Estudo da correlação das características citológicas vaginais e os níveis séricos de estradiol e progesterona em leão africano (Panthera leo) mantidos em cativeiro

Eleven captive adult female African lions (Panthera leo) at the Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo were blood sampled in order to assess the serum hormone levels (estradiol and progesterone) and their correlation with the vaginal citology. The morphological and stainning characteristics of vaginal cells were similar to those described for domestic cats. Based on hormonal profiles of estradiol and progesterone described for domestic cats, three different phases for the ovarian cycle of the lionesses were clearly described: diestrus, estrus and interestrus. The mean serum estradiol concentrations in the estrus (23,33 +/- 2,92 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in diestrus and interestrus. The mean serum progesterone values in diestrus (20,12 +/- 17,55 ng/ml) were significantly higher than in estrus and interestrus. There were correlations between progesterone values and the number of superficial cornified vaginal cells (r = - 0,603 and p = 0,0496) and between progesterone and intermediate cells (r = 0,637and p = 0,0350). There were also a strong negative correlation between the number of superficial cornified vaginal cells and intermediate cells (r = -0,979 e p < 0,0001). It concluded that the correlations between vaginal cells and the serum estradiol and progesterone levels allowed us to identify three different phases of the ovarian cycle in female African lion.Foram estudados 11 exemplares de fêmeas adultas de leões africanos (Panthera leo) mantidas na Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo (FPZSP) quanto às características da citologia vaginal, níveis hormonais (estradiol e progesterona) e suas correlações. As características celulares vaginais encontradas nas leoas foram semelhantes às descritas para os felinos domésticos. Adotando-se os padrões hormonais de estradiol (E2) e progesterona (P4) que definem as fases do ciclo estral de felinos domésticos, foi possível caracterizar três fases do ciclo ovariano nas leoas: Diestro, Estro e Interestro. O nível médio de E2 sérico encontrado na fase caracterizada como Estro (23,33 +/- 2,92 pg/ml), apresentou-se mais alto do que nas outras fases estudadas e o nível médio de P4 sérico encontrado na fase de Diestro (20,12 +/- 17,55 ng/ml) apresentou diferença estatística significativa em comparação às outras fases estudadas. Demonstrou-se também, a existência de correlação de intensidade média entre os níveis séricos de P4 e o número de células superficiais corneificadas (r = - 0,603 e p = 0,0496) e entre P4 e células intermediárias (r = 0,637 e p = 0,0350). Também foi demonstrada a existência de correlação negativa de forte intensidade entre os números de células superficiais corneificadas e o de células intermediárias. (r = -0,979 e p < 0,0001). Concluimos que a correlação entre as características celulares vaginais e os níveis séricos de progesterona e estradiol permitiram-nos determinar três diferentes fases do ciclo ovariano da fêmea de leão africano

Epidemiologia da Leptospirose em animais silvestres na Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo

