No abstract

Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) is the etiologic agent of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis, a retrovirus exogenous to the bovine species. Once infected, there is no detectable viraemia but instead there is a strong and persistent immunological response to BLV structural proteins, essentially the gp51 envelope glycoprotein and the mayor core protein p24. We describe the test procedure of an indirect ELISA (I-ELISA) using polyclonal reagents for the detection of antibodies to BLV. For comparison, the sera were simultaneously tested by agar gel immunodiffussion (AGID) test, which is currently used as diagnostic standard for BLV infection. The antigen applied does not require a high degree of purification and the data from the analysis of the negative sera showed that the establishment of a cut-off level corresponding to 3 times the standard deviation (SD) above the mean for the negative control set of sera provided acceptable specificity, reducing the risk of false positives results. A comparison of the results obtained by AGID test and I-ELISA showed that considering a total of 465 serum samples, all of the 234 samples (50%) that were positive by AGID were positive to the I-ELISA. Of 225 serum samples which yielded negative results in the AGID test, 69 (15%) were found to be positive by the I-ELISA and 156 (33%) were negative by both techniques. Few sera (2%) that were non-specific by AGID were defined as negative or positive by I-ELISA.

ABSTRACT:Bovine Leukosis Virus (EBLV) is a widely distributed pathogen agent in the bovine population of many countries, especially in dairy cattle. Once the bovine is infected, it remains as a virus carrier for life and such state is correlated with a specific antibody detectable level. In this study the evaluation of an indirect ELISA (Leucokit-La Plata) to detect antibodies against EBLV is presented. Comparing it with the Immunodiffusion as gold standard test, the sensitivity is 98.93%, the specificity 79.74%, the negative predictive value 99.56% and the positive predictive value 61.26%. The correspondence between both tests is 83.9% which is similar to the result mentioned by other authors (82.2%). The concordance was evaluated by calculating Kappa and Youden's J coefficients, obtaining values classified as good for both coefficients. Comparing Leucokit-La Plata and another commercial reference kit (Chekit Leucotest Bommeli AG, Bern Switzerland), the sensitivity (97.05%), specificity (94.11%), negative predictive value (92.30%) and positive predictive value (97.77%), were obtained. Applying Kappa and Jouden's Index (J) coefficients an almost perfect concordance was obtained between both kits. The Leucokit-La Plata is appropriate to apply to the commercialization of live bovines to export, bovine selection for hemo-vaccines and the implementation of control and eradication programmes.

Canine leptospirosis is definitely diagnosed by demonstrating seroconversion in paired serum samples from the acute and convalescent period by the microagglutination test (MAT). However, the application of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay can provide earlier confirmation of suspected cases. The objective of this study was to evaluate two PCR assays used in diagnosis of human leptospirosis (lipL32 real-time PCR and rrs conventional PCR) in cultured microorganisms and experimentally contaminated samples (whole blood, serum, urine), and investigate their applicability in clinical samples from dogs with presumptive diagnosis of leptospirosis by using the MAT as a reference. The analytical sensitivity of the lipL32 real-time PCR was 1 genome equivalent per reaction, whereas that for the rrs conventional PCR was 10 genome equivalents per reaction. Both assays amplified the pathogenic strains but were negative when evaluating the DNA of other microorganisms that may be present in clinical samples. The lipL32 real-time PCR detected 100 bacteria/mL in whole blood samples, 1000 bacteria/mL in serum samples and 10 bacteria/mL in urine samples, whereas the rrs conventional PCR detected 1000 bacteria/mL in whole blood and serum samples and 100 bacteria/mL in urine samples. Seven out of the 51 samples from dogs with presumptive diagnosis of leptospirosis were considered as confirmed cases. ThelipL32 real-time PCR detected positive results in six of the seven confirmed cases, whereas the rrs conventional PCR detected four. The PCR assays evaluated proved to be useful diagnostic tools in the confirmation of canine leptospirosis when used together with the MAT.

