Relationship between clinical symptomatology on the isolation of Salmonella Gallinarum of japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix) / Relação entre a sintomatologia clínica no isolamento de Salmonella Gallinarum de codornas japonesas (Coturnix coturnix)

Salmonella Gallinarum is capable of causing high mortality in birds of the order Galliformes. This study aimed to relate the presence of clinical signs with the recovery of Salmonella Gallinarum from organs and c loacal swabs of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix) experimentally infected. A total of 70 female quails were housed in a pair per cage and divided in two groups (IG: quails inoculated with 1.5x106 CFU of Salmonella Gallinarum Nalr/mL and CG: control group). After the inoculation, birds were evaluated three times a day to verify the presence of clinical signs. Birds that presented ruffled feathers, eyes closed and remained quiet in the cage were removed for euthanasia, as well as the same number of birds from the inoculated groups that presented no clinical signs and from the control group. Cloacal swabbing was performed following euthanasia for the sampling of liver, spleen, caeca, ovarian follicles and lung for microbiological procedure. Quails with clinical signs and quails found dead presented positivity of 100%. While inoculated quails with no clinical signs presented a lower positivity (38.5%). Therefore, quails with septicemia caused by SG present clinical signs of the disease and the pathogen can be isolated and quantified in the organs.(AU)

Salmonella Gallinarum pode causar alta mortalidade em aves da ordem Galliformes. Objetivou-se neste estudo relacionar a presença de sinais clínicos com a recuperação de Salmonella Gallinarum de órgãos e swabs cloacais de codornas japonesas (Coturnix coturnix) experimentalmente infectadas. Um total de 70 codornas fêmeas foram alojadas em par por gaiola e divididas em dois grupos (IG: codornas inoculadas com 1,5x106 UFC de Salmonella Gallinarum Nalr / mL e CG: grupo controle). Após a inoculação, as aves foram avaliadas três vezes ao dia para se verificar a presença de sinais clínicos. As aves que se apresentaram com penas eriçadas, olhos fechados e permaneciam imóveis na gaiola foram removidas para a eutanásia, assim como o mesmo número de aves dos grupos inoculados que não apresentaram sinais clínicos e do grupo controle. O swab cloacal foi realizado após a eutanásia para a amostragem de fígado, baço, ceco, folículos ovarianos e pulmão para procedimento microbiológico. As codornas com sinais clínicos e as encontradas mortas apresentaram positividade de 100%, enquanto as codornas inoculadas sem sinais clínicos apresentaram menor positividade (38,5%). Portanto, codornas com septicemia causada por SG apresentam sinais clínicos da doença e o patógeno pode ser isolado e quantificado em diversos órgãos.(AU)

Escherichia coli and Salmonella ser. Saintpaul natural co-infection in a free-living ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti): a case report / Coinfecção por Escherichia coli e Salmonella ser. Saintpaul em Columbina talpacoti: relato de caso

This study reports a co-infection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in a free-living ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti) received at the Laboratory of Ornithological Studies of the State University of Ceará, Brazil. The bird presented diarrhea, leg paralysis and anorexia, and died shortly after. Necropsy was then performed and samples from lung, kidney, liver and intestine were collected for microbiological and histopathological analyses. Escherichia coli was isolated from cloacal swab, lung and kidney samples. Salmonella ser. Saintpaul was identified in liver and spleen samples. Escherichia coli isolates were tested for the presence of eight diagnostic genes for diarrheagenic pathotypes (STEC, ETEC, EPEC, EIEC, EAEC) with conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). EAEC was detected in the lung and kidney, and STEC in the intestine. In conclusion, Columbina talpacoti is susceptible to enteroaggregative Escherichia coli and Salmonella ser. Saintpaul infection, which may have public health implications.(AU)

Este estudo relata um caso de coinfecção por Escherichia coli e Salmonella ser. Saintpaul em uma rolinha-roxa (Columbina talpacoti) recebida pelo Laboratório de Estudos Ornitológicos da Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Brasil. A ave apresentava diarreia, paralisia nas pernas e anorexia, indo a óbito rapidamente. A necropsia foi realizada e amostras de pulmão, rim, fígado e intestino foram coletados para isolamento microbiológico e análise histopatológica. Escherichia coli foi identificada em amostras de suabe cloacal, pulmão e rim. Salmonella ser. Saintpaul foi identificada no fígado e baço. Isolados de E. coli foram testados para a presença de oito genes de diagnóstico para patotipos diarreiogênicos (STEC, ETEC, EPEC, EIEC, EAEC) através de reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) convencional. EAEC foi detectada no pulmão e rim, e STEC foi identificada no intestino. Em conclusão, Columbina talpacoti é suscetível a infecção por Escherichia coli enteroagregativa e Salmonella ser. Saintpaul, o que pode implicar em risco para a saúde pública.(AU)

