Evaluation of response to anti-leptospira bacterin vaccination in pregnant ewes and the passive transfer of antibodies to their offspring

Leptospirosis in sheep is often underestimated, and leads to great economic losses for the sheep farming industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the humoral immune response in pregnant ewes, after the injection of a commercial polyvalent vaccine for leptospirosis, and to observe the transmission of anti-Leptospira antibodies through the colostrum to the offspring. For this, 24 pregnant ewes were vaccinated for leptospirosis.  Blood samples were collected prior to vaccination and then 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 days after vaccination. In order to evaluate passive immunity transfer, blood samples of 32 lambs were collected during the first 48 hours after birth, and another collection was performed 10 to 21 days after birth. The lambs were placed into 2 groups: Group A (n=16): singleton lambs; and group B (n=16): twins. The sera samples were submitted to the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), in which 21 Leptospira serovars were tested. The results were analyzed in a descriptive form. The number of sheep reactive to MAT gradually increased until 21 days after vaccination, and decreased right after. Of all the serovars contained in the vaccine, the largest proportion of animals were seroconverted to Hardjoprajtino serovar, Serjoe serogroup. Anti-Leptospira antibodies transferred through colostrum to lambs were detected by MAT in the serum collected 24-48 hours after birth.  It was observed that 65.6% (21 out of 32) of the lambs were reactive. In the subsequent collections that occurred from 10 to 21 days after birth, a decrease in the number of animals reactive to the MAT was detected. There was no significant statistical difference for the passive transfer of antibodies between single or twin lambs

Identification and molecular characterization of Herpesvirus obtained of bats

Orientador: Clarice Weis ArnsDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências MédicasResumo: Os morcegos destacam-se como importantes agentes transmissores de patógenos infecciosos. Características destes animais, como capacidade de voar, elevada difusão geográfica, diversidade de espécies, além de boa mobilidade espacial e interação com outras populações animais, aproximam o contato entre humanos e morcegos e podem promover a transmissão de patógenos, incluindo vírus. Neste contexto, os herpesvírus são amplamente disseminados em humanos e outros animais. Os vírus desta família podem causar desde lesões em mucosas até quadros mais graves, como encefalites, meningites ou infecções disseminadas. Informações relacionadas à distribuição dos vírus da família Herpesviridae em morcegos ainda são pouco caracterizadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar herpesvírus em amostras de suabe oral e anal de morcegos de várias espécies, de dois municípios diferentes e fazer a caracterização molecular destas amostras, buscando-se identificar relações com estirpes circulantes na natureza. Foram analisadas 320 amostras de populações de morcegos dos municípios de Campinas e Rio Claro no estado de São Paulo, por Pan-herpesvírus PCR (Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase). Foram utilizados primers degenerados direcionados para amplificar uma região conservada do gene da DNA Polimerase de herpesvírus. Foi utilizado um formato de nested-PCR capaz de amplificar fragmentos de 21 espécies de herpesvírus (13 vírus animais e oito vírus humanos), das subfamílias Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae e Gammaherpesvirinae. As amostras identificadas como positivas na PCR foram submetidas à técnica de sequenciamento Sanger, seguido de análise filogenética pelos métodos de Maximum Likelihood e Neighbor-Joining. No total, 69 sequências foram compatíveis com herpesvírus, após o sequenciamento. A maioria das amostras positivas eram provenientes de suabes orais. Algumas amostras apresentaram relação filogenética com herpesvírus da subfamília GammaherpesvirinaeAbstract: Bats stand out as important agents transmitting pathogens. Characteristics of these animals, such as high geographical diffusion, species diversity, good spatial mobility and interaction with other populations, become closer the contact between humans and bats, and can promote the transmission of infectious pathogens, including viruses. Herpesviruses are widely disseminated in humans and other animals. The viruses of this family can cause from mucosal lesions to more serious conditions, such as encephalitis, meningitis or disseminated infections. Information related to the distribution of Herpesviridae viruses in bats is still poorly characterized. This study aims to identify herpesvirus in oral and anal swab samples of various species of bats from two different municipalities and to characterize these samples in order to identify relationships with circulating strains in nature. A total of 320 samples from bat populations of the municipalities of Campinas and Rio Claro in the São Paulo state were analyzed by Pan-herpesvirus PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction). Degenerate primers targeted to amplify a conserved region of the DNA Polymerase herpesvirus gene were used. A nested-PCR format capable of amplifying fragments of 21 herpesvirus species (13 animal and eight human viruses), from the subfamilies Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae was used. Samples identified as positive in the PCR were submitted to the Sanger sequencing technique, followed by phylogenetic analysis by the Maximum Likelihood and Neighbor-Joining methods. In total, 69 sequences were compatible with herpesvirus after sequencing. Most of the positive samples came from oral swabs. Some samples showed a phylogenetic relationship with herpesvirus of the subfamily GammaherpesvirinaeMestradoClinica MedicaMestra em Ciências4570/2018CAPE

Soroepidemiologia da leptospirose em rebanho bovino leiteiro no municíio de Ipameri, estado de Goiás, Brasil

Leptospirosis is a disease with worldwide distribution and with risk to human health. In addition, it affects farm animals, and consequently, causes economic losses to farmers. Therefore, understanding the epidemiological profile of the disease in each geographical region is essential. This study was conducted in the rural properties of the municipality of Ipameri, state of Goiás, Brazil, where leptospirosis has not been reported in dairy farming. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of leptospirosis in dairy cattle, identify the serovars present, and correlate these results with factors that could favor the appearance of the disease. For this purpose, 285 blood samples were collected from dairy cows and microscopic agglutination tests were conducted to identify the 15 serovars of Leptospira interrogans. A structured questionnaire was applied during the visits to the properties to assess the factors associated with leptospirosis. The prevalence was found to be 18.9%, and the serovars present in the region included Hardjo, Wolffi, Canicola, Hebdomadis, Australis, and Icterohaemorrhagiae. The variables associated with leptospirosis were the presence of reproductive changes in the herd, presence of rodents, increased daily production of milk, hired labor, and lower level of education of the producers.A leptospirose é uma doença de distribuição mundial, que oferece riscos à saúde humana e acomete os animais de produção, gerando perdas econômicas ao produtor rural, sendo importante conhecer o perfil epidemiológico da doença em cada região. Esse estudo foi realizado em propriedades rurais do município de Ipameri, estado de Goiás, onde não existia nenhum relato sobre a leptospirose na pecuária leiteira. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar a soroprevalência de leptospirose nos bovinos leiteiros, os soravares presentes e correlacionar os resultados com variáveis que podem favorecer o aparecimento da doença. Para isso foram coletadas 285 amostras de sangue de vacas em lactação e realizado o teste diagnóstico de soroaglutinação microscópica em campo escuro (SAM) contra 15 sorovares de Leptospira interrogans. Aplicou-se um questionário estruturado durante a visita para avaliar os fatores associados à ocorrência da leptospirose. A prevalência encontrada foi de 18,9%, e os sorovares encontrados foram Hardjo, Wolffi, Canicola, Hebdomadis, Australis e Icterohaemorrhagiae. As características das propriedades associadas à presença da leptospirose foram a presença de alterações reprodutivas, presença de roedores, maior produção diária de leite, mão de obra assalariada, grau de escolaridade inferior do produtor