Equidae pythiosis in Brazil and the world: a systematic review of the last 63 years (1960-2023).

This systematic review compiles reports of clinical pythiosis in horses, mules and donkeys from 1960 to 2023 worldwide, focusing on Brazil. We searched databases and included 71 articles detailing clinical characteristics, geographic distribution, epidemiology, diagnostic methods, therapies, and outcomes. The results showed that publications on equine pythiosis have significantly increased since 2010. Brazil reported the highest incidence, comprising 55% of cases, predominantly in the southern, northeastern, and central-western regions during summer and autumn. Cutaneous pythiosis was the most prevalent form, generally presenting as single lesions in the appendicular region, and affected females more than males. Diagnosis typically involved histopathology, used alone or with other methods. Various treatments have been employed, with surgery, often combined with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, being the most common. Notably, 80.84% of treated animals recovered, highlighting the effectiveness of these therapies in enhancing survival rates. The limitations of the study included the lack of data in published case reports, which made it difficult to collect and calculate epidemiological data. Additionally, we recognize that pythiosis in Brazil is underreported, since this disease does not have mandatory notification and several cases are not registered and/or reported in the literature. Lastly, it is hypothesized that equid pythiosis may be more widespread than currently known, and its real occurrence in Brazil remains uncertain.

Absence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil.

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases transmitted by vectors that affect domestic and wild animals, including humans. Due to its incidence and lethality, this zoonosis is a worrying public health problem, making it essential to identify all links in the transmission chain. Infection of wild mammals by Leishmania spp. remains poorly understood, especially in southern Brazil. Therefore, the objective was to research, using the PCR technique, the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil. Carcasses of 96 animals were collected from highways in the Pelotas microregion, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil and subjected to necropsies. Tissue fragments (spleen, skin, liver, kidney, heart, lung, lymph nodes, bone marrow and blood) were collected and genomic DNA was extracted. PCR protocols targeting the ITS1, kDNA and 18S genes were tested. We found no evidence of Leishmania spp. circulation in the studied population. However, epidemiological studies like this one are of great relevance, as they allow monitoring of the occurrence of pathogens and help identify possible risk areas. As these animals act as epidemiological markers for the presence of the microorganism, studies must be carried out continuously to understand whether there are sources of infection in the region.

Utilization of machine learning for dengue case screening.

Dengue causes approximately 10.000 deaths and 100 million symptomatic infections annually worldwide, making it a significant public health concern. To address this, artificial intelligence tools like machine learning can play a crucial role in developing more effective strategies for control, diagnosis, and treatment. This study identifies relevant variables for the screening of dengue cases through machine learning models and evaluates the accuracy of the models. Data from reported dengue cases in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais for the years 2016 and 2019 were obtained through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (SINAN). The mutual information technique was used to assess which variables were most related to laboratory-confirmed dengue cases. Next, a random selection of 10,000 confirmed cases and 10,000 discarded cases was performed, and the dataset was divided into training (70%) and testing (30%). Machine learning models were then tested to classify the cases. It was found that the logistic regression model with 10 variables (gender, age, fever, myalgia, headache, vomiting, nausea, back pain, rash, retro-orbital pain) and the Decision Tree and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) models achieved the best results in decision metrics, with an accuracy of 98%. Therefore, a tree-based model would be suitable for building an application and implementing it on smartphones. This resource would be available to healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses.

Tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil: priority municipalities and spatiotemporal relative risks from 2001 to 2020.

Understanding the distribution of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) in different periods enables the adequate conduction of actions at the public health level. The present study analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution of TL incidence rates in the municipalities of Brazil and identifies priority areas from 2001 to 2020. Notifications of new cases were analyzed employing space-time scan statistics and Local Indicators of Spatial Association. As TL incidence rates presented a downward trend in most Brazilian municipalities, spatiotemporal clusters of high relative risks (RR) were more frequent in the first decade of the series. There was a concentration of those clusters in the North and Northeast regions, mainly in the Legal Amazon area. More recent high-RR areas were identified in municipalities of different regions. The number of priority municipalities showed a stable trend in Brazil. There was a great concentration of such municipalities in the states of Acre, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Pará, and Amapá, as well as large areas in Roraima, Amazonas, Maranhão, and Tocantins, and smaller areas in the states of Goiás, Ceará, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Paraná. The present study contributes to the understanding of the historical evolution of TL in Brazil and subsidizes actions to combat the disease.

