Detecção molecular de Escherichia coli enteropatogênica em psitacídeos assintomáticos em cativeiro

Psittaciformes are one of the most endangered groups of birds, and several Brazilian species are classified between vulnerable and critically endangered. It is thus necessary to identify agents that cause infections in captive wild animals and to assess the risks posed thereof and to design interventions to minimize the possibility of disease outbreaks, leading to the conservation of endangered species. The purpose of this study was to identify enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) cloacal isolates from asymptomatic psittacines in captivity and evaluate the distribution of the EPEC pathotype. Cloacal swabs were obtained from 46 asymptomatic birds, and resulting isolates were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the attaching and effacing gene (eae) and bundle-forming pilus structural gene (bfpA) of EPEC. Samples from several species were tested, and three samples were found to be positive for the eae and bfpA genes and characterized as typical EPEC. This is the first report of this pathotype in asymptomatic psittacines. Although certain E. coli strains are more pathogenic than others, various factors should be considered when determining the potential of E. coli isolates to cause disease in captive psittacines. Birds that are positive for the EPEC (typical) strain could be zoonotic sources of infection, and may have acquired these strains through contact with humans or domestic animals. These findings may also be valuable for the long-term management of endangered species ex situ as one EPEC sample was isolated from a Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis).Os psitacídeos são um dos grupos de aves mais ameaçadas no mundo e diversas espécies brasileiras são classificadas desde vulneráveis à criticamente ameaçadas de extinção. Torna-se, portanto, necessário identificar os agentes que causam infecções em animais selvagens em cativeiro e determinar os riscos relacionados de modo a intervir sobre os fatores envolvidos para diminuir a possibilidade de surtos de doenças e promover a conservação de espécies ameaçadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar Escherichia coli Enteropatogência (EPEC) de isolados cloacais de psitacídeos assintomáticos em cativeiro e avaliar a distribuição do patotipo EPEC. Suabes cloacais foram coletados de 46 psitacídeos assintomáticos e os isolados foram testados pela reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR) para a presença do gene attaching and effacing (eae) e bundle forming pilus (bfpA) de EPEC. Amostras oriundas de diversas espécies foram testadas e três amostras resultaram positivas para os genes eae e bfp e caracterizadas como EPEC típicas. Esse é o primeiro relato em psitacídeos assintomáticos para esse patotipo. Apesar de que algumas cepas de E.coli serem mais patogênicas do que outras, diversos fatores devem ser considerados para determinar o potencial de isolados de E.coli de causar doença em psitacídeos em cativeiro. Aves positivas para cepas de EPEC (típicas) poderiam ser fontes de infecção zoonóticas e adquirir essas cepas através do contato com humanos e animais domésticos. Esses achados também podem ser valiosos para o manejo a longo prazo de espécies ameaçadas ex situ já que uma amostra de EPEC foi isolada de um Papagaio-de-cara-roxa (Amazona brasiliensis).Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [2010/51015-0]Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP

Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction

In the Pantanal wetlands of Central Brazil, the endangered hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the largest psitacid in the world, makes its nest almost exclusively in natural hollows found in the manduvi tree (Sterculia apetala). The recruitment of manduvis greatly depends on the seed dispersal services provided by the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), responsible for 83.3% of the seed dispersal. The toco toucan, however, is responsible for about 53% of the preyed eggs, resulting in a case of conflicting ecological pressures in which the reproduction of the hyacinth macaw is indirectly dependent on the seed dispersal services of its nest predator. The case illustrates the intricacies of biotic interactions in species-rich environments where species may be tied by indirect, subtle ecological links which conservationists should be aware of. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction

In the Pantanal wetlands of Central Brazil, the endangered hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the largest psitacid in the world, makes its nest almost exclusively in natural hollows found in the manduvi tree (Sterculia apetala). The recruitment of manduvis greatly depends on the seed dispersal services provided by the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), responsible for 83.3% of the seed dispersal. The toco toucan, however, is responsible for about 53% of the preyed eggs, resulting in a case of conflicting ecological pressures in which the reproduction of the hyacinth macaw is indirectly dependent on the seed dispersal services of its nest predator. The case illustrates the intricacies of biotic interactions in species-rich environments where species may be tied by indirect, subtle ecological links which conservationists should be aware of. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Molecular detection of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in asymptomatic captive psittacines

