12 medidas de comprimento dos ossos, duas medidas de altura, duas medidas de perímetro e 11 medidas de ângulos articulares) de 169 equinos da raça Mangalarga Marchador, de ambos os sexos (82 por cento de fêmeas), com idades entre 35 e 269 meses, de 11 criatórios do Estado de Minas Gerais e cinco de São Paulo. Os efeitos de estado e criatório de origem, tipo de criação (baia ou pasto), idade e sexo sobre essas características foram avaliados pelo método dos quadrados mínimos, e as associações entre as características foram quantificadas por meio da correlação de resíduos. Os modelos justificaram pouco da variação observada, com coeficientes de determinação variando de 0,09 a 0,48 para as medidas lineares e de 0,11 a 0,44 para as medidas angulares. Estado e criatório de origem, sexo, idade e tipo de criação foram importantes fontes de variação, respectivamente para 13 (48,1 por cento), 12 (44,4 por cento), seis (22,2 por cento), quatro (14,8 por cento) e três (11,1 por cento) das 27 características avaliadas. As correlações de resíduo entre as características indicaram que a escolha de animais com úmero de maior comprimento está associada a animais com membros torácicos e pélvicos mais longos e que a escolha de animais a partir do tamanho dos membros acarretará concomitante incremento na altura da cernelha e na garupa e do perímetro da canela e torácico. Ainda, a escolha dos animais considerando as medidas dos ângulos metacarpofalangeano e dedo torácico com a horizontal refletirá positivamente na altura da cernelha e da garupa.

The effects of State and stud of origin, management (on pasture or in stable), gender, and age on morphometrics traits (measurements of 12 bone segments, 11 joint angles, two perimeters, and two heights) of 169 Mangalarga Marchador horses (82 percent females) raised in 11 herds of Minas Gerais and five from São Paulo State, were evaluated using the least squares methodology. In addition, residual phenotypic associations among these traits were measured. Statistical models did not fit well the observed variation, with coefficients of determination varying from 0.09 to 0.48 for linear and from 0.11 to 0.44 for angular traits. State and stud of origin, gender, age, and management were important sources of variation, respectively on 13 (48.1 percent), 12 (44.4 percent), six (22.2 percent), four (11.1 percent), and three (11.1 percent) of the 27 evaluated traits. Residual correlations between traits indicated that selection of animals with longer humerus was associated to animals with longer front and rear leg bone segments and higher wither and croup heights and larger crop and cannon perimeters. Also, selection of animals with larger fetlock and coronet-horizontal line angles will positively reflect on the wither and croup heights of the animals.

Curvas ângulo-tempo das articulações dos eqüinos marchadores / Joint angle-time curves of Brazilian gaited horses

Gráficos com demonstração das curvas ângulo-tempo das articulações dos membros dos eqüinos foram avaliados por meio da análise de imagens digitalizadas tomadas de 10 cavalos e 13 éguas da raça Mangalarga Marchador. Foram utilizados marcadores reflexivos adesivos colocados em 19 pontos articulares dos eqüinos, procedendo-se à filmagem com freqüência de 250 quadros por segundo e utilizando-se o aplicativo Simi-motion 3D 6.0 para digitalização e análise das imagens. A utilização dos marcadores reflexivos adesivos constituiu boa metodologia para análise dos movimentos dos segmentos ósseos dos eqüinos. Os resultados observados indicam haver, durante a locomoção dos eqüinos marchadores brasileiros, comportamento similar das articulações quando comparados com eqüinos de sela europeus, apresentando mesmo padrão das curvas de ângulo-tempo e não havendo grandes diferenças entre os pontos máximos de flexão e extensão.

Images of 10 horses and 13 mares of Mangalarga Marchador breed were taken and digitalized to analyze the joint angle-time curves. Reflexives and adhesives markers were glued on 19 articulations points of the hindlimbs and forelimbs of the horses. The images were taken at 250 frames per second and the digitalization and analysis were made using a Simi-motion 3D 6.0 software. The results demonstrated that the methodology using reflexives and adhesives markers was efficient to make analyses of the bone segment movements of the horses. This study concluded that the Brazilian gaited horses have a similar angle-joint curve as the European warmblood horses and there are no great differences of the maximum extension and flexion points.

