Rapid conglutination test for diagnosis of Babesia bovis antibodies

Neste trabalho objetivou-se desenvolver e avaliar um teste de conglutinação rápida para diagnóstico de anticorpos contra Babesia bovis (TCR-B. bovis), com desempenho similar ao do teste da imunofluorescência indireta. O TCR-B. bovis apresentou sensibilidade de 95,7%, especificidade de 97,6% e precisão de 96,5%. Os mesmos parâmetros para imunofluorescência indireta (IFI) foram respectivamente 99,1%, 99,7% e 99,4%. O TCR demonstrou ter capacidade de determinar imunoglobulinas específicas anti-B. bovis tão cedo quanto a IFI, após infecção experimental com este hemoprotozoário. As reações cruzadas do TCR-B. bovis com soros de animais infectados com Babesia bigemina ocorreram em 4% dos soros. O antígeno para TCR produzido com hemácias não parasitadas apresentou 3,5%, 1,5% e 2,2% de reações positivas com soros de animais infectados experimentalmente com B. bovis, B. bigemina e Anaplasma marginale, respectivamente. Entretanto, não foi observada nenhuma destas reações positivas com soros de áreas endêmicas com esta preparação de antígeno. Considerando-se os resultados acima e ainda que o antígeno TCR-B. bovis se manteve viável após um período de 172 a 245 dias de armazenamento a 4°C, conclui-se que esta prova sorológica poderá vir a ser utilizada em estudos epidemiológicos e na avaliação de medidas preventivas contra esta espécie de Babesia.The objective of this work was to develop and evaluate a rapid conglutination test (RCT) for detection of antibodies against Babesia bovis (B. bovis-RCT), with similar performance as the indirect immunofluorescence test. The B. bovis-RCT had a sensitivity of 95.7%, a specificity of 97.6% and the precision of 96.5%, the same parameters for the IFAT being 99.1%, 99.7% and 99.4% respectively. The RCT was able to detect immunoglobulins anti-B. bovis as early as IFAT after bovine challenge with these hemoprotozoans. B. bovis-cross reactions with sera of Babesia bigemina infected cattle were 4%. The RCT prepared with non-parasitized erythrocytes (negative antigen) showed 3.5%, 1.5% and 2.2% of positive reactions with sera of animals infected with B. bovis, B. bigemina and Anaplasma marginale. None of sera from animals in endemic areas had positive reactions with this antigen. Considering these results and the viability of B. bovis-RCT (172 to 245 days, stored at 4ºC), it can be concluded that this serological test can be used for epidemiological studies and the evaluation of control measures against this species of Babesia

PREVALÊNCIA DE ANTICORPOS ANTI Anaplasma marginale (RICKETTSIALES: ANAPLASMATACEAE) EM BOVINOS NA MESORREGIÃO DO MÉDIO PARAÍBA PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST Anaplasma marginale (RICKETTSIALES: ANAPLASMATACEAE) IN CATTLE IN THE "MÉDIO PARAÍBA" MESOREGION, BRAZIL

Realizou-se a pesquisa de anticorpos da classe IgG anti Anaplasma marginale através do ensaio de imunoadsorção enzimática (ELISA) indireto em 223 amostras de soros de bovinos provenientes de oito municípios da mesorregião do Médio Paraíba, estado do Rio de Janeiro. A prevalência observada foi de 98,21%. Das amostras positivas, 36,32% possuíam o título de 1:500, 43,50% com título de 1:1000, 12,56% com título de 1:2000, 3,59% com título de 1:4000, 1,79% com título de 1:8000, 0,45% com título de 1:16000 e 1,79% foram soronegativos. Procedeu-se a avaliação da prevalência por grupos etários de 1 a 3 anos (n = 53), 3 a 6 anos (n = 71) e > 6 anos (n = 99), na qual 96,23%, 100% e 97,98% dos animais foram soropositivos, respectivamente. A análise em relação à aptidão zootécnica revelou que 100% dos animais com aptidão para corte (n = 38) e 97,84% com aptidão para leite (n = 185) reagiram ao ensaio. Dos animais estudados, 183 eram fêmeas e 40 machos e, destes, 98,91% e 95,00% foram positivos, respectivamente. A análise estatística demonstrou não haver diferença significativa (P > 0,05), de prevalência, entre idades, aptidões zootécnicas e entre sexos. Houve diferença significativa (P Serumprevalence of antibodies against Anaplasma marginale were studied by the indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Sera samples from 223 bovines of eight municipalities in the "Médio Paraíba" mesorregion, in the state of Rio de Janeiro state, were analysed. The prevalence showed 98.21% of positives, of which were: 36.32% with a titre of 1:500, 43.50% of 1:1000, 12.56% of 1:2000, 3.59% of 1:4000, 1.79% of 1:8000, 0.45% of 1:16000, and 1.79% were negative. The evaluation was done within three age groups: 1 to 3 years (n = 53), 3 to 6 years (n = 71) and > 6 years (n = 99), of which 96.23%, 100% and 97.98% were positive, respectively. Regarding to the breed, 100% of beef cattle (n = 38) and 97.84% of dairy cattle (n = 185), were positive. According to the sex, 98.91% of the females (n = 183) and 95.00% of the males (n = 40), were positive. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the prevalence of age groups, breeding types and sexes. There were significant differences (P < 0.0001) among the serumprevalence in the municipalities. The region was characterized as an enzootically stable area to A. marginale

