Mycoplasma suis is a bacterium that causes hemoplasmosis in pigs. This agent is capable of adhering to the surface of porcine erythrocytes, inducing structural changes on these cells. In Brazil, there are few reports about the disease, its causal agent, and the economic impact of this pathogen on pig production systems and farm sanitation. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of M. suis in extensive swine farms located in the counties of Itapecuru Mirim, Santa Rita and Rosario, State of Maranhão, northeast Brazil. For such purpose, 64 blood samples of pigs from these facilities were tested for M. suis using a 16S rRNA gene-based quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR); 82.3%, 65.2% and 25% of blood samples of swine from farms in the cities of Itapecuru Mirim, Santa Rita and Rosario were positive for M. suis by qPCR, respectively. This study shows, for the first time, that M. suis circulates in pig populations from the state of Maranhão, Northeast Brazil.

Anaplasma marginale is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium found in ruminants’ erythrocytes and is the etiological agent of bovine anaplasmosis. The bacterium’s genetic diversity has been characterized based on sequences of major surface proteins (MSPs), such as MSP1α. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity of A. marginale in cattle in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. To this end, 343 blood samples were harvested and subjected to iELISA assays using the recombinant surface protein MSP5. Out of 343 blood samples, 235 (68.5%) were randomly chosen and submitted to DNA extraction, qPCR and conventional PCR targeting the msp1α gene to determine amino acid sequences and classify the genotypes. The iELISA results showed 81.34% seropositivity (279/343), whereas qPCR revealed 224 positive samples (95.32%). Among these qPCR-positive samples, 67.4% (151/224) were also positive in the cPCR. Among the 50 obtained sequences, 21 strains had not been previously reported. Regarding the genotypes, H (26/50) and E (18/50) were identified most often, while genotypes F and C were only identified twice each and B and G once each. In conclusion, high prevalence and genetic diversity for A. marginale were observed in dairy cattle herds in the state of Maranhão.

Enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) is a chronic viral disease of wide distribution in cattle herds and may take several years for the first manifestation of clinical signs. Most animals do not present clinical signs. However, the economic losses are underestimated due to this disease. Thus, this work aimed to detect and characterize BLV in dairy cattle in the Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 176 animals from 8 municipalities in the southeastern state of Maranhão. Bovine blood samples were subjected to DNA extraction and molecular diagnosis using nested PCR assays for BLV, targeting gp51 gene. Positive samples were then sequenced and then subjected to phylogenetic inferences. BLV DNA was detected in 16 cattle (16/176, 9.09%) in 4 municipalities. Phylogenetic analyzes showed that the sequence obtained clustered in a clade containing BLV sequences classified as genotype 6, with a high degree of support. Our data shows BLV occurrence in the Northeast of Brazil and the identification of genotype 6 in this region. These findings contribute to the molecular epidemiology of this agent in Brazil.