Educação ambiental e saúde pública: concepção de estudantes de ensino fundamental sobre as principais zoonoses: Environmental education and public health: conception of elementary students about the main zoonoses

Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar o conhecimento de alunos do Ensino Fundamental sobre as principais zoonoses urbanas, utilizando educação ambiental como ferramenta de ensino. O público-alvo nesta pesquisa foi uma turma contendo 17 discentes do 9° ano do ensino fundamental. Durante a primeira parte do estudo foi realizada uma entrevista estruturada por meio da aplicação de questionários, contendo 13 questões subjetivas e de múltipla escolha, para que os alunos tivessem liberdade para expressar seus conhecimentos acerca do tema zoonoses e saúde pública. Por fim, as dúvidas dos alunos foram sanadas por meio de palestra e roda de discussão. Constatou-se que a maioria dos alunos possuem pouco conhecimento sobre o conceito de zoonoses, bem como, os meios de transmissão, especialmente leishmaniose e toxoplasmose. Percebe-se que existe uma deficiência na educação básica no que diz respeito a este conteúdo. Os dados desta pesquisa poderão ser utilizados pelos órgãos municipais competentes para o delineamento de estratégias educativas, visando sanar estas deficiências. Consideramos que oficinas de educação ambiental, palestras, campanhas e distribuição de panfletos informativos são medidas de relevantes para divulgação de conhecimentos sobre as principais doenças causadas pelos animais e as medidas necessárias para a prevenção destas enfermidades

Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Pig

 Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignant neoplasm of epidermal cells that exhibits keratinocyte differentiation. These neoplasms are common in dogs, cats, horses, and cattle, relatively uncommon in sheep, and rarely affect goats and pigs. There are several factors that are associated with the development of SCC, including prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, lack of pigment in the epidermis, and sparse coating or lack of fur at the affected sites. The aim of this study was to report the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in a domestic pig.Case: A surgically removed nodule from the left ear of a female, light-colored, three-year-old pig, which breed was not defined, was submitted for histopathological analysis. The sample was fixed in 10% formalin, analyzed macroscopically, routinely processed for histology, sectioned at five microns and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Additionally, anticytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and anti-vimentin immunohistochemical assays were performed. All additional information was provided by the animal’s owner. According to the history obtained, the animal belonged to a herd made up of five females and one boar. For four months, multiple nodules started to grow on the outer surface of the pig’s ear and in many occasions exhibited ulceration and bleeding. One of the nodules was submitted for histopathology examination. Macroscopically it measured 3 cm in diameter, had an irregular and ulcerated surface, and a wide base. Cut surface had a firm consistency and whitish color. Microscopic examination revealed proliferation of neoplastic epithelial cells arranged in islands and trabeculae, with slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, pleomorphic, round, reniform nucleus, with loose chromatin and 1-3 nucleolus. Mitotic figures were infrequent. In the central area of the islands, there was individual cell keratinization. There was a moderate, fibrovascular supporting stroma with intense inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils. Anti-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) immunohistochemical assay (IHC) revealed a strong diffuse positive staining on the cytoplasm of tumoral epithelial cells, and anti-vimentin IHC showed positive staining on the supporting tissue cells (fibroblasts and endothelial cells).Discussion: The diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in this pig was based on clinical and pathological findings since it was observed proliferation of neoplastic epithelial cells often forming “keratin pearls” and immunohistochemistry positive for cytokeratin was immunostaining in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Information on the occurrence of SCC in pigs is scarce in the literature, especially in Brazil. In a survey of neoplasms in farm animals in Southern Rio Grande do Sul with cases from 1978 to 2002, neoplasms in pigs represented 0.6% of the diagnoses when compared to the number of neoplasms in cattle and horses. The low number of cases in this species is due to the fact that a large proportion of the population is slaughtered at a young age and therefore the chances to develop neoplasms are lower. The main SCC growth sites include areas deprived of hair, especially in animals with unpigmented skin. In the pig described here, the neoplasm was located on the outer surface of the ear, which was exposed to ultraviolet rays. Granuloma, papilloma, and basal cell tumor should be considered in the list of differential diagnosis when SCC is suspected. Neoplasms in pigs are scarcely reported.Keywords: neoplasm, carcinoma, pig, immunohistochemical

