Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a dimorphic fungus, causes chronic granulomatous mycosis in susceptible individuals. Different reports have shown that cell-mediated immunity is essential for protection against systemic mycosis, including paracoccidioidomycosis. We analyzed the reactivity of alpha beta and gamma delta T cells from unexposed Caucasian donors to P. brasiliensis yeast form components. Our results indicate: (i) alpha beta and gamma delta T cells proliferate after in vitro stimulation with lysates of P. brasiliensis; (ii) similar numbers of alpha beta T cells (f = 1/21,000) and of gamma delta T cells (f = 1/8000) respond to P. brasiliensis; (iii) P. brasiliensis-reactive gamma delta T cells express the V gamma 9V delta 2 TCR; (iv) the stimulatory activity of P. brasiliensis for both alpha beta and gamma delta T cells primarily resides in a high molecular weight (100 kDa) and in a low molecular weight (< 1 kDa) fraction; (v) the ligands responsible for stimulation of both alpha beta and gamma delta T cells are sensitive to proteinase treatment. We conclude that both alpha beta and gamma delta T cells from healthy individuals respond to ubiquitous protein antigens of P. brasiliensis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of cyclosporine 1% alone or associated with oral mucosa transplantation (OMT) in dogs with dry keratoconjunctivitis (KCS). Schirmer Tear Test (STT-1) and Tear Film Osmolarity (TFO) were measured in both eyes of 30 adult dogs (before and 45 days after treatment. The animals were divided into three groups (10 dogs for group): control (normal dogs), group I (GI, treated with 1% cyclosporine alone), and group II (GII, treated with 1% cyclosporine and OMT). All STT-1 and TFO values were subjected to the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, and all were normally distributed. STT-1 and TFO values before and after treatment were subjected to the T-Student Test. The STT‐1 and TFO values of the right eye were subjected to Repeated Measures ANOVA followed by a Tukey Test for comparison between groups I and II. Means with a value of p≤0.05 were considered significant. There was a decreased osmolarity in both groups after treatment. Mean osmolarity in GII (322.60±16.56 mOsm/L) was significantly lower than GI (336.40±5.66 mOsm/L). The OMT associated with cyclosporine 1% improved the osmolarity of the tear film in dogs with KCS with a seeming synergism between the clinical and surgical treatments.

Background: Ocular biometrics is an easy to perform, safe, non-invasive and low-cost exam that provides immediate results with excellent definition. Brachycephalic dogs have a high risk of developing eye problems, and the early appearance is frequent due to factors linked to anatomical conformation. The aim of the present study was to perform eye biometrics in French Bulldog dogs through ultrasound, correlating with body and head size.Materials, Methods & Results: Clinical examination, ophthalmic examination and ocular biometrics were performed using B-mode ultrasonography, using a 10 megahertz frequency transducer in 30 French Bulldog dogs, aged 1-6 years old, male and females from the Br Lord's Staff kennel and the Radiovet - Rio de Janeiro veterinary clinic. A drop of anesthetic eye drops containing 1% tetracaine hydrochloride and 0.1% phenylephrine hydrochloride was instilled and the direct contact technique was performed with the cornea with the help of sterile water-soluble lubricating acoustic gel between the transducer and the examined eye. These measurements were correlated with cephalic measurements (frontal-occipital distance, skull circumference, distance between the zygomatic arches and frontal-nasal distance) and with body measurements (length of the dog from the cranial end of the sternum to the ischial tuberosity and height of the withers from the cranial angle of the scapula to the ground). No chemical restraint was necessary. Dogs were positioned seated or in sternal decubitus, with slight physical restraint. All measurements were performed by the same examiner. There was no significant difference between the parameters of male and female eye biometrics and there was no difference between the measurements of the right and left eyes. The mean value of axial bulb length was 19.51 ± 0.58 mm, for the thickness of the lens, 6.71 ± 0.66 mm, for depth of the anterior chamber, 2.36 ± 0.89 mm and for the depth of the vitreous chamber, 10.44 ± 1.32 mm, showing the same pattern as other studies with brachycephalic dogs. The size of the dog or skull did not interfere with the measurements of eye biometrics.Discussion: The French Bulldog breed was selected for this study due to the scarcity of publications on ocular biometrics in brachycephalic breeds.The knowledge of ocular biometrics is extremely important for the understanding and early diagnosis of some anomalies related to the growth of ocular structures. It is an essential method of exploration and diagnosis of diseases of the eye bulb and orbit, being indicated to evaluate variations in size, shape and position of the eye bulb. The casuistry of these dogs with eye diseases in the ophthalmological clinical routine is large, since they have a high risk of developing eye problems. Ultrasonography is an easy to access and safe, non-invasive exam and the direct corneal contact technique allows clearer images. As there was no significant difference in measurements of intraocular structures between the right and left eyes, the normal eye can be a reliable parameter to establish the prosthetic eye bulb for the injured or enucleated eye. In the present study, there were 21 females and 9 males, which may have generated interference in these values since there was no sex ratio. The measurements of axial length, lenticular thickness, depth of the anterior chamber and the vitreous chamber had values similar to other studies with brachycephalic dogs.

