Situation of and phenotypic markers of susceptibility to helminth infection among sheep on farms in the Brazilian cerrado biome.

This study aimed to determine the intensity, seasonality, and distribution by genera of, as well as to identify phenotypic markers of susceptibility to, gastrointestinal parasites among sheep on farms within the Brazilian savanna (cerrado) biome. We evaluated 1271 sheep, on seven farms, during the rainy season (in December 2017 and December 2018) and dry season (in July 2018 and July 2019). Parasitological evaluation was based on culture and EPG. We calculated hematocrit, as well as the body condition score and feces score. Of the sheep evaluated, 34.15% had moderate-to-severe parasitic infection. The factors of herds' phenotypic characterization about helminth infections were (p ≤ 0.05 for all): anemia (OR = 5.72); leanness (OR = 1.80); loose stools or diarrhea (OR = 1.54); breed other than Santa Inês (OR = 2.31); "weaned lamb" category (OR = 4.76); "lambing ewe" category (OR = 4.66); and dry season (OR = 2.37). Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Oesophagostomum, and Cooperia accounted for 76.40%, 20.23%, 2.89%, and 0.47%, respectively, of the helminth genera identified, with their proportional distributions being comparable between the rainy and dry seasons. Changes in health management, with regard to helminth infection control, are urgently needed in order to combat the disease more effectively and sustainably.

Assessment of Internalin A Gene Sequences and Cell Adhesion and Invasion Capacity of Listeria monocytogenes Strains Isolated from Foods of Animal and Related Origins.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen of global relevance that causes outbreaks and sporadic cases of listeriosis, acquired through the consumption of contaminated products, including milk or meat products and ready-to-eat meat products subjected to intensive handling. The objective of the present study was to classify L. monocytogenes isolated from various food-related sources in the Federal District of Brazil and surrounding areas to sequence internalin A (inlA) genes from these isolates and assess their adhesion and invasion capacity using Caco-2 cells. In addition, 15 were classified as group I, 3 as group II, and 7 classified as group IV. Premature stop codons (PMSCs) at the nucleotide position 976 (GAA→TAA) of the inlA gene were identified in 5 of the 25 isolates. Adhesion and invasion tests in Caco-2 cells showed that all the isolates were capable of adhesion and cellular invasion, with isolates containing PMSCs exhibiting on average higher invasion capacity than those without PMSCs (p = 0.041) and a median of adhesion very distinctive from those without stop codons. These results are the first report of PMSCs in the inlA gene of L. monocytogenes from the Federal District of Brazil and Brazil.

Pesquisa de Clostridium perfringens em carnes bovinas embaladas a vácuo comercializadas no Distrito Federal e entorno / Clostridium perfringens research on vacuum packed beef commercialized on Distrito Federal and in the surrounding area

O objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar a presença de Clostridium perfringens em 54 amostras de carne bovina embaladas a vácuo comercializadas na região do Distrito Federal, bem como detectar a presença da toxina cpe por PCR, ainda avaliar os meios de cultivo ágar SPS® e ágar TSC®, com e sem etapa de pré-enriquecimento das amostras em caldo infusão de cérebro e coração (BHI) na câmara de anaerobiose, e posterior incubação das placas de SPS® e TSC® tanto em jarra de anaerobiose, como em câmara de anaerobiose. Na análise da incubação das placas em ágar SPS® e TSC®, sem a etapa de pré-enriquecimento em caldo BHI na câmara de anaerobiose, observou-se o crescimento em apenas uma (1,85%) das 54 amostras analisadas, em ambos os meios de cultivo e formas de incubação. Com a etapa de pré-enriquecimento com caldo BHI em câmara de anaerobiose, observou-se crescimento em todas as 54 amostras (100%), em ambos os meios de cultivo e formas de incubação. Na reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) nenhuma das cepas oriundas das amostras analisadas apresentaram a amplificação de fragmento do gene da toxina cpe. Os resultados evidenciam a presença de C. perfringens em carnes embaladas a vácuo comercializadas no Distrito Federal e Entorno, porém não foi detectada a toxina cpe em nenhuma cepa isolada analisada. Na comparação estatística aplicando o teste qui-quadrado de McNemar, observou-se que houve diferença significativa (p<0,001) entre as análises sem e com a etapa de pré-enriquecimento em caldo BHI, verificando-se a influencia positiva do meio na recuperação de esporos, destacando desta forma a importância do enriquecimento prévio em meio BHI e a incubação em câmara de anaerobiose, na recuperação de esporos deste microrganismo.

The aim of this work was to detect Clostridium perfringens in 54 samples of vacuum packed beef sold at the Federal District area, and to detect the presence of the cpe toxin gene by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), also evaluate the culture medium SPS® agar and TSC® agar, with and without pre-enrichment step of the samples in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth in the anaerobic chamber, and to promote the incubation of the plates in anaerobic jar and anaerobic chamber. The results of the incubation on SPS® agar and TSC® agar, without the pre-enrichment step in BHI, growth was observed in only one (1,85%) of the 54 analyzed samples, in both culture media and incubation methods. With the pre-enrichment step with BHI broth in the anaerobic chamber, growth was observed in all 54 samples (100%), in both culture media and incubation methods. At the PCR, In the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), none of the strains from the analyzed samples showed fragment amplification of the toxin cpe gene. The results showed the presence of C. perfringens in vacuum packed beef samples commercialized at the Distrito Federal area and surroundings, however the cpe toxin was not detected in any isolated strain analyzed. In the statistical test using the McNemar chi-square test, a significant difference (p<0,001) was observed between the analysis with and without pre-enrichment step in BHI broth, verifying the positive influence of the medium in spore recovery, therefore to enhance the importance of the pre-enrichment stage in BHI broth and the incubation in anaerobic chamber in spore recovery for this microorganism.

Brucellosis in working equines of cattle farms from Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The present survey aimed at estimating the seroprevalence of brucellosis in working equines of cattle farms from Minas Gerais State, Brazil, and investigating risk factors associated with the infection. Serum samples from 6439 animals, including 5292 horses, 1037 mules and 110 donkeys, were collected from 1936 herds, between September 2003 and March 2004, in 848 municipalities from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The prevalence of antibodies against smooth Brucella spp. found in equines from Minas Gerais State was 1.37% (95% CI: 0.97-1.78), resulting in a prevalence of herds with infected animals of 4.28% (95% CI: 4.21-4.36). There were differences between regions but these were not of major epidemiological relevance nor were most of them statistically significant, given the considerable overlap of confidence intervals. Nevertheless, the point estimates suggest that the three northeastern regions have slightly higher prevalence than the rest of the state, both at the herd and animal levels. No association of Brucella spp. seropositivity with sex, age or host was observed. In conclusion, the present study showed a low but widespread prevalence of antibodies against smooth Brucella in equines kept in cattle farms in Minas Gerais, a state where bovine brucellosis is also widespread albeit with low prevalence.