Epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a vulnerable region in Brazil.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected and endemic zoonosis that occurs throughout Brazil; nevertheless, few studies have focused on the early detection of the disease. The municipality of Ourinhos is a non-receptive, silent and vulnerable area for VL, where the seroprevalence of this disease has so far not been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine VL in Ourinhos-SP, and to identify the presence of risk factors. Blood samples were obtained from 604 dogs during a rabies vaccination campaign together with application of a socioeconomic questionnaire, environmental and animal characteristics and tutor's knowledge about the disease. The samples were subjected to indirect ELISA and new samples were collected from reactive and suspect animals, including whole blood and lymph node aspiration evaluated by parasitological method, complete blood count and PCR. No animal was diagnosed as positive based on the combination of direct and indirect tests and the tutors' answers indicated little knowledge about leishmaniasis, being often confused with other diseases transmitted by arthropods; hence, according to the proposed methods, the presence of canine leishmaniasis in the city of Ourinhos was not confirmed and health education campaigns about the disease should be carried out.

Postprandial lipemia causes oxidative stress in dogs.

Oxidative stress (OS) has been strongly associated with postprandial lipemia (PPL) in humans, and still requires further investigation in dogs. However, since lipemia interferes with spectrophotometric determinations such as those used to assess OS, the present study investigated the effect of PPL on OS parameters of healthy dogs. Twenty dogs had lipemic postprandial samples compared to the average of two non-lipemic moments. Subsequently, PPL was simulated in vitro using a commercial lipid emulsion and twelve pools of non-lipemic serum of these dogs were used to simulate the minimum, median and maximum concentrations of triglycerides obtained during the lipemic state. Serum OS parameters were assessed using the antioxidants uric acid, albumin and total bilirubin; total antioxidant capacity (TAC); total oxidant capacity (TOC); and lipid peroxidation. In vivo PPL caused an increase in albumin, TAC-CUPRAC, TAC-FRAP, uric acid (p < 0.0001), TOC (p = 0.0012) and total bilirubin (p = 0.0245); reduction of TAC-ABTS (p = 0.0008); and did not alter the lipid peroxidation (p = 0.8983). In vitro, levels of albumin increased at the three lipemic concentrations (p < 0.0001), uric acid increased in the median and maximum levels (p < 0.0001), and total bilirubin concentration increased only at the maximum lipemic level (p = 0.0012). All lipemic levels tested increased TAC-ABTS (p = 0.0011) and TAC-FRAP (p < 0.0001). TAC-CUPRAC (p = 0.5002), TOC (p = 0.5938) and lipid peroxidation (p = 0.4235) were not affected by in vitro lipemia. In conclusion, both the in vivo postprandial state and in vitro simulated lipemia affect oxidative stress markers in dogs depending on the oxidative stress marker, and thus the postprandial state and/or lipemic samples should be avoided.

Epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a vulnerable region in Brazil / Soroepidemiologia da leishmaniose visceral canina em uma região vulnerável do Brasil

Abstract Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected and endemic zoonosis that occurs throughout Brazil; nevertheless, few studies have focused on the early detection of the disease. The municipality of Ourinhos is a non-receptive, silent and vulnerable area for VL, where the seroprevalence of this disease has so far not been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine VL in Ourinhos-SP, and to identify the presence of risk factors. Blood samples were obtained from 604 dogs during a rabies vaccination campaign together with application of a socioeconomic questionnaire, environmental and animal characteristics and tutor's knowledge about the disease. The samples were subjected to indirect ELISA and new samples were collected from reactive and suspect animals, including whole blood and lymph node aspiration evaluated by parasitological method, complete blood count and PCR. No animal was diagnosed as positive based on the combination of direct and indirect tests and the tutors' answers indicated little knowledge about leishmaniasis, being often confused with other diseases transmitted by arthropods; hence, according to the proposed methods, the presence of canine leishmaniasis in the city of Ourinhos was not confirmed and health education campaigns about the disease should be carried out.

Resumo A leishmaniose visceral (LV) é uma zoonose negligenciada e endêmica presente em todas as regiões do Brasil, mas mesmo assim poucos estudos têm objetivado a detecção inicial da doença. O município de Ourinhos - SP é uma área não receptiva, silenciosa e vulnerável à LV, não havendo até o momento estudos que tenham investigado a soroprevalência no município. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo objetivou determinar a soroprevalência da LV canina em Ourinhos-SP, bem como associar a presença de fatores de risco. Amostras sanguíneas de 604 cães foram obtidas juntamente com a aplicação de questionário socioeconômico, características ambientais e dos animais e conhecimento sobre a doença. As amostras foram submetidas à sorologia por ELISA e novas amostras coletadas de cães reagentes ou suspeitos foram analisadas por método parasitológico direto, hemograma e PCR. Nenhum animal foi considerado positivo na combinação de testes direto e indireto, e as respostas dos tutores indicaram pouco conhecimento sobre a leishmaniose, sendo muitas vezes confundida com outras doenças transmitidas por artrópodes. Dessa forma, de acordo com os métodos propostos, a presença de leishmaniose canina, na cidade de Ourinhos, não foi confirmada. Por isso campanhas de educação em saúde sobre a doença deveriam ser realizadas.

Epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis in a vulnerable region in Brazil / Soroepidemiologia da leishmaniose visceral canina em uma região vulnerável do Brasil

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected and endemic zoonosis that occurs throughout Brazil; nevertheless, few studies have focused on the early detection of the disease. The municipality of Ourinhos is a non-receptive, silent and vulnerable area for VL, where the seroprevalence of this disease has so far not been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of canine VL in Ourinhos-SP, and to identify the presence of risk factors. Blood samples were obtained from 604 dogs during a rabies vaccination campaign together with application of a socioeconomic questionnaire, environmental and animal characteristics and tutor's knowledge about the disease. The samples were subjected to indirect ELISA and new samples were collected from reactive and suspect animals, including whole blood and lymph node aspiration evaluated by parasitological method, complete blood count and PCR. No animal was diagnosed as positive based on the combination of direct and indirect tests and the tutors' answers indicated little knowledge about leishmaniasis, being often confused with other diseases transmitted by arthropods; hence, according to the proposed methods, the presence of canine leishmaniasis in the city of Ourinhos was not confirmed and health education campaigns about the disease should be carried out.(AU)

A leishmaniose visceral (LV) é uma zoonose negligenciada e endêmica presente em todas as regiões do Brasil, mas mesmo assim poucos estudos têm objetivado a detecção inicial da doença. O município de Ourinhos - SP é uma área não receptiva, silenciosa e vulnerável à LV, não havendo até o momento estudos que tenham investigado a soroprevalência no município. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo objetivou determinar a soroprevalência da LV canina em Ourinhos-SP, bem como associar a presença de fatores de risco. Amostras sanguíneas de 604 cães foram obtidas juntamente com a aplicação de questionário socioeconômico, características ambientais e dos animais e conhecimento sobre a doença. As amostras foram submetidas à sorologia por ELISA e novas amostras coletadas de cães reagentes ou suspeitos foram analisadas por método parasitológico direto, hemograma e PCR. Nenhum animal foi considerado positivo na combinação de testes direto e indireto, e as respostas dos tutores indicaram pouco conhecimento sobre a leishmaniose, sendo muitas vezes confundida com outras doenças transmitidas por artrópodes. Dessa forma, de acordo com os métodos propostos, a presença de leishmaniose canina, na cidade de Ourinhos, não foi confirmada. Por isso campanhas de educação em saúde sobre a doença deveriam ser realizadas.(AU)

Diurnal variations in canine hematological parameters after commercial feed feeding / Variações diurnas nos parâmetros hematológicos caninos após alimentação com ração comercial

Complete blood count (CBC) is the evaluation of blood cells, which provides resourceful information.Considering that inadequate fasting time is the most common pre-analytical error in laboratory diagnosisand is associated with lipemia in blood samples, which has not yet been adequately investigated in dogs,this study aimed to assess diurnal postprandial changes in the CBC of healthy dogs fed with industrializedfeed. Eighteen clinically healthy dogs aged 2-6 years and weighing over 6 kg were enrolled in the study.All dogs received “Premium” industrialized feed every 12 hours. Blood was collected after a 12-hourfasting period at 6:00 am (baseline), followed by feeding and new blood samples collected hourly forthe next 11 consecutive hours. Red blood cell (RBC) counts, red cell distribution width (RDW), whiteblood cell (WBC) counts, platelets, mean platelet volume (MPV) and hemoglobin were obtained usingan automated veterinary cell counter. Hematocrit (HTC) was determined by Strumia’s microcapillarymethod, differential leukocyte count was performed on hematological dye-stained blood smears and total plasma protein (TPP) was determined using refractometry. Variables were tested for normality anddifferences were considered significant when p < 0.05. A statistically significant decrease was observedin the erythrogram from 2 h for RBC and hemoglobin, from 3 h for HTC and from 4 h for MCV, persistinguntil the end of 11 hours. There was no change in MCHC and RDW. Regarding the leukogram, asignificant increase in WBC was observed from 2 to 7 h, due to the increase in segmented neutrophils 2to 8 h following feeding. Lymphocyte counts decreased significantly at 2 and 6 h following feeding. Noalteration was observed in eosinophil, basophil, monocyte and platelet counts, as well as in MPV. From5 h to 11 h after feeding, a significant decrease was seen on TPP. However, changes in hematological [...].

