Status of gastrointestinal nematode infections and associated epidemiological factors in sheep from Córdoba, Colombia.

Gastrointestinal nematodes cause serious economic losses in sheep production systems. To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with these parasites, a study was conducted on 595 sheep in Córdoba, Colombia. Prevalence and parasite burden were determined using the McMaster technique. Larvae were cultured from feces to identify the nematode genera. For the analysis of associated factors and parasite burden, data means, medians, and confidence intervals were compared. A georeferenced data analysis was performed and an epidemiological map was constructed. An overall prevalence of 88.2% was found, with the highest prevalence and parasite burden for Strongylida (83.2%) and Strongyloides (41%) nematodes. The mean parasite burden was 1255 eggs per gram. The gastrointestinal nematode genera identified were Trichostrongylus, Strongyloides, Haemonchus, Oesophagostomum, Bunostomum, and Cooperia. In general, a significant association was found between parasite burden and dewormed animals, anthelmintic used, date of last deworming, and breeds. The FAMACHA® method and body condition showed a significant association with the Strongylida parasite burden. Clusters with higher intensity of gastrointestinal nematode burden and high prevalence were observed in the regions of Bajo Sinú, Sinú Medio, and San Jorge.

Two Cases of Natural Infection of Dengue-2 Virus in Bats in the Colombian Caribbean.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease, is the most common vector-borne disease in tropical and subtropical areas. In this study, we aim to demonstrate biological evidence of dengue virus infection in bats. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the departments of Cordoba and Sucre, Colombia. A total of 286 bats were captured following the ethical protocols of animal experimentation. The specimens were identified and euthanized using a pharmacological treatment with atropine, acepromazine and sodium pentobarbital. Duplicate samples of brain, heart, lung, spleen, liver, and kidney were collected with one set stored in Trizol and the other stored in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis using polyclonal antibodies. Brain samples from lactating mice with an intracranial inoculation of DENV-2 were used as a positive control. As a negative control, lactating mouse brains without inoculation and bats brains negative for RT-PCR were included. Tissue sections from each specimen of bat without conjugate were used as staining control. In a specimen of Carollia perspicillata captured in Ayapel (Cordoba) and Phylostomus discolor captured in San Carlos (Cordoba), dengue virus was detected, and sequences were matched to DENV serotype 2. In bats RT-PCR positive for dengue, lesions compatible with viral infections, and the presence of antigens in tissues were observed. Molecular findings, pathological lesions, and detection of antigens in tissues could demonstrate viral DENV-2 replication and may correspond to natural infection in bats. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of these species in dengue epidemics.

Dermopatías en burros de trabajo (Equus asinus) en áreas rurales de Córdoba (Colombia) / Dermopathies in working donkeys (Equus asinus) in rural areas of Córdoba (Colombia) / Dermopatias em burros de trabalho (Equus asinus) em áreas rurais de Córdoba (Colômbia)

Resumen Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo de las historias clínicas de dermopatías diagnosticadas en burros de trabajo, a través del Servicio Médico Ambulatorio de Grandes Animales de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria de la Universidad de Córdoba, desde enero de 2008 hasta diciembre de 2015. El objetivo fue determinar la frecuencia de las enfermedades cutáneas que ocurren en burros (Equus asinus). Fueron atendidos 238 casos clínicos de dermopatías, pero las más frecuentemente diagnosticadas en orden descendente fueron: las heridas traumáticas (26,4 %), ectoparasitismo por garrapatas (19,7 %), dermatofitosis (16,3 %), sarcoide (8,9 %), habronemosis (7,1 %), pitiosis (6,3 %), sarna (5,4 %), miasis (4,6 %), abscesos (2,9 %), dermatofilosis (1,7 %), papilomatosis (0,4 %), melanoma (0,4 %), fotosensibilización (0,4 %) y quemaduras (0,4 %). El grupo etario más afectado fue el de 5 a 10 años (60,3 %), seguido de los menores de 5 años (20,8 %) y los mayores de 10 años (19,2 %). Las principales enfermedades de la piel diagnosticadas en burros fueron heridas traumáticas, ectoparasitismo por garrapatas y dermatofitosis. Este trabajo es un aporte significativo sobre el estado epidemiológico de las diferentes dermopatías, con su respectiva importancia en el manejo y control.