Description of the parasitic fauna of a specimen of Didelphis albiventris at Rio Grande do Sul.

Didelphis albiventris is considered the most common marsupial in Rio Grande do Sul. With omnivorous and synanthropic habits, it can serve as a host to various parasites, playing an important role in maintaining their biological cycle. Despite being a widespread and abundant species, it has a relatively little-known parasitic fauna. Therefore, the aim of this study was to report the diversity of parasites in a fecal sample from D. albiventris in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. Modified Centrifugal-flotation and Spontaneous sedimentation techniques were used, revealing a high taxonomic diversity of parasites. Eggs of Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara spp., and Anoplocephalidae were reported for the first time in the host in the southern region of the country, along with the first report of pseudoparasitism by Syphacia spp. and Monocystis spp. in this animal species. The presence of different parasites in the feces of D. albiventris is of utmost importance, primarily for public health, but also for understanding the biodiversity of parasites present in wildlife, which has been poorly studied until now. This allows the implementation of effective strategies for controlling, preventing and treating these diseases.

Didelphis albiventris é considerado o marsupial mais comum no Rio Grande do Sul. Com hábitos onívoros e sinantrópicos, pode servir de hospedeiro para diversos parasitas, desempenhando importante papel na manutenção do seu ciclo biológico. Apesar de ser uma espécie difundida e abundante, possui uma fauna parasitária relativamente pouco conhecida. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi relatar a diversidade de parasitas em uma amostra fecal de D. albiventris no Rio Grande do Sul, Sul do Brasil. Foram utilizadas técnicas modificadas de flutuação centrífuga e sedimentação espontânea, revelando uma alta diversidade taxonômica de parasitas. Ovos de Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara spp. e Anoplocephalidae foram relatados pela primeira vez no hospedeiro na região sul do país, juntamente com o primeiro relato de pseudoparasitismo por Syphacia spp. e Monocystis spp. nesta espécie animal. A presença de diferentes parasitas nas fezes de D. albiventris é de extrema importância, principalmente para a saúde pública, mas também para a compreensão da biodiversidade de parasitas presentes na vida selvagem, que tem sido pouco estudada até agora. Isto permite a implementação de estratégias eficazes para controlar, prevenir e tratar estas doenças.

Spatio-temporal dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil: A nonlinear regression analysis.

AIMS: This study describes the spatio-temporal dynamics of new visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases notified in Brazil between 2001 and 2020. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on the occurrence of the disease were obtained by means of the Notifiable Diseases Information System of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Joinpoint, temporal generalized additive models and conditional autoregressive (CAR) models were used to analyse the temporal evolution of the rates in Brazil, states and regions. Spatio-temporal generalized additive and CAR models were used to identify the distribution of annual risks of VL occurrence in the Brazilian territory in relation to variation in the spatial average. There were 63,966 VL cases in the target period (3.198 cases/year), corresponding to a mean incidence rate of 1.68 cases/100,000 inhabitants. Of these, 4451 resulted in deaths, which gives a mean mortality rate of 0.12 deaths/100,000 inhabitants and a case fatality of 6.96%. The highest incidence rate was found in the North region, followed closely by the Northeast region, which presented the second and first highest mortality rates, respectively. For all of Brazil, and in the Northeast region, there were stability in the incidence rates, while the other regions showed an increasing trend in different time segments in the period: Central-West up to 2011, North up to 2008, Southeast up to 2004, and South up to 2010. On the other hand, all regions experienced a reduction in incidence rate during the last years of the series. The Northeast region had the highest number of municipalities with statistically significant elevated relative risks. The spatio-temporal analysis showed the highest risk area predominantly in the Northeast region in the beginning of the time series. From 2002 to 2018, this area expanded to the interior of the country. CONCLUSIONS: The present study has shown that VL has expanded in Brazil. However, the North and Northeast regions continue to have the highest incidence, and the risk of infection has decreased in recent years.

