Lectin-histochemistry: glycogenosis in cattle

Ten out of 47 calves that were born in a small Brahman herd from southern Brazil developed progressive muscular weakness and tremors, lethargy and poor body condition. Necropsy was performed on three affected animals. The only gross lesion detected was paleness of the muscles of the trunk and limbs. Multiple cytoplasm vacuoles located in different tissues were the principal microscopic lesions. Vacuoles were particularly evident in skeletal muscles and myocardium. PAS-positive granules were numerous in skeletal muscle fibres and Purkinje fibres of the myocardium, but were also observed in the neurons of the brain and spinal cord, and in the vascular smooth muscle fibres from all the examined tissues. Pretreatment with diastase completely abolished the PAS reactivity. The vacuoles reacted strongly to Griffonia simplicifolia II and Concanavalia ensiformes lectins, whose biding pattern has been reported as useful for demonstration of glycogen. Examination of the electron micrographs revealed that glycogen was free within the cytoplasm or accumulated in membrane-bound granules of several tissues, especially in striated muscle, liver and neurons of the CNS. These findings were consistent with generalized glycogenosis.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Occurrence and severity of white striping in broilers until 50d of age fed with high and low-energy diets : body weight, histopathological changes and meat quality

White striping (WS) is a condition characterized by the occurrence of white striations parallel to the muscle fibers on breast, thigh, and tender muscle of broilers. This study was aimed to evaluate the occurrence and severity of white striping and histopathological changes in breast fillets from 10 to 50 d broilers disregarding the effect of diet. Birds (n=572) were randomly assigned to a high- (HED) or low-energy (LED) diet (11 replicates of 26 birds/ dietary treatment) and were processed at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 d of age to evaluate occurrence of white striping, BW, histological analysis, and meat quality. The results showed that at 10 d of age, 2.27% of the birds showed some degree of WS and at 20 and 30 d of age the occurrence of WS (%) was higher in birds fed HED than birds fed LED diets. There was no differences (P>0.05) in the L*, a*, and b* values for meat or among different degrees of WS as well as between dietary treatments; however, carcass characteristics varied by age or carcass weight. Histologically, the severity of WS causes changes in myofibers, with muscle fibers showing sarcoplasmic reticulum vacuolization, a higher intercapillary distance and a reduced capillary to fiber ratio, suggesting loss of integrity of the cell structure, that was seen in birds fed both diets (low and high nutrient densities) after 30 d of age and lower oxygenation

Intoxicação por Baccharis megapotamica var. weiriiem ovinos

As intoxicações por Baccharis coridifolia afetam especialmente animais de fazenda famintos ou curiosos e que não haviam tido contato prévio com a planta. B. coridifolia ocorre usualmente em terrenos secos de coxilhas no Rio Grande do Sul e estados ou países vizinhos. Uma forma indistinguível e esporádica da doença tem sido associada com a ingestão de Baccharis megapotamica que ocorre em áreas úmidas. Relata-se a intoxicação natural de quatro cordeiros após ingestão de Baccharis megapotamica var. weirii. A doença foi observada em uma propriedade localizada em Barra do Ribeiro, Rio Grande do Sul. O rebanho era composto por 220 ovinos, os quais eram mantidos em área de pastagem nativa sem qualquer suplementação. Uma rápida doença clínica caracterizada por anorexia, cólica, diarréia e desidratação causou a morte de três cordeiros em um período de 8 a 24 horas, o outro foi encontrado morto. A necropsia revelou alterações significativas no rúmen, no qual havia edema de serosa e hemorragias equimóticas na submucosa. Microscopicamente, o rúmen apresentou edema de submucosa, além de edema, tumefação, vacuolização e necrose de mucosa. O diagnóstico foi fundamentado nos achados clínicos, patológicos e epidemiológicos.Spontaneous poisoning of livestock by Baccharis coridifolia affects mostly hungry or curious animals that have not entered in contact with the plant previously. The plant occurs usually in dried hilly soils of Rio Grande do Sul and neighboring states or countries. An indistinguishable and sporadic form of the disease has been associated with the ingestion of Baccharis megapotamica, a species occurring in moist areas. This communication reports the spontaneous poisoning of four lambs after ingestion of B. megapotamica var. weirii. Clinical signs were observed in three lambs, the other was found dead. A rapid clinical disease characterized by anorexia, colic, dehydration, and diarrhea resulted in death after 8-24 hours. Necropsy revealed significant changes in the rumen, in which serosal edema, and submucosal echimotic hemorrhages were observed. Microscopically, the rumen showed submucosal edema and mucosal tumefaction, vacuolization, and necrosis. Diagnosis was based on clinical, pathological and epidemiological findings

