RESUMO: Mycoplasma é um patógeno altamente contagioso, podendo causar mastite, pneumonia, artrite, entre outras enfermidades. Seu isolamento requer meios e condições específicas devido ao seu crescimento fastidioso. Devido à complexidade do seu diagnóstico, acredita-se que a real prevalência de casos de mastite por micoplasma seja subestimada. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar a prevalência de Mycoplasma bovis em diferentes rebanhos de bovinos leiteiros no estado de São Paulo. O estudo foi dividido em fase de triagem, na qual colheram-se amostras de 67 tanques de expansão e a coleta individual, na qual propriedades positivas para M. bovis foram visitadas e colhidas amostras de leite de todos os animais com mastite clínica e subclínica. O diagnóstico laboratorial foi feito por meio da PCR e cultivo microbiológico específico. A prevalência de M. bovis encontrada na fase de triagem foi de 1,4%. Na fase individual, todas as amostras de leite, procedentes de propriedade positiva para M. bovis no tanque de expansão, foram negativas, o que permite concluir pela baixa prevalência do agente nas condições do presente estudo.

ABSTRACT: Mycoplasma is a highly contagious pathogen, which can cause mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis, among other diseases. Its isolation requires specific means and conditions due to its fastidious growth. Due to the complexity of its diagnosis, it is believed that the real prevalence of mastitis cases by Mycoplasma is underestimated. The objective of the present study was to identify the prevalence of Mycoplasma bovis in different dairy herds in the state of São Paulo. The study was divided into a screening phase in which samples were collected from 67 expansion tanks and individual collection, in which positive properties for M. bovis were visited and collected milk samples from all animals with clinical and subclinical mastitis. The laboratory diagnosis was made through PCR and specific microbiological culture. The prevalence of M. bovis found in the screening phase was 1.4%. In the individual phase, all milk samples from M. bovis positive property in the expansion tank were negative, which allows to conclude the low prevalence of the agent under the conditions of the present study.

RESUMO: Além de Staphylococcus aureus atualmente outros estafilococos coagulase positiva (SCP) e estafilococos coagulase-negativos (SCN), anteriormente considerados de menor relevância, são reconhecidos como importantes patógenos para humanos e animais. O envolvimento desses micro-organismos na etiologia da mastite bovina e a possibilidade da sua transmissão através do leite aos humanos justifica a utilização de métodos confiáveis para a identificação das espécies mais frequentes. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar as técnicas fenotípicas com o método genotípico realizada por sequenciamento do gene rpoB na identificação de espécies do gênero Staphylococcus spp. isolados de mastite bovina. Um total de 300 estafilococos isolados de casos de mastite bovina em diferentes rebanhos leiteiros brasileiros foram estudados por técnicas fenotípicas e genotípicas, respectivamente: 150 linhagens de SCP e 150 linhagens de SCN. Foram identificados um total de 18 espécies de SCN e 4 espécies SCP. Entre os SCN as seguintes espécies identificadas: 48 (32%) Staphylococcus warneri, 22 (15%) S. epidermidis, 20 (13%) S. hyicus, 10 (7%) S. xylosus, 7 (5%) S. haemolyticus, 6 (4%) S. simulans, 6 (4%) S. schleiferi subsp schleiferi, 6 (4%) S. hominis, 5 (3%) S. pasteuri, 4 (2,7%) S. cohnii, 3 (2%) S. saprophyticus subsp. saprophyticus, 3 (2%) S. chromogenes, 3 (2%) S. sciuri, 2 (1%) S. saccharolyticus, 2 (1%) S. lugdunensi, 1 (0,7%) S. auricularis, 1 (70 %) S. saprophyticus subsp. bovis, 1 (0,7%) S. capitis. E entre as 150 SCP foram identificados, 105 (70%) S. aureus, 21 (14%), S. hyicus, 19 (13%) S. intermedius e 5 (3%) S. schleiferi subsp coagulans. Considerando-se os 150 SCN isolados, as identificações realizadas por testes fenotípicos e genotípicos apresentaram 96,7% de concordância, coeficiente de concordância kappa = 0,933, SE (erro padrão) de kappa = 0,021 (95% intervalo de confiança: 0,893-0,974), coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) = 0,9977, (intervalo de confiança de 95%: 0,9938 a 0,9992) e em relação a 150 SCP isolados foi observado uma concordância de 98,7%, kappa = 0,960, sE de kappa = 0,016, (95% de intervalo de confiança: 0,929 a 0,992) coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) = 0,9994 (95% intervalo de confiança: 0,9681-1,0000). A correlação entre os métodos de identificação pode ser considerada como excelente. Esses resultados demonstraram que de acordo com os recursos disponíveis no laboratório, poderia ser utilizada qualquer uma das metodologias.

