Abstract A paleoparasitological analysis was carried out on a large coprolite assigned to a carnivoran mammal, recovered from the Municipality of Uruguaiana, in the western region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where the Upper Pleistocene Touro Passo Formation crops out. For this, an individual sample was extracted from the specimen using an electric drill, dissociated with 10% hydrochloric acid solution, washed with distilled water, and sifted through a 500 mesh Tyler sieve. After laboratory processing, the sediment retained on the sieve was mixed with glycerin and examined by optical microscopy, which revealed the presence of 14 protozoan oocysts and three nematode eggs. The morphological characteristics of the oocysts (i.e., spherical shape, thick-walled, internal zygote apparently at the beginning of sporulation, as well as their size) and of the eggs (i.e., ovoidal shape, rounded ends, smooth surface, thin-shelled, embryo in their interior, along with their morphometry) suggest that these specimens belong respectively to the orders Eucoccidiorida and Strongylida (Family Ancylostomatidae) represented by several parasitic species of the alimentary tract of modern carnivore. This is the first record of paleoparasites discovered in a vertebrate host from the Touro Passo Formation.

RESUMO: As hemoparasitoses são enfermidades transmitidas por carrapatos que afetam os animais e os humanos. Considerando a importância das hemoparasitoses caninas na clínica médica veterinária, este estudo objetivou determinar a ocorrência de Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis e Babesia vogeli em amostras de sangue de 182 cães não domiciliados do município de Pato Branco, região sudoeste paranaense, Brasil, utilizando a reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). A prevalência de A. platys e B. vogeli foi de 32,9% e 10.9%, respectivamente, predominando a infecção por A. platys (p<0,001). Constatou-se um maior número de cães positivos para A. platys no período do inverno (p<0.05). Todas as amostras de sangue foram negativas para E. canis. Nos cães, a infestação por Amblyomma cajennense prevaleceu sobre a infestação por Rhipicephalus sanguineus (p<0,001), mas não foi observada associação significativa entre a PCR e as variáveis presença de carrapatos, sexo e idade. Cães infectados por A. platys e B. vogeli apresentaram trombocitopenia, linfopenia e leucocitose, porém não houve correlação destas alterações hematológicas com a infecção pelos hemoparasitas. Este é o primeiro estudo molecular que demonstra a existência de A. platys e de B. vogeli em cães da região sudoeste paranaense.

ABSTRACT: Hemoparasitic infections are tick-borne diseases, which affect animals and humans. Considering the importance of canine hemoparasitic infections in veterinary clinics, this study aimed to determine the occurrence of Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis and Babesia vogeli in blood samples from 182 dogs not domiciled in the city of Pato Branco, southwestern region of Paraná State, Brazil, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The prevalence of A. platys and B. vogeli was 32.9% and 10.9% respectively, and A. platys infection prevailed (p<0.001). The number of dogs positive for A. platys was larger in Winter (p<0.05). All blood samples were negative for E. canis. In the dogs, infestation by Amblyomma cajennense predominated over that by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (p<0.001); but there was no significant association between PCR and the variables presence of ticks, sex and age. Dogs infected by A. platys and B. vogeli showed thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia and leukocytosis; but there was no correlation between such hematological changes and infection by hemoparasites. This appears to be the first molecular study that demonstrates the existence of A. platys and B. vogeli in dogs from the southwestern region of Paraná.

Klebsiella pneumoniae é um agente ambiental comum de mastite clínica e subclínica que afetam vacas leiteiras e pode estar presente no produto final, reduzindo a sua qualidade. Mastite causada por K. pneumoniae é ainda mais grave devido à sua má resposta à antibioticoterapia, rápida evolução para choque tóxico e morte do animal. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a prevalência deste patógeno entre os rebanhos leiteiros em dez fazendas localizadas em diferentes municípios do Estado de São Paulo com base no tamanho do rebanho e uso de tecnologia de ordenha. Todas as glândulas mamárias das vacas em lactação foram examinadas usando o California Mastitis Test (CMT) e caneca de fundo telado. Foram colhidas amostras de leite (20mL) de todos os quartos CMT- positivos e dos tanques de expansão, também foram colhidos swab de fezes, membros posteriores dos animais, cama dos animais e sala de ordenha. O isolamento e identificação de K. pneumoniae foi realizada através de cultura microbiológica convencional, ensaio bioquímico e Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase, utilizando primers desenhados e testados no Laboratório de Biologia Molecular aplicada à Zoonoses (FMVZ, Unesp-Botucatu) com base na região do gene de 16S rRNA. Este estudo incluiu 1067 animais. Foram detectados seis casos de infecção intramamária por K. pneumoniae em seis diferentes animais em duas fazendas. Ainda, K. pneumoniae foi isolada em 77 swabs (34 de camas em 9 propriedades, 7 de salas de pré-ordenha em 5 propriedades, 6 de salas de ordenha em 4 propriedades, 11 do reto de animais em 6 propriedades e 19 de membros posteriores em 7 propriedades. A análise molecular confirmou o agente K. pneumoniae. K. pneumoniae foi isolada pelo menos em uma localização em todas as propriedades leiteiras., salientando a necessidade de manter a higiene nas fazendas leiteiras a fim de controlar a mastite por esse patógeno.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common environmental agent of clinical and subclinical mastitis affecting dairy herds, and may be present in the final product decreasing its quality. Mastitis caused by K. pneumoniae is even more severe due to its poor response to antibiotic therapy, rapid evolution to toxic shock and death of the animal. This paper aimed to study the prevalence of this pathogen among dairy herds in ten farms located in different municipalities of São Paulo State based on size and use of milking technology. All mammary glands of all lactating cows were screened using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and a strip cup. A single aseptic milk sample (20mL) was collected from all CMT-positive quarters and bulk tanks, whereas swab samples were collected from feces, hind limbs of the animals, bedding and milking parlor. Identification of K. pneumoniae was performed using conventional microbiology culture, biochemical assay and Polimerase Chain Reaction. The primers were designed and tested at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology applied to Zoonoses (FMVZ, Unesp-Botucatu) targeting the 16S rRNA gene. This study included 1067 animals. Six cases of intramammary infection by K. pneumoniae were detected in six different cows in two farms. Moreover, K. pneumoniae was isolated in 77 swabs (34 from bedding in 9 farms, 7 from waiting rooms in 5 farms, 6 from milking parlors in 4 farms, 11 from rectums in six farms, and 19 from hindlimbs in 7 farms. Molecular analysis confirmed the agent was K. pneumoniae. At least one strain of the agent was identified in a certain site in all farms, showing the need of maintaining the hygiene in dairy farms.

Background With the aim of studying Leptospira spp. infection in sheep herds, blood samples and respective kidney and liver fragments were collected from 100 animals from twenty different properties during slaughter at a meat company in the Sorocaba region, São Paulo state, southeast Brazil. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was performed with 29 strains of Leptospira spp. To identify the agent in the liver and kidney, 100 samples of each tissue were submitted to culture in Fletcher medium and analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Leptospira spp.Results MAT detected 23 samples serologically positive for one or more Leptospira spp. serovars and significantly more for Autumnalis. Eight (4%) samples were positive in culture (four kidneys and four livers), corresponding to five animals with positive serology (one animal simultaneously positive for both kidney and liver) and two negatives. PCR detected Leptospira spp. in 14 samples (seven kidneys and seven livers) corresponding to 12 positive animals (two animals simultaneously positive for kidney and liver), of which ten were serologically positive and two negative.Conclusions PCR was faster, more practical and more sensitive than culture for detecting leptospires. The results reinforce the importance of sheep in the epidemiological context of leptospirosis.