Caracterização patológica, microbiológica e imuno-histoquímica de colibacilose em frangos de corte de Moçambique

Avian colibacillosis is an acute and globally occurring infectious disease of domestic and wild birds caused by Escherichia coli, and it is associated with considerable economic losses mainly due to the morbidity and mortality associated. The present study aimed to describe the pathological, bacteriological and immunohistochemical aspects of avian colibacillosis in broiler chickens of Mozambique. Forty-nine broiler chicken presented anorexia, decreased weight gain, ataxia, diarrhea, dyspnea, and death in a clinical course of 3-5 days. The birds were raised in five farms (small, medium and large farms) with manual and automatic breeding system, with flocks ranging from 100 to 20,000 birds. At the necropsy, all birds had poor body condition, and the pericardium and the Glisson’s capsule of all avian exhibited different degrees of adherence often associated with severe fibrin deposition. The thoracic and abdominal air sacs were thickened and adhered to the costal wall. Mild, moderate or marked hepatomegaly associated with white pinpoint multifocal areas (100%, 49/49) and mild to moderate splenomegaly in 75.5% (37/49) with a mottled surface were observed. The lungs and kidney were enlarged and reddish. Histologically, a multiorgan fibrinoheterophilic polyserositis was observed in 75.5% of the cases (37/49), which were characterized by inflammatory infiltrates composed mainly of degenerative heterophils, macrophages and plasma cells, associated with fibrin deposits and intermixed by coccobacillary bacterial basophilic aggregates. These affected mainly the pericardium (28.6%, 14/49), the pleura (18.4%, 9/49), the Glisson’s capsule (10.2%, 5/49), the ventriculus (10.2, 5/33), and the proventriculus (8.2%, 4/49) serosa. Multifocal to coalescing areas of coagulative necrosis associated with similar inflammatory cells were observed mainly in the spleen (28.6%, 14/49), liver (24.5%, 12/49), and intestines (22.4%, 11/49). A similar infiltrate was also observed affecting the the lungs (16.3%, 8/49), the kidney (16.3%, 8/49) and the myocardium (14.3%, 7/49). Isolation and identification of E. coli was obtained in 12 cases through bacterial culture. Some organs (2 cases of each farms) were selected and submitted to immunohistochemistry anti-E. coli, and a positive stain was observed in all tested cases in liver (3/3), heart (4/4), spleen (1/1), lungs (4/4), intestines (4/4), bursa of Fabricius (1/1), ventriculus (1/1), and proventriculus (1/1) tissue sections. These results demonstrate that E. coli was the cause of mortality in these birds. Therefore, biosecurity and management measures should be employed to prevent and control the disease occurrence in Mozambique’s poultry farming.A colibacilose aviária é uma doença aguda de ocorrência mundial que acomete aves domésticas e silvestres, causada por Escherichia coli e resulta em perdas econômicas consideráveis devido à elevada morbidade e mortalidade das aves. O presente estudo teve o objetivo de descrever os aspectos patológicos, bacteriológicos e imuno-histoquímicos de colibacilose aviária em frangos de corte de Moçambique. Um total de 49 frangos de corte apresentaram anorexia, baixo ganho de peso, ataxia, diarreia, dispneia e morte em um curso clínico de 3 a 5 dias. As aves eram provenientes de 5 granjas (pequenas, média e grandes), com sistema de criação manual e automático, com rebanhos que variavam de 100 a 20.000 aves. À necropsia, todas as aves exibiam condição corporal ruim a caquética, além de pericárdio e cápsula de Glisson de todas aves (100%; n=49) com diferentes graus de aderência e deposição de fibrina de forma difusa acentuada. Os sacos aéreos torácicos e abdominais estavam espessados e aderidos à parede costal. Foi observado ainda hepatomegalia discreta, moderada a severa frequentemente associada com áreas multifocais puntiformes brancacentas (100%; 49/49), e esplenomegalia discreta a moderada, associado a áreas multifocais moteadas (75,5%; 37/49). Os pulmões e rins estavam aumentados e com coloração avermelhada. Histologicamente, observou-se majoritariamente serosite fibrinoheterofílica em 75,5% dos casos (37/49), caracterizadas por infiltrado inflamatório composto por heterófilos degenerados, macrófagos, linfócitos e plasmócitos, com deposição de fibrina entremeada por uma miríade de estruturas bacterianas cocobacilares. Esta lesão foi observada principalmente em pericárdio (28,6%; 14/49), pleura (18,4%; 9/49), cápsula de Glisson (10,2%; 5/49), ventrículo (10,2; 5/33) e em proventrículo (8,2%; 4/49). Áreas multifocais a coalescentes de necrose de coagulação associada a infiltrado inflamatório semelhante ao descrito foi observado principalmente no baço (28,6%; 14/49), fígado (24.5%; 12/49), e intestinos (8,2%; 4/49). Um infiltrado inflamatório semelhante também foi visualizado em pulmões (16,3%; 8/49), rins (16,3%; 8/49) e miocárdio (14,3%; 7/49), Colônias puras de E. coli foram identificadas e isoladas em 12 casos. Alguns órgãos (2 de cada granja) foram submetidos ao exame imuno-histoquímico anti-E. coli e marcação positiva foi visualizada em todos casos testados, como em fígado (3/3), coração (4/4), baço (1/1), pulmão (4/4), intestinos (4/4), bursa de Fabricius (1/1), rim (1/1), ventrículo (1/1) e proventrículo (1/1). Estes resultados demonstram que E. coli foi a causa de morte destas aves. Sendo assim, a adoção de boas medidas de biosseguridade e de manejo são indispensáveis para a prevenção e controle da ocorrência da doença nas granjas de frango de corte de Moçambique