This study was aimed to achieve a better comprehension of the epidemiological aspects of leptospirosis in the Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo. From 1996 to 1999, blood samples were collected from 302 wild animals that were submitted to the Veterinary Division of the zoo for routine procedures. Positive Microscopic Aglutination Test were obtained from them 59 animals were positiv (19,5%) . The most frequent sorovars were copenhageni ( 15/59 = 25.4%), pomona (13/59 = 22%) and castellonis (10/59 = 16.9%). According to the orders and families of examined animals, the most frequent serovars were: Order Primate : copenhageni (13/25 = 52%), castellonis (5/25 = 20%) e grippotyphosa (2/25 = 8%). Family Felidae pomona (12/17 = 70.5%), icterohaemorrhagiae (2/17=11.7%) e grippotyphosa (1/17 = 5.8%). Family Cervidae : mini (1/1 = 100%). Family Bovidae : copenhageni (2/3 = 66.6%), pomona (1/3 = 33.3%). Order Rodentia : castellonis (2/3 = 66.6%). Family Macropodidae : sentot (1/1 = 100%). Family Girafidae : castellonis (1/1 = 100%). Free living specimens of the Muridae ( Rattus norvegicus ) and Didelphidae ( Didelphis marsupialis) families were also examined for Microscopic Aglutination Test and bacteriologic culture. Positive serologycal and bacteriologycal tests for Icterohaemorrhagiae serogrup were found in rodents, such as rats (3/7 = 42.8%) and opossum 2/5 = 40%). These strongly suggest that free-living rodents play na important role in the leptospirosis transmition inside the Zoo. Two specific areas, Extra Sector 1 and Feline Alley were considered critical due to the major proportion of seropositives animals. The possible reasons and these findings were sugestive for the profilatical procidures for the control of the Leptospirosis at the São Paulo Zoo were discussed.A Leptospirose é uma doença bacteriana de caráter zoonótico que afeta os animais domésticos, silvestres e o homem. Levantamentos sorológicos têm demonstrado o envolvimento de diferentes espécies sinantrópicas e silvestres na epidemiologia da doença. Com o objetivo de conhecer melhor a epidemiologia da Leptospirose dentro da Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo, foi realizado um estudo sorológico nos animais silvestres mantidos em cativeiro, no período de 1996 a 1999. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue de 302 animais atendidos na rotina da Divisão de Veterinária, das quais 59 apresentaram resultado positivo (19.5%) para a prova de Soroaglutinação Microscópica. Os sorovares mais prováveis para o conjunto total de resultados foram : copenhageni (15/59=25.4%), pomona (13/59=22%) e castellonis (10/59=16.9%). Entre os animais silvestres examinados os sorovares mais prováveis foram : Família Callithrichidae : castellonis (3/3=100%), Família cebidae : copenhageni : (13/21=65%), grippotyphosa (2/21=9.5%) e castellonis (1/21=44.7%). Família felidae : pomona (12/17=70.5%), icterohaemorrhagiae (2/17=11.7%) e grippotyphosa (1/17=5.8%), Família canidae : castellonis (2/4=50%), cynopteri (1/4=25%) e mini (1/4=25%), Família cervidae : mini (1/1=100%), Família bovidae : copenhageni (2/3=66.6%), pomona (1/3=33.3%), Família dasyproctidae : castellonis (2/3=66.6%), Família macropodidae: sentot (1/1=100%), família giraffidae : castellonis (1/1=100%). Animais de vida livre como ratos (Rattus norvegicus) e gambás (Didelphis marsupialis) também foram submetidos a prova de soroaglutinação necroscópica e cultura bacteriológica. Foram encontrados testes positivos para o sorovar icterohaemorrhagiae em 42,8% dos ratos e 40% dos gambás estudados. As freqüências de positivos quando analisadas do ponto de vista da localização espacial dos recintos destes animais, permitiram a verificação da existência de áreas críticas para exposição à leptospira dentro da Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo. As freqüências de positivos para as várias áreas examinadas foram : Setor extra (36/113=31.8%), Alameda dos felinos (10/20=50%), Ilhas+Alameda, Lago+Alameda Girafa (3/14=21.4%), Alameda Urso+Alameda Zebra (3/21=14.2%), Gaiolão II (1/21=14.2%), Planície Africana (2/15=13.3%) e Alameda Bisão (1/2=50%). As razões desta constatação foram discutidas e medidas de profilaxia e controle para a Leptospirose no ambiente da Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo foram sugeridas. Também foi discutida a importância do monitoramento sorológico em ambientes de zoológico para ações de vigilância

Epidemiological study of infectious diseases on waterfowls from Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo

Anseriformes mantidos em lagos de zôos e parques estão sob constante risco de exposição às doenças presentes nas populações de aves migratórias, que dividem com eles o mesmo local durante um determinado período todos os anos. São doenças que podem ter implicações para as aves cativas, para a população humana que tem contato com essas aves e para os plantéis de produção. Assim, ações de vigilância, com o objetivo de detectar rapidamente determinadas doenças, representam alternativas interessantes para se fazer gestão de risco. O objetivo do presente estudo foi pesquisar a presença de agentes etiológicos selecionados na população de Cisnes Negros (Cygnus atratus), mantida nos lagos da FPZSP, visto que essa população tem contato com as seguintes aves migrantes que visitam a FPZSP todos os anos: irerês (Dendrocygna viduata), marreca caneleira (Dendrocygna bicolor) e marreca asa de seda (Amazoneta brasiliensis). Assim, foram colhidos suabes de traquéia e cloaca de uma amostra capaz de detectar doença com prevalência estimada em 1% para um nível de confiança de 95%. Além disso, foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo (2001 a 2006) das principais causas de morte nessa população. As principais causas de mortalidade registradas em 184 registros analisados foram: desvio de tendão extensor tarso-metatarsiano (37, 20,1%), desnutrição (20, 10,9%), problemas hepáticos (17, 9,2%), traumas (15, 8,2%), problemas respiratórios (8, 4,3%), septicemias (6, 3,3%), intoxicações (5, 2,7%) e problemas gastrointestinais (3, 1,6%). Um terço das carcaças (62, 33,7%) foi encontrado em estado de putrefação. A taxa de mortalidade foi decrescente de 2001 a 2006 e apresentou sazonalidade, sendo maior entre os meses de novembro a maio. No momento das coletas, não houve nenhuma evidência clínica ou laboratorial da presença dos seguintes agentes: Pasteurella multocida., Salmonella sp., Chlamydophila psittaci, Orthomixovírus (Influenza Aviária), Paramixovirus (Doença de Newcastle) e Coronavirus (Bronquite Infecciosa).Waterfowls housed in ponds of zoos and parks are under constant risk of exposure to pathogens of migratory birds that visit these places every year. Some of them involving zoo animals and humans. The spread of particular diseases may also become a serious threat for domestic poultry. So, surveillance, focused in early detection of some diseases, can be an interesting tool to do risk management. The goal of the present work was to search the presence of some select pathogens in the captive black swan population (Cygnus atratus) present in the ponds of the Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo (FPZSP), because these animals have contact with the following free-living waterfowls: white-faced whistling-duck (Dendrocygna viduata), fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) e brasilian teal (Amazoneta brasiliensis). Swabs of trachea and cloaca were sampled from 239 animals, the sample size required for detecting disease present in at least 1% of the animals (CI = 95%). Moreover, a retrospective study was done about the causes of death to the period from 2001 to 2006. The mainly causes of black swan death in FPZSP were: slipped tendon (37/184, 20,1%), malnutrition (20/184, 10,9%), hepatic problem (17/184, 9,2%), trauma (15/184, 8,2%), respiratory problem (8/184, 4,3%), septicemias (6/184, 3,3%), intoxication (5/184, 2,7%) e gastro-intestinal problems(3/184, 1,6%). One third of the carcass (62/184, 33,7%) was in autolysis. The mortality presented peaks of occurrence from november to may and a decreasing trend from 2001 to 2006. At the moment of the sampling, there was no clinical or laboratorial evidence of the infection by the following pathogens: Pasteurella multocida., Salmonella sp., Chlamydophila psittaci, Orthomixovírus (Avian Influenza), Paramixovirus (Newcastle Disease) e Coronavirus (Infectious Bronchitis)

Periodontopathogens Detection in White-Cheeked Spider Monkey (Ateles marginatus)