ABSTRACT: In addition to Staphylococcus aureus nowadays other coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), earlier considered of minor importance, are now accepted as relevant pathogens for humans and animals. The involvement of these microorganisms in bovine mastitis etiology and the possibility their transmission through milk to humans justify the requirement of developing reliable methods for identification of the most frequent species among them. The purpose of this study was to compare the phenotypic techniques with the genotypic method carried out by sequencing of the rpoB gene in identification of several species of the genus Staphylococcus isolated from bovine mastitis. A total of 300 staphylococci isolates of bovine mastitis cases from several Brazilian dairy herds were studied by phenotypic and genotypic techniques, respectively: 150 CoPS and 150 CoNS strains. A total of 18 CoNS different species and 4 CoPS species were identified. Among the CoNS the following species were recognized: 48 (32%) Staphylococcus warneri, 22(15%) S. epidermidis, 20(13%) S. hyicus, 10(7%) S. xylosus, 7(5%) S. haemolyticus, 6(4%) S. simulans, 6(4%) S. schleiferi subsp schleiferi, 6(4%) S. hominis, 5(3%) S. pasteuri, 4(2.7%) S. cohnii, 3(2%) S. saprophyticus subsp. saprophyticus 3(2%) S. chromogenes 3(2%) S. sciuri, 2(1%) S. saccharolyticus, 2(1%) S. lugdunensi, 1(0,7%) S. auricularis, 1(70%) S. saprophyticus subsp. bovis, 1(0.7%) S. capitis. And among the 150 CoPS were identified respectively: 105 (70%) S. aureus, 21(14%), S. hyicus, 19(13%) S. intermedius e 5(3%) S. schleiferi subsp coagulans. Considering the 150 CoNS isolates, the identifications performed by phenotypic and genotypic tests presented 96.7% of concordance, kappa coefficient of agreement = 0.933, SE (standard error) of kappa=0.021 (95% confidence interval: 0.893 to 0.974), Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) = 0.9977, (confidence interval 95%: 0.9938 a 0.9992) and in relation to 150 CPS isolates it was detected an agreement of 98.7%, kappa = 0.960, SE of kappa = 0.016, (95% confidence interval: 0.929 to 0.992) Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) = 0.9994 (95% confidence interval: 0.9681 to 1.0000). The verified agreement strength between the identification methods can be considered as excellent. These results assure that according to laboratory resources any of them will be suitable to perform the staphylococci identification.

Over the last decades, there have been important changes in the epidemiology of Candida infections. In recent years, Candida species have emerged as important causes of invasive infections mainly among immunocompromised patients. This study analyzed Candida spp. isolates and compared the frequency and biofilm production of different species among the different sources of isolation: blood, urine, vulvovaginal secretions and peritoneal dialysis fluid. Biofilm production was quantified in 327 Candida isolates obtained from patients attended at a Brazilian tertiary public hospital (Botucatu, Sao Paulo). C. albicans ALS3 gene polymorphism was also evaluated by determining the number of repeated motifs in the central domain. Of the 198 total biofilm-positive isolates, 72 and 126 were considered as low and high biofilm producers, respectively. Biofilm production by C. albicans was significantly lower than that by non-albicans isolates and was most frequently observed in C. tropicalis. Biofilm production was more frequent among bloodstream isolates than other clinical sources,in urine, the isolates displayed a peculiar distribution by presenting two distinct peaks, one containing biofilm-negative isolates and the other containing isolates with intense biofilm production. The numbers of tandem-repeat copies per allele were not associated with biofilm production, suggesting the evolvement of other genetic determinants.

We evaluated the frequency of enterococci from food and found 95.2% of positivity, being E. faecium and E. faecalis the most frequent species. High-level streptomycin resistance was observed, as well as gelatinase and hemolysis activity, showing the potential role of environmental strains as reservoir of virulence and resistance traits.

Phenotypic and genotypic SPM and IMP metallo-β-lactamases (MBL) detection and also the determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) to imipenem, meropenem and ceftazidime were evaluated in 47 multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from clinical specimens. Polymerase chain reaction detected 14 positive samples to either blaSPM or blaIMP genes, while the best phenotypic assay (ceftazidime substrate and mercaptopropionic acid inhibitor) detected 13 of these samples. Imipenem, meropenem and ceftazidime MICs were higher for MBL positive compared to MBL negative isolates. We describe here the SPM and IMP MBL findings in clinical specimens of P. aeruginosa from the University Hospital of Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil, that reinforce local studies showing the high spreading of blaSPM and blaIMP genes among brazilian clinical isolates.