Necrotizing placentitis in a cow caused by Bacillus cereus / Placentite necrotizante em uma vaca por Bacillus cereus

ABSTRACT: This report described a case of necrotizing placentitis caused by Bacillus cereus in a cow associated with abortion and maternal lethality. The etiological diagnosis of placentitis by B. cereus was based on histopathology of placenta, cytology and bacterial isolation from intrauterine aminiotic fluid in retained placenta and further characterization of the pathogen by the MALDI-TOF. Although, B. cereus abortions are sporadic, the bacterium has the ability to release necrotizing toxins that can lead to placentitis, fetal death and abortion.

RESUMO: Este relato descreve a placentite necrotizante causada por Bacillus cereus em uma vaca associada a aborto e mortalidade materna. O diagnóstico etiológico de placentite por B. cereus foi baseado na histopatologia da placenta, citologia e isolamento bacteriano partir do líquido aminiótico em placenta retida e identificação do patógeno pela técnica de MALDI-TOF. Embora abortos por B. cereus sejam esporádicos, a bactéria tem a capacidade de liberar toxinas necrotizantes que podem levar a placentite e aborto.

Visceral leishmaniasis in an infant gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): Clinical signs, diagnosis, and successful treatment with single-dose liposomal amphotericin B.

A 2-year-old captive gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, and treated with a single dose of liposomal amphotericin B, which resulted in clinical cure. This is the first report of visceral leishmaniasis in gorillas, and the first reported liposomal amphotericin B treatment in great apes.

Tissue distribution and cell tropism of Brucella canis in naturally infected canine foetuses and neonates.

Brucella canis infection is an underdiagnosed zoonotic disease. Knowledge about perinatal brucellosis in dogs is extremely limited, although foetuses and neonates are under risk of infection due to vertical transmission. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to determine tissue distribution and cell tropism of B. canis in canine foetuses and neonates. Diagnosis of B. canis in tissues of naturally infected pups was based on PCR and sequencing of amplicons, bacterial isolation, and immunohistochemistry, whose specificity was confirmed by laser capture microdissection. PCR positivity among 200 puppies was 21%, and nine isolates of B. canis were obtained. Tissues from 13 PCR-positive puppies (4 stillborn and 9 neonates) presented widespread immunolabeling. Stomach, intestines, kidney, nervous system, and umbilicus were positive in all animals tested. Other frequently infected organs included the liver (92%), lungs (85%), lymph nodes (69%), and spleen (62%). Immunolabeled coccobacilli occurred mostly in macrophages, but they were also observed in erythrocytes, epithelial cells of gastrointestinal mucosa, renal tubules, epidermis, adipocytes, choroid plexus, ependyma, neuroblasts, blood vessels endothelium, muscle cells, and in the intestinal lumen. These results largely expand our knowledge about perinatal brucellosis in the dog, clearly demonstrating a pantropic distribution of B. canis in naturally infected foetuses and neonates.

Serologic and molecular evidence of Brucella ovis infection in ovine and caprine flocks in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Brucella ovis infection is one of the leading causes of sub fertility and infertility in ovine, been characterized mainly by epididymitis, orchitis and testicular atrophy in rams. This study aimed to determine the frequency of B. ovis positivity in rams and goats flocks in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, by agarose gel immunodiffusion (AGID), ELISA, Rose Bengal, PCR and bacteriological isolation as diagnostic tools. FINDINGS: Serum and urine samples were collected from properties with sheep or goat flocks, or from properties with mixed flock. Out of 50 sheep flocks, 6% (3/50) were seropositive by AGID while 4% (2/50) were positive by urine PCR for B. ovis. Out of five goat farms, 20% (1/5) were seropositive for B. ovis by AGID. Mixed flock farms had 11.1% (2/18) of positivity by AGID. By ELISA, 19.5% (8/41) of sheep properties and 61.1% (11/18) of the properties with mixed flocks were positive for B. ovis. No samples were positive in the test of Rose Bengal, ruling out exposure to smooth LPS Brucella species (particularly Brucella melitensis) and indicating that the positive in the ELISA was associated with Brucella spp. LPS rough (presumably B. ovis). No urine sample from sheep or goat was positive by bacteriological isolation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate serologic or molecular evidence of B. ovis infection in several rams and billy goats from meso-regions of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Also, this study report the indirect ELISA as an important tool for the diagnosis of B. ovis infection, as indirect ELISA in this study demonstrated to be the most sensitive diagnostic method adopted.