Abstract A retrospective study was performed of the clinical histories of dermopathies diagnosed in working donkeys in the Ambulatory Medical Service of Large Animals of the Faculty ofVeterinary Medicine at the Universidad de Córdoba, from January 2008 to December 2015. The objective was to determine the frequency of skin diseases in donkeys (Equus asinus). A total of 238 cases of dermopathies were treated, but the most frequently diagnosed cases were: traumatic wounds (26.4%), tick ectoparasitism (19.7%), dermatophytosis (16.3%), sarcoids (8.9%), habronemiasis (7.1%), pythiosis (6.3%), scabies (5.4%), myiasis (4.6%), abscesses (2.9%), dermatophilosis (1.7%), papillomatosis (0.4%), melanoma (0.4%), photosensitization (0.4%), and burns (0.4%). The most affected age group was between 5 and 10 years (60.3%), followed by young animals under 5 years old (20.8%), and those older than 10 years of age (19.2%). The major skin diseases diagnosed in donkeys were traumatic wounds, tick ectoparasitism, and dermatophytosis. This work is a significant contribution on the epidemiological status of different dermopathies, with their respective importance for management and control.

Resumo Realizou-se um estudo retrospectivo das histórias clínicas de dermopatias diagnosticadas em burros de trabalho, a través do Serviço Médico Ambulatório de Grandes Animais da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade de Córdoba, desde janeiro de 2008 até dezembro de 2015. O objetivo foi determinar a frequência das doenças cutâneas que ocorrem em burros (Equus asinus). Foram atendidos 238 casos clínicos de dermopatias, mas as diagnosticadas com mais frequência em ordem descendente foram: as feridas traumáticas (26,4 %), ectoparasitismo por carrapatos (19,7 %), dermatofitose (16,3 %), sarcoidose (8,9 %), habronemose (7,1 %), pitiose (6,3 %), sarna (5,4 %), miíase (4,6 %), abscessos (2,9 %), dermatofilose (1,7 %), papilomatose (0,4 %), melanoma (0,4 %), foto sensibilização (0,4 %) e queimaduras (0,4 %). O grupo etário mais afetado foi o de 5 a 10 anos (60,3 %), seguido dos menores de 5 anos (20,8 %) e os maiores de 10 anos (19,2 %). As principais doenças de pele diagnosticadas em burros foram feridas traumáticas, ectoparasitismo por carrapatos e dermatofitose. Este trabalho é um aporte significativo sobre o estado epidemiológico das diferentes dermopatias, com sua respectiva importância no manejo e controle.

Trends in animal rabies surveillance in the endemic state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Rabies is a viral zoonosis affecting mammal species and causes large economic losses. Included among the neglected diseases, it is still insufficiently addressed by governments and the international community, despite formal surveillance and control programs. This study used a dataset of 10,112 rabies diagnoses in animals provided by the Brazilian passive surveillance system from 2001 to 2012. The positivity rate of the tested samples was 26.4%, and a reduction in the total samples sent during the last six years was observed. The kernel density map indicated case concentration in the south region and a decrease in density of rabies cases in the second period studied (2007 to 2012). The directional trend of positive rabies diagnoses remained in the south region, as shown by the standard deviational ellipse. The spatial scan statistic identified three large clusters of positive diagnoses, one in the first period (2001-2006) and two in the second period (2007-2012), indicating an expansion of risk areas. The decrease in rabies cases from 2006 to 2012 does not necessarily reflect lower viral circulation or improvement in actions by epidemiological surveillance; this decrease could indicate a deficiency in epidemiological surveillance during the observation period due to the increase in the silent areas. Surveillance should maintain an increasing or constant number of tests during the years in addition to a reduction in the number of outbreaks of rabies, which would indicate a lower positivity rate. The findings in this study indicate deterioration in the effectiveness of the passive surveillance for rabies. The number of rabies cases, total number of tests performed and positivity rate are good indicators for evaluating passive surveillance. This paper can function as a guide for the assessment and improvement of the actions in passive surveillance of rabies.