Dicephalia in a Bovine

Background: Congenital defects consist of structural or functional abnormalities present at birth, which partially or globally affect the systems. Among the defects are the conjoined twins, a rare congenital anomaly caused by fusion of two monozygotic embryos which can be classified according to the different sites of union. The Siamese twins and embryonic duplication are represented by a progressive series of malformations, since partial duplication of part of the body to the training almost full two bodies. Siamese twins occur in humans and in several animal species. Dicephalia refers to two totally separate heads. The aim of this study was to report a case of dicephalia in a bovine fetus.Case: A crossbred bovine fetus from a cow pregnant at. The animal was fixed by immersion in 10% formalin for sample collection. Muscles were dissected, with exposure of the bones of the right head, neck, forelimb, and hind limb. After dissection, the fetus was subjected to a preservation process by impregnation with glycerin. Next, internal organs were removed in bloc (from tongue to rectum) for evaluation of internal alterations. Additionally, radiographs of the spinal cord were performed to diagnose alterations by diagnostic imaging. Radiography revealed the presence of two skulls; two cervical spines, both with seven vertebrae; two thoracic spines, both with 13 vertebrae; and two lumbar spines, both with six vertebrae, however, fused at L4, i.e., connected in the final third part. Further information could not be obtained by the radiographs due to severe overlapping of structures, causing image subtraction. The findings are compatible with mineralized conjoined twin fetuses. After dissection, it was possible to see that each head exhibited normal development of tongue, trachea, and esophagus. In the thorax, there were two lungs with their typical lobes; however, there was atrophy of the lobes located medially. There was one pericardial sac surrounding two hearts. There was dextroposition of the aorta of the right heart, which would pass over the esophagus and trachea, and was connected to the aorta of the left heart in the cervical region. The ribs of the medial portion of the thorax were absent. The diaphragm had a central opening with protrusion of the diaphragmatic portion of the right lung lobe. The abdomen exhibited two rumens, one was blind-ended, and the other had normal prestomachs development, with connection to normal small and large intestines. There was a lung lobe close to the kidneys (pulmonary choristoma).Discussion: The bovine fetus reported here can be classified as dicephalic, since it exhibited two well defined heads and only one body. That is different from diprosopia, which refers to the development of two faces in one skull. Such anomalies are rare and isolated in bovines, with few studies and information about them. The factors that trigger embryonic duplication are still unclear; however, the cause can be attributed to genetic defects in the germ cells, environmental influences, and heredity. The most important known causes are prenatal viral infection, ingestion of teratogens by the mother, vitamin A and folic acid deficiency, genetic factors, and/or a combination of these factors. No reports of rumen duplication in dicephalic bovines have been observed. Although the occurrence of such malformations is rare, they are relevant and cause economic losses to the farmers.Keywords: siamese twins, malformations, radiography, ruminant

Plantas tóxicas para animais produção da região Sudoeste da Bahia. Uma Revisão

Foi realizado um levantamento sobre as principais plantas tóxicas para animais de produção na região Sudoeste do estado da Bahia, Brasil. Foram entrevistados 120 pessoas, incluindo produtores rurais, médicos veterinários e técnicos agrícolas de 30 municípios. No total, 80 surtos de intoxicação por plantas tóxicas foram registrados. As espécies de animais acometidas foram: bovina, caprina, ovina e equina. As principais espécies de plantas tóxicas, em ordem decrescente de surtos foram, Pteridium arachnoideum, Amorimia rigida, Ricinus communis e Froelichia humboldtiana. Outras plantas apontadas como causadoras de intoxicação também foram apontadas, Brachiaria spp., Marsdenia spp., Manihot spp., Mimosa tenuiflora, Thiloa glaucocarpa, Enterolobium contortisiliquum, casca de Coffea arabica e Asclepias curassavica. As espécies Imperata brasiliensis Trin., Senna acurensis, Capparis jacobinae e Cecropia hololeuca Miq. precisam ter a toxicidade confirmada. Novos estudos para comprovar a toxicidade das plantas mencionadas devem ser executados, a fim de elucidar as  informações sobre intoxicação por plantas. Com base nos resultados, conclui-se que as intoxicações por plantas tóxicas são frequentes em ruminantes e equinos na região Sudoeste da Bahia e representam importante causa de perdas econômicas para os produtores rurais.