PCR and nested-PCR methods were used to assess the frequency of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina infection in Boophilus microplus engorged females and eggs and in cattle reared in an area with endemic babesiosis. Blood and the engorged female ticks were from 27 naturally infested calves and 25 crossbred cows. The frequency of both Babesia species was similar in calves and cows (P>0.05). Babesia bovis was detected in 23 (85.2%) calves and in 25 (100%) cows and B. bigemina was detected in 25 (92.6%) calves and in 21 (84%) cows. Mixed infections with the both Babesia species were identified in 42 animals, 21 in each age category. Of female ticks engorged on calves, 34.9% were negative and single species infection with B. bigemina (56.2%) was significantly more frequent (P<0.01) than with B. bovis (4.7%). Most of the females (60.8%) engorged on cows did not show Babesia spp. infection and the frequency of single B. bovis infection (17.6%) was similar (P>0.05) to the frequency of single B. bigemina infection (15.9%). Mixed Babesia infection was lower (P<0.01) than single species infection in female ticks engorged either in cows (5.7%) or in calves (4.3%). An egg sample from each female was analysed for the presence of Babesia species. Of the egg samples from female ticks infected with B. bovis, 26 (47.3%) were infected while from those from female ticks infected with B. bigemina 141 (76.6%) were infected (P<0.01). The results showed that although the frequency of both species of Babesia was similar in calves and cows, the infectivity of B. bigemina was higher to ticks fed on calves while to those ticks fed on cows the infectivity of both Babesia species was similar.
In Africa, Old World Primates are involved in the maintenance of sylvatic circulation of ZIKV. However, in Brazil, the hosts for the sylvatic cycle remain unknown. We hypothesized that free-living NHPs might play a role in urban/periurban ZIKV dynamics, thus we undertook an NHP ZIKV investigation in two cities in Brazil. We identified ZIKV-positive NHPs and sequences obtained were phylogenetically related to the American lineage of ZIKV. Additionally, we inoculated four C. penicillata with ZIKV and our results demonstrated that marmosets had a sustained viremia. The natural and experimental infection of NHPs with ZIKV, support the hypothesis that NHPs may be a vertebrate host in the maintainance of ZIKV transmission/circulation in urban tropical settings. Further studies are needed to understand the role they may play in maintaining the urban cycle of the ZIKV and how they may be a conduit in establishing an enzootic transmission cycle in tropical Latin America.
Salmonella, one of the most important pathogens transmitted by food, especially poultry, has the ability to form biofilms on surfaces. Its adhesion can be influenced by different physicochemical properties of these surfaces, while Salmonella uses fimbriae and produces cellulose as the main matrix components of biofilms. Their synthesis is co-regulated by a LuxR-type regulator, the agfD (aggregative fimbriae, curli), and adrA genes, respectively. Thus, this study investigated the production of biofilm by Salmonella spp. isolated from raw poultry (breast fillet), purchased in Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on glass, polyvinyl chloride, and stainless steel at different temperatures (16°, 20°, 28°, and 35°C). We analyzed the frequency of the agfD and adrA genes and the rdar morphotype at 28°C and 35°C in isolated strains. We found Salmonella in 112 of 240 poultry samples (46.7%), and 62 strains previously isolated from the same kind of food were included in the study on biofilm development, gene expression, and rdar morphotype. All of them were positive for both genes, and 98.3% were able to produce biofilm in at least one temperature. The rates of rdar morphotype at 28°C and at 35°C were 55.2% (96 strains) and 2.3% (4 strains), respectively. Glass was the best material to avoid biofilm production, while Salmonella grew even at 16°C on stainless steel. These results point out the need for more effective sanitizing processes in the slaughter plants in order to avoid the permanence of these bacteria in food and eventual human foodborne diseases.
In this paper we report the occurrence of zoonotic species of Cryptosporidium (C. ubiquitum and C. parvum subtype IIaA15G2R1) and the host-specific Giardia duodenalis genotype E in a sheep farm from Brazil. Fecal specimens were collected from 100 animals and screened for the presence of G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequence analysis of selected samples was used to confirm the species and to characterize the isolates. Of 100 specimens, 34 were positive for Giardia (34%) and 25 were positive for Cryptosporidium (25%). The prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was higher in lambs than in ewes. Co-infection was observed in 14% of animals. All G. duodenalis isolates belonged to genotype E. The genetic characterization performed in 22 Cryptosporidium-positive samples revealed the presence of zoonotic C. ubiquitum and C. parvum in 76% (19/25) and 12% (3/25) of infected animals, respectively. The presence of zoonotic Cryptosporidium subtypes in lambs was of epidemiological and public health relevance.
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