Safety and immunogenicity of Rift Valley fever MP-12 and arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccine candidates in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) from Tanzania

Vaccination of domestic ruminants is considered to be an effective strategy for protecting these animals against Rift Valley fever (RVF), but available vaccines have limitations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the safety and immunogenicity of RVF virus (RVFV) mutagenesis passage 12 (MP-12) and arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccine candidates in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) in Tanzania. Goats were vaccinated intramuscularly with RVFV MP-12 or arMP-12ΔNSm21/384, and then on Day 87 post-vaccination (PV) all animals were revaccinated using the RVFV MP-12 vaccine candidate. Serum samples were collected from the animals before and after vaccination at various intervals to test for RVFV using a Vero cell culture assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and for RVFV-neutralising antibody using a plaque reduction neutralisation assay. Serum samples collected before vaccination on Days -14 and 0, and on Days 3, 4 and 5 PV were negative for RVFV and neutralising antibody. All animals remained healthy, and viremia was not detected in any of the animals. Rift Valley fever virus antibody was first detected on Day 5 PV at a 1:10 dilution in five of five animals vaccinated with the MP-12 vaccine and in five of eight animals vaccinated with arMP-12ΔNSm21/384. Titres then increased and were sustained at 1:40 to 1:640 through to Day 87 PV. All animals that were revaccinated on Day 87 PV with MP-12 developed antibody titres ranging from 1:160 to as high as 1:10 240 on Days 14 and 21 PV. Although the antibody titres for goats vaccinated with RVF MP-12 were slightly higher than titres elicited by the arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccine, these findings demonstrated that both vaccines are promising candidates for the prevention of RVF among Tansanian goats

Standardization of electrocardiographic parameters in healthy Golden Retrievers dogs

A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) em humanos é uma alteração neuromuscular hereditária, de caráter recessivo, ligada ao cromossomo X e causada pela ausência ou disfunção da distrofina. Clinicamente, caracteriza-se por grave alteração na musculatura esquelética, resultando em morte precoce do indivíduo acometido. Em cães da raça Golden Retriever, a mutação que leva à distrofia muscular ocorre espontaneamente e a extensa homologia entre a patogênese da DMD e da distrofia muscular do Golden Retriever permite qualificar o cão como o principal substituto de humanos nos testes clínicos de novas terapias. O miocárdio deficiente em distrofina é mais vulnerável à sobrecarga de pressão e os pacientes com DMD podem desenvolver cardiomiopatia dilatada, hipertensão arterial e o eletrocardiograma pode se apresentar distintamente anormal. No presente estudo, foram avaliados exames eletrocardiográficos de 38 cães da raça Golden Retriever clinicamente sadios (20 animais de até 12 meses de idade e 18 animais entre 12 e 36 meses de idade), com a finalidade de se obter parâmetros para a padronização do eletrocardiograma nessa referida raça, o que futuramente poderá servir de referência na identificação de cães portadores ou afetados pela distrofia muscular. Os valores eletrocardiográficos obtidos encontraram-se dentro dos valores de normalidade e referência para as diferentes raças de cães; e as variáveis peso e idade alteraram significativamente a freqüência cardíaca e a amplitude do complexo QRSThe Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) in humans is a X-linked neuromuscular disease, of recessive character, caused either by the absence or dysfunction of the dystrophin. Clinically, it is characterized by severe alteration in the skeletal musculature, resulting in precocious death. In Golden Retriever dogs, the mutation that takes to the muscular dystrophy happens spontaneously and the extensive homology among the pathogenesis of DMD and of Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy allows to qualify the dog as the main substitute of humans in the clinical tests of new therapies. The deficient myocardium in distrofin is more vulnerable to the pressure overload and the patients with DMD can develop dilated cardiomyopathy, arterial hypertension and the electrocardiogram can come distinctly abnormal. In the present study, 38 healthy Golden Retriever dogs were evaluated by electrocardiographic exam with the purpose to obtain parameters for the standardization of the electrocardiogram in the referred breed, what hereafter can serve as reference in the identification of bearer or affected dogs. Electrocardiographic values obtained were within normal values and reference for the various breeds of dogs, and the variables weight and age significantly altered heart rate and amplitude of the QRS complexFAPESP (Proc. 04/08173-2

Seasonal changes in nutritional status and reproductive performance of Zebu cows kept under a traditional agro-pastoral system in Tanzania

Trop Anim Health Prod (2006) 38:511–519 DOI 10.1007/s11250-006-4419-zThe objectives of this study were to assess changes in nutritional status/body condition score, percentage pregnancy and calving rate in Zebu cows and to establish the relationship between body condition score loss and postpartum interval to resumption of ovarian activity. A total of 198 cows and postpubertal heifers of the Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu kept under a traditional management system were randomly selected from 200 smallholder herds. Factors investigated during bi-weekly visits include body condition score (BCS), heart-girth circumference, milk yield and reproductive status of the animals, pregnancy/nonpregnancy and cyclicity/non-cyclicity. Local weather conditions and dates of occurrence of other reproductive events such as calving were also recorded. Calvings occurred all year round but with a strong seasonal distribution characterized by annual peaks observed between April and July. The annual calving pattern was closely related to rainfall, with peak precipitation occurring a few months before peak calving. The overall percentage pregnancy varied from 30% to 50% throughout the N. L. Kanuya ( ) · M. K. Matiko · R. Nkya · S. B. P. Bittegeko · M. N. Mgasa Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania e-mail: [email protected] O. Reksen · E. Ropstad Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway year. Postpartum cows exhibited minimum mean BCS and heart-girth circumference 12–14 weeks after calving, and cows with BCS loss >1 point exhibited the longest time interval from calving to onset of ovarian activity