Detecção e avaliação do perfil de sensibilidade antimicrobiana de enterobactérias isoladas de periquitos cara-suja (Pyrrhura griseipectus) em cativeiro / Detection and evaluation of the antimicrobial sensibility profile of enterobacteria isolated from captive Grey-breasted parakeet (Pyrrhura griseipectus)

This study was conducted to detect enterobacteria in captive Grey-breasted parakeet from a commercial breeding located in the state of Ceara. 25 individual cloacal swabs were collected and this material was subjected to microbiological processing to obtain the bacterial isolation, identification, and evaluation of the sensitivity profile to antimicrobials. The bacterial isolation in ten samples was determined, belonging to the genera Enterobacter, Hafnia, Serratia, Escherichia, Pantoea and Klebsiella, in which these last three corresponded to the bacteria most isolated, with respective percentages of 28.6%, 21.4%, and 21.4%. As for the sensitivity profile, antibiotics to which the bacteria showed more resistance were trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (57%), tetracycline (21%), and azithromycin (43%). Thus, it was shown that the parakeets were carriers of Enterobacteriaceae with resistance characteristics.(AU)

Isolation of Salmonella spp. in captive Psittaciformes from zoos and a commercial establishment of Fortaleza, Brazil / Isolamento de Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes de zoológicos e estabelecimento comercial de Fortaleza, Brasil

This study showed a low prevalence of Salmonella spp. in captive psittacines from zoos and a commercial establishment of Fortaleza. None of the isolated serotypes (S. Lexington, S. Saintpaul and S. Newport) have yet been reported in Amazona aestiva, Ara chloroptera or Melopsittacus undulatus. However, the fact that most birds presented negative for Salmonella spp. may not imply the absence of this pathogen in these birds, since the intermittent excretion is a well-known characteristic of this microorganism...

A manutenção de aves em cativeiro reúne condições que favorecem a disseminação de doenças infecciosas, sendo a Salmonella uma dessas doenças infecciosas que acomete os psitacídeos. Portanto o objetivo do presente estudo foi isolar e identificar Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes mantidos em criatórios comerciais e conservacionistas da Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza. Para o estudo, foram coletados swabs cloacais de 182 psitacídeos clinicamente sadios. Os resultados mostraram que três psitacídeos avaliados (1,65%) foram positivos: Amazona aestiva (Salmonella Lexington), Ara chloroptera (Salmonella Saintpaul) e Melopsittacus undulatus (Salmonella Newport). De acordo com a literatura científica, não há registro desses sorotipos em psitacídeos. Esta pesquisa evidenciou uma baixa prevalência de Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes mantidos em criatórios comerciais e conservacionistas da Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza...

Establishment of a heterologous system for the expression of Canavalia brasiliensis lectin: a model for the study of protein splicing

During its biosynthesis in developing Canavalia brasiliensis seeds, the lectin ConBr undergoes a form of protein splicing in which the order of the N- and C-domains of the protein is reversed. To investigate whether these events can occur in other eukaryotic organisms, an expression system based on Pichia pastoris cells was established. A DNA fragment encoding prepro-ConBr was cloned into the vector pPICZB, and the recombinant plasmid was transformed in P. pastoris strain GS115. Ten clones were screened for effective recombinant protein production. Based on Western blot analysis of the two clones with the highest level of protein expression: 1) diffuse high-molecular mass immunoreactive bands were produced as early as 24 h after induction; 2) a single-, high-molecular mass protein was secreted into the medium, and 3) a significant fraction of the recombinant polypeptides that cross-reacted with anti-ConBr antibodies comprised a band of approximately 34.5 kDa. Diffuse protein bands with high molecular masses are attributed to hyperglycosylation at the single potential N-glycosylation site located in the linker peptide of prepro-ConBr. In contrast, native ConBr is made up of three polypeptides, the intact alpha chain (aa 1-237) and the fragments beta (aa 1-118) and gamma (aa 119-237), which have apparent molecular masses of 30, 16 and 12 kDa, respectively. Apparently, the yeast P. pastoris is not able to carry out all the complex post-translational proteolytic processing necessary for the biosynthesis of ConBr.

Transport genes of Chromobacterium violaceum: an overview

The complete genome sequence of the free-living bacterium Chromobacterium violaceum has been determined by a consortium of laboratories in Brazil. Almost 500 open reading frames (ORFs) coding for transport-related membrane proteins were identified in C. violaceum, which represents 11 of all genes found. The main class of transporter proteins is the primary active transporters (212 ORFs), followed by electrochemical potential-driven transporters (154 ORFs) and channels/pores (62 ORFs). Other classes (61 ORFs) include group translocators, transport electron carriers, accessory factors, and incompletely characterized systems. Therefore, all major categories of transport-related membrane proteins currently recognized in the Transport Protein Database (http://tcdb.ucsd.edu/tcdb) are present in C. violaceum. The complex apparatus of transporters of C. violaceum is certainly an important factor that makes this bacterium a dominant microorganism in a variety of ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions. From a biotechnological point of view, the most important finding is the transporters of heavy metals, which could lead to the exploitation of C. violaceum for bioremediation