Canine ehrlichiosis is a disease transmitted by ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus and caused by Ehrlichia canis, obligatory intracellular bacteria. The present study examined the prevalence of anti-E. canis in 254 dogs from four administrative regions of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, by indirect immunofluorescence assay. There was a prevalence of 42.5% (108/254) without significant difference between the studied regions. The variables age, breed, sex, habitat, access to rural and ticks were analyzed. The antibody titers ranged from 1:40 to 1:2,560. Only 32 (29.63%) seropositive dogs were infested with ticks, all R. sanguineus. The results confirm that do not have breed, sex or age predisposition to ehrlichiosis due E. canis, while the lowest occurrence of reactive dogs indoors probably related to low tick infestation, although no significant difference between dogs with or without infestation with the tick vector.

A erliquiose canina é uma doença transmitida por carrapatos Rhipicephalus sanguineus e ocasionada pela Ehrlichia canis, bactéria intracelular obrigatória. O presente estudo verificou a prevalência de anticorpos anti-E. canis em 254 cães de quatro regiões administrativas de Cuiabá, Estado de Mato Grosso, por imunofluorescência indireta, observando-se uma prevalência de 42,5% (108/254) sem diferença significativa entre as regiões. As variáveis idade, raça, sexo, hábitat, acesso à zona rural e presença de carrapatos foram analisadas. Os títulos de anticorpos variaram entre 1:40 a 1:2.560. Somente 32 (29,63%) cães soropositivos estavam infestados por carrapatos, todos R. sanguineus. O resultado encontrado confirma que não há predisposição racial, sexual ou etária, enquanto a menor ocorrência de cães reagentes no intradomicílio provavelmente está relacionada à baixa infestação por carrapato, apesar de não ter sido observada diferença significativa entre os cães com ou sem a infestação com o carrapato vetor.Palavras-chave: Ehrlichia canis, imunofluorescência indireta, Cuiabá, inquérito epidemiológico. AbstractCanine ehrlichiosis is a disease transmitted by ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus and caused by Ehrlichia canis, obligatory intracellular bacteria. The present study examined the prevalence of anti-E. canis in 254 dogs from four administrative regions of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, by indirect immunofluorescence assay. There was a prevalence of 42.5% (108/254) without significant difference between the studied regions. The variables age, breed, sex, habitat, access to rural and ticks were analyzed. The antibody titers ranged from 1:40 to 1:2,560. Only 32 (29.63%) seropositive dogs were infested with ticks, all R. sanguineus. The results confirm that do not have breed, sex or age predisposition to ehrlichiosis due E. canis, while the lowest occurrence of reactive dogs indoors probably related to low tick infestation, although no significant difference between dogs with or without infestation with the tick vector.

The aim of this study was to find correlations between haematological and rheological parameters in canine visceral leishmaniasis (CLV). Enrolled dogs with CVL (n=31) had a confirmed diagnosis using the rapid test Dual Path Platform (TR DPP®) kit and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay. A control group (n=31) comprised healthy dogs with negative results for the TR DPP® kit and PCR assay. Haematological parameters and total protein, albumin, globulin, and antibody were assessed. The rheological properties of the blood samples were also determined. Erythrocytes, haematocrit and platelet values of dogs in the CVL group were found to be lower than those of the control group. The total protein, globulin and IgG concentrations were higher in serum samples from the CVL group. The blood flow curve demonstrated increased shear rates in the CVL group. The viscosity of the blood from the infected animals was lower than in the healthy dogs. A positive correlation was found between erythrocyte numbers and blood viscosity. These data suggest that changes in the flow curve and viscosity of blood as well as the erythrocyte values may be a viable low-cost alternative for the monitoring of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis.