Seasonal changes in nutritional status and reproductive performance of Zebu cows kept under a traditional agro-pastoral system in Tanzania

Trop Anim Health Prod (2006) 38:511–519 DOI 10.1007/s11250-006-4419-zThe objectives of this study were to assess changes in nutritional status/body condition score, percentage pregnancy and calving rate in Zebu cows and to establish the relationship between body condition score loss and postpartum interval to resumption of ovarian activity. A total of 198 cows and postpubertal heifers of the Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu kept under a traditional management system were randomly selected from 200 smallholder herds. Factors investigated during bi-weekly visits include body condition score (BCS), heart-girth circumference, milk yield and reproductive status of the animals, pregnancy/nonpregnancy and cyclicity/non-cyclicity. Local weather conditions and dates of occurrence of other reproductive events such as calving were also recorded. Calvings occurred all year round but with a strong seasonal distribution characterized by annual peaks observed between April and July. The annual calving pattern was closely related to rainfall, with peak precipitation occurring a few months before peak calving. The overall percentage pregnancy varied from 30% to 50% throughout the N. L. Kanuya ( ) · M. K. Matiko · R. Nkya · S. B. P. Bittegeko · M. N. Mgasa Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania e-mail: [email protected] O. Reksen · E. Ropstad Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway year. Postpartum cows exhibited minimum mean BCS and heart-girth circumference 12–14 weeks after calving, and cows with BCS loss >1 point exhibited the longest time interval from calving to onset of ovarian activity

Pesquisa de aglutininas anti Brucella canis em soros humanos na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil<a href="#back"></a> Research on agglutinins for Brucella canis in human sera in the city of S. Paulo, Brazil

De 330 soros humanos examinados pela prova de soroaglutinação lenta em tubos, 4(1,21%) apresentaram aglutininas anti Brucella canis em diluição 1:100 (1 reagente com título 100, 2 reagentes com título 200 e 1 reagente com título 400).<br>Of the 330 human sera tested by tube agglutination test, 4 (1.21%) were positive for Brucella canis antibodies with tilers 1:100 or higher (1 reagent with titer of 1:100, 2 reagents with titer of 1:200, and 1 reagent with tiler of 1:400)

Evidências epidemiológicas da ocorrência de escabiose, em humanos, causada pelo Sarcoptes scabiei (DeGeer, 1778) var. canis (Bourguignon, 1853) Epidemiologic evidence on the ocurrence of scabies in humans, caused by Sarcoptes scabiei (DeGeer, 1778) var. canis (Bourguignon, 1853)

A partir de 27 cães com sarna sarcóptica, envolvendo 143 pessoas expostas à infestação, observaram-se 58 (40,56%) com lesões cutâneas sugestivas de escabiose. Tais lesões mostraram-se mais incidentes nas mulheres do que nos homens e indivíduos de todas as faixas etárias foram acometidos, indistintamente. Foi demonstrada a presença do agente em 3 dos 12 casos humanos observados que mantiveram contato com animais escabiosos.<br>The human infestation with Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis was studied. From 143 humans which were in close contact with 27 infested animals, the author was able to detect 58 infested individuals (40.56%). The incidence of this zoonosis was higher among women than men and individuals of all ages were indiscriminately affected. The scabies agent was observed in 3 out of 12 pacients submitted to skin scraping

Opinião e conhecimento de pacientes e familiares sobre o uso da eletroconvulsoterapia: implicações para a enfermagem Opinion and knowledge of pacients and their relativies of the electroconvulsive therapy: implication for nursing

Neste trabalho verificou-se a opinião e o conhecimento de pacientes internados em uma unidade psiquiátrica e seus familiares, sobre a aceitação do uso da eletroconvulsoterapia. Através de análise quantitativa constatou-se a aprovação da maioria ao tratamento, apesar do escasso conhecimento sobre este, apresentado pelos indivíduos estudados. Constatou-se também que o conhecimento desse tratamento e a confiança depositada no profissional médico que indica o tratamento, parece influir na opinião dos indivíduos sobre seu uso. Desta forma existe a importância do papel do enfermeiro na educação dos indivíduos em relação à eletroconvulsoterapia.<br>The aim of this report was to verify in-patients and their relative's opinion and knowledge of the use of electroconvulsive therapy. By means of a quantitative analysis, the use of this treatment was shown to be accepted despite the individuals knew little about it. It was observed taht the knowledge of this treatment had influence over individual's opinion about it. Thus nurses play an important role on the instruction of these individuals regarding this treatment