Epicarditis in a cat caused by feline infectious peritonitis virus: case report / Epicardite em um gato causada pelo vírus da peritonite infecciosa felina: relato de caso

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive and fatal disease in domestic and wild cats, caused by Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV). The disease is characterized by an immunomediated reaction against the virus in various organs. This work described a case report of fibrinous epicarditis caused by FIPV. A male cat, three years old, died and was received to be necropsied. Grossly, soft, multifocal to coalescing, whitish fibrinous exudate, measuring up the 2 centimeters of thickness, was observed in the epicardium, mostly at the apex of the heart. Microscopically, severe, multifocal to coalescing inflammatory infiltrate was observed in the epicardium, composed mainly by macrophages, plasmocytes and lymphocytes, associated with fibrin deposition. Immunohistochemistry was performed for FIPV and was positive in the areas of inflammation in the epicardium. To the author´s knowledge, this is the second report of epicarditis due to FIPV in a cat. Therefore, epicarditis should be considered a differential diagnosis of cardiac diseases in Feline Medicine.(AU)

A Peritonite Infecciosa Felina (PIF) é uma doença progressiva e fatal de felinos domésticos e selvagens, causada pelo vírus da Peritonite Infecciosa Felina (FIPV). A doença é caracterizada por uma reação imunomediada contra o vírus em vários órgãos. Este trabalho descreveu um relato de caso de epicardite fibrinosa causada pelo FPIV. Um gato macho, com três anos de idade, veio a óbito e foi recebido para necropsia. Macroscopicamente, foi observado exsudato fibrinoso esbranquiçado, friável, multifocal, medindo até 2 centímetros de espessura, no epicárdio, principalmente no ápice cardíaco. Microscopicamente, foi observado no epicárdio um infiltrado inflamatório misto, multifocal, composto por macrófagos, plasmócitos e linfócitos, associado a deposição de fibrina. A imuno-histoquímica foi positiva para o FIPV nas áreas de inflamação no epicárdio. Os autores descrevem o segundo relato de caso na literatura científica de epicardite causada pelo FIPV em um gato. Portanto, a epicardite deve ser considerada como diagnóstico diferencial em doenças cardíacas em Medicina Felina.(AU)

Semi-quantitative analysis of the effects of cyclosporine on remyelination following gliotoxic injection in the brainstem / Análise semiquantitativa dos efeitos da ciclosporina na remielinização após injeção gliotóxica no tronco encefálico

The use of cyclosporine (CsA) has shown to induce an increase in the density of oligodendrocytes near remyelinating areas following the injection of ethidium bromide (EB), a demyelinating agent, in the rat brainstem. This study was designed in order to evaluate if CsA has the capacity of increasing remyelination. In this context, a comparison between the final balance of myelin repair in CsA treated and non-treated rats was assessed using a semi-quantitative method developed for documenting the extent and nature of remyelination in gliotoxic lesions. Wistar rats were submitted to intracisternal injection of 10 microliters of 0.1 percent EB. Some were treated during 31 days with CsA (group III - 10 mg/kg/day by 7 days and, thereafter, 3 times a week, with a minimal interval of 48 hours) by intraperitonial route. Others were not treated with CsA (group I). A control group was planned receiving into the cisterna pontis 10 microliters of 0.9 percent saline solution and following after that the same CsA administration protocol (group II). Results clearly demonstrate that in vivo administration of CsA after EB-demyelinating lesions stimulated oligodendrocyte remyelination (mean remyelination scores of 3.72±0.25 for oligodendrocytes and 1.04±0.39 for Schwann cells) compared to non-treated animals (3.13±0.71 and 1.31±0.62, respectively), although the mechanisms by which this positive CsA effect occurs are unclear.

O uso de ciclosporina (CsA) mostrou induzir um aumento na densidade de oligodendrócitos próximos a áreas de remielinização após injeção de brometo de etídio (EB), um agente desmielinizante, no tronco encefálico de ratos. Este estudo foi desenvolvido a fim de avaliar se a CsA possui a capacidade de acelerar a remielinização. Neste contexto, foi feita uma comparação entre o balanço final de reparo mielínico em ratos tratados ou não com CsA usando-se um método semiquantitativo desenvolvido para documentação da extensão e natureza da remielinização em lesões gliotóxicas. Ratos Wistar foram submetidos à injeção intracisternal de EB a 0,1 por cento. Alguns foram tratados durante 31 dias com CsA (grupo III - 10 mg/kg/dia por 7 dias e, após, 3 vezes por semana, com um intervalo mínimo de 48 horas entre as aplicações) por via intraperitoneal. Outros não foram tratados com CsA (grupo I). Um grupo controle foi desenvolvido recebendo, na cisterna pontina, 10 microlitros de solução salina e seguindo após o mesmo protocolo de administração de CsA (grupo II). Os resultados mostram claramente que a administração in vivo de CsA após lesões desmielinizantes induzidas pelo EB estimulou a remielinização por oligodendrócitos (escores médios de remielinização de 3,72±0,25 para oligodendrócitos e 1,04±0,39 para células de Schwann) em comparação aos animais não-tratados (3,13±0,71 e 1,31±0,62, respectivamente), embora os mecanismos pelos quais este efeito positivo da CsA ocorre sejam desconhecidos.

