The conjunctival fungal flora of 32 adult horses with normal eyes (n = 64) from the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was identified in the fall of 2000 using horses of different breeds, both genders and aged 5-19 years old. The culture samples were taken from the conjunctival sac of both eyes with a sterile cotton swab wetted with saline solution, seeded in Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol, and incubated for 5 days at an average temperature of 25 degrees C. The number of fungal colonies per eye varied between 0 and 250 colony forming units (CFUs). There were often differences in colony types between eyes of the same animal. Filamentous fungi of genera were isolated and identified in the following proportion of the total genera of fungal colonies isolated: Aspergillus (32.2%), Penicillium (25.8%), Scopulariopsis (15.9%), Trichoderma (11.2%), Cladosporium (5.6%), Mucor (2.1%), Syncephalastrum (2.1%), Eurotium (1.7%), Geotrichum (0.9%), Rhizopus (0.9%), Gliomastix (0.4%), Fusarium (0.4%), Staphylotrichum (0.4%) and Verticillium (0.4%). Yeast genera represented 9% of the total isolates. Over half the horses had at least one normal eye with either Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma or Scopulariopsis isolated, which is a departure from other studies of the normal horse eye.

The ability to reproduce in captivity is an essential component of lion tamarin (Leontopithecus) conservation programs. However, infections such as vaginitis, cervicitis, and endometritis are important diseases that may influence the reproduction of these animals. Therefore, it is important to detect continuous or occasional vaginal microbial populations, and to understand their potential role as an endogenous source of infection [Collins, 1964; Blue, 1983; Pugh et al., 1986]. Vaginal swabs were collected from 25 female tamarins of the three currently available species (L. rosalia, L. chrysopygus, and L. chrysomelas) at the Center of Primatology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The swabs were processed according to standard mycological protocols, and isolates were biochemically characterized. Fungal isolates were recovered from 16 animals (64.0%). The results showed that 70.6% of the isolated microorganisms consisted of yeast, including three species of Candida (mainly C. glabrata). We suggest that this species is a resident member of the normal vaginal flora in Leontopithecus. Filamentous fungi (mainly from Trichosporon, Aspergillus, and Penicilliumgenera) constituted 29.4% of the isolates, and were considered to be transitory contaminants of the genital area. We suggest that colonization of the vaginal environment is related to the endocrine pattern associated with the reproductive status of these animals, but not to parity.

ResumoO presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar o crescimento de bolores e leveduras em lingüiça frescal de frango, de modo a ponderar possíveis riscos à saúde humana, e ainda avaliar o efeito das embalagens em atmosferas modificadas (EAM) neste produto, a fim de elucidar formas viáveis e eficazes de conservação deste tipo de alimento. As amostras de lingüiça de frango (60 unidades de 10,0 x 1,5cm), produzidas em laboratório, com formulação tradicional, foram embaladas em bolsas plásticas esterilizadas, com aproximadamente 1,5L das seguintes atmosferas: ar (100%), N 2 (100%), CO 2 (20, 40 e 80%, complementados com N 2 ) e CO 2 (100%) e mantidas em temperatura de refrigeração (4±1°C). Durante 19 dias de armazenamento, realizou-se um acompanhamento periódico determinando o pH, as contagens de bactérias heterotróficas aeróbias mesófilas (BHAM) e as contagens totais de bolores e leveduras. Para a determinação dos parâmetros do crescimento fúngico, foi utilizada a equação de Baranyi. As menores contagens foram obtidas nas lingüiças embaladas nas atmosferas contendo as maiores concentrações de CO 2 testadas (100% CO 2 , 80/20 CO 2 /N 2 e 40/60 CO 2 /N 2 ) durante os 19 dias de duração do experimento, enquanto que as maiores concentrações encontradas tanto de BHAM quanto de bolores e leveduras foram nas amostras embaladas em ar, 100% N 2 ou 20/80 CO 2 /N 2 . A partir dos resultados comprova-se que a EAM inibe o crescimento de bactérias e fungos.Palavras-chave: lingüiça de frango, bolores e leveduras, embalagem em atmosfera modificada, prazo de vida comercial, embutidos. AbstractThe objective of the present research was to analyzer the mould and the yeast growth on chicken sausage, so that to examine possible risks to the human health and evaluate the effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in this product, in order to elucidate practicables and potent ways for conservation of this food. Samples of chicken sausages (60 unities), measuring 10.0 cm in total width and 1.5cm in total length, were produced through traditional formularization at laboratory and were packed into sterile plastic bags, containing nearly 1.5L oh the following atmospheres: air (100%), N 2 (100%), CO 2 (20, 40 and 80%, fulfilled with N 2 ) and CO 2 (100%) and maintained at refrigeration (4±1°C). During nineteen days of the storage, a periodic monitoring was realized to establish the pH, to total aerobic mesophylls count and the mould and yeast total count. For the parameters determination of fungal growth was utilized by Baranyi's equation. The less fungal quantitys were attained for sausages packaged at atmospheres with the greater tested CO 2 concentration (100% CO 2 , 80/20 CO 2 /N 2 and 40/60 CO 2 /N 2 ) during 19 days of research, while the greater mesophylls bacteria counts and mould and yeast concentrations opposed, both one and the other, were on samples packaging at air, 100% N 2 and 20/80 CO 2 /N 2 . Results confyrm that MAP inhibits the fungal and bacteria growth.

O presente trabalho determinou os teores de umidade, resíduo mineral fixo, cloreto de sódio (NaCI) e o número de Ácido Tiobarbitúrico (TBA) em camarão salgado-seco obtido de diversas lojas comerciais e feiras livres do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. As determinações foram realizadas de modo a avaliar a qualidade do produto frente a essas características, encontrando-se os seguintes valores médios: umidade 48,7%, resíduo mineral fixo 25,9%, NaCI 20,1% e TBA 0,54. É importante destacar que todas as amostras ultrapassaram o limite para umidade estabelecido pela legislação brasileira para pescado (35%), donde conclui-se a necessidade de fiscalização, a fim de evitar alterações indesejáveis do produto com prejuízo à saúde da população.