Intoxicação espontânea por Palicourea marcgravii em bovino no Distrito Federal, Brasil

Palicourea marcgravii is considered the most important toxic plant in Brazil and, until the 1990s, the most important plant in the Central-Western. This factor is explained due to its extensive distribution, good palatability, high toxicity and cumulative effect. A bovine, Nelore, male, two years old, of a property in the Federal District, was found dead. The property presented history of access to the forest and death of other cattle. No macroscopic changes were observed. Microscopically, in the kidneys, were observed hydropic-vacuolar degeneration of distal contoured urinary tubule epithelial cells. Multifocal areas of cardiomyocytes with coagulation necrosis were noted in the heart presenting pycnotic nuclei with hypereosinophilic cytoplasm and loss of striations. During a visit to the rural property, were found branches and shrubs with fruits recognized as P. marcgravii. This report presents the pathological findings of spontaneous poisoning by P. marcgravii in bovine in the Federal District, Brazil.Palicourea marcgravii é considerada a planta tóxica mais importante do Brasil e, até os anos 90, a planta mais importante do Centro-Oeste. Esse fator é explicado devido à sua extensa distribuição, boa palatabilidade, alta toxicidade e efeito cumulativo. Um bovino, Nelore, macho, dois anos, de uma propriedade no Distrito Federal, foi encontrado morto. A propriedade apresentava histórico de acesso à floresta e morte de outros animais. Não foram observadas alterações macroscópicas. Microscopicamente, nos rins, foi observada degeneração hidrópico-vacuolar das células epiteliais do túbulo contorcido distal urinário. Áreas multifocais de cardiomiócitos com necrose de coagulação foram observadas no coração, apresentando núcleos picnóticos com citoplasma hipereosinofílico e perda de estriação. Durante uma visita à propriedade rural, foram encontrados galhos e arbustos com frutos reconhecidos como P. marcgravi. Este relato apresenta os achados patológicos de intoxicação espontânea por P. marcgravii em bovino no Distrito Federal

Congenital Cutaneous Hemangioma in a Newborn Lamb

Background: Hemangioma is a benign dermal or subcutaneous endothelial cell tumor composed of vascular spaces of varying sizes filled with erythrocytes and lined with a single layer of uniform endothelial cells. Although the pathogenesis is not well defined, these tumors are considered to result from an imbalance in angiogenesis, leading to uncontrolled proliferation of vascular elements. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of congenital cutaneous hemangioma in sheep. This report describes the clinical, laboratory, and pathological findings of a case of congenital hemangioma affecting a newborn lamb. Case: A 5-day-old crossbred (Dorper x Santa Inês) lamb presenting with an ear nodule that expanded in the right ear was necropsied. An expansive subcutaneous nodule was observed macroscopically; it occupied approximately 90% of the right ear and had a crusty, irregular surface. The cut surface had multiple cavitations delimited by firm fibrous tissue and a light yellow-to-translucent content. Microscopically, it showed focally extensive subcutaneous neoplastic proliferation and moderate cellularity; it was formed of vascular beds of varied sizes and supported by moderate fibrocollagenous stroma. Suppurative inflammation was observed in the neoplastic vascular beds with large amounts of free basophilic coccoid bacteria inside macrophages. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to confirm the diagnosis. Strong cytoplasmic labeling was observed in neoplastic endothelial cells for CD31 and factor VIII. The Ki67 proliferation marker was positive in approximately 5% of neoplastic cells. The cells did not express smooth muscle actin (1A4) or pan-cytokeratin (AE1AE3). Histological characteristics and immunohistochemistry findings were consistent with those of congenital cutaneous hemangioma, a rare neoplasm in sheep. Discussion: The association of clinical, anatomopathological, and immunohistochemical data enabled the diagnosis of congenital cutaneous hemangioma in the 5-day-old lamb. Reports of vascular tumors in sheep are not frequent in literature and usually involve adult animals with no anatomical site predilection. In sheep, the occurrence of nasotracheal hemangioma in a 2-year-old ewe and gingival hemangioma in a 5-year-old sheep have already been described. A cutaneous extra-neural hemangioblastoma was diagnosed in the ear of a 1-month-old lamb. IHC was also used to confirm the diagnosis of hemangioblastoma. Macroscopically, hemangiomas can present as well-delimited and encapsulated masses that when cut, show a reticulated pattern similar to honeycombs that separate the blood-filled cavities. The present case showed a similar conformation but without enough erythrocytes to result in a bloody appearance. Tumor drainage and the predominance of blood serum in the content possibly made it macroscopically translucent. Microscopically, the hemangioma was classified as cavernous. This morphological variation forms large channels separated by fibrous connective tissue stroma, which may contain inflammatory cells. IHC confirmed the endothelial lining of the cystic cavities and was crucial in excluding differential diagnoses. Thus, factor VIII-related antigen was used as a marker for normal and neoplastic cells, as well as for tumoral and reactive neovascularization, in which neoplastic cells were immuno-expressed for CD31 and Factor VIII. In domestic animals, the association between CD31 and Factor VIII is considered more specific for vascular endothelial cells, differentiating them from cells of lymphatic origin. Congenital cutaneous hemangioma occurs in sheep, and its diagnosis and differentiation can be based on histopathology associated with conventional immunohistochemical panels for vascular neoformation. Keywords: sheep, mesenchymal neoplasm, vascular tumour, small ruminant, histopathology, immunohistochemistry

