Histophilus somni-induced thrombotic meningoencephalitis in cattle from northern Paraná, Brazil / Meningoencefalite trombótica-induzida por Histophilus somni em bovinos da região norte do Paraná

Thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TME) is a fatal neurological disease of cattle, predominantly from North America, that is caused by Histophilus somni with sporadic descriptions from other countries. This manuscript describes the occurrence of spontaneous TME in cattle from northern Paraná, Brazil. Most cattle had acute neurological manifestations characteristic of brain dysfunction. Hematological and cerebrospinal fluid analyses were not suggestive of bacterial infections of the brain. Histopathology revealed meningoencephalitis with vasculitis and thrombosis of small vessels that contained discrete neutrophilic and/or lymphocytic infiltrates admixed with fibrin at the brainstem, cerebral cortex, and trigeminal nerve ganglion of all animals. All tissues from the central nervous system used during this study were previously characterized as negative for rabies virus by the direct immunofluorescence assay. PCR and RT-PCR assays investigated the participation of infectious agents associated with bovine neurological disease by targeting specific genes of H. somni, Listeria monocytogenes, bovine herpesvirus -1 and -5, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and ovine herpesvirus-2. PCR and subsequent sequencing resulted in partial fragments of the 16S rRNA gene of H. somni from brain sections of all animals with histopathological diagnosis of TME; all other PCR/RT-PCR assays were negative. These findings confirmed the participation of H. somni in the neuropathological disease observed in these animals, extend the geographical distribution of this disease, and support previous findings of H. somni from Brazil.(AU)

Meningoencefalite trombótica (Thrombotic meningoencephalitis- TME) é uma doença neurológica fatal de bovinos ocasionada por Histophilus somni. A infecção tem sido descrita predominantemente na América do Norte e de forma esporádica em outros países. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar a ocorrência de TME em bovinos da região norte do estado do Paraná, Brasil. A maioria dos animais apresentaram sinais clínicos neurológicos característicos de disfunção cerebral aguda. Análises hematológicas e do fluido cerebrospinal não foram sugestivas de infecção bacteriana do cérebro. A histopatologia revelou meningoencefalite com vasculite e trombose de pequenos vasos com discreto infiltrado neutrofílico e/ou linfocítico mesclada com fibrina no tronco e córtex cerebral e no gânglio do nervo trigêmio de todos os animais. As amostras de sistema nervoso central incluídas nesse estudo foram previamente caracterizadas como negativas para raiva por meio de técnica de imunofluorescência direta. A participação de agentes infecciosos associados à doença neurológica em bovinos foi avaliada por técnicas moleculares como PCR e RT-PCR para amplificação parcial de genes de H. somni, Listeria monocytogenes, herpesvírus bovino 1 e 5, vírus da diarreia viral bovina e herpesvírus ovino 2. As seções do cérebro de todos os animais com diagnóstico histopatológico de TME foram positivas em PCR para a detecção do gene 16S rRNA de H. somni. O sequenciamento dos produtos amplificados confirmou a presença de DNA de H. somni nos fragmentos de cérebro avaliados. As reações de PCR/RT-PCR para todos os outros micro-organismos avaliados resultaram negativas. Os resultados desse estudo confirmaram a participação do H. somni nos episódios de doença neurológica observada nos animais avaliados, amplia a distribuição geográfica da TME e ratifica estudos prévios realizados no Brasil que demonstraram a presença de H. somni em outras formas de manifestação clínica das infecções por essa bactéria.(AU)

Prevalencia de anticuerpos contra Histophilus somni y factores de riesgo en ganado para carne en Yucatán, México / Prevalence of antibodies against Histophilus somni and risk factors in beef cattle in Yucatan, Mexico

The purpose of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of H. somni infection and to determine some risk factors associated with the seropositivity in beef cattle in the livestock region of Yucatan, Mexico. Furthermore, the intraherd correlation coefficient (r e) and the design effect (D) were estimated. The animals were selected using a two-stage random sampling. Blood samples were collected from 490 animals from 35 herds, and sera were tested for the detection of antibodies against H. somni, using the double agar gel immunodiffusion test. Information about each herd and animal sampled was recorded by a questionnaire personally applied in the farm. Data were analyzed by chi-square tests. Ten herds had zero seropositive animals, 19 had one and six had two seropositive animals. Thirty one out of 490 animals were seropositive. The animal seroprevalence adjusted to herd size was 5.5% (95% confidence interval = 3.5%, 7.5%). Animal seroprevalence in the six municipalities ranged from 3.6% to 9.5%, but no significant differences (P = 0.89) were found. The r e and D values for H. somni seroprevalence were 0 (SE = 0.01) and 1 (SE = 0.19), respectively. The chi-square test did not show association (P > 0.10) between the presence of antibodies against H. somni and the risk factors investigated.

El propósito de este estudio fue investigar la seroprevalencia de la infección por H. somni y determinar algunos factores de riesgo asociados con su seropositividad en ganado para carne en la región ganadera de Yucatán, México. Asimismo, se estimó el coeficiente de correlación dentro de hatos (re) y el efecto de diseño (D). Los animales se seleccionaron usando un muestreo aleatorio en dos etapas. Las muestras de sangre se recolectaron de 490 animales en 35 hatos, y los sueros se sometieron a análisis para detectar anticuerpos contra H. somni, mediante la prueba de inmunodifusión doble en agar. La información acerca del hato y de cada animal muestreado se obtuvo mediante una encuesta aplicada personalmente en el rancho. Los datos se analizaron mediante pruebas de Ji-cuadrada. Diez hatos tuvieron cero animales seropositivos, 19 tuvieron uno, y seis tuvieron dos animales seropositivos. Treinta y uno de los 490 animales fueron seropositivos. La prevalencia animal ajustada por el tamaño del hato fue 5.5% (intervalo de confianza al 95% = 3.5%, 7.5%). La seroprevalencia de los animales en los seis municipios varió de 3.6% a 9.5%, pero no se encontraron diferencias significativas (P = 0.89). Los valores de r e y D para la seroprevalencia de H somni fueron 0 (EE = 0.01) y 1 (EE = 0.19), respectivamente. Las pruebas de Ji-cuadrada no mostraron asociación (P > 0.10) entre la presencia de anticuerpos contra H. somni y los factores de riesgo investigados.