Absence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil / Ausência de DNA de Leishmania spp. em mamíferos silvestres atropelados no Sul do Brasil

Abstract Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases transmitted by vectors that affect domestic and wild animals, including humans. Due to its incidence and lethality, this zoonosis is a worrying public health problem, making it essential to identify all links in the transmission chain. Infection of wild mammals by Leishmania spp. remains poorly understood, especially in southern Brazil. Therefore, the objective was to research, using the PCR technique, the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil. Carcasses of 96 animals were collected from highways in the Pelotas microregion, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil and subjected to necropsies. Tissue fragments (spleen, skin, liver, kidney, heart, lung, lymph nodes, bone marrow and blood) were collected and genomic DNA was extracted. PCR protocols targeting the ITS1, kDNA and 18S genes were tested. We found no evidence of Leishmania spp. circulation in the studied population. However, epidemiological studies like this one are of great relevance, as they allow monitoring of the occurrence of pathogens and help identify possible risk areas. As these animals act as epidemiological markers for the presence of the microorganism, studies must be carried out continuously to understand whether there are sources of infection in the region.

Resumo As leishmanioses são doenças negligenciadas, transmitidas por vetores que acometem animais domésticos e silvestres, incluindo os humanos. Devido a sua incidência e letalidade, essa zoonose consiste em um problema de saúde pública preocupante, sendo fundamental a identificação de todos os elos da cadeia de transmissão. A infecção de mamíferos silvestres por Leishmania spp. permanece pouco compreendida, especialmente no sul do Brasil. Portanto, objetivou-se pesquisar, por meio da técnica de PCR, a presença de DNA de Leishmania spp. em mamíferos silvestres atropelados no Sul do Brasil. Carcaças de 96 animais foram coletadas, em rodovias da microrregião de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, sul do Brasil e submetidas a necropsias. Fragmentos de tecidos (baço, pele, fígado, rim, coração, pulmão, linfonodos, medula óssea e sangue) foram coletados e o DNA genômico foi extraído. Protocolos de PCR visando os genes ITS1, kDNA e 18S foram testados. Não foram encontradas evidências de circulação de Leishmania spp. na população estudada. Porém, estudos epidemiológicos como este são de grande relevância, pois permitem monitorar a ocorrência de patógenos e auxiliam na identificação de possíveis áreas de risco. Como esses animais atuam como marcadores epidemiológicos da presença do microrganismo, estudos devem ser realizados continuamente, para entender se existem fontes de infecção na região.

Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera, Pulicidae) parasitizing White-eared opossum (Didelphis albiventris) at Southern Brazil - Case report.

Didelphis albiventris is a marsupial with synanthropic habits, whose contact with domestic animals and humans is increasing. They are considered potential disseminators of diseases, present as definitive hosts or reservoirs of various pathogenic agents. The present study aim to report, for the first time, the parasitism by Ctenocephalides felis in D. albiventris in Rio Grande, Southern Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. An adult female White-eared Opossum (D. albiventris), killed by being run over, was collected on the roads of the city of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and sent to the laboratory for necropsy. During external inspection, a flea was found, which was stored in 70o alcohol until taxonomic identification, being classified as C. felis. This study reports the occurrence of parasitism by C. felis in D. albiventris for the first time in the location studied, demonstrating that these arthropods circulate between the wild and urban environments, and play an important role in the cycle of zoonotic pathogens among wild fauna, companion animals and humans.

Didelphis albiventris é um marsupial de hábitos sinantrópicos, cujo contato com animais domésticos e humanos está aumentando. São considerados potenciais disseminadores de doenças, apresentando-se como hospedeiros definitivos ou reservatórios de vários agentes patogênicos. O presente estudo tem como objetivo relatar, pela primeira vez, o parasitismo por Ctenocephalides felis em D. albiventris em Rio Grande, Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Uma fêmea adulta de gambá-de-orelha-branca (D. albiventris), morta por atropelamento, foi recolhida nas estradas da cidade de Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil e encaminhado ao laboratório para necropsia. Durante inspeção externa foi encontrada uma pulga que foi armazenada em álcool 70º até a identificação taxonômica sendo classificado como C. felis. Este estudo relata a ocorrência de parasitismo por C. felis em D. albiventris para o primeira vez no local estudado, demonstrando que esses artrópodes circulam entre a natureza e ambientes urbanos e desempenham um papel importante no ciclo de patógenos zoonóticos entre a fauna selvagem, animais de companhia e humanos.

