Glucan-MOS® improved growth and innate immunity in pacu stressed and experimentally infected with Aeromonas hydrophila.

We tested the efficacy of a commercial product (Glucan-MOS®) derived from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, containing two combined products, ß-1,3-1,6 glucans and mannans on the growth, feed efficiency, stress and innate immune responses of juvenile pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) after a stressful handling and bacterial inoculation. For this, we evaluated the serum cortisol and plasma glucose levels, the respiratory activity of leukocytes, the serum lysozyme levels, as well as the number of circulating erythrocytes and leukocytes of fish fed during 30 days with diets containing increased levels of Glucan-MOS (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8%). The supplementation of 0.1% improved weight gain, feed conversion and the protein efficiency ratio compared to a control diet. The 0.2 and 0.4% Glucan-MOS® diets were sufficient to increase the respiratory burst of leukocytes and lysozyme activity, the number of thrombocytes, neutrophils and monocytes in the blood after a stressful handling and bacterial challenge, and minimized stress response as shown by decreased cortisol and glucose levels when compared to the control. The results of this work reinforce the benefits of the adoption of feeding strategies including combination of both ß-1,3-1,6 glucans and mannans as a dietary supplement in periods prior to intensive management. The 30-day period was sufficient to stimulate growth performance, improve nutrient utilization, minimize stress response and modulate innate immunity responses.

Parasitic fauna of cachara Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Siluriforme: Pimelodidae) from the Aquidauana River, in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v30i1.1469 / Fauna parasitária de cachara Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum (Siluriforme: Pimelodidae) do rio Aquidauana, Pantanal Sul Mato-grossense, Brasil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v30i1.1469

In this work are presented data for mean abundance, prevalence and mean intensity of infection in 34 specimens of Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, commonly called cacharas. Fish were captured using nets in the Aquidauana River during March, September and November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005. All analyzed fish were infected. Nineteen species of parasites were collected seven of them were proteocephalid cestodes, three monogeneans, one species of digeneans, three nematodes, one acanthocephalan, one crustacean, one pentastomid and two species of myxosporeans. The first records of Harriscolex kaparari and Megathylacus travassosi in P. fasciatum in the Aquidauana River were observed. Monogeneans featured the highest prevalence (100%), followed by cestodes (91.18%) and nematodes (58.82%)

Neste trabalho, são apresentados dados de abundância média, prevalência e intensidade média de parasitismo, em 34 espécimes de Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, popularmente conhecidos como cacharas, capturados nos meses de março, setembro e novembro de 2003, outubro de 2004 e outubro de 2005, com tarrafas e redes de espera, no rio Aquidauana. Todos os indivíduos amostrados encontravam-se parasitados. Dezenove espécies de parasitos foram identificadas, sendo sete cestodas proteocefalídeos, três monogêneas, um digenea, três nematodas, um acantocéfalo, um crustáceo, um pentastomídeo e duas espécies de mixosporídeos. As espécies de cestóides, Harriscolex kaparari e Megathylacus travassosi são registradas pela primeira vez para P. fasciatum, capturados no rio Aquidauana. Os monogêneas foram os helmintos que apresentaram maior prevalência (100%), seguidos pelos cestodas (91,18%) e nematodas (58,82%)