O uso da microbiologia como ferramenta para a conservação de aves ameaçadas: dados preliminares para o papagaio-de-cara-roxa, Amazona brasiliensis (aves: Psittacidae) no Paraná / Use of microbiology as a tool for the preservation of threatened bird species: preliminary data for the red-tailed amazon, Amazona brasiliensis (birds: Psittacidae) in Paraná / El uso de la microbiología como herramienta para la conservación de aves amenazadas: datos preliminares para el loro de cara púrpura, Amazona brasiliensis (aves: Psittacidae) en Paraná

Amazona brasiliensis, também conhecido popularmente como papagaio-de-cara-roxa, é uma espécie de Psittacidae endêmica da Mata Atlântica distribuída entre o litoral sul de São Paulo e o litoral Norte de Santa Catarina. Este estudo foi concentrado no estado do Paraná, visando uma prévia caracterização do perfil sanitário natural em filhotes da população por meio de análises microbiológicas. O estudo epidemiológico de uma espécie ameaçada inicia-se com a determinação dos agentes infecciosos comuns na população, que provavelmente co-evoluíram com a espécie e representam baixo risco aos espécimes de vida livre. Do total de colônias isoladas quase 75% foram positivas para a família Enterobacteriaceae. Normalmente, a microbiota entérica de psitacídeos é composta por micro-organismos Gram-positivos, porém a alta porcentagem de Gram-negativas isoladas pode ser explicada pela diferença entre a composição microbiana de adultos e filhotes. Seria interessante um estudo mais detalhado para uma eventual comparação entre possíveis sinais clínicos e micro-organismos presentes em cada indivíduo amostrado.(AU)

Amazona brasiliensis, also popularly known as Red-tailed Amazon, is an endemic species to the Atlantic Forest. This Psittacidae range goes from the south coast of São Paulo state to the northern coast of Santa Catarina state. This study focuses on the population in the state of Paraná, aiming to perform a preliminary characterization of the prevalence of natural pathogens in nestlings through microbiological analyses. The epidemiological study of an endangered species begins with the determination of common infectious agents within the population, which probably co-evolved with the species and represent a low risk to free-living specimens. Almost 75% of the colonies isolated were positive for Enterobacteriaceae. Usually, the enteric microbiota of psittacidae consists of Gram-positive microorganisms, but the high percentage of isolated Gram-negative bacteria can be explained by differences between the microbial composition of adults and nestlings. It would be interesting to further develop this study into a more detailed comparison between possible clinical signs and microorganisms present in each individual sampled.(AU)

Amazona brasiliensis, popularmente conocido como el loro de cara púrpura, es una especie endémica de Psittacidae de la Mata Atlántica distribuido entre la costa sur de São Paulo y la costa norte de Santa Catarina. Este estudio se concentra en el estado de Paraná, buscando caracterizar preliminarmente el perfil sanitario natural en crías de la población, por medio del análisis microbiológico. El estudio epidemiológico de una especie amenazada comienza con la determinación de agentes infecciosos comunes en la población, que probablemente ha evolucionado con la especie y representan un riesgo bajo para especímenes de vida libre. Del total de colonias aisladas casi el 75% fueron positivos para Enterobacteriaceae. Normalmente, la microbiota entérica de loros se compone de microorganismos Gram positivos, pero el alto porcentaje de aislados Gram negativas se puede explicar por la diferencia entre la composición microbiana de adultos y pichones. Sería interesante un estudio más detallado para una posible comparación entre los síntomas clínicos y los microorganismos presentes en cada individuo muestreado.(AU)

Molecular identification and antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia spp. isolated from bovine mastitis in Brazil.

Nocardia spp. infections can cause severe damage to the mammary gland due to suppurative pyogranulomatous lesions and lack of clinical cure in response to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Although Nocardia infections are considered relatively uncommon in cows, there has been an apparent worldwide increase in the incidence of bovine mastitis caused by Nocardia spp, perhaps due to environmental transmission of this ubiquitous pathogen. The objectives of present study were to determine: (i) species distribution of 80 Nocardia isolates involved in bovine mastitis (based on molecular methods); and (ii) antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of all isolates from three geographical areas in Brazil. In this study, Nocardia nova (80%) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by Nocardia farcinica (9%). Additionally, Nocardia puris, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Nocardia veterana, Nocardia africana, and Nocardia arthritidis were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing. This is apparently the first report of N. puris, N. veterana, N. cyriacigeorgica, N. arthritidis and N. africana in association with bovine mastitis. Based on the disk diffusion test, isolates were most frequently resistant to cloxacillin (75%), ampicillin (55%) and cefoperazone (47%), whereas few Nocardia spp. were resistant to amikacin, cefuroxime or gentamicin.

An outbreak of tuberculosis by Mycobacterium bovis in coatis (Nasua nasua).

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which includes Mycobacterium bovis, infrequently causes severe or lethal disease in captive wildlife populations. A dead coati from a wildlife triage center showing pulmonary lesions compatible with tuberculosis had raised suspicion of a potential disease caused by mycobacteria species and was further investigated. Four native coatis (Nasua nasua) with suspected mycobacterial infection were sedated, and bronchoalveolar lavages and tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) were performed. All animals tested positive upon TST. Mycobacterial culturing, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and genetic testing were performed on postmortem samples and the etiologic agent was identified as M. bovis. Molecular genetic identification using a polymerase chain reaction panel was crucial to achieving a definitive diagnosis.

Detection of RD(Rio) strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) from a zoo in Brazil.

Tuberculosis is a chronic infection caused by strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and occurs in both animal and human populations. The death of a tapir showing purulent material and a hard mass in the lungs at necropsy raised suspicion of a potential disease caused by mycobacteria species in a Brazilian zoo. Later, two other tapirs with similar signs died and were further investigated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from bronco-alveolar lavages was performed, and both animals tested positive for the RD(Rio) strain of M. tuberculosis, which is a recently discovered Latin American-Mediterranean sublineage and the main cause of human tuberculosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To investigate the possibility of human infection and the source of transmission, all 50 zoo employees underwent tuberculin skin testing; four were reactive, but radiographic exams and direct sample staining did not suggest tuberculosis. Thus, direct human to animal transmission was not proven. However, the presence of RD(Rio) M. tuberculosis in tapirs highlights the lack of attention to diseases that human beings may transmit to wildlife.