Determining the relationship between dengue and vulnerability in a Brazilian city: a spatial modeling analysis.

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This study aimed to assess the distribution of cases and deaths from dengue and severe dengue, and its relationship with social vulnerability in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2010 to 2018. The incidence and lethality rates of dengue and their relationship with sex, age, education, skin color, and social vulnerability were studied using chi-square tests, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) analyses. The number of cases of dengue in Belo Horizonte during the study period was 324,044 dengue cases, with 1,334 cases of severe dengue and 88 deaths. During the past few decades, the incidence rate of both dengue and severe cases varied, with an average incidence rate of respectively 1515.5 and 6.2/100,000 inhabitants. The increase in dengue cases was directly related to areas with higher social vulnerability areas and more working-age people. Also, the disease is more severe in people self-declared as black, elderly, and male. The findings of this study might provide relevant information for health services in the organization of control and prevention policies for this problem, emphasizing the most vulnerable urban areas and categories.

Temporal patterns, spatial risks, and characteristics of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil in the first twenty years of the 21st Century.

BACKGROUND: Tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) is a significant public health issue in Brazil. The present ecological study describes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of TL cases reported in the country, and analyzes the spatial and temporal patterns of the incidences and risks of occurrence across the five geopolitical regions and 27 federative units. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Data regarding new cases of TL notified between 2001 and 2020 were obtained from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Joinpoint and spatial and temporal generalized additive models were used to establish trends in the evolution of TL during the target period. The incidence rate for the entire period was 226.41 cases/100,000 inhabitants. All regions of Brazil showed trends of decreasing incidence rates, albeit with fluctuations at specific times, with the exception of the Southeast where rates have increased since 2014, most particularly in Minas Gerais state. The disease was concentrated predominantly in the North region, with Acre state leading the incidence rank in the whole country, followed by Mato Grosso (Midwest), Maranhão and Bahia (Northeast) states. The spatial distribution of the risk of TL occurrence in relation to the annual averages was relatively stable throughout the period. The cutaneous form of TL was predominant and cases most frequently occurred in rural areas and among men of working age. The ages of individuals contracting TL tended to increase during the time series. Finally, the proportion of confirmations by laboratory tests was lower in the Northeast. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: TL shows a declining trend in Brazil, but its widespread occurrence and the presence of areas with increasing incidence rates demonstrate the persistent relevance of this disease and the need for constant monitoring. Our findings reinforce the importance of temporal and spatial tools in epidemiologic surveillance routines and are valuable for targeting preventive and control actions.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of leptospirosis in South Brazil: A forecasting and nonlinear regression analysis.

Although leptospirosis is endemic in most Brazilian regions, South Brazil shows the highest morbidity and mortality rates in the country. The present study aimed to analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics of leptospirosis cases in South Brazil to identify the temporal trends and high-risk areas for transmission and to propose a model to predict the disease incidence. An ecological study of leptospirosis cases in the 497 municipalities of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, was conducted from 2007 to 2019. The spatial distribution of disease incidence in southern Rio Grande do Sul municipalities was evaluated, and a high incidence of the disease was identified using the hotspot density technique. The trend of leptospirosis over the study period was evaluated by time series analyses using a generalized additive model and a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model to predict its future incidence. The highest incidence was recorded in the Centro Oriental Rio Grandense and metropolitan of Porto Alegre mesoregions, which were also identified as clusters with a high incidence and high risk of contagion. The analysis of the incidence temporal series identified peaks in the years 2011, 2014, and 2019. The SARIMA model predicted a decline in incidence in the first half of 2020, followed by an increase in the second half. Thus, the developed model proved to be adequate for predicting leptospirosis incidence and can be used as a tool for epidemiological analyses and healthcare services.Temporal and spatial clustering of leptospirosis cases highlights the demand for intersectorial surveillance and community control policies, with a focus on reducing the disparity among municipalities in Brazil.

