The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on in vitro gas production (GP) kinetics and degradability of corn stover, oat straw, sugarcane bagasse and sorghum straw. Feedstuffs were incubated with different doses of yeast [0, 4, 8 and 12 mg/g dry matter (DM)] at direct addition or 72 h pre-incubation. Rumen GP was recorded at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 24, 30, 48, 54 and 72 h of incubation. After 72 h, rumen pH and methane were determined and contents were filtrated for DM, neutral (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) degradability. Fibrous species×method of application×yeast interactions occurred (P<0.001) for all measured ruminal GP parameters and degradability. The direct addition or 72 h pre-incubation of S. cerevisiae with corn stover improved (P<0.05) GP and methane and decreased (P<0.05) the lag time (L) and NDF degradability (NDFD). The direct addition of S. cerevisiae to oat straw increased (P<0.05) rate of GP (c) and decreased (P<0.05) asymptotic GP (b). However, 72 h pre-incubation increased (P<0.05) c with linearly decreased b, DM degradability (DMD) and NDFD. Applying S.cerevisiae for 72 h pre-incubation decreased (P<0.001) methane emission. The direct addition or 72 h pre-incubation of S. cerevisiae to sorghum straw increased (P<0.05) b, c, L, DMD and NDFD. Overall, the effect of dose varied among different feedstuffs and different application methods. Results suggested that the direct addition of S. cerevisiae could support and improve ruminal fermentation of lowquality forages at 4 to 12 g/kg DM.

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Background and Aim: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an alphavirus that causes encephalitis with a high impact on public health in Latin America. However, only in Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico have found antibodies in VEEV in bats, using immunohistochemistry, the sensitivity and specificity are improved; thus, it is better for demonstrating natural infection in bats as potential hosts. This study aimed to determine the presence of VEEV in tissues of frugivorous bats. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 12 localities of Córdoba and Sucre area of the Colombian Caribbean. Two hundred and eighty-six bats were captured using fog nets, and the specimens according to taxonomic keys were classified. According to the Ethics Committee of the University of Córdoba, the bats were treated with analgesics and anesthetics. Blood samples were taken and then euthanized to obtain tissues and organs which were preserved in liquid N2 at –196°C. A portion of each organ was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for the detection of antigens by immunohistochemistry. Several pathological anatomy analyses were performed to determine the histological characteristics of tissue lesions of frugivorous bats naturally infected with the VEEV. Results: Of the 286 bats captured, 23 species were identified. In samples of the brain, spleen, and lung of two frugivorous bats (2/286=0.70%) Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium, the presence of VEEV was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: A fragment of the nsP4 non-structural protein gene corresponding to the alphavirus was amplified. Two samples were positive (2/286=0.70%) in frugivorous bats; A. planirostris (code GenBank: MG820274) and S. lilium (code GenBank: MG820275). The present study showed the first molecular evidence and cellular evidence (histopathology and immunohistochemistry) of natural VEEV infection in frugivorous bats in Colombia; these bats could be a host of this zoonosis.

RESUMENEl objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar la respuesta de perros infectados naturalmente con el Tumor Venéreo Transmisible (TVTc) al tratamiento con vincristina comercial de patente y genérica. Se trabajó con 12 perros infectados naturalmente y con diagnóstico por citología y PCR. Los perros fueron asignados aleatoriamente a un tratamiento semanal con 0.025 mg/kg de vincristina de patente comercial o de tipo genérico, hasta que dos citologías consecutivas resultaran negativas. Se hicieron pruebas de citología y hemograma antes de cada aplicación para determinar reacciones adversas al tratamiento. En ambos grupos se aplicó un máximo de cinco dosis para dar por concluido el tratamiento. El mínimo de aplicaciones en el grupo Patente fue de cuatro, mientras que en el grupo Genérico fue de tres aplicaciones, aunque sin diferencia significativa en el número de dosis aplicadas ni en el tiempo de remisión. Los perros de ambos grupos presentaron algún tipo de reacción adversa ligera sin mostrar diferencia estadística entre grupos. En ningún caso hubo que descontinuar el tratamiento por este tipo de reacciones. Se concluye que las presentaciones de patente y genérica son igualmente eficaces para el tratamiento de TVTc.Palabras clave: toxicidad, quimioterapéuticos, perro, eficacia-seguridad ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to compare the response of naturally infected dogs with transmissible venereal tumor (TVT) to treatment with two sources of vincristine: patented and generic. Twelve naturally infected dogs diagnosed with TVT by cytology and PCR

Se describen cinco casos de perros con títulos de anticuerpos IgG protectores contra Parvovirus canino. Los títulos de anticuerpos fueron adquiridos a través de vacunación o por infección con cepas de campo, y que fueron infectados por parvovirus canino en estado natural, desarrollando signos clínicos de la enfermedad. Muestras fecales de los perros afectados fueron procesadas utilizando PCR y PCR anidada y los amplicones fueron secuenciados para genotipificación de los virus. Los resultados demostraron que estos perros fueron infectados por parvovirus canino tipo 2c, indicando que anticuerpos IgG protectores obtenidos por previa vacunación o infección con virus de campo no fueron capaces de prevenir infección o reinfección contra parvovirus canino tipo 2C. Muestras fecales de los perros afectados fueron procesadas utilizando PCR y PCR anidada; posteriormente los amplicones fueron secuenciados para genotipificación de los virus. Los resultados demostraron que estos perros fueron infectados por parvovirus canino tipo 2C, indicando que anticuerpos IgG protectores obtenidos por previa vacunación o infección con virus de campo no fueron capaces de prevenir infección o re-infección contra parvovirus canino tipo 2C.