Outbreak of Monensin Sodium Poisoning in Horses Associated with Consumption of Mineral Supplement Based on Sugarcane Molasses

Background: Sodium monensin is a molecule of the group of ionophores antibiotics (IAs) of the polyether carboxylic type produced from the fermentation of Streptomyces cinnamonensis. Cases of IA poisoning in animals usually occur accidentally. Fatal poisoning in horses, a non-target species and with particular sensitivity usually occurs by the consumption of these products from the toxic dose of 2-3 mg/kg. This report aims to describe the epidemiological and clinical-pathological aspects of an outbreak of ionophore antibiotic poisoning in horses due to the consumption of mineral supplementation indicated for ruminants based on sugarcane molasses.Case: Two horses were necropsied. During necropsy, fragments of various organs were collected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin, routinely processed for histology and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The information obtained from the animal trainer was that 19 horses received approximately 25 kg of low moisture mixture based on sugarcane molasses, enriched with macro and micro minerals, vitamins and additives containing 1000 mg of monensin/kg in the trough. One day after receiving the product, five horses began to develop ataxia, reluctance to move, difficulty of accompanying the herd and arising. Out of the five, three died after three days of evolution, one after six days (equine 1) and another after 15 days (equine 2) [morbidity 26.31%]. At necropsy, diffuse pallor was observed in the gluteus medius, quadriceps femoris, semimembranosus, biceps brachii and deep pectoral muscles. Microscopically the muscle fibers were tumefied with hypereosinophilic sarcoplasm of homogeneous appearance and with loss of striations, pynotic or absent nuclei (necrosis). Multifocal areas of fibers with sarcoplasmic fragmentation were observed, with clusters of irregular eosinophilic debris, flake (floct necrosis) or granule (granular necrosis) aspects and focal muscle fibers with granular to crystalline basophilic material (mineralization) and marked multifocal infiltrate, predominantly of macrophages, plasma cells and eosinophils with occasional multinucleated giant cells. In the heart there was focally a extensive area of necrosis and a discrete eosinophil infiltrate.Discussion: The diagnosis of ionophore antibiotic intoxication in horses was established by epidemiological and clinical-pathological aspects. In the horses affected in this outbreak, the intoxication was due to the ingestion of sugarcane molasses containing proportions of monensin, which is not indicated for equines, becoming an unusual source for this animal species. The clinical signs reported in the intoxication under study are mostly locomotors and are directly linked to poor distribution of sodium, potassium and calcium ions in muscle cells, leading to ionic disorders that modify the muscle neurotransmission by deregulating contraction and altering movement. Usually, death of horses poisoned with IAs is related to heart failure due to degenerative cardiomyopathy. However, due to the subtlety of the histological lesions in the heart, we believe that the cause of death may also be related to a possible respiratory failure owing to a degenerative myopathy of the diaphragmatic muscle. The anatomopathological changes found in the skeletal muscles of equine intoxicated with molasses are similar to those described in this species by other authors. Compounds based on sugarcane molasses formulated for cattle containing monensin should be considered as a potential source of poisoning for horses and as a cause of degenerative myopathy, which may be an alert for caring about the handling and feeding of these animals.

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

2 nd Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease, 2015

Abstract Chagas disease is a neglected chronic condition with a high burden of morbidity and mortality. It has considerable psychological, social, and economic impacts. The disease represents a significant public health issue in Brazil, with different regional patterns. This document presents the evidence that resulted in the Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease. The objective was to review and standardize strategies for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of Chagas disease in the country, based on the available scientific evidence. The consensus is based on the articulation and strategic contribution of renowned Brazilian experts with knowledge and experience on various aspects of the disease. It is the result of a close collaboration between the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine and the Ministry of Health. It is hoped that this document will strengthen the development of integrated actions against Chagas disease in the country, focusing on epidemiology, management, comprehensive care (including families and communities), communication, information, education, and research