Estudio bacteriológico, serológico e histopatológico de lechones destetados infectados experimentalmente con Salmonella Typhimurium

In the last decades, infections by several serovars of Salmonella have become relevant worldwide, not only due to their impact on veterinary health and animal production, but also because they may serve as a source of infection for the human population. Pigs can be infected by several Salmonella serovars, being S. Typhimurium one of the most frequently isolated worldwide. In this context, the evaluation of strategies to control Salmonella in farms demands the understanding of the pathogenesis of the microorganism. Thus, the objective of this work was to carry out an experimental infection in 50-day-old pigs using a field strain of S. Typhimurium to evaluate the excretion of the microorganism, organs colonization and the development of histological injuries over the 13-day trial period. Disease was successfully reproduced in eight animals, and two clinical patterns were identified. In four animals, a primarily enteric pattern was observed, where the infection was limited to the gastrointestinal tract, while in another four pigs, enteric and systemic infection with variable fecal excretion and invasion of internal organs was observed. These two infectious patterns were accompanied by changes in fecal consistency and reduced daily weight gain or weight loss in the animals. The observation of two different infectious patterns highlights the need to consider the complexity of the pathogenicity of Salmonella Typhimurium infection in pigs.En las últimas décadas las infecciones por diferentes serovariedades de Salmonella han adquirido importancia a nivel mundial, no solo por su impacto en la sanidad y en la producción de los animales, sino también porque estos constituyen una fuente de infección para los humanos. Los cerdos pueden estar infectados o ser portadores de distintas serovariedades con potencial zoonótico, siendo S. Typhimurium una de las más frecuentemente aisladas a nivel mundial. En este contexto, la evaluación de estrategias para el control de Salmonella en granjas exige el conocimiento de la patogenia del microorganismo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar una infección experimental en cerdos de 50 días de edad utilizando una cepa de campo de S. Typhimurium para evaluar la excreción del microorganismo, la colonización de órganos y el desarrollo de lesiones histológicas durante los 13 días del ensayo. Se logró reproducir la enfermedad en ocho animales y se pudo identificar dos cuadros clínicos. En cuatro animales se observó un cuadro principalmente entérico, en el que la infección estuvo limitada al tracto gastrointestinal; mientras que en otros cuatro cerdos se observó infección entérica y sistémica con excreción fecal variable e invasión de órganos internos. Estos dos cuadros infecciosos estuvieron acompañados de cambios en la consistencia de la materia fecal y menor ganancia diaria de peso o adelgazamiento de los animales. La observación de dos cuadros infecciosos diferentes muestra la necesidad de considerar la complejidad de la patogenicidad de la infección por Salmonella Typhimurium en cerdos

Genotypic characterization of toxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from pigs with postweaning diarrhea (PWD) and edema disease (ED)

El objetivo del trabajo fue caracterizar mediante PCR 47 aislamientos de Escherichia coli recuperados de 32 cerdos con diagnóstico clínico de diarrea posdestete (DPD) y de 3 cerdos con enfermedad de los edemas (ED). Sobre 44 aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con DPD, 42 (95,5 %) fueron caracterizados como E. coli enterotoxigénicos (ETEC) y 2 (4,5 %) como E. coli productores de toxina Shiga (STEC). Catorce aislamientos de ETEC (33,3 %) fueron positivos para los genes estI/estII/fedA. El genotipo más complejo fue eltA/estII/east1/faeG/aidA. Los aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con ED se clasificaron como STEC porcinos y fueron portadores de stx2e aidA. Once aislamientos (25 %) fueron portadores del gen que codifica la expresión de la adhesina AIDA-I. Sin embargo, en ningún aislamiento se detectaron los genes que codifican la expresión de las adhesinas F5, F6, F41, de intimina y de PAA. La prevención de la DPD y de la ED podría realizarse mediante el desarrollo de vacunas que generen anticuerpos contra las adhesinas de las cepas de E. coli prevalentes en Argentina.The purpose of this work was to characterize 47 Escherichia coli strains isolated from 32 pigs diagnosed with postweaning diarrhea and tree pigs with edema disease by PCR. Forty two (95.5 %) of the strains isolated from diarrheic pigs were characterized as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and 2 (4.5 %) as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Fourteen (33.3 %) ETEC strains were positive for est/estII/fedA genes. The most complex genotype was eltA/estI/faeG/aidA. Strains isolated from pigs with ED were classified as porcine STEC and were stx2e/aidA carriers. Eleven (25 %) strains carried the gene encoding adhesin protein AIDA-I. However, genes coding for F5, F6, F41, intimin and Paa were not detected. The development of vaccines generating antibodies against prevalent E. coli adhesins in Argentina could be useful for the prevention of PWD and ED.Fil: Moredo, Fabiana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Cappuccio, Javier Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Insarralde, Lucas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Perfumo, Carlos Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, María A.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Leotta, Gerardo Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET- La Plata. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando Noel Dulout". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria; Argentin