The potential role of dogs as reservoirs of zoonotic infections is one of the major public health problems. Water emergency areas are generally vulnerable zones with a lack of care from the owners who do not have the basic sanitary service conditions. Canines often feed on waste detecting coprophagia of human faeces facilitated by the final disposal of excreta in open-air defecation. The objective of this research was to determine the presence of intestinal parasitoses in canines from a sanitary risk area inhabited by a vulnerable human population. Dog faeces were collected by an enema with a soapy solution and processed by the Telemann’s sedimentation technique as well as the Sheather’s flotation procedure besides a direct examination. A number of 703 (79.3%) analyzed canine faeces were parasitized from a total of 886. Ancylostoma caninum (57%), Toxocara canis (24%) and Uncinaria stenocephala (21%) were the most frequent species. The specific richness in the canine population was 17 species. The highest parasitosis frequency was observed among male canines and those under one-year aged for the total parasitized ones with T. canis, Cistoisospora canis, C. ohioensis, and Giardia spp. High prevalences found in canines from the present study could indicate that both diagnosis and treatment are not enough to achieve sustainable changes in vulnerable areas. Actions addressed to the environmental factor are essentials in order to avoid reinfections.

Aunque la medicina veterinaria es uno de los pilares de la salud pública, esta relación no resulta tan evidente en los primeros años de la facultad. Esta situación, y las condiciones de adaptación por la que transitan los estudiantes hacen necesaria la intervención educativa para interesarlos en el área de salud pública. En este sentido, los medios de comunicación nos relatan hechos que involucran a los veterinarios en problemas actuales, reales y significativos de la práctica profesional constituyéndose en una herramienta didáctica de enorme potencial formativo. Así, en Epidemiología y Salud Pública Básica incorporamos el uso de la prensa escrita en el aula. Este trabajo, da cuenta de dicha experiencia y profundiza sobre el potencial de la prensa escrita como recurso educativo. Los resultados de la experiencia surgieron de una encuesta de opinión a los estudiantes y de un espacio de reflexión docente. La vinculación de la profesión con la actualidad, la motivación de estudiantes y docentes, y las potencialidades educativas de los medios de comunicación fueron lo más destacado. La “agenda periodística” en el aula, contribuyó a repensar la profesión en el área de Salud Pública y a la formación de profesionales más comprometidos con la sociedad.

Swine hemoplasmosis or swine infectious anemia is a worldwide distribution disease caused by the hemotropic mycoplasmas Mycoplasma suis and Mycoplasma parvum. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of M. suis-M. parvum infection in subclinical pigs from herds of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, by means of new nested PCR. The PCR assay primers were designed based on the 16S ribosomal gene sequences of swine hemoplasmas available at GenBank. To standardize the assay, pig blood samples positive for hemoplasma by May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) stained blood smears were used. A total of 482 pig blood samples were analyzed. A 32% (154/482) of MGG stained blood smears were positive to M. suis o M. parvum. From these 154 samples, 47% (72/154) were positive by PCR. Sequences of PCR products amplified with these primers always showed identity with M. suisor M. parvum, validating their specificity and highlighting the unspecific amplification with hemoplasmas of other species. This is the first assay designed in Argentina to identify M. suis and M. parvum. However, considering the advances in the knowledge of the genome of hemoplasmas world wide, further studies should be performed to standardize new assays for the diagnosis of swine hemoplasmosis in Argentina.

Las lesiones esplénicas pueden tener diversos orígenes, entre ellos el neoplásico. El diagnóstico de un paciente con una masa esplénica debe incluir, además de estudios por imágenes, el hemograma y las pruebas de coagulación. Los resultados de estas determinaciones, así como el patrón de crecimiento, pueden orientar la naturaleza de la lesión, pero siempre será necesario recurrir al estudio histopatológico para llegar a un diagnóstico definitivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar los valores hematológicos en caninos con esplenomegalia a los cuales se les practico una remoción quirúrgica del bazo. Sobre los resultados histopatológicos de 69 muestras de bazos extirpados, el 56% de ellos correspondieron a tumores primarios malignos y el 42% a causas no neoplásicas. En los 69 animales se evaluaron los resultados del hemograma y los tiempos de coagulación. En los casos de tumores primarios malignos, se encontraron diferencias significativas en todos los parámetros hematológicos estudiados, a excepción del tiempo de protrombina, al compararlos con los valores normales. Esto podría deberse a que el bazo está asociadocon la hematopoyesis y el metabolismo de los hematíes. En los caninos con lesiones esplénicas no neoplásicas, se observaron diferencias significativas en todos los parámetros analizados a excepción del número de plaquetas debido probablemente al tratamiento con corticoides previo a la cirugía. Este estudio tiene por finalidad brindar al clínico veterinario parámetros hematológicosa tener en cuenta a la hora de evaluar la clínica quirúrgica canina en las enfermedades de bazo.