Bacteriemia por Brucella canis. Aislamiento con el sistema Bact-Alert / [Bacteremia by Brucella canis. Isolation with the Bact-Alert system]

Brucella canis and other species of the genus Brucella can cause human disease. However, this species infrequently cause human disease, including in countries where dogs population is highly infected. A 15 years old male was admitted to the hospital with 15 days history of fever without visible focus. Physical examination revealed pain at liver palpation and axillar, cervical and inguinal lymphoadenomegalies. Abdominal ultrasonography showed spleenomegally, the chest Rx and the trans thoracic echocardiogram were normal. Five blood samples were obtained and cultured in 2 standards bottles (time of positivization 72 - 64.8 hours), and 3 pediatric FAN bottles (time of positivization 74.5; 72 and 67.2 hours) (Bact-Alert system, Biomerieux, Marcy, l’Etolie, France). The microorganism was presuntive identified as B. canis, and then was confirmed in the National Reference Center Instituto ANLIS [quot ]Carlos G. Malbran[quot ]. After 14 days of initiating ceftriaxone treatment the patient was afebrile. When the confirmation of Brucella was made, he was discharged and ambulatory was prescribed with doxycycline and rifampin for 21 days. Bones were not compromised and the outcome was good with complete resolution of his illness.

Formaçäo e demografia da raça campolina / Formation and demographic structure of the campolina horse breed

A partir das informaçöes de 71.991 eqüinos da raça Campolina, registrados de 1951 até 2000 pela Associaçäo Brasileira dos Criadores do Cavalo Campolina, observou-se que 86,6 por cento dos animais pertenciam à regiäo Sudeste. A média anual do número de nascimentos de 1951 a 1998 foi de 1.159 animais, sendo 5.107 o ápice em 1991. Dos 3.361 criadores e dos 4.848 proprietários de animais, respectivamente, 50,3 por cento e 60,3 por cento possuíam menos de cinco animais. Quanto ao número de filhos, 53,3 por cento das 17.680 mäes produziram menos de dois filhos. Dos 2.418 pais, 51,7 por cento tiveram menos de 10 filhos. Os números médio e máximo de filhos por égua foram, respectivamente, 3,1 e 20, e por pai, 22,2 e 531, na mesma ordem. O tamanho efetivo da populaçäo considerando-se todos os anos foi de 8.509 animais e a taxa média de endogamia para toda a populaçäo foi próxima de zero. O número máximo de geraçöes foi 6,5, sendo o intervalo médio de geraçöes de 8,7 anos. O coeficiente médio de endogamia observado entre os animais endogâmicos foi de 6,1 por cento, com incremento de 1,9 por cento por geraçäo.

Aislamiento de Plesiomonas shigelloides en un paciente pediátrico / Isolation of Plesiomonas shigelloides from a pediatric patient

We report the isolation of P. shigelloides in the stools of a child with acute diarrhea living in the surroundings of Buenos Aires who usually drank untreated water. P. shigelloides has been implicated as an etiological agent in many sporadic cases of diarrhea, probably associated with drinking untreated water, eating uncooked seafood or foreign travel.

Comparación de diferentes métodos para la detección de resistencia a meticilina en Staphylococcus aureus / [Comparison of different detection methods for methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus]

The investigation of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious problem for the physician and microbiologist. Accurate and rapid detection is essential for the use of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and for the control of nosocomial spread of the resistant strain. The performance characteristics of the MicroScan Overnight Conventional Pos Combo 12 panels (MOCP), BBL Crystal MRSA ID (CR), E-test and agar screen plate (Muller Hinton agar with oxacillin 6 micrograms/ml and 4

NaCl) (AS) were evaluated for the detection of oxacillin resistance. Thirty S. aureus clinically significant strains with different PFGE (Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis) banding pattern were tested, and 22 of them were mecA positive by PCR. These strains were also analyzed by mecA and Tn554 polymorphism. All mecA positive strains were classified as methicillin resistant by MOCP and E-test. CR and AS failed to detect oxacillin resistance in 2 strains. One false positive was only detected by E-test. Accurate testing for the presence of MRSA may reduce the need for empiric therapy with vancomycin for patients with staphylococcal infections. According to our results the best performance was obtained with MOCP. However, as a rapid method, CR gave acceptable sensitivity for clinical purposes.