Spatio-temporal relative risks and priority areas for visceral leishmaniasis control in Brazil, between 2001 and 2020.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a pressing public health problem in Brazil. The proper implementation of disease control programs in priority areas is a challenge for healthcare managers. The present study aimed to analyze the spatio-temporal distribution and identify high risk areas of VL occurrence in the Brazilian territory. We analyzed data regarding new cases with confirmed diagnosis of VL in Brazilian municipalities, from 2001 to 2020, extracted from the Brazilian Information System for Notifiable Diseases. The Local Index of Spatial Autocorrelation (LISA) was used to identify contiguous areas with high incidence rates in different periods of the temporal series. Clusters of high spatio-temporal relative risks were identified using the scan statistics. The accumulated incidence rate in the analyzed period was 33.53 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The number of municipalities that reported cases showed an upward trend from 2001 onward, although there was a decrease in 2019 and 2020. According to LISA, the number of municipalities considered a priority increased in Brazil and in most states. Priority municipalities were predominantly concentrated in the states of Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, and Mato Grosso do Sul, in addition to more specific areas of Pará, Ceará, Piauí, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Bahia, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Roraima. The spatio-temporal clusters of high-risk areas varied throughout the time series and were relatively higher in the North and Northeast regions. Recent high-risk areas were found in Roraima and municipalities in northeastern states. VL expanded territorially in Brazil in the 21st century. However, there is still a considerable spatial concentration of cases. The areas identified in the present study should be prioritized for disease control actions.

Anti-Pythium insidiosum activity of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants.

Pythiosis is a serious disease caused by the aquatic oomycete Pythium insidiosum that mainly affects mammals. Unlike fungal and bacterial resistance induced by the indiscriminate use of drugs, P. insidiosum has low susceptibility to antifungal drugs. In this sense, essential oils and their major components emerge as a promising treatment line for this disease. Given the above, this study sought to verify P. insidiosum (n = 34) susceptibility to the bioactive compounds eugenol, α-terpineol, menthol, and carvacrol and correlate them with the respective essential oils of Eugenia caryophyllata, Melaleuca alternifolia, Mentha piperita, and Origanum vulgare. The essential oils and bioactive compounds were purchased commercially and tested according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocol M38-A2. Our findings showed that eugenol, α-terpineol, and carvacrol had superior anti-P. insidiosum action than their respective essential oils, suggesting that they may be responsible for inhibitory activity against P. insidiosum. Notably, the major compound with the best anti-P. insidiosum activity was α-terpineol; nonetheless, menthol showed less activity than its essential oil. The results imply that essential oils and their major compounds may be important allies in treating pythiosis, expanding the perspectives of developing new drugs with anti-P. insidiosum activity.

Pre slaughter factors in pigs on initial pH and temperature: a case study / Influência de fatores do pré-abate de suínos sobre o pH e temperatura inicial: estudo de caso

This study evaluated factors associated with the pre-slaughter handling of pigs in a commercial slaughterhouse located in Minas Gerais and evaluated the influence of these factors on the initial pH and temperature of the carcasses. In all, 4449 carcasses were evaluated. The factors evaluated were transport distance, transport duration, loading density, fasting duration, resting duration, average weight of the animals, average temperature in the resting area, and maximum temperature in the resting area. The effects of these factors on the initial (i.e., at 45 minutes after slaughter) temperature and pH (pH45) were measured. The pH45 values were used to determine the occurrence of PSE; the carcasses were classified as PSE when they presented a pH45 < 5.90. Results showed that animals fasted for more than 24 hours were more likely to result in PSE meat (1.41 times more likely), as did animals that were exposed to an average temperature above 24 °C (1.52 times more likely). Except for the average weight of the animals, which did not affect the initial temperature values, all other pre-slaughter factors have influenced both pH45 and the initial temperature values, and the difference of fasting duration and the temperature in the resting area increase the incidence of PSE meat.

O estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar fatores associados ao manejo pré-abate de suínos em um abatedouro comercial localizado em Minas Gerais e sua influência sobre o pH inicial e temperatura das carcaças. Ao todo, foram avaliadas 4449 carcaças. Os fatores considerados na avaliação foram: distância de transporte, tempo de transporte, densidade da carga, tempo de jejum, tempo de descanso, peso médio dos animais, temperatura média na área de descanso e temperatura máxima na área de descanso. Para avaliar os efeitos desses fatores foram mensurados a temperatura e o pH inicial aos 45 minutos (pH45). Os valores de pH45 foram considerados para determinar o índice de predisposição para ocorrência de PSE já que as carcaças foram classificadas como PSE quando apresentaram valor de pH45 < 5,90. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que os animais com tempo de jejum acima de 24 horas, apresentaram maior probabilidade para ocorrência de carne PSE (1,41 vezes), assim como, aqueles que foram expostos a temperatura média acima de 24 °C na área de descanso com probabilidade de 1,52 vezes. Em relação a temperatura inicial e pH45, com exceção do peso médio dos animais, os demais fatores pré-abate analisados influenciaram os valores destes parâmetros, sendo que o tempo de jejum dos animais e a temperatura média da área de descanso promoveram aumento na incidência de carne PSE.

Radiographic findings in the coxofemoral joint of Australian Cattle Dogs / Achados radiográficos em articulação coxofemoral de cães da raça Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dogs (ACD) are medium-sized animals widely used in fieldwork for managing cattle and sheep. There needs to be more information about the conditions these dogs can develop despite being well-characterized animals since the beginning of the 20th century. Hip dysplasia (HD) is a developmental abnormality between the femoral head and the acetabular fossa, which can be debilitating. However, the available literature has no studies on the prevalence of this condition in dogs of this breed. This study aimed to evaluate radiographs of ACD qualitatively and quantitatively. For this purpose, 49 dogs considered healthy without clinical signs of HD were radiographically assessed, and the animals were classified as dysplastic (D) and non-dysplastic (ND). A frequency of 46.9% of dysplastic dogs was observed, with males being more affected. The cortical index (CI) and angle of inclination (AI) could not differentiate D from ND animals; only the Norberg angle (NA) was effective in this differentiation. No correlation was observed between AI, CI, and AN.(AU)

Os cães da raça Autralian Cattle Dog (ACD) são animais de porte médio, muito utilizados no trabalho de campo para manejo de gado e ovelha. Apesar de serem animais bem caracterizados desde o início do século XX, há poucas informações sobre afecções que esses cães podem desenvolver. A displasia coxofemoral (DCF) é uma anormalidade do desenvolvimento entre a cabeça do fêmur e a fossa acetabular podendo ser debilitante. Contudo, não há estudos, na literatura disponível, sobre a prevalência desta afecção em cães dessa raça. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar qualitativamente e quantitativamente radiografias de cães da raça ACD. Para tanto, foram avaliados radiograficamente 49 cães considerados hígidos e sem sinais clínicos de DCF. Os animais foram classificados em displásicos (D) e não displásicos (ND). Observou-se a frequência de 46,9% de cães displásicos, sendo os machos mais acometidos. O índice cortical (IC) e o ângulo de inclinação (AI) não foram capazes de diferenciar os animais D dos ND, apenas o ângulo de Norberg (AN) foi eficaz nessa diferenciação. Não houve correlação entre AI, IC e AN.(AU)

Effect of milk production scale on the economic return of dairy farmers in the Triângulo Mineiro/Alto Paranaíba mesoregion / Efeito da escala de produção de leite na rentabilidade de pecuaristas leiteiros da mesorregião do Triâgulo Mineiro e Alto Paranaíba

This study proposes to evaluate the relationship between the economic return of dairy production and its scales. Economic and production data were collected from 28 dairy farms located in the Triângulo Mineiro/Alto Paranaíba mesoregion, MG, Brazil. The farms were stratified into three scales of milk production: small (less than 150 kg), medium (151 to 400 kg), and large (over 400 kg). Data collected between January and December 2013 were analyzed statistically using SPSS 27.0 software, considering a minimum significance level of 95% (P < 0.05). Gross Margin, Net Margin, and Outcome were used as indicators of return. Among the fixed costs, depreciation corresponded to 16.56, 15.90, and 12.54% of total costs for the small, medium, and large producers, respectively. Among the variable costs, feeding accounted for 26.26, 34.94, and 44.58% of total costs on the small, medium, and large farms, respectively. Only the large-scale producers had positive outcomes (BRL 27,010.73), whereas the small and medium producers had losses (BRL -28,615.21 and BRL -18,233.83, respectively). In conclusion, increasing the scale of production positively influences the economic return of dairy farming.(AU)