Diabetes alters inflammation, angiogenesis, and fibrogenesis in intraperitoneal implants in rats.

The increased prevalence of diabetes worldwide is associated with increasing numbers of diabetic individuals receiving synthetic matrices and biomedical implants to repair and/or replace biological tissues. This therapeutic procedure invariably leads to adverse tissue healing (foreign body reaction), thus impairing the biomedical device function of subcutaneous implants. However, the influence of diabetes on abnormal tissue healing in intraperitoneal implants is unclear. We investigated key components of foreign body reactions in diabetic rats. Polyether-polyurethane sponge discs were placed intraperitoneally in rats previously injected with streptozotocin for induction of diabetes and in non-diabetic rats. Implants removed 10 days after implantation were assessed by determining the components of the fibrovascular tissue (angiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrogenesis). In implants from diabetic rats, fibrous capsule thickness and fibrovascular tissue infiltration (hematoxylin & eosin and picrosirius staining) were reduced in comparison with implants from non-diabetic rats. Hemoglobin (Hb) content (vascular index) and VEGF levels (pro-angiogenic cytokine) were increased after diabetes. However, the number of vessels (H&E and CD31-immunostaining) in the fibrovascular tissue from diabetic rats was decreased when compared with vessel numbers in implants from non-diabetic animals. Overall, all inflammatory parameters (macrophage accumulation-NAG activity; TNF-α and MCP-1 levels) increased in intraperitoneal implants after diabetes induction. The pro-fibrogenic cytokine (TGFß-1) increased after diabetes, but collagen deposition remained unaltered in the implants from diabetic rats. These important diabetes-related changes (increased levels of pro-inflammatory and angiogenic and fibrogenic cytokines) in peritoneal implant healing provide an insight into the mechanisms of the foreign body response in the diabetic environment in rats.

Sponge implant in Swiss mice as a model for studying loxoscelism.

Envenomation by Loxosceles spider bite leads to a set of signs and symptoms, called loxoscelism, which in most cases manifests through the dermonecrotic frame. The development of a smaller size animal model, of easy handling and maintenance, and lower cost is needed to study the loxoscelism pathogenesis. The inflammatory effects of the Loxosceles similis crude venom was evaluated considering neutrophil and macrophage activation, vasodilatation, hyperhaemia, edema and hemorrhage and TNF-α and VEGF production using the murine sponge implant model. Thirty two male Swiss mice (6-8 weeks old) were implanted subcutaneously with polyether-polyurethane sponge discs. Fourteen days post implantation, animals were separated into two groups: (1) control group--16 mice received 30 µL of saline intra-implant; (2) treated group-sixteen mice injected with 0.5 µg/30 µL of L. similis crude venom intra-implant. The animals were euthanized with xylazine/ketamine after 1 and 4 h post- injection. Microscopically, implants of the treated groups presented an acute inflammation characterized by: neutrophilic infiltrate, edema, vasodilatation hyperhaemia, and severe hemorrhage. Some vessels presented ruptured walls. Under morphometric analysis, vessel area was bigger in the treated groups compared with the control ones. The biochemical parameters, hemoglobin content, inflammatory enzyme activities (myeloperoxidase and n-acethyl-ß-D glucosaminidase) and levels of the cytokines, TNF-α and VEGF, were also significantly higher in the venom-treated groups. The effects of Loxosceles venom in the granulation tissue of the implant in mice were similar to those observed in cutaneous loxoscelism in other species (human and rabbits). Consequently, the murine sponge implant model provides a new method to investigate cellular/molecular mechanisms associated with cutaneous loxoscelism.