Comparison of paraffin-embedded skin biopsies from different anatomical regions as sampling methods for detection of Leishmania infection in dogs using histological, immunohistochemical and PCR methods

BACKGROUND: We compared skin biopsy samples from different anatomical regions for detecting Leishmania in dogs, using histological (HE), immunohistochemical (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. RESULTS: The sensitivity was 82.8 percent for PCR, 62.1 percent for IHC and 44.8 percent for HE. These methods do not appear to depend on the clinical status of the animal or the anatomical source of the skin sample; there is no "best region" for any method. However, PCR was more effective than IHC and HE for ear and nose skin samples whereas IHC was better than HE for nose samples. There was weak agreement between PCR and HE for all tissue samples; good agreement between PCR and IHC for ear and abdomen samples, and weak agreement for nose; and optimal agreement between IHC and HE for ear and abdomen and good agreement for nose samples. CONCLUSION: The PCR on ear skin could be the best procedure for diagnosing canine visceral leishmaniasis. The good agreement between PCR and IHC indicates that IHC can be used as an alternative method. Finally, tissue samples from ears, nose and abdomen, particularly ears and nose, are potentially useful for diagnosing canine visceral leishmaniasis independently of the animal's clinical status

Histological observations on Montenegro's reaction in man

The Montenegro skin test is widely used as a diagnostic method for American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) but little is known about the histological changes that occur in the skin after administration of the antigen. This report is based on histological studies of biopsied material obtained, from inoculation sites, 48 hours after individuals had been given intradermal injections with a standardized Montenegro antigen. The material examined was obtained from four distinctly different test groups: naturally infected patients with parasitologically proved ACL and with positive Montenegro's reaction; individuals without previous history of ACL and not previously tested with Montenegro antigen; participants in anti-ACL vaccine trials who developed positive reactions to Montenegro antigen after vaccination; other participants in vaccine trials who had negative Montenegro responses after vaccination or had served as controls in the trials. The histological pictures of each group are described and discussed. Histologically, the reactions of vaccinated individuals were indistinguishable from those with naturally acquired infections.Foi realizado o estudo histológico do material obtido nas biópsias do local de inoculação do antígeno para teste de Montenegro (T.M.) nos seguintes grupos de indivíduos: I) Seis pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea comprovados parasitologicamente, com Montenegro positivo; II) Cinco indivíduos normais, não residentes em zona endêmica, com Montenegro negativo; III) Nove soldados participantes de ensaios clínicos com vacina anti-LTA - MAYRINK e cols. 1979 e que tiveram o TM positivo 35 dias após vacinação. IV) Um último grupo constituído de quatro soldados, também participantes de ensaio clínico com a mesma vacina acima, dois vacinados que não mostraram TM positivo 35 dias após vacinação e dois que receberam placebo. As biópsias foram realizadas 48 hs após a inoculação do antígeno. O material foi fixado em formol à 10% (pH 7.2). Histologicamente, excetivando o grupo II (controle negativo), os grupos I-I1I-IV mostraram diferenças quantitativas no infiltrado mononuclear. Os quadros histológicos de cada grupo são descritos e discutidos

Influência da expressão e educação físico motora no desenvolvimento da criança do 1º ciclo do ensino básico : contextos, perspetivas e participantes