Background: Control of oral lesions contributes directly to the survival, and welfare of captive animals, and studies show that the genus Ateles has a higher prevalence of widespread periodontal disease compared to other genera. Anaerobic microbial species, considered as periodontal pathogens, are part of the biofilm community that contributes to the development of periodontitis. The present study aimed to detect periodontopathogenos in the oral cavity of two captive white-cheeked spider monkeys (Ateles marginatus) submitted for assessment oral and subgingival curettage.Case: We evaluated one pair of captive white-cheeked spider monkeys, one male (A) and one female (B), of 15 years of age with an average weight of 7 kg. Animals were fed daily with rations for primates, including fruit, vegetables, and raw eggs. The animals underwent oral evaluation, and following the charting of odontogram and photographic documentation, both were classified with periodontal disease stage III, according to the AVDC (American College of Veterinary Dentistry). They presented with moderate periodontitis, characterized by a loss of 25 to 50% of periodontal insertion and exposure of furcation degree 2, measured through clinical survey. During intraoral review, animals underwent subgingival curettage with curette of Gracey on the surface of the canine vestibular (C) and four top bilateral premolars (4PM). Antibiotics were not used at the time of collection, for dealing with routine procedures of clinical evaluation. The animals showed an increase in the volume of hemorrhagic features in the vestibular region between C and the second pre molar (2PM) on the upper right. Incisional biopsy was collected immediately at the end of the assessment, for the purpose of histopathological analyses. The samples from subgingival collection were immediately deposited in microtubes containing 500 µL of 0.9% saline solution and kept at -18°C until the time of genomic DNA extraction. The extracted DNA were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Fusobacterium spp., Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Tannerella forsythia. All the samples detected in PCR were confirmed by partial sequencing of genes. Fusobacterium spp., P. gingivalis, and T. forsythia were detected in both individuals A and B. The identification of P. intermedia was exclusive to animal A and histopathological analysis of the gingival fragment showed severe and diffuse neutrophilic infiltrates, confirming the of gingivitis for this individual, with greater severity in the disease progression.Discussion: Older animals in captivity have a higher incidence of periodontal disease and high expression of inflammatory cytokines and immune receptors involved in the induction of inflammation as compared to younger animals, as well as free-living animals. Gingivitis and periodontitis are associated with an increase in the frequency of anaerobic, gramnegative microorganisms, whereby the production of pigments and a variety of enzymes damages the periodontal tissues. Knowing that the presence of bacterial species directly affects the periodontal condition and that the participation of these microorganisms favors the installation and progression of the disease, this study describes the first molecular detection of periodontopathogens related to periodontal disease in white-cheeked spider monkeys. We concluded that these pathogens are present in the oral cavity of white-cheeked spider monkeys, highlighting the importance of routine and proper food handling in captive animals

Ultrasound characterization of the coelomic cavity organs of the red-footed tortoise ( Chelonoidis carbonaria )

ABSTRACT: Herein it was describe sonographic morphology and sintopy of the bowels of the coelomic cavity in the red-footed tortoise. Coelomic cavity of 19 males and 19 females were scanned through cervical and prefemoral access with a multifrequency sector transducer. Morphology, syntopy and echogenicity of the heart, thyroid, liver, gallbladder, reproductive organs, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, urinary bladder and kidneys were evaluated. The heart showed two atria and one ventricle with a thick, trabecular wall. The thyroid was oval and hyperecoic, visualized in the cardiac portion of the ultrasound. The liver, gallbladder and digestive system were similar to those seen in mammals and turtles. However, the tortoise liver was relatively more hyperechoic than mammals. The kidneys appeared as triangular structures, which were hypoechoic, homogeneous and vascularized; the bladder was observed mostly as being elongated with anechoic content, and its wall appeared as a thin hyperechoic line when free fluid was present. The testes were observed to be elongated, homogeneous and more hyperechoic than kidneys. The ovarian follicles were seen as hyperechoic, echogenic balls of variable size and quantity, the oviduct as a sigmoid tubular structure and the eggs as thin hyperechoic lines with posterior acoustic shadowing. In some animals, there were variable amounts of fluid around the heart and in the coelomic cavity