Objetivou-se avaliar a relação entre a rentabilidade da atividade leiteira e suas escalas de produção. Para isso, foram levantados dados econômicos e produtivos de 28 propriedades leiteiras localizadas na mesorregião do Triângulo Mineiro/Alto Paranaíba, MG. As propriedades leiteiras foram estratificadas em três escalas de produção: pequena (inferior a 150 kg), média (entre 151 a 400kg) e grande (acima de 400 kg). Os dados coletados entre janeiro a dezembro de 2013 foram analisados estatisticamente através do software SPSS 27.0, considerando-se nível mínimo de significância de 95% (P < 0,05). Foram utilizados como indicadores de rentabilidade a Margem Bruta, a Margem Líquida e o Resultado. Dentre os custos fixos, a depreciação correspondeu a 16,56%, 15,90% e 12,54% dos custos totais para pequenos, médios e grandes produtores, respectivamente. Dentre os custos variáveis, a alimentação representou 26,26%, 34,94% e 44,58% dos custos totais para pequenos, médios e grandes produtores, respectivamente. Somente os grandes produtores apresentaram resultados positivos (R$27.010,73), enquanto que os pequenos e médios produtores obtiveram prejuízos (-R$28.615,21 e -R$18.233,83, respectivamente). Conclui-se que o aumento da escala de produção influencia positivamente a rentabilidade da pecuária leiteira.(AU)

Gender, lineage, and age on muscle morphometry traits and meat tenderness of free-range chickens / Associação de fatores de produção e de morfometria muscular sobre a maciez da carne de frangos caipiras

This study assessed whether the meat tenderness of broilers raised in a free-range system varies by sex, lineage, and age at the time of slaughter. Physicochemical parameters were measured to adequately assess breast and thigh muscle morphometry, including shear force (SF), muscle fibre diameter (MD), histological connective tissue (HCT) content, and total and soluble collagen contents (TCC and SCC, respectively). The experiment was conducted with a completely randomized design using two lineages (Pescoço Pelado and Paraíso Pedrês), with specimens of both sexes raised in a free-range system. Randomly selected broilers were slaughtered at 65, 75, 85, and 95 days old. A total of 192 birds were analysed. SF values correlated positively with age. The highest SF values were measured in thighs of the Pescoço Pelado lineage. Age also showed a positive correlation with MD and HCT content of the breast regardless of lineage. Gender did not have any significant correlation with physical parameters; although, higher values were measured in thighs of the Paraíso Pedrês than in those of the Pescoço Pelado lineage. There were no significant differences among treatments regarding the SCC and TCC of thighs and breasts. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed relationships between SF and the rest of the measured attributes. PCA showed that age was positively correlated with the SF, MD, and HCT content of thighs and breasts. In contrast, SCC and TCC had negative correlations. The greatest breast and thigh MD values were associated with the least tender meat. Thus, age at the time of slaughter proved to be the most significant parameter impacting the physical characteristics of muscle morphometry and meat tenderness of breasts and thighs of broilers raised in a free-range system.

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar os fatores relacionados a maciez da carne de frangos criados em sistema alternativo. Para o experimento foi avaliado a força de cisalhamento, diâmetro das fibras musculares do peito e da coxa, conteúdo de tecido conjuntivo através de histologia e teor de colágeno solúvel e total. O experimento foi executado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado (DIC) com uso de duas linhagens (Pescoço Pelado e Paraíso Pedrês) de ambos os sexos (macho e fêmea) e abatidos em quatro idades (65, 75, 85 e 95 dias), criados em sistema alternativo, sendo utilizado um total de 192 aves. Para força de cisalhamento (FC), ocorreu aumento nos valores em ambos os cortes em função da idade de abate e houve interação entre linhagem e sexo, com as maiores médias para os machos da linhagem Pescoço Pelado e diferença entre sexo para Paraíso Pedrês. A idade de abate influenciou o diâmetro das fibras musculares e o conteúdo de tecido conjuntivo do peito e da coxa, havendo aumento linear destes parâmetros em função da idade ao abate. O sexo não afetou o diâmetro das fibras musculares da coxa, enquanto na linhagem Paraíso Pedrês foram verificadas maiores médias em relação à Pescoço Pelado. A análise de componentes principais demonstrou a relação entre a força de cisalhamento e as demais variáveis analisadas. Assim, o aumento do diâmetro das fibras musculares do peito e da coxa também está relacionado à redução da maciez da carne de frangos caipiras, conjuntamente com o aumento da quantidade de tecido conjuntivo, teor de colágeno total e redução de sua solubilidade.

