a b s t r a c tIn recent years, there has been increasing fish consumption in Brazil, largely due to the popularity of Japanese cuisine. No study, however, has previously assessed the presence of inorganic contaminants in species used in the preparation of Japanese food. In this paper, we determined total arsenic, cadmium, chromium, total mercury, and lead contents in 82 fish samples of Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), Porgy (Pagrus pagrus), Snook (Centropomus sp.), and Salmon (Salmo salar) species marketed in São Paulo (Brazil). Samples were mineralized in HNO 3 /H 2 O 2 for As, Cd, Cr and Pb, and in HNO 3 /H 2 SO 4 /V 2 O 5 for Hg. Inorganic contaminants were determined after the validation of the methodology using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP OES); and for Hg, an ICP-coupled hydride generator was used. Concentration ranges for elements analyzed in mg kg À1 (wet base) were as follows: Total As (0.11e10.82); Cd (0.005e0.047); Cr (0.008e0.259); Pb (0.026e0.481); and total Hg (0.0077e0.9681). As and Cr levels exceeded the maximum limits allowed by the Brazilian law (1 and 0.1 mg kg À1 ) in 51.2 and 7.3% of the total samples studied, respectively. The most contaminated species were porgy (As ¼ 95% and Cr ¼ 10%) and tuna (As 91% and Cr ¼ 10%). An estimation of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg weekly intake was calculated considering a 60 kg adult person and a 350 g consumption of fish per week, with As and Hg elements presenting the highest contribution on diets reaching 222% of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for As in porgy and 41% of PTWI for Hg in tuna.

One-hundred eight Mycobacterium avium isolates from pigs, humans, birds, and bovines were typed by the IS1245-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method and PCR-restriction enzyme analysis (PRA) of hsp65. Nine clusters of isolates showing more than 80% similarity in their RFLP profiles were detected. The largest cluster (cluster B) included 32 of 79 pig isolates (40.5%), 3 of 25 human isolates (12%), and 1 of 2 bovine isolates, comprising 33% of all isolates. The second largest cluster (cluster A) included 18 pig isolates (22.8%) and 6 human isolates (24%). Six smaller clusters included six pig isolates (clusters C and D), four and two human isolates (clusters E and F, respectively), two pig isolates (cluster I), and two pig isolates plus one bovine isolate and the avian purified protein derivative strain (cluster H). Cluster G represented the "bird-type" profile and included the bird isolate in this series, one pig isolate, plus reference strain R13. PRA revealed four allelic variants. Seventy-seven isolates were identified as M. avium PRA variant I, 24 were identified as M. avium PRA variant II, 6 were identified as M. avium PRA variant III, and 1 was identified as M. avium PRA variant IV. Except for three isolates from cluster B, each of the RFLP clusters was associated with a single PRA pattern. Isolates with unique (nonclustered) RFLP profiles were distributed between PRA variants I and II, and there was one unique isolate of PRA variant IV. These observations are consistent with divergent evolution within M. avium, resulting in the emergence of distinct lineages with particular competence to infect animals and humans.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is composed of environmental mycobacteria found widely in soil, water, and aerosols that can cause disease in animals and humans, especially disseminated infections in AIDS patients. MAC consists of two closely related species, M. avium and M. intracellulare, and may also include other, less-defined groups. The precise differentiation of MAC species is a fundamental step in epidemiological studies and for the evaluation of possible reservoirs for MAC infection in humans and animals. In this study, which included 111 pig and 26 clinical MAC isolates, two novel allelic M. aviumPCR-restriction enzyme analysis (PRA) variants were identified, differing from the M. avium PRA prototype in theHaeIII digestion pattern. Mutations in HaeIII sites were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Identification of these isolates as M. avium was confirmed by PCR with DT1-DT6 and IS1245 primers, nucleic acid hybridization with the AccuProbe system, 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing, and biochemical tests. The characterization of M. avium PRA variants can be useful in the elucidation of factors involved in mycobacterial virulence and routes of infection and also has diagnostic significance, since they can be misidentified as M. simiae II and M. kansasii I if the PRA method is used in the clinical laboratory for identification of mycobacteria.