Resumo AbstractDiseases transmitted by arthropods such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus, are caused by a spectrum of pathogens. Among these are the canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and cyclical thrombocytopenia with a cosmopolitan distribution. Aiming to verify the presence of DNA of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in ticks R. sanguineus collected in the period 2008 to 2009 of 380 infected dogs. Ticks, after maceration, were subjected to DNA extraction and then nested PCR was performed for amplification of A. platys and E. canis. Of these, 81 (29.7%) amplified DNA from ehrlichiais agents, where 38 (17.9%) amplified in E. canis and 32 (15.7%) for A. platys. The observation of two pathogens, combined with worldwide distribution of the tick R. sanguineus, demonstrates the high risk of infection with these pathogens in dogs in the city of Cuiaba.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Leishmania infantum (L. chagasi) that infects cells of the monocyte-phagocyte system. This work aims to describe the bone marrow parasitism in dogs naturally infected by L. chagasi, and to correlate with serum concentrations of cytokines and antibody level. It evaluated 42 dogs, 21 uninfected and 21 infected by L. infantum, of both sexes and of different ages; dogs were classified into three clinical stages: stage I, mild disease; stage II, moderate disease; and stage III, severe disease. Parasitic index was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cytokine serum concentration by flow cytometry. The average parasitic index of infected dogs was 4.59 × 1010 copies/μl. IL-4 and TNF-α concentrations were higher in infected dogs than in the control group. Antibody levels were positively correlated with IL-4 expression. There was a significant positive correlation of IL-6 cytokine levels with the evolution of stages I and III. Antibody levels were positively correlated with IL-4 expression. There was a significant positive correlation of IL-6 cytokine levels with the evolution of stages I and III. However, this cytokine can be used as a marker to distinguish between different clinical stages.

In this chapter, we describe that naturally infected dogs with Anaplasmataceae show altered rhreological parameters. Also, we have showed that lower viscosity correlated with the lower erythrocyte number and release of IFN-γ. The rheometry of the fresh blood samples was measured by using the Modular Compact Rheometer-MCR 102 (Anton Paar® GmbH, Ostfildern, Germany), and the graphs were obtained using Rheoplus software. Blood count data were obtained by analysis in a private laboratory. Diagnostic confirmation was obtained by molecular PCR technique that was used to determine the groups of not infected and infected by Anaplasmataceae. Serum cytokines were dosed by flow cytometry (FACScalibur BD®) using BD® Biosciences Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) Human Th1/Th2/Th17 Cytokine kits. The results showed a correlation between blood viscosity (p < 0.05, r = 0.73) and shear rate (p < 0.05; r = −0.676) with IFN-γ in the group of infected dogs that presented anemia, as well as correlations of shear rate with erythrocytes (p < 0.05; r = −0.88). Thus, IFN-γ appears to play an important role in the immunomodulation of the rheological behavior of naturally infected dogs to Anaplasmataceae. The alterations in cytokines profile and their relationship with blood viscosity and hematological parameters was related in this study the first time of dogs naturally infected with Anaplasmataceae.

Complex space missions involving large angle maneuvers and rapid attitude control, require new non-linear control techniques to design the Satellite Control System (SCS) in order to have reliability and adequate performance. In that context, one investigates a new SCS technique based on the State Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) methodology which can be considered as an adaptive form of the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) but which allows to deal with the non linearities of the system. A nonlinear mathematical model of a flexible rotatory beam is built through the Lagrangian formulation where the flexible displacement is modelled using the assumed modes theory and a structural damping is added applying the Rayleigh technique. The SDRE controller objectives are to control the hub angular position and simultaneously to damp the flexible displacements. A computational procedure is developed which allows drawing a performance map of the system showing all SDRE reachable performances. Using this control algorithm one can obtain the Pareto's border representing the set of optimal performances. On the other hand, analyzing the influence of the weight matrixes terms, it is shown that it is possible to get the Pareto's border performances using only a few terms of the SDRE weight matrixes. On the basis of this analysis, a control law enabling to get weight matrixes' values as a function of a required performance is developed. Last of all, state dependent weight matrixes are used to show that they can improve the system performance. Based on the results, it turned out that the SDRE's performance is better than the LQR's one, not only because it can deal with non linearities, but also because its design is more flexible and permits to control the rigid-flexible satellite in the same time interval and spending less energy.