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The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and association of virulence factors of Escherichia (E.) coli isolated from weaned piglets with diarrhea and to correlate it with fecal consistency. A total of 152 rectal swabs were collected from 25-40 day-old piglets with diarrhea, in farms of Southern Brazil. Phenotypical and molecular techniques were used for bacterial isolation, characterization and classification of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) pathotypes. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine the frequency of virulence factors and virotypes, of fimbriae F4, F5, F6, F18, F41 and toxins LT, STa, STb and STx2e. Out of 456 E. coli isolates, 287 (62.9%) samples showed significant growth of E. coli. Among them, 194 (67.6%) samples showed at least one virulence factor, indicating that ETEC is an important etiological agent of diarrhea in weaned piglets. Higher frequencies were found of fimbria F4 and F18 and enterotoxins LT, STa and STb. Significant association was found to F4, LT, STa and STb; between F18 and STa and STx2e; between F5 and LT, STa and STb. The most frequent virotypes were F18-STa, F4-LT-STa-STb, F4-STa, F4-LT-STb and F18-STa-STx2e. Beta-hemolysis was observed in 47.4% of samples and there was significant association between hemolytic samples and virulence factors F4, F18, STa and STx2e. Regarding fecal consistency, there was significant association of liquid feces and F4 fimbria, STa toxin and virotypes F4-STa and F4-F5-LT-STa-STb. Since there was significant association of ETEC and liquid feces in nursery piglets, it is important to prioritize the sampling of liquid feces for the diagnosis etiologic cause of diarrhea.

Background: The farming of wild boars has growing due to the interest of the human consumption of this exotic meat. Such a development may pose an increased risk of disease transmission between boars and domestic animals. The wild boar population has increased in South America in the last years due the absence of predator causing economic losses due to direct damage to crops and risk of disease transmission. The genus Pestivirus within the family Flaviviridae are composed by four recognized species by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV): classical swine fever virus (CSFV), border disease virus (BDV), bovine viral diarrhea virus type 1 (BVDV-1) and 2 (BVDV-2). Other putative species denoted as atypical pesitiviruses have been reported as ‘HoBi’-like virus, giraffe pestivirus, Bungowannah pestivirus, Pronghorn antelope virus, atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV), Norwegian rat pestivirus (NrPV) and Rhinolophus affinis bat pestivirus (RaPestV-1). CSFV is commonly detected in wild boars, but despite positive serology, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) was never detected in this animal species. Thereby, the present communication describes the first detection of BVDV in the lungs of captive boars using RT-PCR and DNA sequencing.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty lung samples from farmed wild boars were collected after slaughter in a commercial abattoir. The organs were crushed separately, centrifuged, and the supernatant was stored for further analysis. The total RNA was isolated using a phenol-based protocol and RT-PCR protocol that amplified 118 bp of 5’ untranslated region (5’UTR) was carried out. One out 40 samples resulted positive. The positive sample had partial fragments of 5’UTR and N terminal autoprotease (Npro) sequenced and analyzed. The strain LV Java/2012 presented 99% of identity in 5’UTR and 98% in Npro region with a BVDV-2 previously reported in bovines in Southern Brazil. In both 5’UTR and Npro phylogenetic analysis, the strain LV Java/2015 clustered with BVDV-2 strains and was most closely related to subtype 2b identified in bovines in Southern Brazil grouping in the same terminal node.Discussion: Wild boars are commonly associated to pathogen transmission to domestic animals. This animal species is considered a reservoir of the pestivirus CSFV and important keys in CSFV control and eradication programs in Europe. Despite indirect presence of BVDV was reported in wild boars by serology tests, the direct detection of the viral agent was never reported. The present study showed the presence of BVDV-2 genomic segments obtained by RT-PCR followed by DNA sequencing in captive wild boars. The reported data suggests a possible importance of this animal species in the epidemiology of ruminant pestiviruses which could interfere in control and eradication programs of these important pathogens for cattle worldwide. The strain LV Java/2012 was closely related to BVDV-2b and presented highest identity with a strain detected in cattle from Southern Brazil. This data suggests that wild boars and bovines could be sharing this pathogen due the similarity of the strains and that both were reported in the same region. It can lead to need of inclusion of wild swines in BVDV control programs since boars can circulate between different regions and carry this pathogen to different cattle herds. The present study reported the first molecular evidence of BVDV in wild boars in the literature. The data generated herein suggests a possible importance of boars in the epidemiology of ruminant pestiviruses.

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ABSTRACT. - Lawsonia intracellularis infection on a horse farm in the Midwest region of Brazil is described. Thirty-nine foals a few days to months old from a herd with 300 horses, experienced diarrhea with variable characteristics and intensities, weight loss, hyperemic mucous membranes and dehydration. In foals 3 to 6 months of age, hypoproteinemia associated with submandibular edema were also common. Intestinal fragments of a 7-month-old foal were sent to an animal disease laboratory for diagnosis. The observed macroscopic lesions were hyperemic serosa, thickening of the intestinal wall with a corrugation, thickening of the mucosa folds and reduction of intestinal lumen. Histological analysis of the small and large intestine revealed enterocyte hyperplasia of the crypts associated with diffuse marked decrease in the number of goblet cells and positive L. intracellularis antigen labeling by immunohistochemistry. Three out of 11 animals of the same property were seropositive for L. intracellularis, demonstrating the circulation of the agent throughout the farm, but none were PCR positive in fecal samples. Based on clinical signs and pathological findings, the diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy was confirmed.