This report aimed to describe a case of peripheral neuropathy in a copper-deficient goat, and highlights the clinical, and pathological features of the disease. The goat had low body score, hyporexia, alopecia, achromotrichia, left hindlimb protraction, paralysis with dragging of digit and difficulty to stand up and microcytic normochromic anemia. Copper concentration in serum was markedly lower (2.0µmol L-1) whereas the iron serum content was significantly increased (51.0µmol L-1). The main gross alteration was the reduction of the quadriceps vastus laterallis muscle volume. Histologically, there was atrophy of the quadriceps vastus laterallis muscle and presence of satellite cells, infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and replacement of the fibers by connective tissue. In the femoral nerve, there was axonal degeneration with myelin sheath expansion and presence of vacuoles, usually in chains and containing axonal debris or macrophages. Clinical, laboratorial and pathologic findings are consistent with peripheral neuropathy due to a severy copper deficiency.

Cases of periodontitis in sheep from the Agreste and Zona da Mata regions of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil, are described. Information on breed, age and sex of affected animals as well as clinical and pathological aspects of the disease were obtained during farm visits. Fifteen animals from a total of 450 Santa Inês sheep, aged between three and twelve years, showed low body condition score, dull coat, and difficulty in feeding followed by pain on palpation of the mandibular region. Physical examination of the oral cavity of affected animals and post mortem findings of slaughtered individuals revealed varying degrees of periodontitis, wear, fracture, mobility, and loss of teeth associated with gingival retraction, presence of biofilm and food packing between incisors, premolars and molars teeth. Increased mandibular volume was observed in eight animals and, in two of them, an abscess fistula, exclusively in mandibular teeth. The occurrence of periodontitis in sheep had not been recorded until now in Northeastern Brazil and, thus, this is the first description of cases in the region.

The clinical, pathological and reproductive aspects of an outbreak of copper deficiency in dairy goats and kids from the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil are described. Ten adult dairy goats with clinical signs of deficiency and four kids presenting enzootic ataxia born from copper deficient does were separated from the herd, and examined. In the dairy goats, the average serum concentration of copper was 6.1±2.8mmol/L and iron was 39.5±8.2mmol/L. In kids, the average serum concentration of copper was 3.8±0.9mmol/L and iron was 38.5±4.1mmol/L. Clinical signs in dairy goats consisted of pale mucous membranes, anemia, emaciation, diarrhea, achromotrichia, brittle hair and alopecia. The main reproductive alterations consisted of prolonged anestrus, embryonic resorption and high indices of retained placenta. The kids born from copper deficient dairy goats were weak, and presented neonatal or late ataxia until 70 days of life. Six dairy goats and four kids were necropsied. Most ovaries examined were small, firm and did not present viable follicles on their surface. Microscopically, there was reduction of viable follicles in addition to disorganization of follicular and stromal structures, with marked follicular atresia. Microscopically, changes in kids with enzootic ataxia consisted of neuronal chromatolysis and axonal degeneration, mainly in neurons of the spinal cord. In this study, the source of high iron was not identified, but it is known that outbreaks of copper deficiency can occur due to excess iron intake, mainly when adequate mineral supplementation is not provided for the goat herds.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), also known as avian paramyxoviruses 1 (APMV-1) is among the most important viruses infecting avian species. Given its widespread circulation, there is a high risk for the reintroduction of virulent strains into the domestic poultry industry, making the surveillance of wild and domestic birds a crucial process to appropriately respond to novel outbreaks. In the present study, we investigated an outbreak characterized by the identification of sick pigeons in a large municipality in Northeastern Brazil in 2018. The affected pigeons presented neurological signs, including motor incoordination, torticollis, and lethargy. Moribund birds were collected, and through a detailed histopathological analysis we identified severe lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis with perivascular cuffs and gliosis in the central nervous system, and lymphoplasmacytic inflammation in the liver, kidney, and intestine. A total of five pigeons tested positive for NDV, as assessed by rRT-PCR targeted to the M gene. Laboratory virus isolation on Vero E6 cells confirmed infection, after the recovery of infectious NVD from brain and kidney tissues. We next characterized the isolated NDV/pigeon/PE-Brazil/MP003/2018 by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Phylogenetic analysis grouped the virus with other NDV class II isolates from subgenotype VI.2.1.2, including two previous NDV isolates from Brazil in 2014 and 2019. The diversity of aminoacid residues at the fusion F protein cleavage site was analyzed identifying the motif RRQKR↓F, typical of virulent strains. Our results all highlight the importance of virus surveillance in wild and domestic birds, especially given the risk of zoonotic NDV.

ResumoA Febre Catarral Maligna (FCM) é uma doença infecciosa viral que afeta bovinos e cujo agente etiológico é o herpesvírus ovino tipo 2 (OHV-2). No nordeste brasileiro a doença tem sido subnotificada restringindo-se a poucos relatos. Neste trabalho descreve-se um surto de FCM em uma propriedade situada no município de Limoeiro, Agreste de Pernambuco. O rebanho era formado principalmente por ovinos da raça Santa Inês, composto por 140 animais em diferentes fases de criação, além de um lote de 40 bovinos mestiços da raça nelore criados sob regime semiextensivo. Três bovinos apresentaram sinais clínicos que consistiam principalmente em opacidade bilateral das córneas, sialorreia, úlceras cutâneas na face, mucosa oral, língua, espaços interdigitais e regiões abdominal e lombar. As fezes eram líquidas, de coloração enegrecida e odor fétido. Os achados microscópicos consistiram principalmente em vasculite com infiltrado inflamatório em vários tecidos, tais como rins, abomaso, língua e em vasos da rete mirabile carotídea. Foi realizada a análise de nPCR em amostras de tecido, onde houve amplificação no tecido nervoso de herpesvírus ovino tipo 2. Este trabalho confirma a importância da FCM para o rebanho de bovinos da região, sobretudo em criações consorciadas com ovinos, e evidencia a necessidade da realização de investigações epidemiológicas para o diagnóstico onde a doença não foi confirmada em Pernambuco.Palavras-Chave: herpesvirus; vasculite; bovino. AbstractMalignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is an infectious viral disease of cattle and the etiological agent is ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OHV-2). In northeastern Brazil, the disease has been underreported. This work aims to describe an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever in a flock of cattle in the municipality of Limoeiro, in the Agreste of Pernambuco. The herd consisted mainly of 140 Santa Inês sheep of different ages and a lot of 40 crossbred Nelore cattle raised in semi-extensive management. Three cattle presented clinical signs consisting mainly in bilateral opacity of the corneas, sialorrhea, skin ulcers on the face, oral mucosa, tongue, interdigital spaces and abdominal and lumbar regions. The faeces were liquid, blackened and had fetid odor. Microscopic lesions consisted of vasculitis of various tissues, such as kidneys, abomasum, tongue, and vessels of the rete mirabile. nPCR analysis was performed and there was amplification of OHV-2 from central nervous system samples. This work confirms the importance of FCM for cattle herds in the region, especially in intercropping with sheep, and evidences the need to carry out epidemiological investigations for diagnosis where the disease was not confirmed in Pernambuco.