Palavras-chave: Hormônios (análise). Avestruzes (Struthio camelus). Radioimunoensaio (técnica).ABSTRACT SILVA, V. F. Hormonal levels and its correlation with behavior and sexual characteristics in male ostriches (Struthio camelus). [Níveis hormonais em avestruzes (Struthio camelus) machos e correlação com comportamento e características sexuais secundárias] 2008. 92 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Medicina Veterinária) -Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2008.The present study evaluated the levels of total serum testosterone and corticosterone in male ostriches and to correlate those values with the behavioral (degree of aggressiveness and presence or not of kantling) and the secondary sexual characteristics (cloacal size, type and intensity of the color of the peak and cinnamon) during the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons of these birds. Moreover, the circadian cycle of the hormones testosterone and corticosterone of two male ostriches in reproduction was described. The technique used for the hormonal assay was the radioimmunoassay, which was validated for the specie. During the period of observations and serum samples collection, differences (p<0,05) were found on color and serum levels of testosterone when comparing the reproductive and nonreproductive seasons (3.96 ± 0.11 vs. 3.06 ± 0. 36 and 173.48 ± 12.26 vs. 63.92 ± 14.75, respectively). Correlations were found between aggressiveness and cloacal size during the reproductive (r=0.18; p=0.04) and non-reproductive (r=0.38; p=0.03) seasons, coloration of peak and cinnamon and cloacal size during the reproductive (r=0.67; p<0.0001) and non-reproductive seasons (r=0.68; p<0.0001), levels of total serum testosterone and cloacal size during the reproductive (r=0.43; p<0.0001) and nonreproductive season (r=0.51; p=0.0028), serum levels of testosterone and coloration of cinnamon and peak during the reproductive (r=0.53; p<0.0001) and non-reproductive (r=0.72; p<0.0001). Also positive correlations were observed between kantling and aggressiveness in the reproductive period (r=0.29; p<0.0008), serum level of testosterone and corticosterone in the reproductive period (r=0.43; p<0.0015) and between kantling and color of cinnamon and peak in the non-reproductive period (r=0.36; p<0.04) for the ostriches of the experiment. In the second part of the experiment 30 male ostriches were classified in three levels (level 1 -birds with bigger cloacal size, bigger degree of aggressiveness and coloration; level 2 -birds with medium cloacal size, medium degree of aggressiveness and coloration; level 3 -birds with smaller cloacal size, smaller degree of aggressiveness and less intense coloration) and the total production of eggs, fertile eggs, infertile eggs, contaminated eggs, eggs with embryonic death and total living chicks. Birds from level 1 showed the best indexes for total egg production, fertile eggs and total living chicks in comparative to the birds of the level 3.The results of the present experiment indicated the e...

The aim of this study was to present and discuss the laboratory finding of Fusarium solani as opportunistic agent of invasive mycosis in chicks and eggs on an ostrich farm located in Cosmópolis (São Paulo, Brazil). Dyspnea and tachypnea were the main signs and symptoms presented by the chicks. Multiple whitish foci were found scattered over the chicks’ air sac membranes, lungs and livers and over the external membranes of the eggs. Fungal mycelia were observed in the air compartments of some of the eggs. An isolate purified from a lung culture was subsequently identified as Fusarium solani based on its morphological and molecular profiles. It was likely that the high humidity and temperature, as well as the matte paint that had been applied to the hatchery and birth room walls, provided conditions favoring fungal growth. Strict environmental sanitary measures are necessary to maintain microbial control. Uncommon fungi such as Fusarium solani must be considered as opportunistic pathogens in commercial ostrich culturing.