Leptospirosis in dairy cattle from southern Brazil - risk factors

Background: Cattle are susceptible to chronic leptospirosis infection, that results in reduced milk production and reproductive disorders such as abortions, stillbirths, fetal malformation, and mummified fetuses, causing significant economic losses.Commercially available vaccines against leptospirosis offer limited protection to cattle because they contain only the mostprevalent serovars worldwide, even though they are not prevalent in the specific region. This study aimed to evaluate theprevalence of specific antibodies against Leptospira serogroups, reproductive disorders and the risk factors in dairy herdsfrom different mesoregions of Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: An epidemiological survey was conducted, and serum samples from the bovine population representative of three mesoregions (MR1, MR2, and MR3) were studied; the samples were collected and tested forleptospirosis using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for 12 serogroups checking for the presence of agglutination.A total of 442 blood samples were collected from dairy cattle from November to December 2019 (MR1, 187; MR2, 88;and MR3, 167), including cows vaccinated with different commercial vaccines during the three months before sample collection (n = 295) and non-vaccinated against leptospirosis (n = 147). At the time of collection, an interview was conductedwith the owners with questions about the health of the animals, management, habitat, feeding and reproduction. Chi-squaretests univariate analysis with the SPSS® version 20.0 were performed to estimate the association of serogroup Djasimanseroreactivity with the occurrence of reproductive problems and related risk factors. The mean prevalence of antibodiesagainst leptospires was 78.7% (MR1, 74.9 %; MR2, 84.1 %; and MR3, 80.2 %). Serogroup prevalence was different in...

Disentangling associations between vegetation greenness and dengue in a Latin American city: Findings and challenges.

Being a Re-Emerging Infectious Disease, dengue causes 390 million cases globally and is prevalent in many urban areas in South America. Understanding the fine-scale relationships between dengue incidence and environmental and socioeconomic factors can guide improved disease prevention strategies. This ecological study examines the association between dengue incidence and satellite-based vegetation greenness in 3826 census tracts nested in 474 neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, during the 2010 dengue epidemic. To reduce potential bias in the estimated dengue-greenness association, we adjusted for socioeconomic vulnerability, population density, building height and density, land cover composition, elevation, weather patterns, and neighborhood random effects. We found that vegetation greenness was negatively associated with dengue incidence in a univariate model, and this association attenuated after controlling for additional covariates. The dengue-greenness association was modified by socioeconomic vulnerability: while a positive association was observed in the least vulnerable census tracts, the association was negative in the most vulnerable areas. Using greenness as a proxy for vegetation quality, our results show the potential of vegetation management in reducing dengue incidence, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable areas. We also discuss the role of water infrastructure, sanitation services, and tree cover in lowering dengue risk.

Multidrug-Resistant Hospital Bacteria: Epidemiological Factors and Susceptibility Profile.

Increase in antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics is the product of the evolution and natural adaptation of microorganisms through mutations and genetic recombination caused by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the ineffective control and prevention of infection. The current study analyzes the profile of multiresistant hospital bacteria in two hospitals in Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Over the course of 4 months, patient's gender and age, hospital accommodation type, and sample site were evaluated. Two hundred and eighty-six microbiological culture antibiogram reports of hospitalized patients and outpatients of both sexes, between zero and 96 years of age, were analyzed. Bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most prevalent. The most resistant Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) were K. pneumoniae (27.5%); Acinetobacter baumannii (24.1%); Escherichia coli (14.7%); and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.5%). The most resistant Gram-positive cocci (GPC) were Enterococcus faecium (27.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus (25.5%). The classes of antibiotics with the greatest number of resistant GNB included penicillins (84.8%), quinolones (77.5%), and cephalosporins (75.7%). In the case of GPC, the most resistant were macrolides (95.4%); lincosamides (90.3%), and penicillins (77%). Among GNBs, polypeptides had the highest sensitivity rate (81.3%), whereas, among GPC, fusidanes, glycylcyclines, and lipopeptides had 100% sensitivity.