Serosurvey for Leishmania spp, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Neospora caninum in neighborhood dogs in Curitiba-Paraná, Brazil / Inquérito sorológico para Leishmania spp, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi e Neospora caninum em cães comunitários em Curitiba-Paraná, Brasil

Abstract Neighborhood dogs may act as reservoirs for several zoonotic protozoan infections, particularly in urban areas, thus constituting a potential public health threat. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the exposure of neighborhood dogs to four protozoan pathogens in public areas with high levels of human movement in Curitiba, southern Brazil. Blood samples from 26 neighborhood dogs were screened by means of the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Neospora caninum, and a questionnaire was answered by the respective keeper. A total of 8/26 dogs (30.7%) seroreactive to T. gondii, 3/26 (11.5%) to N. caninum and 2/26 (7.7%) to both were identified. All the samples were seronegative for T. cruzi and Leishmania spp. Pathogen seroreactivity was not associated with the daily human movements or other epidemiological variables investigated (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the low seroprevalence for T. gondii and N. caninum indicated low environmental and food risk for animal infection and the seronegativity for Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi may reflect the absence of these pathogens in urban areas of Curitiba. Moreover, neighborhood dogs may be used as environmental sentinels for the presence of protozoan pathogens and their vectors.

Resumo Cães comunitários podem atuar como reservatórios para algumas zoonoses causadas por protozoários, principalmente em áreas urbanas, constituindo potencial ameaça à saúde pública. Portanto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a exposição de cães comunitários a quatro protozoários em áreas públicas com alta circulação de pessoas, em Curitiba, Sul do Brasil. Amostras de sangue de 26 cães comunitários foram testadas pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) para Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi e Neospora caninum, e um questionário foi respondido pelo respectivo mantenedor. Um total de 8/26 (30,7%) foram sororreagentes para T. gondii, 3/26 (11,5%) para N. caninum e 2/26 (7,7%) para ambos. Todas as amostras foram soronegativas para T. cruzi e Leishmania spp. Não houve associação entre sororreatividade para os patógenos pesquisados e o tráfego diário de pessoas e outras variáveis epidemiológicas analisadas (p > 0.05). Conclui-se a baixa soroprevalência para T. gondii e T. cruzi indica baixo risco ambiental e alimentar para a infecção dos animais, e a soronegatividade para Leishmania spp. e T. cruzi pode refletir a ausência desses patógenos em áreas urbanas de Curitiba. Além disso, os cães comunitários podem atuar como sentinelas ambientais quanto à presença de protozoários e seus vetores.

Use of sentinel animals for the microbiological monitoring program in laboratory rats and mice / 中国比较医学杂志

It is very important to establish and execute the all -sided experimental animal quality monitoring in order to guarantee human health , animal health and welfare as well as the authenticity , validity, and repeatability of the experimental research results.Setting corresponding sentinel animals in the experiment can effectively monitor the quality of experimental animals.This article gives a general review of the selection of sentinel rats in the microbiological quality monitoring of the experiment animals , contact form and time between the sentinel rats and the rats being monitored , the placement of sentinel rats, and the number of rat cages being monitored by each cage of sentinel rats , as well as the test quantity, test frequency and the project.

Estudio de la tuberculosis aviar en un zoológico de la sabana de Bogotá, mediante la técnica de la tuberculinización y la vigilancia epidemiológica activa / Study of avian tuberculosis in a zoo at the Bogota savannah through tuberculin testing and active epidemiologic surveillance

El flujo de aves silvestres constituye una debilidad en la vigilancia epidemiológica, pues se desconoce su potencial como fuente de diseminación de enfermedades. Se hizo un seguimiento epidemiológico de la población aviar existente en un encierro mixto silvestre de un zoológico ubicado en la Sabana de Bogotá, donde tres aves murieron con diagnóstico presuntivo de tuberculosis. A fin de comprobar la presencia de Mycobacterium avium y proyectar las medidas para evitar los factores de riesgo, se utilizó un grupo control de exposición previa de cinco aves domésticas raza Hy line Brown, un grupo centinela de diez aves domésticas del mismo lote del grupo control, un grupo control externo, constituido por 102 aves de los encierros vecinos al área problema. Se realizaron estudios retrospectivos y prospectivos, mediante análisis histopatológicos, microbiológicos, epidemiológicos y moleculares. El 100% de las aves del encierro original que murieron se les confirmó genotípicamente tuberculosis, causada por Mycobacterium avium. Del grupo centinela, 35,5% resultaron afectadas por Mycobacterium avium, 28,6% por Mycobacterium gordonae, 14,3% por Mycobacterium chelonae y un 21,4% por una micobacteria de difícil clasificación. Los animales de fuera del encierro no mostraron ningún indicio de infección. Se concluye que el encierro problema se encuentra afectado por tuberculosis aviar y se constituye en un foco de alto riesgo, tanto para aves como para los humanos. También, las aves domésticas utilizadas como centinelas son muy buenos detectores de agentes infecciosos, en particular, de las microbacterias presentes en el medio ambiente y la prueba de tuberculinización es un buen indicador de infección con este tipo de microorganismos en aves domésticas.

The flow of wild birds is a weakness in epidemiologic surveillance because of its unknown potential as a source of disease dissemination. The investigation focused on an epidemiological tracking of the mixed wild bird population in a zoo in the Bogota Savannah, where three birds died with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculosis. In order to verify the presence of Mycobacterium avium and to plan the required measures to avoid risk factors, a control group of five poultry birds of the Hy Line Brown variety that had already been exposed was used, as well as a sentinel group of the poultry birds from the same batch as the control group, and an external control group of 102 birds from cages near the area of the problem. Retrospective and prospective studies were carried out through histopathological, microbiological, epidemiological and molecular analysis. One hundred percent (100%) of the birds from the original cages that died were genotypically diagnosed with tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium. Thirty-five percent (35.5%) of the sentinel group was affected by Mycobacterium avium, 28.6% by Mycobacterium gordonae, 14.3% by Mycobacterium chelonae and 21.4% by a mycobacterium that is very difficult to classify. The other animals outside the cage showed no evidence of infection. It is concluded that the problematic enclosure is affected by avian tuberculosis, which is of high risk both for birds and for humans. The poultry used as sentinels are excellent infective agent detectors, particularly of mycobacteria present in the environment, and the tuberculin test is a good indicator of infection with this type of microorganisms in poultry.