Utilidad de la incubación prolongada y de los subcultivos terminales de hemocultivos de pacientes inmunocomprometidos / Utility of prolonged incubation and terminal subcultures of blood cultures from immunocompromised patients

The value of blind terminal subcultures (7 and 30 days) and prolonged incubation (30 days) of blood cultures from immunosuppressed patients was analyzed in the Fundación Favaloro, the Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia and the Hospital de Niños Ricardo GutiÚrrez. A total of 2707 blood cultures and 369 patients were included (transplantation of solid organs 154, oncohematologic disorders 106 and solid tumors 109). Bact-Alert bottles were incubated at 35 degrees C for 30 days in the Bact-Alert System. Bottles with positive signals were routinely removed, and aliquots of the broth were Gram stained and subcultured aerobically in chocolate agar and Sabouraud agar. A total of 136 bacteremic episodes were obtained. The positivization time of blood cultures was 81.6 at 24 h, 93.3 at 48 h, 94.5 at 72 h and 97.7 within 7 days. Only 3 (2.2) episodes were positive by blind terminal subcultures and 1 (0.75) by prolonged incubation (14 days). The median time and range of positivization in hours were 13.8 and 2.2-168, respectively. The microorganisms isolated were coagulase negative staphylococci (n = 24), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 22), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 21), Escherichia coli (n = 18), Acinetobacter spp (n = 9), Candida spp (n = 8), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 6), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 5), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 5), Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella spp and Capnocytophaga sputigena (n = 2), Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterococcus faecium, Citrobacter diversus, Candida albicans, Klebsiella oxytoca, Chryseomonas luteola, Serratia marcescens, Abiotrophia spp, Campylobacter jejuni, Moraxella catarrhalis, Moraxella urethralis, Neisseria sicca, beta hemolytic group G streptococci, Rhodococcus equi, Micrococcus spp, Cryptococcus neoformans and Streptococcus mitis (n = 1). In our experience, blind terminal subcultures and prolonged incubation of blood cultures from immunosuppressed patients are unnecessary and cost expensive.

Evaluación de la reincubación de hemocultivos positivos por el sistema BACT-ALERT para la detección de bacteriemias polimicrobianas / Evaluation of the reincubation of positive blood cultures for detection in the BACT-ALERT system for the detection of polymicrobial bacteremia

Between February and September 1997, 6588 blood cultures at the Instituto de CardiologÝa y CirugÝa Cardiovascular and Hospital de Niños Ricardo GutiÚrrez were studied by using the Bact-Alert system (Organon Teknika) 341 contaminants and 294 episodes of bacteremia (600 samples) were analyzed. From these samples, 280 (95.3) were monomicrobial episodes and 14 (4.7) polymicrobial episodes. Positive blood cultures detected by the Bact-Alert system were processed and then reincubated during 7 days, when they were Gram stained and subcultured in blood agar, chocolate agar (both in 5-10 CO2), laked blood agar supplemented with hemin and vitamin K in anaerobic atmosphere (only anaerobic bottles) and CLDE (aerobic conditions). Following reincubation, 3 out of 14 polymicrobial bacteremias were detected, rising the level of detection from 3.7 to 4.7. Taking into account the total number of bacteremias, only in 3 out of 294 (1), a second microorganism was detected. Otherwise, in blood cultures where a contaminating microorganism was initially isolated, no further isolates representing a true bacteremia were recovered. Reincubation and terminal subculture of initially positive blood cultures did not provide relevant data in order to change therapeutic measures in the studied population. Due to the increase in costs and labor we consider that this methodology is not routinely advised.

