Considerando a necessidade do conhecimento da cisticercose bovina e do aperfeiçoamento dos métodos de diagnóstico desta doença, objetivou-se verificar a ocorrência do Cysticercus bovis nos diversos locais anatômicos, tais como: cabeça, coração, esôfago, diafragma, língua, fígado e carcaça, examinados pelo Serviço de Inspeção Federal. O diagnóstico foi feito por macroscopia, microscopia e PCR com extração de DNA por fervura para a identificação do metacestóide. Dos 22043 bovinos abatidos, 713 (3,23%) estavam infectados. O coração foi o sítio anatômico mais afetado, com 1,90% (420/22043), seguido da cabeça, 1,11% (245/22043), do esôfago, 0,08% (18/22043), da carcaça, 0,07% (15/22043), do diafragma, 0,03% (7/22043), do fígado, 0,02% (5/22043) e da língua, 0,01% (3/22043). Dos cistos obtidos, 58,35% (416/713) estavam mortos e 41,65% (297/713), vivos. As diferenças entre os sítios anatômicos e a condição morfológica dos cistos foram significativas (p < 0,05). Dos 416 cistos mortos, 253 foram examinados por apresentarem características de: lesões nodulares firmes, brancacentas, com material amarelado, por vezes com aspecto calcário, no interior. O exame microscópico revelou granulomas comumente representados por centro necrótico e/ou mineralizado, envolto por histiócitos dispostos em paliçada, células gigantes multinucleadas, infiltrado misto, predominantemente de mononucleares, e fibrose. Por vezes, a periferia das lesões tinha características de tecido de granulação e mineralização em forma de lâminas lineares. Os restos parasitários foram identificados como um material hialino acelular, contendo elementos ovais e circulares, basofílicos, acidófilos e incolores, denominados corpúsculos calcários. Em algumas lesões foram observados raros corpúsculos, dispersos na reação inflamatória. Nódulos fibrosos, ricos em infiltrado linfóide ou crônico ativos, foram frequentemente visualizados. Dos cistos vivos examinados, 65% (13/20) foram positivos para C. bovis , confirmando o diagnóstico ambulatorial e a eficácia do método de PCR utilizado. Em virtude da positividade observada para C. bovis nos exames histopatológico e PCR, particularmente em fígado e esôfago, sugere-se que seja reformulado o artigo 176 do Regulamento de Inspeção Industrial e Sanitária de Produtos de Origem Animal, incluindo estes locais na rotina de inspeção nos matadouros.

(1) Background: Dogs are known as hosts of Leptospira interrogans and can spread this bacterium to the environment. Although Canicola is responsible for determining chronic disease in dogs, when affected by incidental serogroups such as Icterohaemorrhagiae, acute disease may occur with a predominance of clinical signs with hepatic and renal changes. In endemic areas, it is a serious public health problem. Thus, this study aims to estimate the incidence and duration of elimination of leptospires in the urine of dogs, taking another step from a previous study of our group, by a longitudinal, long-term and molecular approach. (2) Methods: A total of 125 dogs without apparent symptoms of leptospirosis were included in the study. The dogs were all PCR-negative and seronegative at the beginning of the study. Blood samples were collected for hematological examinations and urine for amplification of the lipL32 gene by PCR at five different time points during one year. (3) Results: Out of the 125 dogs, 62 became lipL32 PCR-positive (48.8% (95% CI, 47.9–49.7%)) at some point during the study, distributed as follows: at day 0, all negative; day 90, 18/125 (14.4% (95% CI, 13.5–15.3%)); day 180, 18/125 (14.4% (95% CI, 13.5–15.3%)); day 270, 12/125 (9.6% (95% CI, 8.7–10.5%)); and day 365, 14/125 (11.2% (95% CI, 10.3–12.1%)). Out of the 62 amplicons, 22 were sequenced, targeting a short region of secY gene. Of these, 20 (90.9%) were identical to the L. interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, while two (9.1%) were Leptospira noguchii. (4) Conclusions: The fact that the leptospires of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup were characterized was unexpected, since the animals remained clinically asymptomatic during the study. The fact that asymptomatic dogs shed leptospires is not new, but the extent of this fact and the characterized strain is impressive, with an impact on public health that cannot be overlooked.