A formação global da criança, na qual se integra a formação motora, deve ocupar um lugar de relevância na escola atual. Neste espaço, os alunos constroem o seu próprio conhecimento, e ao vivenciarem as aprendizagens de forma lúdica, potenciam o desenvolvimento de outras competências. O presente Relatório Final de Estágio encontra-se dividido em duas partes distintas: as reflexões críticas das práticas em contexto e o trabalho de investigação. Na primeira parte é apresentada uma apreciação crítica das práticas em contexto prático, nomeadamente na educação pré-escolar e do ensino do 1.º CEB. Na segunda parte damos a conhecer o trabalho de investigação, baseado num estudo de natureza quantitativa realizado no contexto de 1.º CEB de um Agrupamento de Escolas de Aveiro e de um Agrupamento de Escolas de Viseu que visa compreender a influência da Expressão e Educação Físico-Motora no desenvolvimento global da criança. Para o efeito, recorremos a autores de referência e à legislação em vigor, assim como, em termos empíricos, as respostas aos questionários dirigidos aos professoras do 1.º CEB. Os resultados encontrados apontam para o seguinte conjunto de principais conclusões: 1.º os professores atribuem muita importância às práticas motoras, constituindo-se como um fator fundamental para o desenvolvimento integral e harmonioso da criança; 2.º a Expressão e Educação Físico-Motora não têm sido uma realidade nas escolas do estudo, os professores apresentam como principais causas: a falta de condições de materiais, espaciais e de equipamentos como também a necessidade de formação, quer a nível da formação inicial quer a nível da formação contínua; 3.º os agrupamentos, as escolas e os professores devem estar implicados nos diferentes contextos nos quais circula a criança e que são promotores de formação e desenvolvimento, tanto ao nível dos quadros letivos e curriculares como também nos de enriquecimento curricular e nos projetos mais lúdicos e de recreação; 4.º a Expressão e Educação Físico-Motora deve assumir claramente o seu carácter formativo, onde a iniciativa e responsabilidade na organização deve ir ao encontro das aspirações das crianças e de toda a comunidade educativa.The overall formation of the child, in which the motor formation is integrated, must occupy a place of relevance in the present school. In this space, students construct their own knowledge, and when they experience learning in a playful way, they foster the development of other skills. This Final Internship Report is divided into two distinct parts: the critical reflections of the practices and the research work. The first part presents a critical appraisal of practices in a practical context, namely in pre-school education and 1st cycle education (1st CEB). In the second part it is presented the research work, based on a quantitative study carried out in the context of 1st CEB in two schools from Aveiro and Viseu Portuguese Grouping of Schools that aims to understand the influence of physical-motor expression in the overall development of the child. To this end, authors of reference and legislation in force, as well as, in empirical terms, the answers to the questionnaires addressed to the teachers of the 1st CEB were used as methodology to reach the desirable goal. The results lead to the following set of main conclusions: 1) teachers attach great importance to motor practices, constituting as a fundamental factor for the integral and harmonious development of the child; 2) physical-motor expression have not been a reality in the schools of the study, the main causes of teachers are: the lack of material, space and equipment conditions as well as the need for training, both in training Initial or continuing training; 3) groups, schools and teachers must be involved in the different contexts in which the child circulates and are promoters of training and development, both in terms of school and curricular frameworks as well as curriculum enrichment and more playful projects and recreation; 4) expression and physical-motor education must clearly assume its formative character, where the initiative and responsibility in the organization must meet the aspirations of the children and the entire educational community

Histological observations on Montenegro's reaction in man

The Montenegro skin test is widely used as a diagnostic method for American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) but little is known about the histological changes that occur in the skin after administration of the antigen. This report is based on histological studies of biopsied material obtained, from inoculation sites, 48 hours after individuals had been given intradermal injections with a standardized Montenegro antigen. The material examined was obtained from four distinctly different test groups: naturally infected patients with parasitologically proved ACL and with positive Montenegro's reaction; individuals without previous history of ACL and not previously tested with Montenegro antigen; participants in anti-ACL vaccine trials who developed positive reactions to Montenegro antigen after vaccination; other participants in vaccine trials who had negative Montenegro responses after vaccination or had served as controls in the trials. The histological pictures of each group are described and discussed. Histologically, the reactions of vaccinated individuals were indistinguishable from those with naturally acquired infections

Relationship between clinical and pathological signs and severity of canine leishmaniasis

Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is a zoonotic disease that presents variable clinical and laboratory aspects. The aims of this study were to identify the main biochemical/hematological status of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and to associate theses parameters with clinical forms of CVL. Blood samples were analyzed from 51 dogs, 15 uninfected (control group) and 36 infected, which were classified clinically in three groups: asymptomatic (n=12), oligosymptomatic (n=12) and symptomatic (n=12). All the infected dogs showed lower albumin/globulin ratios (A-G ratio) than the limit of reference. The mean values of total protein, urea, α-globulin 2, globulin and A-G ratio of infected dogs were outside the reference interval and differed significantly from those of the controls. Anemia was detected only in groups that showed clinical signs of the disease, and a statistical analysis indicated a significantly higher frequency of lower eritrogram in these groups than in the asymptomatic group. In addition, a significant association was observed between anemia and the presence of the symptoms, with dogs displaying higher erythrogram values showing better clinical conditions. These results provide additional evidence that the clinical forms of CVL may reflect on the erythrogram status

Canine Leishmaniasis: An Overview of the Current Status and Strategies for Control

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a vector-borne disease caused by Leishmania infantum and is transmitted by female phlebotomine sand flies primarily between animals and secondarily to humans. The course of infection may be different from one individual dog to another, ranging from spontaneous cure to acute evolution that leads to death, if proper management and therapy are not adopted. A parasitological cure is rarely achieved and clinical recurrences in CanL are frequent. Vaccination associated with the use of topical insecticides is undoubtedly the most effective form of prevention and control of the disease. In order to integrate the most important scientific knowledge of the literature in one objective publication, this review proposes a short overview of the main points of CanL