Hemocultivos: variables metodológicas / Blood cultures: methodologyc variables

El rendimiento de los hemocultivos depende de un gran número de variables entre las que se encuentran: técnica aséptica para la obtención de los mismos, volumen de la muestra, dilución con el medio, tiempo de incubación, subcultivos, medios de cultivo empleados y/o sistema utilizado y presencia de sustancias inhibitorias en la sangre, entre otros. También hay que considerar situaciones especiales como ser búsqueda de anaerobios, micobacterias, hongos y gérmenes fastidiosos. La realización de hemocultivos cuantitativos, en la práctica diaria, se reserva para el diagnóstico de sepsis relacionada a catéteres de larga permanencia. Para su interpretación hay que tener en cuenta el germen aislado, el tiempo en que se positivizó la muestra y número de ellas en que se recuperó el germen, pero fundamentalmente la clínica del paciente y factores de riesgo como ser: catéteres, válvulas cardíacas protésicas, prótesis osteoarticulares, sistemas de derivación ventrículo-peritoneal, neutropenia, extremos de la vida, enfermedad de base (ej. SIDA), etc. Por todo esto es esencial la comunicación e intercambio de información entre bacteriólogo y médico

Rendimiento de las técnicas cuantitativas y semicuantitativas en bacteriemias asociadas a catéteres / Catheter related bacteremia: efficiency of cuantitative and semicuantitative techniques

La sepsis relacionada a catéteres (SRC) constituye una complicación nosocomial ampliamente documentada. La detección de infección en los dispositivos intravasculares, su relación con bacteriemia y la diferenciación con contaminación o colonización por gérmenes de los mismos es un problema importante, ya que los microorganismos pueden colonizar la punta del catéter por distintas vías. Diversos autores han desarrollado técnicas semicuantitativas y cuantitativas para el cultivo de los mismos. En el Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular (ICYCC) y el Hospital de Niños "R. Gutiérrez" (HNRG), en el período comprendido entre julio de 1992 y marzo de 1994, se estudiaron un total de 806 catéteres (centrales y periféricos) y su relación con bacteriemia; se sembraron por la técnica semicuantitativa de Maki y la cuantitativa de Brun-Buisson. Se calcularon los valores de sensibilidad (S), especificidad (E), valor predictivo positivo (VP+) y negativo (VP-). Según el punto de corte de 15 UFC para la técnica de Maki, los resultados fueron: S=83,6 por ciento, E=91,3 por ciento, VP+=48,8 por ciento y VP-=98,2 por ciento; considerando el punto de corte de 1.000 UFC/ml para la técnica de Brun-Buisson, correspondieron a 76,8 por ciento, 93,6 por ciento, 54,4 por ciento y 97,7 por ciento respectivamente. La combinación de las dos técnicas, permitió incrementar el diagnóstico de bacteriemia relacionada a catéteres en un 8,2 por ciento

Infecciones extraintestinales por Salmonella enterica en pacientes padiátricos / Enteric salmonella, extraintestinal infections in pediatric patients

Las infecciones por Salmonellas no tificas se presentan habitualmente como gastroenteritis agudas de curso autolimitado sin alto riesgo de bacteriemia e infecciones extraintestinales (IEI). En el período comprendico entre enero de 1987 y julio de 1989 se diagnosticaron en el Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez" 12 casos de IEI por Salmonella enterica. Las edades oscilaron entre 1 y 62 meses (X = 16 meses) con ocho (66 por ciento) pacientes menores de 12 meses. Cuatro enfermos (33 por ciento) eran huéspedes inmunocomprometidos y uno presentaba mielomeningocele y era portador de una válvula de derivación ventrículoperitoneal. Seis pacientes (50 por ciento) presentaron diarrea pero todos los coprocultivos realizados fueron negativos. Se registró fiebre mayor de 38,5§C en diez niños (83 por ciento) con una duración media de 6,8 días (1-17 días). Se aisló Salmonella enterica en 13 muestras de hemocultivos de nueve pacientes, en siete cultivos de líquido cefalorraquídeo de dos niños, en un líquido peritoneal, en dos líquidos articulares de una lactante, en un líquido pleural y en un urocultivo. Los diagnósticos de egreso fueron: sepsis en cinco pacientes, dos de ellas asociadas a meningitis, bacteriemia en cuatro pacientes, dos de ellas asociadas a neumonía y las otras dos, una lactante de 51 días de vida, desnutrida de II grado y una niña con leucemia linfoblástica aguda con neutropenia. Otros diagnósticos de egreso fueron: supuración pleuropulmonar; artritis séptica y peritonitis. La evolución fue favorable en diez pacientes; un paciente falleció por septicemia y otro adquirió una infección intrahospitalaria