Infection with Leptospira kirschneri Serovar Mozdok: First Report from the Southern Hemisphere.

Leptospirosis is a global zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. In this study, we characterized two Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok isolates, one obtained from a dog and the other from a patient with severe leptospirosis, 4 years later. Histopathological analysis showed that both isolates caused severe tissue damage when used to infect hamsters. While L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok is endemic in animals in Europe, there is only one report of human leptospirosis in the literature. Although strains belonging to L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona have been identified in cases of human leptospirosis in Europe, serovar Mozdok has not yet been implicated. The 4-year interval between isolations and the fact that this is the first report of serovar Mozdok as the causative agent of human leptospirosis in the southern hemisphere, demonstrates its epidemiological importance to public health. Moreover, the presence of serovar Mozdok in Brazil has the potential to affect vaccine and diagnostic test development.

Clinical and mycological analysis of dog's oral cavity.

The oral microbiota of humans and animals is made up of a wide variety of yeasts and bacteria, but microbiota of dogs is not totally described. Although such identification is an important step to establish the etiopathogenesis and adequate therapy for the periodontal disease The aim of this study was to evaluate and correlate oral alterations with the presence of yeasts in oral cavity of female dogs. After clinical evaluation samples from healthy and from dogs with oral diseases were obtained from three different oral sites by swabs, curettes, millimeter periodontal probes and HA membrane tip in cellulose ester. Yeast identification was performed through macroscopic and microscopic colony features and biochemical tests. Dental calculus was the most prevalent occurrence in the oral cavity of 59 females. However, the isolation of yeasts was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in animals suffering from halitosis. Eleven yeast species were identified, namely: Malassezia pachydermatis, Rhodotorula spp., Candida albicans, C. catenulata, C. famata, C. guilliermondii, C. parapsilosis, C. intermedia, Trichosporon asahii, T. mucoides and Cryptococcus albidus. It could be concluded that the yeasts are part of the microbiota from the different sites of the oral cavity of the female canines studied without causing any significant alterations except halitosis.

Ultrastructural study of the mycelial phase of clinical isolates of Sporothrix schenckii obtained from feline, canine and human cases of sporotrichosis.

Using transmission electron microscopy, we studied the presence of melanin and cell wall thickness of clinical isolates of Sporothrix schenckii obtained from cats, dogs and humans as compared to reference strains. We detected differences regarding presence of the melanin among the clinical isolates of S. schenckii and a correlation between presence of melanin and cell wall thickness.

Análise morfológica e termotolerância de isolados clínicos e do ambiente de Sporothrix schenckii do sul do Brasil

Sporothrix schenckii is the etiological agent of the sporotrichosis in animals and humans being this mycosis of greatimportance in public health. Due to clinical, epidemiological and molecular differences described in other studies, this studyevaluated phenotypic and thermotolerance characteristics of 36 S. schenckii isolates from clinical cases of feline, canine andhuman sporotrichosis, four environmental isolates and two reference strains. Forty-two S. schenckii isolates from five townsof the south region of the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil were utilized to phenotypic analyses, thermotolerance and conversion tothe yeast phase. Cultured isolates on lactrimel agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar added chloramphenicol and potato dextroseagar at 25 and 35oC showed differences in the colonies morphology and growth time (p=0,026) among reference strains and,clinical and environmental isolates. In the thermotolerance evaluation 26.2 % isolates were capable of growth at 41oC. Allisolates presented conversion to the yeast phase. Microscopic morphologies study showed statistical differences (p 0,01)among clinical isolates of felines and other species in relation to sessile pigmented and sympodial conidia. Our resultsdemonstrated morphological differences among S. schenckii clinical and environmental isolates of a same region and angreat probability of development of clinical forms disseminate

Esporotricose em gatos portadores do vírus da leucemia felina

A esporotricose é uma micose subcutânea resultante da inoculação do fungo Sporothrix schenckii na pele e tecido subcutâneo.Micoses como a esporotricose podem comportar-se de forma oportunista em indivíduos imunossuprimidos. O presentetrabalho teve como objetivo relacionar esporotricose e vírus da leucemia felina (FeLV) em 18 gatos, de um total de 90, criadosem ambiente úmido, cercado por vegetação e pouca incidência solar. Para o diagnóstico micológico foram colhidos fragmentose exsudato das lesões e para o diagnóstico da FeLV, pela técnica de imunofluorescência indireta, colheu-se sangue. A FeLVfoi pesquisada em 18 gatos com esporotricose. Quatro animais (22,2%) foram diagnosticados FeLV positivo, demonstrandoque há relação entre o animal portador de um vírus imunossupressor e o desenvolvimento da esporotricose, em conseqüência,principalmente, do contato contínuo e insalubre entre animais sadios e doente.

Avaliação da sensibilidade in vitro de Pseudomonas aeruginosa frente ao ácido bórico e ácido acético

Os ácidos bórico e acético são dois anti-sépticos de uso humano e animal que foram avaliados e comparados, no presentetrabalho, quanto às suas atividades frente a três isolados de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, provenientes de otite externa canina,através de duas técnicas in vitro de antibiograma, pour plate e ágar difusão. O ácido bórico demonstrou ter maior atividadecontra P. aeruginosa.