As leishmanioses são zoonoses em expansão no Brasil, tendo o cão importância na transmissão e dispersão da doença, principalmente em áreas de leishmaniose visceral. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a soroprevalência de leishmaniose em cães domiciliados na zona urbana de Cuiabá. Para a pesquisa foram selecionados quatro bairros de Cuiabá, sendo um em cada regional administrativa. A amostragem canina foi definida estatisticamente, considerando-se a prevalência de 8,4%. Dos 468 cães analisados, 16 foram reagentes na imunofluorescência indireta, obtendo-se uma prevalência geral de 3,4%. Não foi observada predisposição racial, sexual e etária para a ocorrência da leishmaniose canina. Os principais fatores de risco identificados na ocorrência da infecção canina na Cidade de Cuiabá, foram a localização dos cães no peridomicílio, bem como a proximidade das residências de matas, evidenciando mudanças na ocorrência da doença no ambiente urbano.

In Brazil, although the domestic dog is a major target for the control actions for visceral leishmaniasis, knowledge gaps of the Leishmania species present in those animals still exist in many endemic areas. The objective of this study was the use of parasitological culture as a diagnosis tool and identification of species of Leishmania and other trypanosomatids in the canine population in the city of Cuiaba/Mato Grosso. Biological samples such as blood, intact skin fragments, cutaneous ulcers, and bone marrow were collected during a cross-sectional study and cultured on biphasic medium (Novy-MacNeil-Nicolle [NNN]/Schneider's). Leishmania isolates were characterized through isoenzyme electrophoresis. Isolates were obtained from 11.2% (n=54) of the 482 animals studied considering the different anatomical sites investigated. Leishmania chagasi was confirmed in 8.3% (n=40) dogs and Trypanosoma caninum in 2.9% (n=14). The sample of intact skin presented a higher chance of isolation of L. chagasi in symptomatic dogs and bone marrow in asymptomatic dogs (p<0.05). The results presented in this study emphasize the value of culture and confirm, for the first time, the circulation of L. chagasi in the canine population in different neighborhoods of the city of Cuiaba and broaden the knowledge of the geographical distribution of T. caninum in Brazil.

This report describes toxoplasmosis infection in a black-headed night monkey (Aotus nigriceps) from the Zoological Park of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The animal was submitted alive to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso presenting neurologic clinical signs. There were no improvements on the animal's clinical condition after treatment, so it was euthanized. At necropsy, the most significant gross lesions observed were hemorrhages diffusely scattered throughout the cerebral hemispheres. Histologic findings were characterized by nonsuppurative encephalitis and mild multifocal necrotizing nonsuppurative myocarditis. Groups of tachyzoites and cysts were observed surrounding the inflamed areas of cerebral parenchyma. Sections of the brain were submitted for immunohistochemistry examination for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum and also for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the presence of Toxoplasma gondii. The samples were positive for Toxoplasma gondii by PCR; however, cross reactivity was observed between Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum antibodies. These findings were consistent with a toxoplasmosis infection in this animal.

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Background: Poisoning of animals due to toxic plants is found in Brazil and other countries. One of the known toxic plants in Brazil, with the active ingredient sodium fluoroacetate (SF), is Palicourea marcgravii. Dehalogenases that inactivate the fluor-carbon bonds are enzymes found in microorganisms and may prevent intoxication. This study evaluated the occurrence of rumen microorganisms naturally resistant to SF.Materials, Methods & Results: Two samples of rumen fluid of cattle from the Experimental Farm of Federal University of Mato Grosso fed with Brachiaria sp. were obtained via fistula in flasks. An aliquot of 2 mL was placed in a microtube and centrifuged at 9000 g for 1 min. Then, the sample was inoculated into 2 tubes, one containing 100 µL of clarified rumen fluid in 2 mL of modified liquid culture medium (0.1% ammonium sulfate, 0.1% potassium phosphate monobasic, 0.05% sodium phosphate dibasic, 0.01% magnesium sulfate, 0.01% yeast extract, pH 7.0) and 0.4% of SF and the other sample containing 2 mL of liquid culture medium and 100 µL of clarified rumen fluid. The 2 samples were incubated at 40°C for 24 h. Dilutions were performed under the same conditions every 24 h until the attainment of microorganisms resistant to SF, and the finaldilution containing 50 µL of each sample was plated in the middle containing SF (0.4%) and incubated at 40°C for 24 h for the isolation of bacteria. The bacterial colonies resistant to SF were identified by morphological methods, stained, and subjected to DNA extraction sequencing using the universal primers 27f and 1492r (16S rDNA) for the identification of the bacterial genus using Blast DNA identity analysis. These bacteria were cultured with and without SF (0.4%), and the presence of fluoride ions was detected by an ion-selective electrode (fluoride) during incubation for 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. Two resistant microorganisms were isolated, one was a Gram-positive coccus and the other was a Gram-positive rod. DNA sequencing identified these organisms as Enterococcus faecalis (98% identity Genbank 1358689) and Bacillus sp. (89% identity Genbank 1358671). Fluoride ions were detected more at 60-min incubation time in both E. faecalis (0.0560 ppm) and Bacillus sp. (0.0488 ppm). Bioassay protection tests were performed in mice ofthe following four groups: negative control (NC) with saline administration, positive control (PC) with administration of plant containing SF, Bacillus group (BG) with administration of plant containing SF plus Bacillus sp., and coccus group (CG) with administration of SF and E. faecalis. Clinical signs were recorded, and statistical analyses were performed to confirm the differences in the groups. Bioassay protection tests showed clinical signs of intoxication in the PC group (83.3%), BG group (100%), and CG group (16.6%) but not in the NC group (0%), with a statistical difference between GC and PC groups (P < 0.05).Discussion: Several environmental bacteria possessing dehalogenase activity have been described, such as Pseudomonas sp., Moraxella sp., and Burkholderia sp. and Pigmentiphaga kullae and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus isolated from the rumen. No previous study has yet reported an association between dehalogenase activity and E. faecalis, and the protection assay has been observed only in the E. faecalis group. Similar results were observed in experimental intoxication in goats that had previously consumed SF, with the microorganisms identified being Pigmentiphaga kullae and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus. E. faecalis, isolated from the bovine rumen, exhibited a dehalogenase activity, which could help control animal poisoning by plants containing SF.