Influenza A virus infection in pigs from Mozambique

Swine  influenza  (SI)  is  an  acute  and  highly  contagious  disease  of  the  respiratory tract of pigs caused by swine influenza A virus (SIA). The disease causes economic losses in swine production and is of great public importance for its zoonotic potential. The aims of the present  study  were  to  report SIA infection  in  pigs  from  Mozambique  and  characterize  the anatomopathological  and  immunohistochemical  features  of  associated  lung  lesions.  Lungs from  457  slaughtered  pigs  were  subjected  to  gross  evaluation  and 38  (8.3%)  lungs  with cranioventral  consolidation  were  collected  from  a slaughterhouse  in  Matola  City,  Southern Mozambique. Consolidation areas in each lung lobe  were classified in 4 grades according to the lesion extension. Samples with consolidated lung tissue were examined for histopathology and  immunohistochemistry  for  the  presence  of  SIA,  Porcine  circovirus  type  2  (PCV2)  and Mycoplasma  hyopneumoniae  antigens.  The  lungs  had  multifocal  to  coalescing  areas  of consolidation observed most frequently in the craniallobes. The lesions involved mainly one or three  pulmonary  lobes  and  grade  1  and  2  lesions  were  the  most  frequent.  The  main histopathological  findings  were  necrotizing  bronchiolitis  (23/38),  alveolar  neutrophil infiltration (24/38), type II pneumocytes hyperplasia (26/38), peribronchiolar lymphoid tissue hyperplasia  (28/38)  and  interstitial  mononuclear  cells  infiltrate  (29/38). SIA  antigen  was detected by immunohistochemistryin 84.3% (32/38) of lung samples and all lung samples were negative  for  PCV2  and Mycoplasma  hyopneumoniaantigense. Pigs  that  presented  a  positive result on IHQ were from Matutuine district (5/32), Moamba district (2/32), Namaacha district (21/32), Boane district (3/32) and Matola city (1/32). These results demonstrate that SIA is a cause of pneumonia in pigs in Mozambique