Detection and molecular characterization of porcine parvovirus in fetal tissues from sows without reproductive failure in Argentina

Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is one of many pathogens responsible for reproductive failure in pregnant sows. Several studies have reported the appearance of new PPV strains that differ from previous isolates both genetically and antigenically. Thus, the protective effects of commercially inactivated vaccines could not be complete. In South America, the information about PPV is limited. Thus, the aim of the present study was to detect and characterize the PPV strains present in 131 mummies or stillbirths from normal deliveries in sows from a commercial swine farm of Argentina that uses the commercial vaccine. PCR results showed that 17/131 were positive to PPV. Ten of these viruses were isolated and sequenced. All viruses were related to the PPV1 sequence (NADL-2), maintaining the amino acid differences in positions 436 (S–P) and 565 (R–K). This study is the first to report the isolation of PPV in Argentina and the results suggest that PPV can cross the placenta even in vaccinated sows, thus affecting some of the fetuses and being able to cause fetal death in sows without reproductive failure. The results also suggest that vaccination only reduces clinical signs and reproductive disorders and may thus not be a perfect tool to manage PPV infection. This study provides information that needs to be studied in depth to improve strategies to prevent and control PPV infection in swine farms.Fil: Serena, Maria Soledad. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Microbiología. Cátedra de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cappuccio, Javier Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Cordoba. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juarez. Agencia de Extension Rural Rio Cuarto.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Metz, German Ernesto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Microbiología. Cátedra de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Aspitia, Carolina Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Microbiología. Cátedra de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Dibárbora, Marina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Cordoba. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juarez. Agencia de Extension Rural Rio Cuarto.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Calderón, M. Gallo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein"; ArgentinaFil: Echeverría, M. G.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Microbiología. Cátedra de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Characterization and comparison of strains of Pasteurella multocida associated with cases of progressive atrophic rhinitis and porcine pneumonia in Argentina

Pasteurella multocida (Pm) is the causative agent of progressive atrophic rhinitis (PAR) and pneumonicpasteurellosis (PN) in pigs. Pm is a member of the porcine respiratory complex responsible for important economic loss inthe pig industry. This study aimed to characterize the Pm strains recovered from clinical cases of PN and PAR and to elucidate theantibiotic susceptibility profiles of the strains.Materials and Methods: Sixty strains were characterized molecularly by polymerase chain reaction to determine speciesspecific gene, capsular type (A or D), and toxin A production. The agar diffusion method was employed to evaluate antibioticresistance profiles. We found that 65% of strains belonged to capsular type A or D, and 15% of those were positive to toxA gene.The antibiotic susceptibility profiles found were sensitive in decreasing order to: Enrofloxacin, ceftiofur (CTF), ampicillin,tilmicosin (TIL), florfenicol (FFN), spectinomycin (SPC), gentamicin, oxytetracycline (OTC), and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole (TMS). Strains were resistant in decreasing order to: Lincomycin (LIN), tylosin (TYL), erythromycin(ERY), TMS, SPC, OTC, FFN, TIL, and CTF. The toxA gene was detected in many Pm isolates from pneumonic lungs. Capsule type A or D was the mostfrequently found among the collected isolates. LIN, TYL, and ERY are the drugs which showed higher percentages of resistant isolates.Fil: Bessone, Fernando Anibal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Soriano Pérez, María Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zielinski, Gustavo Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Dibárbora, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Conde, María Belén. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Cappuccio, Javier Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alustiza, Fabrisio Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Swine influenza: clinical, serological, pathological, and virological cross-sectional studies in nine farms in Argentina