PIG-A> PIG-D> PIG-C.]]>

ResumoEste estudo objetivou mostrar o efeito da gordura do leite caprino e bovino sobre a resistência térmica do Mycobacterium fortuitum. Amostras de leite foram divididas em duas porções, integral e desnatada, cada porção foi inoculada com M. fortuitum e então distribuída em tubos para a quantificação do agente durante a pasteurização lenta, em banho-maria. As amostras foram diluídas e semeadas em Lowenstein-Jensen (37 °C/5 dias), os resultados da contagem foram expressos em Log 10 UFC/mL. O tratamento térmico reduziu 4,4 Log 10 UFC/mL no leite caprino integral (2,8% de gordura), 4,9 Log 10 UFC/mL no leite caprino desnatado (0,3%), 3,9 Log 10 UFC/mL no leite bovino integral (5,9%) e 5,4 Log 10 UFC/mL no leite bovino desnatado (0,2%), sem diferença significante, possivelmente pelo baixo número de amostras. Os valores D 65 °C foram, respectivamente, 10,51 minutos, 8,61 minutos, 18,02 minutos e 7,82 minutos e o valor de R 2 baixo das equações da reta indicam que outros fatores, além dos que foram estudados, influenciam a morte térmica do agente. Os resultados sugerem uma tendência de influência da gordura do leite e também da espécie animal sobre a taxa de decaimento do M. fortuitum, sendo que a pasteurização foi menos eficaz sobre o M. fortuitum no leite bovino integral. Palavras-chave: espécie de origem do leite; gordura; micobactéria; morte térmica; redução decimal. AbstractThis study aimed to show the effect of goat and bovine milk fat on thermal resistance of Mycobacterium fortuitum. Milk samples were divided into two portions, whole and skimmed, each part was inoculated with M. fortuitum and then distributed in tubes for quantification of the agent during pasteurization, in a water bath. As samples were diluted and plated on Lowenstein-Jensen (37 °C/5 days), the count results were expressed as log 10 CFU/mL. The heat treatment reduced 4.4 log 10 CFU/mL for goat whole milk (2.8% fat), 4.9 log 10 CFU/mL for skim goat milk (0.3%), 3.9 log 10 CFU/ml for whole bovine milk (5.9%), and 5.4 log 10 CFU/mL for skim bovine milk (0.2%), without significant difference, possibly because of the low number of samples. Values of D 65 °C were, respectively, 10.51 minutes, 8.61 minutes, 18.02 minutes, and 7.82 minutes and the low R 2 value of the straight line equations indicated that other factors, in addition to the ones studied, influenced the heat death of the agent. The results suggest a trend of influence by fat milk, and by the animal species on the decay rate of M. fortuitum, and that pasteurization was less effective over M. fortuitum in whole bovine milk.

No abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial diseases in ornamental aquarium fish and appears to be directly related to stressful husbandry practices. Furthermore, it also represents zoonotic potential. Here we present the isolation and characterization of non-tuberculous mycobacteria from diseased freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) in São Paulo, Brazil. Nine discarded breeding females with signs of disease were evaluated. The fish exhibited lethargy, loss of appetite, cachexia, skin ulcers, and exophthalmia. At necropsy, four fishes presented macroscopic granulomas in the spleen. Mycobacterium chelonae, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, M. intracellulare and M. peregrinum were isolated and identified by hsp65 PCR restriction analysis. Histopathological analysis revealed microscopic lesions compatible with mycobacteriosis, and Mycobacterium bacillus were observed by Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Notably, all Mycobacterium species identified in this study have already been reported in human patients; therefore, diseased animals may be a source of infection for people who handle fish and aquariums.

This study aimed to search parasites in 333 ornamental fish from five Brazilian states (Ceará, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina). Fish were sent from eight farms located in the municipalities of Fortaleza, Patrocínio do Muriaé, São Francisco do Glória, Cascavel, Timbó, Iguape, Jacareí and Mairinque. All fish received anesthesia earlier to euthanasia procedures. After the search for parasites, it was verified that 70.6% (235/333) of fishes were infected by at least one type of parasite, being 12 types of parasites identified: monogeneans, digenean metacercariae, cestodes, nematodes, Lernaea cyprinacea, trichodinids, Piscinoodinium pillulare, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, diplomonad flagellates, Ichthyobodo sp., Chilodonella sp., and Tetrahymena sp. The proportion of infected fishes among the farms is compared through statistical tests, besides, animal handling adopted in each farm is also discussed. The importance of ensuring fish health in order to make the ornamental freshwater fish industry economically viable and reduce losses in production is highlighted.