Psittaciformes are one of the most endangered groups of birds, and several Brazilian species are classified between vulnerable and critically endangered. It is thus necessary to identify agents that cause infections in captive wild animals and to assess the risks posed thereof and to design interventions to minimize the possibility of disease outbreaks, leading to the conservation of endangered species. The purpose of this study was to identify enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) cloacal isolates from asymptomatic psittacines in captivity and evaluate the distribution of the EPEC pathotype. Cloacal swabs were obtained from 46 asymptomatic birds, and resulting isolates were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the attaching and effacing gene (eae) and bundle-forming pilus structural gene (bfpA) of EPEC. Samples from several species were tested, and three samples were found to be positive for the eae and bfpA genes and characterized as typical EPEC. This is the first report of this pathotype in asymptomatic psittacines. Although certain E. coli strains are more pathogenic than others, various factors should be considered when determining the potential of E. coli isolates to cause disease in captive psittacines. Birds that are positive for the EPEC (typical) strain could be zoonotic sources of infection, and may have acquired these strains through contact with humans or domestic animals. These findings may also be valuable for the long-term management of endangered species ex situ as one EPEC sample was isolated from a Red-tailed Amazon (Amazona brasiliensis)

Altura de planta e acúmulo de matéria seca do feijoeiro cvs. BRS MG Talismã e Ouro Negro em plantio direto e convencional Plant height and dry matter acumulation by common bean cvs. BRS MG Talismã and Ouro Negro under no-tillage and conventional crop systems

Com o objetivo de estudar a curva de crescimento em altura de planta, taxa e acúmulo de matéria seca da parte aérea ao longo do ciclo cultural do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) foram conduzidos quatro experimentos de campo, com as cvs. Ouro Negro e BRS MG Talismã, em plantio direto e convencional, sendo um em Lavras (Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico típico, inverno primavera 2002) e os demais em Madre de Deus de Minas (Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo ácrico, seca 2005). O delineamento experimental foi feito com blocos casualizados com três repetições e 11 ou 12 tratamentos (épocas de coleta). De 7 em 7 dias foram amostradas 10 ou 20 plantas para determinação da altura, através do comprimento da haste principal, e outras 20 plantas para determinação do peso da matéria seca da parte aérea após secagem em estufa com circulação de ar a 65-70ºC até peso constante. Os dados foram submetidos a análises de variância e regressão, com ajuste de curvas representativas do comportamento das características avaliadas. Em plantio direto, a altura máxima foi alcançada aos 50 DAE, enquanto no plantio convencional o feijoeiro continuou crescendo até os 72-73 DAE, ocorrendo fechamento mais tardio da lavoura. As cvs. Ouro Negro e BRS MG Talismã mostraram padrões de acúmulo de matéria seca muito próximos, com pouco incremento até os 81 DAE, na BRS MG Talismã, e ambas alcançaram maiores acúmulos em plantio direto. Em geral, as maiores taxas de acúmulo de matéria seca foram verificadas entre 45-48 DAE.<br>The aim of this research was to study the plant growth in height and the dry matter accumulation pattern along the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop cycle. Four field experiments were carried out in Lavras (winter-spring 2002) and other were performed in Madre de Deus de Minas, MG (dry crop season 2005) with common bean, cvs. Ouro Negro and BRS MG Talismã, under no-tillage and conventional crop systems. Every seven days 10 or 20 plants were sampled to height measurements and other 20 plants for dry matter evaluation. The experiments were carried out in randomized block outlines with three replications and 11 or 12 treatments (sampling times). The data were treated with a variance and regression analysis and representative curves of the evaluated variables were fitted and adjusted. The growth curves had showed that the maximum height was reached by the 50 DAE in no-tillage crop system while in the conventional crop system the bean kept on growing up to the 72-73 DAE, closing further in field. The pattern of dry matter accumulation showed that there was a small increment until the 21-24 DAE for the two cultivars. The maximum accumulation could be observed in the no-tillage croping systems by the 75-76 DAE for the cv. Ouro Negro and by the 80-81 DAE for the cv. BES MG Talismã. In general, the highest rates of dry matter accumulation were verified by the 45-48 DAE