Background: Influenza A viruses (IAV) are important pathogens responsible for economic losses in the swine industry and represent a threat to public health. In Argentina, clinical, pathological, and virological findings suggest that IAV infection is widespread among pig farms. In addition, several subtypes of IAV, such as pH1N1, H3N2, δ1H1N1, and δ2H1N2, have been reported. Objectives: To evaluate the infection patterns of influenza virus in nine pig farms in Argentina. Methods: Clinical, serological, pathological, and virological cross-sectional studies were conducted. Results: Clinical and pathological results were characteristic of endemic influenza infection in eight of the nine farms studied. By rRT-PCR, six of the nine farms were positive to influenza. Five IAV were obtained. Genome analysis determined that four of the isolations were pH1N1 and that the remaining one was a reassortant human origin H3N2 virus containing pandemic internal genes. Serological results showed that all farms were positive to influenza A antibodies. Moreover, the hemagglutination inhibition test showed that infection with viruses containing HA′s from different subtypes (pH1, δ1H1, δ2H1, and H3) is present among the farms studied and that coinfections with two or more subtypes were present in 80.5% of positive pigs. Conclusions: Because vaccines against IAV are not licensed in Argentina, these results reflect the situation of IAV infection in non-vaccinated herds. This study provides more information about the circulation and characteristics of IAV in a poorly surveyed region. This study provides more data that will be used to evaluate the tools necessary to control this disease.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Tropospheric Delay Calibration System Performance During the First Two BepiColombo Solar Conjunctions

Media propagation delay and delay-rate induced by the water vapor within the Earth's troposphere represent one of the main error sources for radiometric measurements in deep space. In preparation for the BepiColombo and JUICE missions, the European Space Agency has installed and operates the prototype of a tropospheric delay calibration system (TDCS) at the DSA-3 ground station located in Malargüe, Argentina. An initial characterization of the TDCS performance was realized using two-way Doppler measurements at X-band to perform the orbit determination of the Gaia spacecraft. This work will further characterize the system by analyzing two-way Doppler and range data at X- and Ka-band for 31 tracking passes of the BepiColombo spacecraft, which were recorded between March 2021 and February 2022 during the first two solar conjunction experiments. The performance exceeds the expectations based on the previous analysis, with a reduction of the Doppler noise of 51% on average and up to 73% when using the TDCS measurements in place of standard calibrations based on global navigation satellite system data. Furthermore, the campaign serves as validation of the TDCS operations during superior solar conjunctions, with most of the tracking passes at low elongation now satisfying the Mercury orbiter radioscience experiment requirements on two-way Doppler stability. These results, which are in line with those of similar instruments installed at other Deep Space Network antennas, are obtained using a commercial microwave radiometer with significantly lower installation and maintenance costs

Combined effects of time spent in physical activity, sedentary behaviors and sleep on obesity and cardio-metabolic health markers: a novel compositional data analysis approach

<div><p>The associations between time spent in sleep, sedentary behaviors (SB) and physical activity with health are usually studied without taking into account that time is finite during the day, so time spent in each of these behaviors are codependent. Therefore, little is known about the combined effect of time spent in sleep, SB and physical activity, that together constitute a composite whole, on obesity and cardio-metabolic health markers. Cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2005–6 cycle on N = 1937 adults, was undertaken using a compositional analysis paradigm, which accounts for this intrinsic codependence. Time spent in SB, light intensity (LIPA) and moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) was determined from accelerometry and combined with self-reported sleep time to obtain the 24 hour time budget composition. The distribution of time spent in sleep, SB, LIPA and MVPA is significantly associated with BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, plasma glucose, plasma insulin (all p<0.001), and systolic (p<0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.003), but not HDL or LDL. Within the composition, the strongest positive effect is found for the proportion of time spent in MVPA. Strikingly, the effects of MVPA replacing another behavior and of MVPA being displaced by another behavior are asymmetric. For example, re-allocating 10 minutes of SB to MVPA was associated with a lower waist circumference by 0.001% but if 10 minutes of MVPA is displaced by SB this was associated with a 0.84% higher waist circumference. The proportion of time spent in LIPA and SB were detrimentally associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease markers, but the association with SB was stronger. For diabetes risk markers, replacing SB with LIPA was associated with more favorable outcomes. Time spent in MVPA is an important target for intervention and preventing transfer of time from LIPA to SB might lessen the negative effects of physical inactivity.</p></div

Caracterización de la producción porcina familiar en los partidos de Gral Belgrano, Magdalena y Cañuelas: fortalecimiento de la producción porcina familiar

La Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias de la Universidad Nacional de la Plata (UNLP) participa activamente en procesos locales de desarrollo territorial en diferentes áreas con instituciones locales. A partir de estos proyectos se revela la importancia de la producción porcina en los productores familiares y surge, por parte de los alumnos y docentes la facultad y de la Facultad Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales UNLP y las instituciones locales, la necesidad de intervenir y participar en este sector productivo, tradicionalmente relegado, de gran importancia en nuestro país (Campagna, 2005). El objetivo es contribuir al fortalecimiento de la producción sustentable, a través de la caracterización de la producción porcina familiar en los partidos de General Belgrano, Cañuelas y Magdalena para una posterior implementación de actividades para mejorarla.Eje: Educación y formación para el desarrollo ruralUniversidad Nacional de La Plat

Molecular characterization of <i>Cryptosporidium</i> spp. from domestic pigs in Argentina

Cryptosporidiosis in pigs is caused by different Cryptosporidium species or genotypes, with C. suis and C. scrofarum considered porcine specific species. There is scarce information on Cryptosporidium infection in pigs in South America. A total of 520 individual faecal samples were obtained from 1, 2, 3 and 4 week old piglets (n = 130 from each age group), from 13 Argentinean intensive pig farms. The diagnosis of species of Cryptosporidium combined microscopy and molecular techniques. Genotyping from samples with Cryptosporidium oocysts at microscopy was performed by genus-specific and species-specific nested PCR targeting 18S rRNA gene fragments, and sequencing. Microscopic analysis detected Cryptosporidium oocysts in 47/520 (9%) faecal samples from 11/13 (85%) farms, with farm infection rates between 0 and 17.5%. Presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was associated with diarrhea. The proportion of microscopically positive samples was not associated with piglet age. A total of 15/47 (32% of samples with oocyst compatible structures) were positive by genus and species-specific nested PCR. Species-specific PCR and sequencing showed presence of C. suis, C. scrofarum, and both species in 3, 8 and 4 samples, respectively. The proportion of positive samples on each specific PCR was similar between age groups, being C. suis proportion slightly higher in 4 week old piglets. The use of molecular tools allowed the confirmation of C. suis and C. scrofarum infection in Argentinean pigs. Cryptosporidiosis was widely distributed in the main pig husbandry area from Argentina, with a low to moderate intra farm infection rate.Laboratorio de InmunoparasitologíaConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y TécnicasInstituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuari

Genotypic characterization of toxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from pigs with postweaning diarrhea (PWD) and edema disease (ED)

El objetivo del trabajo fue caracterizar mediante PCR 47 aislamientos de Escherichia coli recuperados de 32 cerdos con diagnóstico clínico de diarrea posdestete (DPD) y de 3 cerdos con enfermedad de los edemas (ED). Sobre 44 aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con DPD, 42 (95,5 %) fueron caracterizados como E. coli enterotoxigénicos (ETEC) y 2 (4,5 %) como E. coli productores de toxina Shiga (STEC). Catorce aislamientos de ETEC (33,3 %) fueron positivos para los genes estI/estII/fedA. El genotipo más complejo fue eltA/estII/east1/faeG/aidA. Los aislamientos provenientes de cerdos con ED se clasificaron como STEC porcinos y fueron portadores de stx2e aidA. Once aislamientos (25 %) fueron portadores del gen que codifica la expresión de la adhesina AIDA-I. Sin embargo, en ningún aislamiento se detectaron los genes que codifican la expresión de las adhesinas F5, F6, F41, de intimina y de PAA. La prevención de la DPD y de la ED podría realizarse mediante el desarrollo de vacunas que generen anticuerpos contra las adhesinas de las cepas de E. coli prevalentes en Argentina.The purpose of this work was to characterize 47 Escherichia coli strains isolated from 32 pigs diagnosed with postweaning diarrhea and tree pigs with edema disease by PCR. Forty two (95.5 %) of the strains isolated from diarrheic pigs were characterized as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and 2 (4.5 %) as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Fourteen (33.3 %) ETEC strains were positive for est/estII/fedA genes. The most complex genotype was eltA/estI/faeG/aidA. Strains isolated from pigs with ED were classified as porcine STEC and were stx2e/aidA carriers. Eleven (25 %) strains carried the gene encoding adhesin protein AIDA-I. However, genes coding for F5, F6, F41, intimin and Paa were not detected. The development of vaccines generating antibodies against prevalent E. coli adhesins in Argentina could be useful for the prevention of PWD and ED.Facultad de Ciencias VeterinariasInstituto de Genética Veterinari