Outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis in large multi-age egg layer chicken flocks in Minas Gerais, Brazil

A recent (November 2010) outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) in a multi-age laying hen facility in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, is described. Previous ILT outbreak in laying hens was only notified in São Paulo state, Brazil, in 2002. In the outbreak described here, the affected population was approximately eight million hens, with flock sizes ranging from 100,000 to 2,900,000 chickens. The average mortality ranged from 1 to 6%, and morbidity was around 90% (most of the twenty seven farms of the area were positive for ILT virus). Three multi-age laying farms from one company were selected for this report. Clinical signs included prostration, dyspnea, conjunctivitis, occasional swelling of the paranasal sinuses and bloody mucous nasal discharge. Severely affected chickens presented with dyspnea, gasping and became cyanotic before death. At necropsy, these chickens had fibrinous exudate blocking the larynx and the lumen of cranial part of the trachea. In addition, conjunctivitis with intense hyperemia, edema and sinuses with caseous exudate were present. On histopathology, there were marked necrosis and desquamation of respiratory ephitelium and conjunctiva with numerous syncytial cells formation and fibrinous exudate. Moderate to marked non suppurative (especially lymphocytes and plasma cells) infiltration in the lamina propria also was observed. Sixteen out of 20 examined chickens, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in the syncytial cells. The DNA extracted from larynx and trachea produced positive PCR results for ILT virus (ILTV) DNA using formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples. Amplicons from a small region of ICP4 gene were submitted to sequencing and showed 100% identity with ILTV EU104910.1 (USA strain), 99% with ILTV JN596963.1 (Australian strain) and 91% with ILTV JN580316.1 (Gallid herpesvirus 1 CEO vaccine strain) and JN580315.1 (Gallid herpesvirus 1 TCO vaccine strain)

Carcinoma hepatocelular metastático em Jaguatirica (Leopardus pardalis )

RESUMO: O carcinoma hepatocelular (CHC) é uma neoplasia rara nos animais domésticos e em espécies selvagens foi relatado somente em antílopes, veado, cães da pradaria e furões, mas não existem relatos em Leopardus pardalis (jaguatirica). Este trabalho descreve um caso de carcinoma hepatocelular metastático em uma fêmea felina de aproximadamente 18 anos de idade, da espécie Leopardus pardalis, proveniente do Parque Zoobotânico de Teresina-PI, com histórico de anorexia, apatia e evolução ao óbito que foi encaminhada ao Setor de Patologia Animal da Universidade Federal do Piauí para exame anatomopatológico. À necropsia foram observadas duas nodulações de aproximadamente 8,0cm de diâmetro no fígado, de coloração variando da brancacenta ao vermelhado claro, amarelada a vermelho escuro, subdivididas em lóbulos por tecido conjuntivo. No pâncreas foram observadas múltiplas nodulações de aproximadamente 1,0 cm de diâmetro, com superfície lisa, consistência firme, coloração vermelho-amarelada. A superfície de corte dos rins também apresentava várias nodulações milimétricas de distribuição multifocal, na região córtico-medular, consistência firme, coloração branco-acinzentada ou amarelada, sugerindo metástase. Os fragmentos das lesões de fígado foram coletados e no exame microscópico observaram-se proliferação de hepatócitos em cordões bem diferenciados, formando trabéculas com espessura de três ou mais células. Os hepatócitos apresentavam-se volumosos, pleomórficos, com citoplasma eosinofílico. Na coloração com PAS constataram-se, regularmente, acúmulo de glicogênio nos hepatócitos neoplásicos. A confirmação foi feita pela técnica de imunoistoquímica, utilizando-se anticorpo monoclonal (Hepatocyte Specific Antigen). Os achados anatomohistopatológicos, e o auxilio da imunoistoquímica permitiram concluir pelo diagnóstico de hepatocarcinoma trabecular metastático em Leopardus pardalis criado em cativeiro

Babesiosis and anaplasmosis in dairy cattle in Northeastern Brazil

The goal of this study was to characterize the epidemiological situation and the factors involved in the prevalence of babesiosis and anaplasmosis in cattle in the dairy basin of Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. The study was conducted in 22 farms, and collected blood samples from 202 cattle to study serological, molecular and determination of the packed cell volume (PCV). On the farms were applied surveys involving epidemiological aspects. Seroprevalence rates were: Babesia bigemina 52.5%, B. bovis 68.8%, and Anaplasma marginale 89.1%. Of the samples analyzed, 73.3% were reactive for Babesia spp. and A. marginale, showing co-infection. In PCR, B. bigemina and B. bovis were positive in 52.0% and 33.2% respectively, and A. marginale in 76.2%. Of these, 51.5% amplified DNA of Babesia spp. and A. marginale. The semi-intensive management predominated in 68.0% of the farms studied. The clinical history of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, was reported from 73% of the farms. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between age groups and for the PCV of positive compared with negative animals. The study indicates that in this region is enzootic instability for babesiosis and enzootic stability for anaplasmosis, reinforcing the fact that in Brazil there are areas of enzootic instability, even in tropical regions of the country. The PCR technique was a valuable tool for the diagnosis of these diseases and may be used to characterize a geographic region