Serological and molecular investigation of the prevalence of Aujeszky's disease in feral swine (Sus scrofa) in the subregions of the Pantanal wetland, Brazil.

The feral swine (FS) originated from the domestic pig and is present throughout the Brazilian wetland plain (the Pantanal). Aujeszky's disease (AD) was first serologically confirmed in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) in 2001; however, there was no viral confirmation. The aim of this study was to investigate antibodies against-SuHV-1 in the sera of feral swine in the studied areas, detect SuHV-1 through PCR and classify the viral genome. Among the 218 animals sampled, 186 were analyzed by ELISA, resulting in 88 (47.3%) reactive samples. In the serum neutralization test (SN), 57/179 (31.8%) samples presented antibodies against the AD virus (SuHV-1). By nested PCR, 104 DNA samples were extracted for analysis and confirmed with amplification of a fragment of glycoprotein B (gB) in five samples. The SuHV-1 was detected in 12 samples by using primers for glycoprotein E (gE) and viral genome was classified as Type I by ul44 partial sequencing. The amplification of SuHV-1 glycoprotein fragments in the fetuses of seropositive sows indicate that the vertical transmission contribute to maintain SuHV-1 in a free-living feral swine population. The origin of AD in the feral swine populations of the Pantanal is unknown, however, the determination of viral latency, the vertical transmission of the antigen by the amplification of SuHV-1 glycoprotein fragments in the fetuses of seropositive sows and genome typing contribute to the elucidation of the epidemiology of this disease in the wetlands of MS, Brazil.

Identification and antimicrobial resistance of microflora colonizing feral pig (Sus scrofa) of Brazilian Pantanal

Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria is a worldwide problem affecting wild life by living with resistant bacteria in the environment. This study presents a discussion of outside factors environment on microflora of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) from Brazilian Pantanal. Animals had samples collected from six different body sites coming from two separated geographic areas, Nhecolandia and Rio Negro regions. With routine biochemical tests and commercial kits 516 bacteria were identified, with 240 Gram-positive, predominantly staphylococci (36) and enterococci (186) strains. Among Gram-negative (GN) bacteria the predominant specimens of Enterobacteriaceae (247) mainly represented by Serratia spp. (105), Escherichia coli (50), and Enterobacter spp. (40) and specimens not identified (7). Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested against 17 drugs by agar diffusion method. Staphylococci were negative to production of enterotoxins and TSST-1, with all strains sensitive towards four drugs and highest resistance toward ampicillin (17 percent). Enterococci presented the highest sensitivity against vancomycin (98 percent), ampicillin (94 percent) and tetracycline (90 percent), and highest resistance pattern toward oxacillin (99 percent), clindamycin (83 percent), and cotrimoxazole (54 percent). In GN the highest resistance was observed with Serratia marcescens against CFL (98 percent), AMC (66 percent) and AMP (60 percent) and all drugs was most effective against E. coli SUT, TET (100 percent), AMP, TOB (98 percent), GEN, CLO (95 percent), CFO, CIP (93 percent). The results show a new profile of oxacillin-resistant enterococci from Brazilian feral pigs and suggest a limited residue and spreading of antimicrobials in the environment, possibly because of low anthropogenic impact reflected by the drug susceptibility profile of bacteria isolated.

Identification and antimicrobial resistance of microflora colonizing feral pig (Sus scrofa) of Brazilian Pantanal.

Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria is a worldwide problem affecting wild life by living with resistant bacteria in the environment. This study presents a discussion of outside factors environment on microflora of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) from Brazilian Pantanal. Animals had samples collected from six different body sites coming from two separated geographic areas, Nhecolandia and Rio Negro regions. With routine biochemical tests and commercial kits 516 bacteria were identified, with 240 Gram-positive, predominantly staphylococci (36) and enterococci (186) strains. Among Gram-negative (GN) bacteria the predominant specimens of Enterobacteriaceae (247) mainly represented by Serratia spp. (105), Escherichia coli (50), and Enterobacter spp. (40) and specimens not identified (7). Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested against 17 drugs by agar diffusion method. Staphylococci were negative to production of enterotoxins and TSST-1, with all strains sensitive towards four drugs and highest resistance toward ampicillin (17%). Enterococci presented the highest sensitivity against vancomycin (98%), ampicillin (94%) and tetracycline (90%), and highest resistance pattern toward oxacillin (99%), clindamycin (83%), and cotrimoxazole (54%). In GN the highest resistance was observed with Serratia marcescens against CFL (98%), AMC (66%) and AMP (60%) and all drugs was most effective against E. coli SUT, TET (100%), AMP, TOB (98%), GEN, CLO (95%), CFO, CIP (93%). The results show a new profile of oxacillin-resistant enterococci from Brazilian feral pigs and suggest a limited residue and spreading of antimicrobials in the environment, possibly because of low anthropogenic impact reflected by the drug susceptibility profile of bacteria isolated.

Diagnóstico microbiológico e histopatológico de mortalidade em avestruzes (Struthio camelus) / Microbiological and histological diagnosis in mortality of ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Several young ostrich, including nestlings, with lassitude and inappetence followed by death or victim of sudden death were immediately brought to diagnosis at an Animal Health Laboratory. At necropsy, animals presented hemorrhage and altered content of the vitelline sac, and necrotic foci in the small intestine; one animal showed necrotic pleuropneumonia with psammomatosus bodies in the lung parenchyma. The cultures from different samples revealed Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter aglomerans, and Pseudomonas mendocina. It was suggested one case of septicemia in an animal with exclusive growth of K. pneumoniae isolated from samples of small intestine, lung, and liver.

RNAIII inhibiting peptide (RIP) inhibits agr-regulated toxin production.

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are emetic toxins that cause food poisoning. SEs also function as powerful pyrogenic toxin superantigens that stimulate non-specific T-cell proliferation. Together with the hemolysins, SEs have been largely implicated as virulence factors in multiple infection models. Recent biochemical and genetic analyses have demonstrated that production of some of these toxins is partially regulated by quorum sensing mechanisms where proteins and peptides activate the accessory gene regulator (agr). Because toxin production is central to bacterial pathogenesis, therapeutic strategies alternative to antibiotics, and based on rational interference of the quorum sensing systems involved, are currently being developed. This approach would lead to repression of toxin production and, thus, to disease prevention. Here we provide evidence to conclude that synthetic analogs of the RNAIII inhibiting peptide (RIP) and antibodies to its target molecule TRAP function in vitro as efficient suppressors of agr-regulated exotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus.

Prevention of diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus using the peptide RIP.

Staphylococcus aureus causes many diseases including cellulitis, keratitis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and mastitis. The heptapeptide RIP has been shown to prevent cellulitis in mice, which was induced by S. aureus strain Smith diffuse. Here we show that RIP can also significantly reduce the overall pathology and delay the onset of disease symptoms in several other models of S. aureus infections, including: keratitis (tested in rabbits against S. aureus 8325-4), osteomyelitis (tested in rabbits against S. aureus MS), mastitis (tested in cows against S. aureus Newbould 305, AE-1, and environmental infections) and septic arthritis (tested in mice against S. aureus LS-1). These findings substantiate that RIP is not strain specific in its inhibitory activity and that RIP is an effective inhibitor of bacterial pathology at multiple body sites following diverse routes and doses of administration. These findings strongly evidence the potential value of RIP as a chemotherapeutic agent.