No abstract

The capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris L. 1766) is the largest existing rodent in the world. This animal species, being synanthropic, may serve as a transmitter of different diseases and parasitic infections in animals and humans as well. Leptospirosis is a cosmopolitan infectious disease with a high prevalence in tropical and subtropical regions that can affect humans and other domestic and wild animals. Due to the absence of regional data and the importance of this animal species in transmitting diseases to animals and humans, the aim of this study was to analyze DNA and anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in free-living capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) from a university campus in the city of Araras in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 31 capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) were captured for collecting their blood samples. The collected sera were analyzed using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). For the detection of Leptospira spp. DNA, the serum samples were used to extract genomic DNA for the nested-PCR analysis. Out of the 31 serum samples, 29 (93.55%) were reactive for MAT, with titers ranging from 25 to 400. The antibody could be identified against the most probable serovar in 26 (89.65%) samples, namely: Grippotyphosa (69.23%), Autumnalis (26.92%), and Bratislava (3.85%). Presence of Leptospira via nested-PCR was found only in 3.22% of serum samples. This study revealed the presence of DNA and anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in free-living capybara. Characterization of these animals as possible carriers and disseminators of the etiological agent in the environment is necessary for identification of infection in other animals and campus visitors.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common and prevalent oral diseases in dogs. With the increasing closeness between man and the animals of company, the care with the health and well-being of those animals also increase. Being the bacterial plaque the main cause of periodontal disease, oral care performed by dog owners are essential for the prevention and control of this disease. There are a lot of alternatives, developed exclusively for animal use, which assist in oral hygiene. There are data on the use of active natural products in the prevention of halitosis, dental plaque and calculus, in the form of antiseptic substances, but the volume of information is still scarce. Natural substances, used since immemorial times for treatment of diseases, have the potential to integrate oral care products, such as main or adjuvant active agent in the formulation of the most varied compounds. This is the result of desirable actions in oral and dental therapies, as anti-inflammatory, healing and antimicrobial. This article reviews the information available on the subject and seeks to indicate what is possible to do overcome the gap between research and application of these products on a day-to-day basis.