EFFECT OF FOOD PROCESSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PACAMÃ FINGERLINGS (Lophiosilurus alexandri)

Although pacamã (Lophiosilurus alexandri), a fish species native to Brazil, is suitable for farming, it has been little investigated. The present experiment evaluates the effect of food processing on the performance and survival rate of pacamã fingerlings. An experiment in a completely randomized design was carried out with 48 pacamã fingerlings aged 45 days and weighing 1.94 ± 0.01 g. Fingerlings were assigned to three treatments with four repetitions. Each aquarium containing four fingerlings was considered one experimental unit. Fingerlings were submitted to feed treatments with 47.5% crude protein processed in bran, micro-pellet, and moist forms. The average final weight and apparent feed conversion were significantly (P0.01) affected by food processing. Pacamã fingerlings that fed on moist food performed the best, such that moist food rather than bran or micro-pellet forms is recommended

OCCURRENCE OF Cryptosporidum sp IN SINANTROPIC Rattus (FISCHER, 1803) AND Mus (LINNAEUS, 1758) CAPTURED IN THE URBAN AREA OF UMUARAMA, PR, BRAZIL

Sinantropic rodents, mainly of the genus Rattus and Mus, can be used as indicators of environmental contamination by Cryptosporidium oocysts, responsible for high rates of infection in humans and animals, and for economic losses and poor health of individuals. In this work, in order to measure the frequency of Cryptosporidium in rodents in the urban area of Umuarama, PR, fecal samples of these animals were collected and analyzed using the Kinyoun staining method to determine the absolute and relative frequency of the parasite. From 50 samples collected, 26 showed rounded reddish structures, with the presence of parasitic forms inside, compatible with oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. Higher frequency (P-value 0.05) is found in Rattus, with no difference between sexes and origin of animals. The measurement of oocysts suggests the occurrence of zoonotic species Criptosporidium parvum

EDITORIAL

Editoria

Efeito da carência de proteínas e vitaminas do complexo B sobre aspectos morfoquantitativos do plexo mioentérico do colo ascendente de ratos adultos

O objetivo deste estudo foi estudar os efeitos da desnutrio protica e da carncia de vitaminas do complexo Bsobre o plexo mioentrico do colo ascendente de Rattus norvegicus. Vinte ratos foram divididos em dois grupos, sendo que,para um dos grupos foi oferecida rao com teor protico de 22% (controle) e, para outro, rao com teor protico de 8% commenor teor de vitaminas do complexo B, durante 120 dias. Coramos os preparados de membrana do colo ascendente pelomtodo de Giemsa e pela tcnica da NADH-diaforase. Os ratos desnutridos apresentaram peso corporal 14,8% menor queo grupo controle, mdia da rea do colo 54,2% menor, e a mdia da densidade neuronal foi 26,7% maior com a tcnica deGiemsa e 27% com a tcnica da NADH-diaforase. Como a reduo da rea no foi acompanhada por um aumento inversamenteproporcional na densidade de neurnios, sugere-se que a condio imposta causou perda de neurnios mioentricos

EDITORIAL

Editoria

ISOLATION OF Cryptococcus spp. IN EXCREMENTS OF PIGEONS (Columba sp.) IN THE MARINGÁ CITY, PR, BRAZIL

The Cryptococcus genus is composed by 37 different species, however, the C. gattii and C. neoformans are the two most concerning species once they cause deep mycosis in humans. In this way, the present study had as aim to perform an analysis in droppings of pigeon (Columba sp.) from the city of Maring, PR, in order to verify the presence of suggestive yeast forms of Cryptococcus spp. For this study 70 samples of pigeon excrements were evaluated which were collected in 7 different sites. These samples were submitted to the tests of thermotolerance at 37C, urease, phenoloxidase activity and direct exam with China ink preparation. The results show that the pigeon droppings of 5,7% of the studied samples presented suggestive yeast forms of Cryptococcus spp. These results are relevant due to the positive samples are from the sites with a higher possibility of immunocompromised individuals flow, who are more up to have the most severe kinds of the disease caused by this fungi

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND KNOWLEDGE GAPS CONCERNING CHAGAS DISEASE IN INTERRUPTED VECTOR-BORNE TRANSMISSION AREA

Aiming to verify gaps in the conduct and knowledge of health professionals concerning Chagas disease in Maring and Paiandu, Paran State, Brazil, from September/2004 to July/2005. The participants were chosen by systematic sampling. A total of 487 professionals, consisting of 75 physicians, 75 nurses, 150 nursing assistants and 187 community health agents (CHA), were interviewed using two semi-structured questionnaires, one created for the physicians and another for the nurses, nursing assistants and health agents. A considerable percentage of professionals from all categories demonstrated doubts about treatment, mechanisms of transmission, recognition of the triatomines and the sending of official notification of the presence of insects, tests for diagnosis confirmation, etiologic treatment, and the prognosis of the disease. Doubts arose more frequently among the CHA, who are the main link between patients and basic health units. In order to maintain the current state of disease control and provide appropriate treatment for those already infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, it is necessary to invest in epidemiological surveillance, education and to have duly capable and qualified health professionals

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF Brunfelsia uniflora LEAF EXTRACT

Finding bioactive compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity from natural sources has been a challenge., mainly due to the increase in microbial resistance. This study aimed at prospecting the main classes of secondary metabolites and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Brunfelsia uniflora leaf extract. The ethanolic extract was obtained by dynamic maceration with solvent, and the antioxidant activity was analyzed using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans by broth microdilution method. The phytochemical analysis of B. uniflora leaf extract showed the presence of saponins, tannins and alkaloids. The extract presented minimum inhibitory concentration of 62.5 mg/mL for E. coli. The 1.49 mg/mL extract concentration inhibited 50% of free radicals in the DPPH solution at 60 µM. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of this plant extract were the basis of studies to develop applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries

TRYPANOSOMATIDS IN PHYLLOSTOMIDS (CHIROPTERA, PHYLLOSTOMIDAE) FROM PEROBAS BIOLOGICAL RESERVE, PARANÁ, BRAZIL

The family Trypanosomatidae reunites a great number of species which parasite several organisms, among them, chiropterans, which may act as reservoirs. The present study aimed at demonstrating the occurrence of trypanosomatids in the blood of phyllostomids from Perobas Biological Reserve, Paran, Brazil. The capture of the animals was performed with the aid of mist nets in July and August, 2008. The bats were contained manually and for the parasite analysis, a small drop of blood was collected in order to prepare imprint samples which were fixed in absolute methanol. In the laboratory, the slides were stained by the method of Giemsa, observed and photographed with the aid of a light microscope. Fifteen positive results were found out of 33 animals captured. Five of the species captured, Artibeus lituratus, Artibeus fimbriatus, Artibeus planirostris, Artibeus obscurus and Sturnira lilium presented trypanosomatids. Only two species did not have positive slides, Carollia perspicillata and Pygoderma bilabiatum. The species with positive slides have a diversified diet, including the ingestion of insects, which may facilitate the infection. These results contribute with information about the occurrence of these blood parasites in bats since studies about the subject in Brazil are scarce