Prevalence and Clinical Aspects of Otodectes cynotis Infestation in Dogs and Cats in the Semi-arid Region of Paraíba, Brazil

Background: Infestation by Otodectes cynotis is one of the main causes of external otitis in small animals, causing great disconfort and predisposition to secondary bacterial or fungal infections, with relevant importance in the small animal medicine. In dogs, a small number of this parasite in the ears may cause inflammation, while in cats, otoacariasis accounts for half of the external otitis cases. Due to the insufficiency of data about the prevalence of this disease in the Northeast region of Brazil, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical aspects of O. cynotis in dogs and cats from the Semi-arid region of Paraíba, Brazil.Material, Methods & Results: The research was conducted in the municipality of Sousa, Paraíba State, Brazil. A total of 102 dogs and 152 cats had their external ear canals examined by bilateral otoscopy, using an otoscope with a veterinary cone that allows inspection of the external ear canal. Parasitological swabs were also used to determine the prevalence of parasitism by O. cynotis. Samples collected in swabs were stored in a 70% alcohol preservative solution and sent to the Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, in wich were examinated on direct research, using microscopes in the 10x objective (magnification of 100x). In all animals, clinical examinations were performed and their owners answered an epidemiological questionnaire to collect information about food and sanitary management. During the clinical examination, characteristics such as otopodal reflex, and the presence of pruritus and/or cerumen were also evaluated.  The prevalence of dogs and cats positive for O. cynotis was 33.3% (34/102) and 52.6% (80/152), respectively. Bilateral infestations occurred in 52.9% (18/34) of the positive dogs. Most of the positive animals showed evidence of the mite in both tests, Otoscopy + Swab (dogs: 58.8% - 20/34, cats: 66.2% - 53/80).Discussion: A high prevalence of O. cynotis infestation was observed in dogs (33.3%) and even higher prevalence in cats (52.6%), both are higher than it was expected. The diagnosis methods were effective for detecting infestation by this parasite, and the parasitological swab resulted in higher diagnosis rate than the otoscopy. The use of two diagnosis methods resulted in a greater number of positive diagnoses, explaining the high prevalence found in the present study. A higher prevalence was observed for animals that had contact with other animals. The direct form is the most accepted mode of transmission of Otodectes sp. and close confinement of animals was considered the main associated factor for frequent reinfestation by the mite.  For dogs, the presence of cerumen and pruritus were seen as O. cynotis infestation factors. Considering dogs, in the clinical examination, the presence of pruritus was significantly associated with the occurrence of parasitism. This association can be explained because O. cynotis is very active within the ear canals of parasitized animals, causing great annoyance and pruritus. No statistically significant risk factors were found for cats, but it was observed that adults had higher levels of infestation when compared to young cats, wich was not expected, as the literature commonly reports that young cats have higher levels of infestation. This can be explained by the confinement and the usual direct contact by different cats, increasing the occurrence of the parasite. In cats, the clinical examinations showed that the presence of otopodal reflex was significantly associated (p<0.2) with the parasitism occurrence (55.4%; 66/119). The evaluation of this reflex has been considered as one of the symptoms of otocariosis

Sepse: correlação dos achados laboratoriais e taxa de sobrevida de animais: Sepsis: correlation of laboratory findings and animal survival rate

A sepse tem se tornando um dos maiores desafios na medicina veterinária. A sepse é definida como uma disfunção orgânica decorrente de uma inadequada resposta imunológica frente a um agente infeccioso, ameaçando a vida do animal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a ocorrência das doenças de maior frequência que levaram os animais a sepse nos atendimentos realizados no Hospital Veterinário (HV) da Universidade Vila Velha (UVV), em Vila Velha/ Espírito Santo, Brasil, observando as alterações laboratoriais relacionadas à sepse e correlacionando com a expectativa de vida desses animais. Através de um estudo retrospectivo, houve o levantamento dos casos atendidos no período de agosto a dezembro de 2019. Os dados foram tabulados, e, analisados por software, utilizando nível de significância de 5%. As principais doenças que conduziram a sepse foram em ordem de frequência a erliquiose, piometra e gastroenterites; além disso, foi observado que os fatores influenciadores na sobrevida destes animais foram alteração nos valores de leucócitos totais (p=0,042) e a presença de azotemia (ureia p &lt;0,001 e creatinina p=0,003). Demonstrou-se assim, a importância dos achados laboratoriais em conjunto com as alterações clínicas, permitindo agilidade na identificação de um quadro em curso de síndrome da resposta inflamatória (SRIS)/Sepse

