The aim of this study was to investigate occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep slaughtered in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, by means of different diagnosis techniques. Serum samples and tissues from 100 slaughtered sheep were used. To detect antibodies, the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was used, and tissues from seropositive animals (cut-off ≥1:64) were submitted to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). To assess the concordance between the direct techniques, the kappa test was used. In the IFAT, it was observed that 14% (14/100) of the ovine samples were serum-positive. In the PCR, 21.43% (3/14) of the animals were positive and in IHC, it was observed that 7.14% (1/14) were positively stained for T. gondii in cerebral tissue. Histopathologically, the predominant finding was the presence of mononuclear cell infiltrate in the heart and a perivascular cuff in the cerebrum and cerebellum. The concordance between the direct diagnosis techniques was moderate (k=0.44). Thus, it is important to use different direct techniques in diagnosing toxoplasmosis in naturally infected sheep.
Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho isolar e caracterizar bioquimicamente a microbiota psicrotrófica, bem como avaliar seu poder deteriorador no leite cru refrigerado, armazenado em tanques de expansão, individuais e coletivos, de propriedades das regiões Agreste e Sertão do Estado de Alagoas. Foram analisadas amostras de leite coletadas em 23 tanques individuais e 13 coletivos, onde se verificou a presença de bactérias psicrotróficas nos dois tipos de tanques de refrigeração, sendo um total de 105 isolados bacterianos. Foi detectada a predominância de bactérias psicrotróficas gram-negativas 78,09% (82/105), dos gêneros Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Aeromonas, Burkholderia, Acinetobacter e Shigella, enquanto que as bactérias gram-positivas foram da ordem de 21,90% dos gêneros Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Micrococcus e Bacillus. Pseudomonas foi o gênero predominante com 43,81%. A grande maioria dos isolados bacterianos demonstrou alto poder de produção de enzimas extracelulares – protease, lipase e/ou lecitinase, evidenciando assim potencial deteriorador do leite e derivados. Estatisticamente não foi significativa a diferença de produção enzimática pelos isolados entre tanques individuais e coletivos, não havendo dependência entre o número de isolados bacterianos produtores de enzimas e o tipo de tanque.
Neospora caninum is a protozoan that causes reproductive disorders in herbivores. Domestic and wild dogs have been considered its definitive hosts, and when these animals are affected, they may suffer from a neuromuscular disease. Recently, this infection has also gained significance in small ruminants. Although neosporosis is already a proven cause of mortality in lambs and congenital infection can occur, this parasite has only recently been considered a cause of abortion in these animals. The aim of this study was to detect anti-N. caninum antibodies in slaughtered sheep. Serum samples (n = 100) collected in a slaughterhouse located in the municipality of Palmeira dos Índios (09°24'26" S and 36°37'39" W), state of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil, were used in this study. Anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected by means of the Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). The cutoff point was set at 50 and samples were titrated up to 800. Anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in 13% (13/100) of the tested samples, 7.69% of which came from male sheep (1/13) and 92.31% (12/13) from females. Titers ranged from 50 to 800, with the majority of animals (46.15%; 6/13) presenting the maximum one (i.e., 800). Data herein reported demonstrated the circulation of N. caninum parasites among sheep in the study area. These findings are pivotal to improve the knowledge about the dynamics of this pathogen in an ovine population. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt sanitary measures to prevent infection by this parasite and thus reduce its economic impact on ovine production.
O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de amostras de leite cru resfriado e pasteurizado provenientes de três regiões do estado de Alagoas (Litoral, Agreste e Sertão). De cada fazenda foi coletado 3 tipos de amostras de leite: amostras dos quartos mamários, amostras do leite de tanque e amostras do leite UHT (Ultra Hight Temperature). Os rebanhos eram constituídos de animais de diferentes raças, idades e estágios de lactação. Foram realizados ensaios para contagem de micro-organismos mesófilos, psicrotróficos, coliformes totais e termotolerantes e Staphylococcus spp.. Nenhuma das amostras de leite UHT apresentou presença de nenhum dos micro-organismos em estudo, evidenciando que para esse tipo de leite, as amostras estão totalmente dentro dos padrões estabelecidos pela legislação vigente quanto à qualidade microbiológica. As amostras de leite resfriado apresentaram mesófilos (>3 Log₁₀ UFC/ml), psicrotróficos ( 1100 Log₁₀ NMP/ml) e termotolerantes (3 a >1100 Log₁₀ UFC/ml), além da alta frequência de Staphylococcus spp. (2,8 a >3 Log₁₀ UFC/ml). A presença desses micro-organismos pode estar associada às más práticas de manejo de ordenha, bem como higiene do ambiente e deficiências na refrigeraçao, o que pode ocasionar deterioração do produto e contaminação dos animais e consumidores finais.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.