ResumoForam estudados, através da técnica de Santos e do fatiamento, 240 corações de bovinos adquiridos em açougues da cidade de Nova Friburgo, RJ, com o objetivo de caracterizar as lesões inflamatórias. Amostras com e sem lesões aparentes, do tipo cística, nodular ou difusa, focais, esbranquiçadas e/ou amareladas, fixadas em formol a 10%, foram processadas pela técnica habitual de inclusão em parafina e coradas pela hematoxilina-eosina (HE). Foram observadas lesões císticas por Cysticercus bovis vivo e, nodulares, por morto, sendo este último preponderante. O exame microscópico dos cisticercos mortos revelou, de uma forma geral, lesões granulomatosas centralizadas por material caseoso e/ou calcário, células gigantes multinucleadas, histiócitos em paliçada, infiltrado misto, predominantemente de mononucleares, envoltos por cápsula fibrosa que, por vezes, continha áreas mineralizadas. Rara foi a observação dos corpúsculos calcários. Miocardites inespecíficas multifocais, compostas por elementos celulares mononucleares, associando-se, por vezes, à infiltração gordurosa e fibrose dissociando as miofibras, estiveram presentes em amostras com e sem lesões visíveis, sendo encontradas freqüentemente ao redor de cistos de Sarcocystis sp. Digno de nota foi a intensidade da infecção, impressionante em algumas amostras, e a presença conspícua destes microcistos nas fibras de Purkinje.Palavras-chave: bovino, Cysticercus bovis, Sarcocystis sp., coração, miocardite, inspeção sanitária. AbstractAiming the characterization of inflammatory lesions, 240 bovine hearts were examined using the Santos and slicing techniques. The hearts were obtained at local butcher shop in Nova Friburgo/RJ city. Samples with and without visible lesions, such as cysts, nodules or diffuse, focal, whitish ones, fixed in 10% formalin were submitted for histological examination, being routinely processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Cysticerci was found in viable and degenerated condition, being the last one predominant. In a general way, the histological exam of the degenerate cysticerci revealed granulomatous lesions, whose centers were characterized by caseous and/or calcareous material, multinucleate giant cells, histiocytes in palisade and infiltrated composed predominantly of lymphoid cells, wrapped up by a fibrous capsule that, some times, contained mineralized areas. Calcareous corpuscles were rare. Foci of non specific myocarditis associated, in some cases, to the fatty and fibrous infiltration, were observed in samples with or without macroscopic lesions and frequently they appeared surrounding the cysts of Sarcocystis sp. In general, it were remarkable the infection degree and the conspicuous presence of such cysts in the Purkinje fibers.Keywords: bovine, Cysticercus bovis, Sarcocystis sp., heart, myocarditis sanitary inspection. IntroduçãoAs moléstias inflamatórias do miocárdio comumente são infecciosas. Contudo, existem relatos cuja patogênese permanece obscura, como por exemplo, áreas focais de miocardite, necrose e fibrose ...

Several traits make stingless bees attractive to parasites of honey bee colonies. The small hive beetle (SHB) Aethina tumida, a honey bee colony scavenger/parasite native to sub-Saharan Africa, where is considered only a minor pest, is now present on almost all continents, including the Latin America region in South America. SHB has been recorded in Brazil since 2016 in Africanized honey bees and generaly the beetle does not seem cause negative impacts. European honey bees, on the other hand, suffer considerable damage when parasitized by SHB, suggesting a potential threat to other susceptible social bees. The present study reports the first occurrence of SHB in stingless bees in Brazil, and is an alert to authorities and stingless beekeepers to prevent infestations.

(1) Background: Vaccination of dogs against leptospirosis is of paramount importance, as they ideally must provide not only long-term protection, but also against the renal carrier state of leptospires. This study assessed the post-vaccine humoral response against Leptospira in naturally exposed dogs and effects on renal carrier status. (2) Methods: A total of 118 dogs were studied for 365 days, separated into Group A (vaccinated, n = 94) and Group B (non-vaccinated, n = 24). Group A was subdivided into three groups: A1 with 32 dogs immunized with the vaccine #1; A2 by 32 dogs with #2; and A3 30 dogs with #3. Serology (MAT and IgG-ELISA) and urinary PCR were conducted. (3) Results: Seroreactivity increased at D15 post-vaccination and, regardless of vaccine brand, remained high up to D180, with antibody switch to IgG after D30. A total of 46.8% of animals from Group A were PCR-positive at least once, in contrast to 75% in Group B, regardless of vaccine brand (p < 0.05; OR: 0.3). (4) Conclusions: All commercial vaccines succeeded at eliciting a long-term IgG-based response and were partially effective at protecting against kidney infection.