Sporotrichosis Outburst after Cancer Chemotherapy in a Dog

Background: Sporotrichosis is a dermatozoonosis that affects mammals in general, with the domestic feline (Felis catus) being the most epidemiologically important species. However, diagnosis of this disease in dogs is important considering the proximity with people and with other communicants. The epidemiology of sporotrichosis is already known in some states of Brazil, especially in the southeast region, but to the best of our knowledge there are no reports of sporotrichosis in non-human species in the state of Espírito Santo. This paper aimed at describing the first case of canine sporotrichosis in Espírito Santo, Brazil.Case: A 10 year-old Bull Terrier male dog was presented with nodular non-ulcerated lesions on the head and nodular ulcerated lesion on the nasal planum. The dog had a previous diagnosis of a low-grade mast cell tumour and palpebral melanoma. Mast cell tumour was treated with scrotum ablation (and orchiectomy) and bilateral inguinal lymph node removal, followed by chemotherapy with twelve intravenous infusion of vinblastine, along with prednisolone. Cutaneous lesions in the head and nasal planum appeared two months after finishing chemotherapy. At further anamnesis, the pet´s responsible reported that the dog had the habit of hunting cats that entered the residence, which raised the hypothesis of sporotrichosis. An undiagnostic cytology was performed, followed by a fungal culture, positive for Sporothrix schenckii. Treatment was then initiated with itraconazol (Oficial generic drug), at a dose of 10mg/kg/SID, until clinical remission, obtained after 60 days, maintaining it for 60 more days. Patient showed completed recovery, with no further complatints after a follow-up of more than 220 days.Discussion: Sporotrichosis is considered a rare disease in dogs, with isolated cases in the literature. The dog of the present report was diagnosed with sporotrichosis two months after the end of a chemotherapy treatment for a mast cell tumour. Therefore, it is suggested that the patient in this study was infected during an immunosuppressive phase. The same can occur with other immunosuppressive treatments, such as glucocorticoid, also included in the chemotherapy treatment of this patient, calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine) and mercaptopurine derivatives (azathioprine). Cytology is usually unconclusive for such lesions in dogs, once only a few yeast might be present. Nevertheless, the definitive diagnosis was obtained through fungal microculture. Treatment with itraconazol was successful but dogs might also present favorable responses to ioidine. Itraconazole is a fungistatic drug, fungicidal only in high doses. For this reason, if the fungistatic dose is not administered for sufficient time, recurrences may occur. In the last three years, Espirito Santo has become a new epidemiological scenario for sporotrichosis, and it is placed in the route of transmission, closely to Rio de Janeiro. Cats are the most affected animals and are commonly responsible for transmission to other species, including humans. The increase in cases of canine sporotrichosis requires its inclusion in the differential diagnosis of nodular-ulcerative lesions, along with cutaneous neoplasias and immune-mediated diseases

Nematicidal activity of Paecilomyces marquandii proteases on infective larvae of Ancylostoma spp

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the action of Paecilomyces marquandii proteases on Ancylostoma spp L3. White halos in the zymogram confirmed the proteolytic action. Difference (p <0.01) between the number of L3 in the differents groups was found, with 41.4% of reduction of Ancylostoma spp. L3 before 24 hours

Ação ovicida do extrato bruto enzimático do fungo Pochonia chlamydosporia sobre ovos de Ancylostoma sp