Antibody levels anti-Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in calves of Nelore and Ibagé breeds and Nelore crosses

Foram analisados pela técnica de anticorpos fluorescentes, os soros dos bezerros da raça Nelore, Ibagé e cruzamentos de Nelore x Fleckvieh, Nelore x Chianina e Nelore x Charolês, do nascimento ao desmame, com a finalidade de determinar os níveis de imunoglobulinas anti-Babesia bigemina e Babesia bovis. No período de três a quatorze dias de vida, foi observada correlação positiva e significante entre os níveis de imunoglobulinas circulantes das vacas e os anticorpos séricos dos bezerros contra B. bigemina e/ou B. bovis, em algumas raças e cruzamentos. A média do título sorológíco dos grupos experimentais apresentou um decréscimo nos níveis de anticorpos colostrais entre 28 e 56 dias de idade contra B. bigemina e entre 56 e 84 dias anti - B. bovis. A produção ativa de anticorpos contra B. bigemina foi observada aos 84 dias e aos 112 contra B. bovis. Em geral, os níveis de anticorpos contra B. bigemina foram mais elevados que o da B. bovis e houve maior semelhança na curva de anticorpos dos bezerros da raça Nelore e seus cruzamentos que os da raça lbagé. Embora a região seja considerada área de estabilidade enzoótica, conclui-se que existe um período crítico de baixa resistência humoral, no qual podem ocorrer casos clínicos de babesiose.Antibody levels of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis were analysed by the indirect fluorescent antibody technique in calves of Nelore and Ibagé breeds, Nelore x Fleckvieh and Nelore x Chianina, and Nelore x Charolais cross up to weaning age. Three and 14 day-old calves of some breeds and crosses showed significant positive correlation with the immunoglobulins anti - B. bigemina and/or B. bovis of the cows. Lower levels of immunoglobulins against B. bigemina were found between 28 and 56 days of age and against B. bovis between 56 and 84 days of age. The active antibody production was observed against B. bigemina at 84 days and at 112 days of age against B. bovis. The antibody level anti B. bigemina was generally higher than anti -B. bovis and the antibody curve was more similar to Nelore breed and its calf crosses than to the lbagé breed. Although the region is considered to be enzootically stable, it was concluded that there is a critical time of low humoral resistance during which the clinical symptoms of babesiosis can occur

Trypanosoma (Duttonella) vivax: its biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and introduction in the New World - a review

The biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques, and history of the introduction of Trypanosoma (Duttonella) vivax in the New World are reviewed. The two main immunological responses of trypanosome-infected animals - antibody production and immunodepression - are discussed in the context of how these responses play a role in disease tolerance or susceptibility. Isolation and purification of T. vivax are briefly discussed. The recent reports of bovine trypanosomiasis diagnosed in cattle on farms located in the Pantanal region of the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso, Brazil, are also discussed

Coexistence of Antibodies to Tick-borne Agents of Babesiosis and Lyme Borreliosis in Patients from Cotia County, State of São Paulo, Brazil

This paper reports a case of coinfection caused by pathogens of Lyme disease and babesiosis in brothers. This was the first case of borreliosis in Brazil, acquired in Cotia County, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Both children had tick bite history, presented erythema migrans, fever, arthralgia, mialgia, and developed positive serology (ELISA and Western-blotting) directed to Borrelia burgdorferi G 39/40 and Babesia bovis antigens, mainly of IgM class antibodies, suggestive of acute disease. Also, high frequencies of antibodies to B. bovis was observed in a group of 59 Brazilian patients with Lyme borreliosis (25.4%), when compared with that obtained in a normal control group (10.2%) (chi-square = 5.6; p < 0.05). Interestingly, both children presented the highest titers for IgM antibodies directed to both infective diseases, among all patients with Lyme borreliosis

Galectins and collectinis expression are increased in Haemonchus contortus-infected corriedale sheep

Galectins and collectins are proteins classified in the lectin family that have the ability to recognize molecular patterns associated with pathogens. Studies on cattle have demonstrated high expression of these proteins during infection with gastrointestinal nematodes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the level of Haemonchus contortus infection would alter the expression of galectins (Gal11 and Gal14) and collectins (SPA and CGN) in sheep. Twelve Corriedale sheep exposed to natural infection with nematodes were divided into two groups: group 1 (G1, n = 7) and group 2 (G2, n = 5), with low and high parasite burdens, respectively, based on fecal egg counts and abomasal parasite counts. The fecal egg counts and abomasal parasite counts were significantly different (p < 0.05) between the groups. Galectin and collectin gene expression was observed in all sheep abomasal samples. However, animals with lower infection levels showed lower expression of the genes Gal14, SPA and CGN (p < 0.05). Expression of lectins was associated with the abomasal H. contortus burden, thus suggesting that these proteins may have a role in controlling of this infection