Background: Toxocara spp. is a gastrointestinal nematode with cosmopolitan distribution and is the most common parasite in domestic cats, which can deposit fertilized eggs in the environment with feces. Egg maturation starts in the soil, concluding two to three weeks after cat defecation, but eggs can remain viable in the soil for years and spread onto vegetables and into water. Infection of cats and paratenic hosts (among them humans) occurs through ingestion of infected eggs from the environment, through ingestion of paratenic hosts and, in puppies, through milk from infected mothers. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the presence of Toxocara spp. in domestic cats.Materials Methods & Results: In this study, 229 fecal samples from domestic cats were collected in the state of Mexico, Mexico. All of cats had an owner, and fresh feline feces were collected in previously labeled sterile bottles. Coproparasitological examinations were performed on these samples using a flotation technique with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium nitrate (NaNO3), Toxocara spp. eggs were identified under the microscope, in accordance with the morphological descriptions. The data were analyzed by means of Fisher’s exact test in order to compare the presence of Toxocara eggs according to cat age and sex. The chi-square test was used to determine associations between variables and odds ratios (OR) were calculated to determine the risk factors. Presence of Toxocara spp. eggs was identified in 42% (96/229) of the cats, of which 23% were males and 19% females. We did find an association between cats under the age of six months (P = 0.01) and the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs, and therefore age was determined to be a risk factor (OR = 1.69) for the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs in feces, cats over one year old showed a statistically significant association (P = 0.02) with the presence of parasite eggs in feces. The presence of Toxocara spp. was found to be a risk factor (OR = 1.57) among male cats aged less than 6 months, while among female cats a statistically significant association was found (P = 0.03) for the presence of Toxocara spp. Meanwhile, comparing positive cats of both sexes with age, a statistically significant difference (P = 0.02) was found regarding cats over one year old.Discussion: It were identified Toxocara spp. eggs in 42% of the feces of domestic cats from the state of Mexico. These results are similar to those reported by other studies in Mexico City, they also reported that there was a larger number of infected cats under one year of age and that males had higher infection rates. Comparison of both sexes with age showed a statistically significant association (P = 0.01) between cats under six months old and the presence of Toxocara eggs in feces. This age was also considered to be a risk factor (OR = 1.69) for parasite eggs in feces, during the first months of life, the larvae migrate and finish their cycle, but when the cat has reached its mature stage, the larvae may become entrenched and avoid finishing their life cycle. Male sex was identified as a risk factor for the presence of Toxocara spp. The prevalence of Toxocara spp. in domestic cats in the state of Mexico is high, and represents a potential risk of human toxocariasis. From the results found, it can be considered that cats are a major source of dissemination of environmental pollution and Toxocara spp.

Abstract:The infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPNV) is the causative agent of an acute illness well characterized in salmonids worldwide. Clinical signs and mortality rates are dependent on several factors such as the viral dose, the age of the fish, the water temperature, among others. An experimental study was conducted to measure the effect of temperature on the gene expression profile of IFN-1(α), STAT-1 and Mx-1 in rainbow trout fry, exposed to IPNV. Fry (n=198) were exposed at 8, 12 and 16°C, and samples were taken for 21 days to determine the virus titer and gene expression. In the first 11 days the greatest viral titer was recorded at 8°C compared with the values obtained at 12 and 16°C. At 8°C, there was a significant increase on day 4 of mRNA Mx-1 (t-test, p<0.05), time in which the viral titer began to decrease. Furthermore, as the viral titer increased, STAT-1 and Mx-1 (r=0.91) and (r=0.96) increased, respectively. The animals were able to recover from day 4 from some of the symptoms of IPN. Clinical disease was developed only in fish exposed to 12°C and all died between days 6 and 14, despite the highly significant increase shown in the average expression level of Mx-1, compared with the values recorded at 8°C and 16°C (Tukey, p<0.0001). Additionally, the expression profiles of IFN-1(α) and STAT-1 decreased completely (~0.016) and (~0.020 times) on day 7. The highest expression level of IFN-1(α), occurred at 16°C (Tukey, p<0.0005). Fry exposed at 16°C were normal during the experiment. IFN-1(α) possibly generated a protector effect from day 2 when they showed a significant expression increase compared with the results at 8°C and 12°C (t-student, p<0.0001); however, STAT-1 was not significantly affected by temperature, although the highest average expression value was recorded at 16°C. Our research supports the expression of relevant anti-viral response genes as IFN-1(α), STAT-1 and Mx-1 are physiologically modulated by the water temperature, directly influencing the development of the IPN disease in rainbow trout. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (2): 559-569. Epub 2015 June 01.