The main clinical, anatomopathological, and molecular aspects of the infection by Leishmania infantum are described in two cats with multicentric cutaneous, nodular, and ulcerated lesions. The animals were submitted to a clinical examination, followed by serological, molecular and parasitological exams, with culture and isolation of the parasite, and subsequent isoenzymatic characterization. The animals were euthanized and necropsied. Case 1 was an adult, female, mixed-bred stray cat. Case 2 was an adult, male, mixed-bred and domiciled cat. Both were positive for the presence of anti-L. infantum antibodies. In the cytology of the cutaneous nodules and lymph nodes, amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. could be visualized, free and in the interior of the macrophages. In the histopathology, the lesions were characterized by nodular granulomatous and/or ulcerative dermatitis, associated to amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. By means of the polymerase chain reaction, the sequence of the L. infantum kDNA minicircle was amplified. It is concluded that the infection by L. infantum occurs in cats in the State of Paraíba, Northeast region of Brazil and the need to understand the immunological profile of the visceral leishmaniasis in the feline population is highlighted with aimed at the control measures in public health.

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This study reports the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings from two cases of systemic toxoplasmosis in pigs showing apathy and dyspnea. In the post-mortem examination, severe diffuse necrotizing bronchointerstitial pneumonia with numerous intralesional tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii was observed. The lungs had not collapsed but were diffusely reddened, and the parenchyma showed friable whitish subpleural nodules with multifocal to coalescent distribution and diameters of 0.5-1.0 cm. The histopathological findings comprised mononuclear inflammation and multifocal areas of necrosis in alveolar septa (cases 1 and 2). In addition, esophagitis and ulcerations in the mucosa of the stomach and the small and large intestines were observed (case 1). Immunohistochemical analysis using anti-T. gondii antibodies on lung tissue in both cases revealed strong immunolabeling of free tachyzoites and tachyzoites in the cytoplasm of histiocytes and in cysts. Nested PCR targeting a 155-bp fragment of the B1 gene of T. gondii was positive for the DNA extracted from lung fragments from the two pigs. Genotyping of the samples by means of PCR-RFLP (10 markers) and by means of microsatellites (15 of them) revealed that these animals were infected with T. gondii that was molecularly characterized as the non-archetypal genotype Chinese 1. This presents worldwide circulation, but it had not previously been described in Brazil. The microsatellite analysis showed that the animals were infected with the same T. gondii isolate circulating in the environment.

BACKGROUND: Bone cements aid in bone regeneration; however, if the handling time is not well established for the material to harden, complications may arise. OBJECTIVE: This work investigates the effect of using polyethylene glycol (PEG) and characterize it in brushite bone cement in order to obtain desirable handling times as well as its regeneration in vivo to analyse if addition of this polymer may significantly modify its properties. METHODS: PEG 4000 was synthesised with wollastonite by phosphorization reaction in order to form brushite which was further cured by oven drying. They were further characterised and tested in vivo as tibial bone defect model using rabbits. RESULTS: Addition of PEG exhibited handling times of 60 min with a low increase in temperature when curing. Brushite phase of ∼71% was obtained after cement hardening with good compressive strength (25 MPa) and decent values of porosity (33%). In vivo presented that, at 40 days postoperatively, accelerated bone neoformation with partial consolidation at 30 days and total after 60 days when using bone cement. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of PEG does not disrupt the beneficial properties of the bone cement and can be a potential alternative for control the time-temperature profile of hardening these materials.

RESUMO: São descritas doenças do sistema nervoso central (SNC) em cães diagnosticadas no sertão da Paraíba. Os registros de necropsia de 1.205 cães foram revisados. Em 354 casos (29,38%) foram registrados história clínica de alterações do sistema nervoso. Duzentos e noventa e seis casos tiveram diagnóstico definitivo e 58 foram inconclusivos. As doenças infecciosas foram observadas em 59,60% (211/354) de casos que representam a principal causa de distúrbios neurológicos; 53% dos casos (186/354) foram representadas por doenças virais; 3,11% (11/354) foram de etiologia parasitária, 2,54% (9/354) foram causadas por bactérias e 1,41% (5/354) por fungos. Os agentes físicos representaram a segunda causa mais importante de transtornos do SNC com 9,89% (35/354) e os tumores a terceira causa com 5,93% (21/354). Outras alterações pouco frequentes foram alterações metabólicas secundárias a insuficiência hepática ou renal, representando 2,54% (9/354). Casos raros de hidrocefalia congênita foram observados, 1,41% (5/354). Os casos de manifestações neurológicas associadas a alterações vasculares, degenerativas e inflamatórias não infecciosas, muitas das quais uma causa específica não foi estabelecida representaram 4,24% (15/354); Estavam dentro das seguintes categorias de doenças: Infartos isquêmicos e hemorrágicos (6/15), necrose vascular fibrinoide (5/15), doença do disco intervertebral (2/15), meningoencefalite granulomatosa (1/15) e granuloma de colesterol (1/15). Os distúrbios do sistema nervoso central representam uma importante causa de morte ou eutanásia em cães na região semiárida da Paraíba. Os sinais clínicos variaram de acordo com o agente envolvido, localização e distribuição das lesões. O conhecimento dos principais agentes que pode afetar o SNC canino é importante ao fazer uma lista de diagnóstico diferencial.