O hemograma é a avaliação das células do sangue e fornece grande diversidade de informações.Considerando que o tempo inadequado de jejum é o erro pré-analítico mais comum no diagnósticolaboratorial por causar lipemia nas amostras sanguíneas e tal interferência ainda não foi adequadamenteinvestigada no hemograma de cães, esse trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as alterações pós-prandiaisdiurnas no hemograma de cães saudáveis alimentados com ração comercial. Foram selecionados 18cães clinicamente saudáveis, entre 2 e 6 anos, pesando mais de 6 kg e que recebiam como alimentaçãoração comercial tipo “Premium” a cada 12 horas. O sangue dos animais foi colhido após jejum de12 horas às 6:00 da manhã (amostra basal), foi fornecida ração comercial e novas amostras foramcolhidas nas 11 horas consecutivas. As contagens de hemácias, amplitude de distribuição eritrocitária(RDW), leucócitos totais, plaquetas, volume plaquetário médio (VPM) e hemoglobina foram realizadasem contador automatizado de células veterinário. O volume globular (VG) foi determinado pelo métododo microcapilar de Strumia, a contagem diferencial de leucócitos foi realizada em esfregaço sanguíneocorado com corante hematológico e a proteína plasmática total (PPT) foi determinada por refratometria.As variáveis foram testadas quanto à normalidade e as diferenças foram consideradas significativasquando p < 0,05. Em relação ao eritrograma, houve redução estatisticamente significativa a partir de 2 hpara hemácias e hemoglobina, a partir de 3 h para o VG e a partir de 4 h para o VCM, persistindo até ofinal das 11 horas. Não houve alteração do CHCM e do RDW. Em relação ao leucograma, foi observadoaumento significativo de leucócitos totais de 2 a 7 h, decorrente do aumento de neutrófilos segmentados,o que foi constatado 2 a 8 h após a [...].

Diurnal variations in canine hematological parameters after commercial feed feeding / Variações diurnas nos parâmetros hematológicos caninos após alimentação com ração comercial

Complete blood count (CBC) is the evaluation of blood cells, which provides resourceful information.Considering that inadequate fasting time is the most common pre-analytical error in laboratory diagnosisand is associated with lipemia in blood samples, which has not yet been adequately investigated in dogs,this study aimed to assess diurnal postprandial changes in the CBC of healthy dogs fed with industrializedfeed. Eighteen clinically healthy dogs aged 2-6 years and weighing over 6 kg were enrolled in the study.All dogs received “Premium” industrialized feed every 12 hours. Blood was collected after a 12-hourfasting period at 6:00 am (baseline), followed by feeding and new blood samples collected hourly forthe next 11 consecutive hours. Red blood cell (RBC) counts, red cell distribution width (RDW), whiteblood cell (WBC) counts, platelets, mean platelet volume (MPV) and hemoglobin were obtained usingan automated veterinary cell counter. Hematocrit (HTC) was determined by Strumias microcapillarymethod, differential leukocyte count was performed on hematological dye-stained blood smears and total plasma protein (TPP) was determined using refractometry. Variables were tested for normality anddifferences were considered significant when p < 0.05. A statistically significant decrease was observedin the erythrogram from 2 h for RBC and hemoglobin, from 3 h for HTC and from 4 h for MCV, persistinguntil the end of 11 hours. There was no change in MCHC and RDW. Regarding the leukogram, asignificant increase in WBC was observed from 2 to 7 h, due to the increase in segmented neutrophils 2to 8 h following feeding. Lymphocyte counts decreased significantly at 2 and 6 h following feeding. Noalteration was observed in eosinophil, basophil, monocyte and platelet counts, as well as in MPV. From5 h to 11 h after feeding, a significant decrease was seen on TPP. However, changes in hematological [...].(AU)

O hemograma é a avaliação das células do sangue e fornece grande diversidade de informações.Considerando que o tempo inadequado de jejum é o erro pré-analítico mais comum no diagnósticolaboratorial por causar lipemia nas amostras sanguíneas e tal interferência ainda não foi adequadamenteinvestigada no hemograma de cães, esse trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as alterações pós-prandiaisdiurnas no hemograma de cães saudáveis alimentados com ração comercial. Foram selecionados 18cães clinicamente saudáveis, entre 2 e 6 anos, pesando mais de 6 kg e que recebiam como alimentaçãoração comercial tipo “Premium” a cada 12 horas. O sangue dos animais foi colhido após jejum de12 horas às 6:00 da manhã (amostra basal), foi fornecida ração comercial e novas amostras foramcolhidas nas 11 horas consecutivas. As contagens de hemácias, amplitude de distribuição eritrocitária(RDW), leucócitos totais, plaquetas, volume plaquetário médio (VPM) e hemoglobina foram realizadasem contador automatizado de células veterinário. O volume globular (VG) foi determinado pelo métododo microcapilar de Strumia, a contagem diferencial de leucócitos foi realizada em esfregaço sanguíneocorado com corante hematológico e a proteína plasmática total (PPT) foi determinada por refratometria.As variáveis foram testadas quanto à normalidade e as diferenças foram consideradas significativasquando p < 0,05. Em relação ao eritrograma, houve redução estatisticamente significativa a partir de 2 hpara hemácias e hemoglobina, a partir de 3 h para o VG e a partir de 4 h para o VCM, persistindo até ofinal das 11 horas. Não houve alteração do CHCM e do RDW. Em relação ao leucograma, foi observadoaumento significativo de leucócitos totais de 2 a 7 h, decorrente do aumento de neutrófilos segmentados,o que foi constatado 2 a 8 h após a [...].(AU)