Resumen. Aunque algunos estudios han identificado parásitos en tortugas verdes (Chelonia mydas), poco se sabe sobre la morfología de los huevos de helmintos en las heces de estos animales. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar morfológicamente huevos de helmintos recuperados en exámenes coproparasitológicos por sedimentación y analizar su relación con especies de helmintos recuperados durante la necropsia de ejemplares juveniles de C. mydas. Se encontraron e identificaron 4 morfotipos de huevos distintos, clasificados como trematodos digenéticos de las familias Microscaphidiidae, Cladorchiidae y Spirorchiidae. Hubo diversidad morfológica en el tamaño de los huevos medidos directamente en los parásitos adultos, con tamaños que variaron de 19.07 a 99.28 μm de largo y 11.35 a 45.66 μm de ancho. La observación de huevos en exámenes coproparasitológicos es importante para el estudio de la ecología de los parásitos de las tortugas marinas, ya que el ciclo de vida de algunas especies aún no es completamente entendido.

Abstract. Although some studies have identified parasites in green turtles (Chelonia mydas), little is known about the morphology of helminth eggs in the feces of these animals. The aim of this study was to morphologically characterize helminth eggs recovered in coproparasitological exams by sedimentation and to analyze their relationship with helminth species recovered during necropsy of juvenile specimens of C. mydas. Four different egg morphotypes were found, identified, and classified as digenetic trematodes of the families Microscaphidiidae, Cladorchiidae, and Spirorchiidae. There was morphological diversity in the size of the eggs measured directly in adult parasites, with sizes ranging from 19.07 to 99.28 μm in length and from 11.35 to 45.66 μm in width. The observation of eggs on coproparasitological exams is important for studying the ecology of sea turtle parasites, since the life cycle of some species is not yet fully understood.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Mycobaterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) tem atraído o interesse de pesquisadores devido às semelhanças entre a paratuberculose e a doença de Crohn (CD). Este estudo objetivou avaliar a frequência de MAP por meio de cultura, histologia e reação da polimerase em cadeia (PCR), em biópsias intestinais de pacientes brasileiros com CD. PCR quantitativa em tempo real (qRT-PCR) foi realizada nas amostras positivas. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal analítico com grupo controle realizado em duas universidades federais. MÉTODOS: Amostras frescas foram coletadas de 25 pacientes; cinco com CD, oito com colite ulcerativa (UC) e 12 controles sem doença inflamatória intestinal (nIBD). Também foram coletadas 149 amostras fixadas em parafina (FFPE): 44 CD, 49 UC e 56 nIBD. RESULTADOS: Nenhuma das amostras frescas foi positiva para MAP. Cinco amostras FFPE (uma CD, duas UC e duas nIBD) e três amostras frescas (uma de cada grupo) foram positivas por IS900-PCR. qRT-PCR foi realizada nessas oito amostras. Nas amostras FFPE, havia 192,12 cópias/μl no grupo CD, 72,28 cópias/μl no UC e 81,43 cópias/μl no nIBD. Nas amostras frescas, havia 432,99 cópias/μl, 167,92 cópias/μl e 249,73 cópias/μl nos grupos CD, UC e nIBD, respectivamente. A maior carga bacteriana foi encontrada no grupo CD. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo não fornece evidências do papel de MAP na etiologia da CD, embora DNA de MAP tenha sido detectado em pacientes dos três grupos. Este é o primeiro relato da presença de MAP em biópsias intestinais humanas no Brasil.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) has attracted the interest of researchers because of similarities between paratuberculosis and Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of MAP through cultures, histology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on intestinal biopsies from Brazilian CD patients. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed on positive samples. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study with control group at two federal universities. METHODS: Fresh samples were collected from 25 patients; five with CD, eight with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 12 controls with non-inflammatory bowel disease (nIBD). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples from 143 patients were also collected: 44 CD, 49 UC and 56 nIBD. RESULTS: None of the fresh samples was positive for MAP. Five FFPE samples (one CD, two UC and two nIBD) and three fresh samples (one in each group) were positive through IS900-PCR. qRT-PCR was performed on these eight samples. Among the FFPE samples, there were 192.12 copies/μl in the CD group, 72.28 copies/μl in UC and 81.43 copies/μl in nIBD. Among the fresh samples, there were 432.99 copies/μl, 167.92 copies/μl and 249.73 copies/μl in the CD, UC and nIBD groups, respectively. The highest bacterial load was in the CD group. CONCLUSION: This study does not provide evidence for a role of MAP in the etiology of CD, although MAP DNA was detected in all three patient groups. This is the first report of MAP presence in human intestinal biopsies in Brazil.