Ancylostoma sp é um geo-helminto potencialmente zoonótico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar in vitro a ação do extrato bruto enzimático de Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC4) sobre ovos de Ancylostoma sp, em meio ágar-água 2% e em cultura de fezes. Observou-se um percentual de redução na eclosão dos ovos de Ancylostoma sp, de 76,8% na placas de Petri do grupo tratado em relação ao grupo controle. O extrato bruto enzimático de Pochonia chlamydosporia foi eficiente na redução da eclosão dos ovos de Ancylostoma sp, podendo ser utilizado como controlador biológico desse nematoide.Ancylostoma sp is a potentially zoonotic geohelminth. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the action of crude enzyme extract of Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC4) on eggs of Ancylostoma sp in 2% water-agar and in fecal cultures. The percentage reduction in Ancylostoma sp egg eclosion was 76.8% in Petri dishes of the treated group compared to the control group. The crude enzyme extract of Pochonia chlamydosporia was effective at reducing Ancylostoma sp egg eclosion and can be used as biological control of this nematode

Avaliação do fungo Duddingtonia flagrans e hipoclorito de sódio a 5% sobre a eclodibilidade de ovos de ciatostomíneos

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar diferentes concentrações de conídios do fungo Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) e hipoclorito de sódio (NaOCl) a 5% (v/v) sob a eclosão de ovos de nematódeos gastrintestinais de equinos. Foram formados cinco grupos experimentais: Grupo 1 (3 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 2 (6 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 3 (9 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 4 (5 mL de hipoclorito de sódio 5% (v/v) + 20 g de fezes) e Grupo 5 (5 mL de água destilada + 20 g de fezes). Em seguida, as coproculturas foram incubadas por 10 dias no escuro 26 ± 1° a 2°C e, posteriormente, procedeu-se a recuperação de larvas infectantes (L3) de nematódeos por meio da técnica de Baermann. Ao final do período experimental, constatou-se a presença absoluta de L3 de nematódeos ciatostomíneos. Os resultados demonstraram que houve redução significativa (p&lt;0,01) na recuperação de L3 em todos os grupos tratados com o AC001 (G1, G2 e G3) e também com o hipoclorito de sódio a 5% (v/v) (G4) em relação ao grupo controle (G5). Notou-se que não houve diferença (p&gt;0,01) entre as três concentrações de conídios testadas nos grupos G2 e G3. Conclui-se que o fungo D. flagrans e o hipoclorito de sódio a 5% (v/v) foram eficientes na redução de L3 de nematódeos gastrintestinais nas coproculturas, podendo esse resultado ser utilizado em futuros delineamentos experimentais

Avaliação do fungo Duddingtonia flagrans e hipoclorito de sódio a 5% sobre a eclodibilidade de ovos de ciatostomíneos

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar diferentes concentrações de conídios do fungo Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) e hipoclorito de sódio (NaOCl) a 5% (v/v) sob a eclosão de ovos de nematódeos gastrintestinais de equinos. Foram formados cinco grupos experimentais: Grupo 1 (3 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 2 (6 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 3 (9 x 106 conídios de AC001 + 20 g de fezes), Grupo 4 (5 mL de hipoclorito de sódio 5% (v/v) + 20 g de fezes) e Grupo 5 (5 mL de água destilada + 20 g de fezes). Em seguida, as coproculturas foram incubadas por 10 dias no escuro 26 ± 1° a 2°C e, posteriormente, procedeu-se a recuperação de larvas infectantes (L3) de nematódeos por meio da técnica de Baermann. Ao final do período experimental, constatou-se a presença absoluta de L3 de nematódeos ciatostomíneos. Os resultados demonstraram que houve redução significativa (p0,01) entre as três concentrações de conídios testadas nos grupos G2 e G3. Conclui-se que o fungo D. flagrans e o hipoclorito de sódio a 5% (v/v) foram eficientes na redução de L3 de nematódeos gastrintestinais nas coproculturas, podendo esse resultado ser utilizado em futuros delineamentos experimentais