Background: Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycotic disease caused by encapsulated yeasts C. neoformans and C. gattii. Cryptococcus neoformans is predominantly found in soils and feces of pigeons and psittacids. Infection occurs mainly through the respiratory tract, through the inspiration of fungal propagules (basidiospores and/or desiccated yeast cells). The main lesions observed are in the nasal cavity and lungs, but in dogs, the central nervous system and eyes are widely affected. Despite some previously mentioned reports, the retrobulbar form has not been described in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to describe a case of retrobulbar cryptococcoma mimetizing a tumor in a young bitch.  Case: A 2-year-old female Labrador Retriever,  was admitted to one Veterinary Hospital with exophthalmia on the left eye for 15 days and other signs included negative retropulsion, mydriasis, and abscence of menace and pupillary reflexes. Ocular ultrasound imaging revealed a hyperecotic and heterogeneous retrobulbar mass in the mid-dorsal region compressing the optic nerve. Computed tomography of the skull showed the presence of proliferation of neoplastic tissue in a locally invasive retrobulbar region promoting      moderate rostrolateral displacement of the left ocular bulb, discrete osthelysis in maxillary bone, palatine, medial wall of the orbital bone and frontal bone, with destruction of cribiform plate adjacent to the dorsal region of the orbital wall and presence of mild contrast uptake in the region of the left olfactory bulb lobe, characterizing a picture compatible with neoplasia with malignancy and locally invasive characteristics. Exenteration and excision of part of the frontal bone were performed and histopathological examination revealed granulation with the presence of fibroblasts and  numerous typical blastoconidia of Cryptococcus neoformans. The patient was treated with Itraconazole [10 mg/kg, v.o, SID, for 90 days] and one year after diagnosis, X-ray was performed to control the lesion and radiographic aspects were within normal limits.Discussion: Cryptococcus sp. is an environmental fungus that has the potential to be pathogenic to humans and animals. Fungus present as a basidiospores in pigeon droppings. The patient described had a history of contact with free-living pigeons, making it a risk factor for the occurrence of cryptococcosis, being the possible cause of the infection. In dogs, the disease is mainly described in immunosuppressed animals, which was not the case of the patient, who presented clinical and laboratory results within the normal range and without a previous history of use of immunosuppressants. The alterations described in the computed tomography, such as destruction of the cribriform plate adjacent to the dorsal region of the left orbital wall and the presence of slight contrast uptake in the left olfactory bulb lobe region, are compatible with the main entry point for propagules of Cryptococcus sp. In the present case, no periocular and ocular alterations were observed as described in the literature, and the lesion was restricted to the retrobulbar space. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a neoformation mimicking a malignant neoplasm and the diagnosis of cryptococcoma was revealed by histopathology.  Based on the present case, cytology through aspiration of retrobulbal neoformations is imperative as a diagnostic method, especially in endemic areas for fungal diseases that can mimic ocular neoplasms. Keywords: cryptococcosis, fungus, Cryptococcus sp., dog. Descritores: criptococose, fungo, Cryptococcus sp., cão.

Revisão: Os Autores O conteúdo dos artigos e seus dados em sua forma, correção e confiabilidade são de responsabilidade exclusiva dos autores. Permitido o download da obra e o compartilhamento desde que sejam atribuídos créditos aos autores, mas sem a possibilidade de alterá-la de nenhuma forma ou utilizá-la para fins comerciais. Conselho Editorial Ciências Humanas e Sociais Aplicadas APRESENTAÇÃO A Patologia Veterinária é uma área da Medicina Veterinária responsável pelo diagnóstico das doenças nos animais domésticos e selvagens, através do exame clínico do animal, dos tecidos e fluidos corporais. É dividida em dois ramos, a patologia da anatomia e a patologia clínica, ambas realizam o diagnóstico de doenças nos animais verificando se há risco para os humanos manusearem, consumirem ou conviverem com estes, sejam eles animais produtores de alimentos, animais selvagens ou exóticos, ou animais de companhia. Além do diagnóstico os veterinários patologistas têm um papel importante na descoberta de novas formas de tratamento, bem como a investigação científica de doenças pré-existentes, ou descobrindo uma nova doença. Para tanto o conhecimento da fisiologia animal é importante, e desta forma conhecer o que está alterado nos estados patológicos. Já o conhecimento das patologias deve ser constantemente aprofundado, através de estudos, leituras, cursos e especializações. Desta forma a Editora Atena apresenta o livro Estudos em Patologia Veterinária, o qual traz estudos de patologia de cães, gatos, bovinos, equinos, pinguins, lambaris, mamíferos selvagens e coelhos.