Molecular detection of tick-borne bacteria and protozoa in cervids and wild boars from Portugal

Background: Wildlife can act as reservoir of different tick-borne pathogens, such as bacteria, parasites and viruses. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of tick-borne bacteria and protozoa with veterinary and zoonotic importance in cervids and wild boars from the Centre and South of Portugal.Methods: One hundred and forty one blood samples from free-ranging ungulates including 73 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 65 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and three fallow deer (Dama dama) were tested for the presence of Anaplasma marginale/A. ovis, A. phagocytophilum, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., Babesia/Theileria spp., Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) (s.l.), and Rickettsia spp. DNA by PCR.Results: Anaplasma spp. DNA was detected in 33 (43.4 %) cervids (31 red deer and two fallow deer) and in two (3.1 %) wild boars while Theileria spp. were found in 34 (44.7 %) cervids (32 red deer and two fallow deer) and in three (4.6 %) wild boar blood samples. Sequence analysis of msp4 sequences identified A. marginale, A. ovis, while the analysis of rDNA sequence data disclosed the presence of A. platys and A. phagocytophilum and T. capreoli and Theileria sp. OT3. Anaplasma spp./Theileria spp. mixed infections were found in 17 cervids (22.4 %) and in two wild boars (3.1 %). All samples were negative for Babesia sp., B. burgdorferi (s.l.), Ehrlichia sp. or Rickettsia sp.Conclusions: This is the first detection of Anaplasma marginale, A. ovis, A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, Theileria capreoli and Theileria sp. OT3 in cervids and wild boars from Portugal. Further studies concerning the potential pathogenicity of the different species of Anaplasma and Theileria infecting wild ungulates, the identification of their vector range, and their putative infectivity to domestic livestock and humans should be undertaken

Fatores que influenciaram a evolução de 206 pacientes com traumatismo craniencefálico grave Relevant factors in 206 patients with severe head injury

A busca de fatores prognósticos para o traumatismo craniencefálico (TCE) tem sido alvo de muitos estudos nas últimas décadas. A identificação de indicadores consistentes da evolução destes pacientes tem representado um grande desafio e sua utilidade considerada evidente tanto para orientar o tratamento, quanto para a estimativa do resultado final. Baseados numa casuística de 206 pacientes com TCE grave (8 pontos ou menos pela Escala de Coma de Glasgow - ECG), estudamos a influência de vários fatores sobre a evolução dos pacientes. A gravidade inicial medida pela ECG, a presença de hipertensão intracraniana (níveis acima de 20 mmHg), o tipo de lesão intracraniana e a presença de hipoxia, hipotensão arterial e a associação de hipóxia e hipotensão arterial tiveram influência significativa sobre a evolução dos pacientes. A presença de politraumatismo (pelo menos dois sítios de lesão além do TCE) e a idade (acima e abaixo de 40 anos) não influenciaram significativamente a evolução dos pacientes desta casuística.<br>The search for head injury prognostic factors has been intense in the last decades. The importance of identification of these factors has been also recognised to treatment orientation and results estimatives. Based on 206 severe head injuried patients series, we analized the influence of factors over the outcome. The initial severity by Glasgow coma scale, the presence of intracranial hypertension (over 20 mmHg), the type of intracranial lesion and the presence of hypoxia, systemic hypotension or both, significantly influenced the results. The presence of multiple traumas (at least two sites of lesion over head injury), as age, did not influence the final results in this series