Genetic stability of Brucella abortus isolates from an outbreak by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA16).

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus is one of the most important zoonoses in the world. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA16) has been shown be a useful tool to epidemiological traceback studies in B. abortus infection. Thus, the present study aimed (i) to evaluate the genetic diversity of B. abortus isolates from a brucellosis outbreak, and (ii) to investigate the in vivo stability of the MLVA16 markers. RESULTS: Three-hundred and seventy-five clinical samples, including 275 vaginal swabs and 100 milk samples, were cultured from a brucellosis outbreak in a cattle herd, which adopted RB51 vaccination and test-and-slaughter policies. Thirty-seven B. abortus isolates were obtained, eight from milk and twenty-nine from post-partum/abortion vaginal swabs, which were submitted to biotyping and genotyping by MLVA16. Twelve B. abortus isolates obtained from vaginal swabs were identified as RB51. Twenty four isolates, seven obtained from milk samples and seventeen from vaginal swabs, were identified as B. abortus biovar 3, while one isolate from vaginal swabs was identified as B. abortus biovar 1. Three distinct genotypes were observed during the brucellosis outbreak: RB observed in all isolates identified as RB51; W observed in all B. abortus biovar 3 isolates; and Z observed in the single B. abortus biovar 1 isolate. Epidemiological and molecular data show that the B. abortus biovar 1 genotype Z strain is not related to the B. abortus biovar 3 genotype W isolates, and represents a new introduction B. abortus during the outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study on typing of multiple clinical B. abortus isolates from the same outbreak over a sixteen month period indicate the in vivo stability of MLVA16 markers, a low genetic diversity among B. abortus isolates and the usefulness of MLVA16 for epidemiological studies of bovine brucellosis.

Etiologic diagnosis of bovine infectious abortion by PCR / Diagnóstico etiológico de aborto infeccioso bovino por PCR

Infectious abortion is a significant cause of reproductive failure and economic losses in cattle. The goal of this study was to detect nucleic acids of several infectious agents known to cause abortion including Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Bovine Herpesvirus 1, Brucella abortus, Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, Chlamydophila abortus, Leptospira sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella sp., Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, Neospora caninum, and Tritrichomonas foetus. Tissue homogenates from 42 fetuses and paraffin-embedded tissues from 28 fetuses and 14 placentas/endometrium were included in this study. Brucella abortus was detected in 14.2 percent (12/84) of the samples. Salmonella sp. DNA was amplified from 2 fetuses, and there was one positive for Neospora caninum, and another for Listeria monocytogenes. This PCR-based approach resulted in identification of the etiology in 19 percent of samples, or 20 percent if considered fetal tissues only.

Aborto infeccioso é uma causa significativa de falhas reprodutivas e perdas econômicas na bovinocultura. O objetivo deste estudo foi detectar ácidos nucleicos de vários agentes infecciosos reconhecidos como causadores de aborto, incluindo-se Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Herpesvirus bovino tipo 1, Brucella abortus, Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, Chlamydophila abortus, Leptospira sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella sp., Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, Neospora caninum e Tritrichomonas foetus. Homogenados de tecidos de 42 fetos e tecidos incluídos em parafina de 28 fetos e 14 placentas/endométrio foram incluídos neste estudo. Brucella abortus foi detectada em 14,2 por cento (12/84) das amostras. DNA de Salmonella sp. foi amplificado de dois fetos e houve um feto positivo para Neospora caninum e outro para Listeria monocytogenes. Essa metodologia baseada em PCR resultou na identificação da etiologia em 19 por cento das amostras ou 20 por cento se considerados somente os tecidos fetais.