Coccidiose clínica em frangos de corte infectados naturalmente e imunossuprimidos com dexametasona / Clinical coccidiosis in broiler chicks naturally infected and immunosuppressed with dexamethasone

A ocorrência de coccidiose clínica em aves está relacionada com a competência do sistema imune. Com o objetivo de avaliar a ocorrência natural de coccidiose em aves imunossuprimidas, foram selecionados frangos de corte, de ambos os sexos, com a 35 a 38 dias de vida para constituir 3 grupos - grupo I (n = 25), formado por aves sem coccidiose e negativas para coccídias no exame de fezes; grupo II (n = 25), formado por aves com coccidiose e positivas para coccídias no exame de fezes, e grupo III (n = 25), formado por aves sem coccidiose, negativas para coccídias no exame de fezes e submetidas à imunossupressão com dexametasona (4 mg/kg/dia por 4 dias, via subcutânea). Realizou-se o diagnóstico de coccidiose com a técnica de centrífugo-flutuação com solução saturada de sacarose para investigação de oocistos nas fezes e pela análise macro e microscópica das lesões intestinais observadas após a necropsia. A resposta imune foi avaliada pela reação de hipersensibilidade basofílica cutânea (CBH) à fitoemaglutinina (PHA) e pela relação entre o peso corporal e o peso da bursa de Fabricius ou do baço. Os frangos dos grupos II e III apresentaram menor reação CBH à PHA que os do grupo I, evidenciando-se diminuição da resposta imune. As aves do grupo III mostraram diminuição significante do peso da bursa de Fabricius e do baço em relação aos animais dos outros grupos. As espécies de coccídias encontradas foram E. acervulina e E. maxima nos animais dos grupos II e III, sendo ainda observada E. tenella nas aves do grupo III. A imunossupressão induzida pela dexametasona aumentou a suscetibilidade à coccidiose de ocorrência natural em frangos de corte criados comercialmente.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of clinical coccidiosis in broilers immunosuppressed with dexamethasone. Male and female broiler chickens, from 35 to 38 days old were divided into 3 groups ­ group I (n = 25), including chickens without coccidiosis and negative for coccidia in fecal examination; group II (n = 25), including birds with coccidiosis and positive for coccidia in fecal examination; group III (n = 25), constituted by chickens with no coccidiosis, negative for coccidia in fecal examination and immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (4 mg/kg/day for 4 days, subcutaneous route). The diagnosis of coccidiosis was achieved using the centrifugal floatation technique in sucrose solution to investigate the presence of oocystis in stools, as well as by the observation of macroscopic and microscopic changes in the gut after necropsy. The immune response was evaluated by determination of cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH) response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and of the weight ratio of bursa of Fabricius and spleen in relation to body weight. Broilers from group II and III presented decreased CBH reaction to PHA in relation to group I, suggesting a decrease of the immune response. In addition, chickens from group III presented a significant decrease in the weight of the bursa of Fabricius and of the spleen. The coccidian types were E. acervulina and E. maxima in chickens from groups II and III, as well as E. tenella in chickens treated with dexamethasone. Immunosuppression induced by dexamethasone increased susceptibility to natural coccidiosis in commercially raised broiler chicks.

Ocorrência de microsporídios em pequenos mamíferos silvestres no Estado de São Paulo / Occurrence of Microsporidia in small wildlife mammals in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

This study describes infection of microsporidia in the natural fauna of small wildlife animals in an area of deforestation for a water reservoir construction in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It was focused on marsupials, small rodents, frogs, primates, bats, and others mammals taken from this area to access whether they may represent environmental sources of these zoonoses. From all captured animals, microsporidia spores were observed in the feces of bats, small rodents, and marsupials. This study emphasises the importance of wild animals, particularly small mammals as potential sources of microsporidia to human and animal populations from deforested areas.

Delayed Schwann cell and oligodendrocyte remyelination after ethidium bromide injection in the brainstem of Wistar rats submitted to streptozotocin diabetogenic treatment

Schwann cell disturbance followed by segmental demyelination in the peripheral nervous system occurs in diabetic patients. Since Schwann cell and oligodendrocyte remyelination in the central nervous system is a well-known event in the ethidium bromide (EB) demyelinating model, the aim of this investigation was to determine the behavior of both cell types after local EB injection into the brainstem of streptozotocin diabetic rats. Adult male Wistar rats received a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) and were submitted 10 days later to a single injection of 10 æL 0.1 percent (w/v) EB or 0.9 percent saline solution into the cisterna pontis. Ten microliters of 0.1 percent EB was also injected into non-diabetic rats. The animals were anesthetized and perfused through the heart 7 to 31 days after EB or saline injection and brainstem sections were collected and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy. The final balance of myelin repair in diabetic and non-diabetic rats at 31 days was compared using a semi-quantitative method. Diabetic rats presented delayed macrophage activity and lesser remyelination compared to non-diabetic rats. Although oligodendrocytes were the major remyelinating cells in the brainstem, Schwann cells invaded EB-induced lesions, first appearing at 11 days in non-diabetic rats and by 15 days in diabetic rats. Results indicate that short-term streptozotocin-induced diabetes hindered both oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell remyelination (mean remyelination scores of 2.57 ± 0.77 for oligodendrocytes and 0.67 ± 0.5 for Schwann cells) compared to non-diabetic rats (3.27 ± 0.85 and 1.38 ± 0.81, respectively).