Papillomaviruses are small and complex viruses that belong to the Papillomaviridae family, which comprises 39 genera. The bovine papillomavirus (BPV) causes an infectious disease that is characterized by chronic and proliferative benign tumors that affect cattle worldwide. Different genotypes of BPVs can cause distinct skin and mucosal lesions and the immunity they raise has low cross-protection. This report aimed to genotype BPVs in cattle from Northern Brazil based on nucleotide partial sequences of the L1 ORF. Skin wart samples from 39 bovines clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as cutaneous papillomatosis from Acre and Rondônia States were analyzed. The results revealed four already reported BPV types (BPVs 1, 2, 11, and 13), nine putative new BPV subtypes and four putative new BPV types as well as two putative new BPV types that were already reported. To our knowledge, this is the first record of BPVs from the Brazilian Amazon region that identified new possible BPV types and subtypes circulating in this population. These findings point to the great genetic diversity of BPVs that are present in this region and highlight the importance of this knowledge before further studies about vaccination are attempted.

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The Rhipicephalus microplus tick is a notorious blood-feeding ectoparasite of livestock, especially cattle, responsible for massive losses in animal production. It is the main vector for transmission of pathogenic bacteria and parasites, including Babesia bovis, an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan protozoan parasite responsible for bovine Babesiosis. This study describes the development and testing of a live B. bovis vaccine expressing the protective tick antigen glutathione-S-transferase from Haemaphysalis longicornis (HlGST). The B. bovis S74-T3B parasites were electroporated with a plasmid containing the bidirectional Ef-1α (elongation factor 1 alpha) promoter of B. bovis controlling expression of two independent genes, the selectable marker GFP-BSD (green fluorescent protein–blasticidin deaminase), and HlGST fused to the MSA-1 (merozoite surface antigen 1) signal peptide from B. bovis. Electroporation followed by blasticidin selection resulted in the emergence of a mixed B. bovis transfected line (termed HlGST) in in vitro cultures, containing parasites with distinct patterns of insertion of both exogenous genes, either in or outside the Ef-1α locus. A B. bovis clonal line termed HlGST-Cln expressing intracellular GFP and HlGST in the surface of merozoites was then derived from the mixed parasite line HlGST using a fluorescent activated cell sorter. Two independent calf immunization trials were performed via intravenous inoculation of the HlGST-Cln and a previously described control consisting of an irrelevant transfected clonal line of B. bovis designated GFP-Cln. The control GFP-Cln line contains a copy of the GFP-BSD gene inserted into the Ef-1α locus of B. bovis in an identical fashion as the HIGST-Cln parasites. All animals inoculated with the HlGST-Cln and GFP-Cln transfected parasites developed mild babesiosis. Tick egg fertility and fully engorged female tick weight was reduced significantly in R. microplus feeding on HlGST-Cln-immunized calves. Collectively, these data show the efficacy of a transfected HlGST-Cln B. bovis parasite to induce detectable anti-glutathione-S-transferase antibodies and a reduction in tick size and fecundity of R. microplus feeding in experimentally inoculated animals.

Toxoplasmosis is a widely distributed disease that infects birds and mammals, including humans. Acute clinical course of toxoplasmosis is considered to be rare among domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The aim of this study was to present the first report of fatal acute disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii type BrIII genotype, a typical Brazilian clonal lineage, in a domestic rabbit. T. gondii was identified in histological sections of spleen and liver tissue, and these tissues were also immunohistochemically positive for T. gondii. After the histopathological and immunohistochemical confirmation of T. gondii, the genotype of this pathogen was determined via PCR-RFLP with 11 markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3) and via microsatellite (MS) analysis with 15 markers (TUB2, W35, TgMA, B18, B17, M33, IV.1, X1.1, M48, M102, N60, N82, AA, N61, and N83). This study shows that type BrIII genotype, circulating in Brazil in different hosts, can cause acute disease in a naturally infected animal host. The described case also involves the first reported occurrence of the 291 allele for the typing marker TUB2 in a type BrIII strain, emphasizing the genetic diversity of T. gondii in Brazil.

RESUMO:O parasitismo gastrintestinal é considerado o principal entrave na produção de pequenos ruminantes e a ocorrência de parasitos resistentes aos anti-helmínticos tem dificultado seu controle. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a sensibilidade de nematóides gastrintestinais ao levamisol, em rebanho ovino e caprino criados simultaneamente. Foram utilizados 28 caprinos da raça Bôer e 28 ovinos da raça Texel, naturalmente infectados. Ambas as espécies foram divididas em quatro grupos de sete animais: T1) tratados com 9 mg/kg de fosfato de LEV; T2) 6,75 mg/kg; T3) 4,5 mg/kg e T4) grupo controle, sem tratamento. Os animais foram avaliados durante 21 dias para a contagem de ovos por grama de fezes -OPG, coloração da mucosa ocular com o método FAMACHA, hematócrito e peso corporal. Nos ovinos, T1 e T2 foram considerados altamente eficazes (>95%) e o T3 obteve 86%, que é a dose terapêutica recomendada para ovinos. O LEV não tem indicação oficial para ser utilizado em caprinos e apresentou redução da OPG de 30, 11 e 4%, 14 dias após tratamento, comprovando sua ineficácia. As correlações entre os parâmetros avaliados nos ovinos, foram significativas (P<0,01), exceto FAMACHA e peso corporal. No caso dos caprinos, a correlação FAMACHA e hematócrito também não foi significativa. O principal parasito identificado nas coproculturas das duas espécies, realizadas antes e após os tratamentos foi Haemonchus contortus (>84%). Conclui-se que o LEV foi eficaz para ovinos, sendo dose-dependente. O LEV não pode ser considerado como um composto eficaz no controle de parasitos gastrintestinais em caprinos, possivelmente decorrente de alterações na cinética do produto por esta espécie animal quando comparado com ovinos, devendo ser desencorajado o seu uso. Palavras-chave: caprinos; ovinos; parasitas gastrintestinais EFFECTIVENESS OF PHOSPHATE LEVAMISOLE IN GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES OF GOATS AND SHEEPABSTRACT Gastrointestinal parasitism is considered the main obstacle in the production of small ruminants and the occurrence of parasites resistant to anthelmintics has delayed their control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of gastrointestinal nematodes to levamisole (LEV) in sheep and goat simultaneous-raised herds. We used 28 naturally infected Boer goats and 28 Texel sheep. Both species were divided into four groups of seven animals: T1) treated with 9 mg/kg of LEV phosphate, T2) 6.75 mg/kg; T3) 4.5 mg/kg and T4) control group, not treated. The animals were evaluated for 21 days for faecal egg count per gram of feces -EPG, color of the conjunctiva with the FAMACHA method, hematocrit and body weight. In sheep, the T1 and T2 were considered highly effective (> 95%) and T3 was 86%, which is the recommended therapeutic dose for sheep. The LEV has no official indication to be used in goats and showed a decreased on the EPG by 30, 11 and 4%, 14 days after treatment, demonstrating its ineffectiveness. The correlations between the parameters evaluated in sheep, were significant (P<0.01), except FAMACHA and body weight. ...