O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a capacidade adjuvante imunoestimulatória do extrato aquoso de própolis marrom (EAPM) quando associado a uma vacina contra parvovírus canino (CPV) e coronavírus canino (CCoV), com relação à produção de IFN-γ. Camundongos foram vacinados com CPV e CCoV (3,0x106 TCDI50) em associação ou não com 400 μg/dose de EAPM. Trinta dias após a terceira dose foi realizado cultivo de esplenócitos para mensuração dos níveis de expressão de mRNA para IFN-γ nos animais imunizados. O aumento nos níveis de expressão de mRNA para IFN-γ para CCoV nos esplenócitos dos camundongos inoculados com a vacina contendo 400 μg/dose de EAPM foi evidenciado por RT-PCR, demonstrando a capacidade da própolis em estimular a resposta imune celular contra os antígenos desse vírus. Ao contrário, os níveis de IFN-γ para CPV não sofreram influência da presença do EAPM.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the imunnostimulatory adjuvant capacity of water extract from brown propolis (WEBP) when added to a vaccine against canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV), regarding the production of IFN-γ. Mice were vaccinated with CPV and CCoV (3.0 x 106 TCID50) with or without 400 µg/dose of WEBP. Thirty days after the third dose, splenocytes were cultured to measure the expression levels of IFN-γ mRNA in the immunized animals. Increased levels of IFN-γ mRNA expression for CCoV were evidenced by RT-PCR, in the splenocytes of mice inoculated with the vaccine containing 400 μg/dose of WEBP, demonstrating the ability of propolis to stimulate cellular immune responses against the antigens of this virus. In contrast, the levels of IFN-γ to CPV were not influenced by the presence of WEBP.

P34 is an antimicrobial peptide produced by a Bacillus sp. strain isolated from the intestinal contents of a fish in the Brazilian Amazon basin with reported antibacterial activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the peptide P34 for its in vitro antiviral properties against canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), canine coronavirus (CCoV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine influenza virus (EIV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1). The results showed that the peptide P34 exhibited antiviral activity against EAV and FHV-1. The peptide P34 inhibited the replication of EAV by 99.9% and FHV-1 by 94.4%. Virucidal activity was detected only against EAV. When P34 and EAV were incubated for 6 h at 37 °C the viral titer reduced from 10(4.5) TCID50 to 10(2.75) TCID50, showing a percent of inhibition of 98.6%. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that P34 inhibited EAV and FHV-1 replication in infected cell cultures and it showed virucidal activity against EAV. Since there is documented resistance to the current drugs used against herpesviruses and there is no treatment for equine viral arteritis, it is advisable to search for new antiviral compounds to overcome these infections.

To investigate the exposure of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and avian poxvirus (APV) in Magellanic penguins found on the beaches in Southern regions of Brazil, the frequency of serum antibodies was estimated in 89 samples taken during 2005 and 2006. All the penguins were negative for the presence of antibodies against NDV by hemagglutination inhibition test and to APV by indirect ELISA. The reactivity was similar to the positives controls using ELISA kit for the IBDV made in the chickens in 50 samples. This reactivity also was demonstrated in 42 samples using agar gel immunodiffusion. No clinical signs related to IBDV infection were observed. The results indicated the absence of infection by NDV and APV but suggested IBDV exposure in the population of penguins studied.

Foi desenvolvido um modelo com o objetivo de simular o metabolismo basal, a deposição de proteína na carcaça e nas penas e a deposição de gordura na carcaça. O modelo assume a existência de um "pool" de nutrientes disponíveis no corpo animal, sendo a simulação do metabolismo animal baseada no fluxo de entrada e saída de nutrientes desse "pool". Os nutrientes vêm da ingestão de alimentos ou do catabolismo tecidual, são removidos do "pool" com os destinos de mantença, deposição de proteína na carcaça, deposição de gordura na carcaça e deposição de proteína nas penas. O processo de simulação é dinâmico, com as exigências de mantença contabilizadas ao mesmo tempo que as deposições de tecidos. Três conjuntos de dados foram utilizados para o processo de calibração, de análise de sensibilidade dos parâmetros e de validação do modelo. O modelo é eficaz para simular a deposição de proteína e de gordura na carcaça, bem como a deposição de proteína nas penas. No entanto, há a necessidade de um ajuste nos parâmetros envolvidos nas deposições de acordo com o genótipo que se pretende simular, principalmente para a taxa de maturação da proteína na carcaça (B P), para a taxa de maturação da proteína nas penas (B F), para o peso maduro da proteína na carcaça (WmP) e para o peso maduro da proteína nas penas (WmF). O modelo mostrou-se especialmente sensível a estes parâmetros na análise de sensibilidade, salientando-se a importância de serem corretamente determinados. As deposições de proteína na carcaça e nas penas apresentaram menores coeficientes de correlação (r²) entre os valores observados e simulados em função da grande variação entre genótipos, o que reforça a necessidade de se determinar corretamente os parâmetros que caracterizam cada genótipo.

A model was developed in order to simulate the basal metabolism, deposition of protein in carcass and feathers and carcass fat deposition. The model assumes the existence of a pool of readily available nutrients in the animal body, being the simulation of animal metabolism based on the in and out flow of nutrients of this pool. Nutrients come from feed intake or tissue catabolism, and may be used for maintenance, feather and carcass protein deposition and carcass fat deposition. The simulation process is dynamic, with maintenance and tissue turnover occurring simultaneously. Three data sets were used for calibration, sensibility analysis and validation of model. The model is able to simulate deposition of protein and fat in the carcass and protein in the feathers. However, adjustments are required to match different genotypes, mainly for the rate of maturing of the protein in the carcass (B P), rate of maturing of the protein in the feathers (B F), for the mature weight of the protein in the carcass (WmP) and the mature weight of the protein in the feathers (WmF). The model was especially shown sensitive to these parameters in the sensibility analysis, being highlighted the importance of being correctly determined. The protein deposition in the carcass and in the feathers they presented smaller correlation coefficients (r²) among the observed values and simulated in function of the great variation among genotypes, what reinforces the need to determine the parameters that characterize each genotype correctly.