Background: Balantidium coli is a commensal protozoan that infects several animals, but it has pigs as its natural reservoir. In the presence of predisposing factors, B. coli can become pathogenic for swine, causing enteric lesions. Infections determined by this protozoan may be a risk to public health, due to dysentery in animal keepers and veterinarians. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of infection by B. coli in pigs of distinct husbandry categories, as well as unlike physiological state, kept in farms with different hygienic-sanitary standards, located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: Stool samples were collected from 12 different farms with different hygienic-sanitary standards being four farms of finisher pigs (G1; n = 287), four farms with pregnant females (G2; n = 60) and four farms with lactation sows (G3;  n = 40), and all samples were submitted to coproparasitological analyses to verify the presence of cysts or trophozoites of B. coli. The infection levels were considered mild (1-100 cyst/trophozoite), moderate (101300 cyst/trophozoite) and high (>300 cysts/trophozoite). In addition, information about hygienic-sanitary conditions of each farm was collected. The occurrence of B. coli infection in all swine stool samples analyzed was 60.9% (236/387); however, in G1, G2 and G3 was 54.7% (157/287), 91.7% (55/60) and 65% (26/40) respectively. There was significant difference in the occurrence of G1 (P < 0.05) except between farms B and C (67.9% and 56.6% respectively). There was also a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the occurrence of B. coli found in G2 and G3. The infection levels were considered predominantly mild in G1; and mild to moderate in G2 and G3.Discussion: In this research it was confirmed the presence of B. coli in swine farms located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil. This area is known as being an important producer of pigs in Brazil. The results obtained in this study, demonstrated that swine farms with better hygienic and sanitary standards, had mild infections by B. coli. However, the presence of intestinal parasites, especially protozoa, can occur even in properties with good management practices. However, protozoa infections can cause important production losses, especially when associated with other pathogens or nutritional problems. The occurrence of B. coli observed in pregnant (G2) and lactating (G3) females was significant, and the infection level was mild to moderate. These conditions suggest that pregnancy, childbirth and lactation are critical stages for females, mainly due to physiological stress, resulting in a change in the hormonal levels and immune status of the animals. Thus, these factors cause declines in the immune response of pigs making them susceptible to infections and the increase of cyst excretion of B. coli in feces. The abundance of protozoan cysts in feces contaminates the environment and increases the risk of infections in humans. In addition, it was demonstrated the occurrence of B. coli in an important site of swine production in RS, Brazil. B. coli is related to the physiological state of the animals and the hygienic and sanitary management in different categories of swine. In conclusion, this study highlights the epidemiological importance of swine as natural reservoir of Balantidium coli and the risk potential of infection to animals and humans. Additionally, sanitary program in farming pigs must be improved in order to guarantee healthy and food-safe product for consumers.

We aimed to genotype the South American clinical isolates of Pythium insidiosum using the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the ribosomal DNA sequences (rDNA). Previously, an SNP-based multiplex-PCR was able to distinguish three different clades of P. insidiosum isolates. Thus, we used this assay to evaluate South American clinical isolates of P. insidiosum (n=32), standard strains from Costa Rica (n=4), Thailand (n=3), Japan (n=1), and India (n=1), a standard strain of Pythium aphanidermatum, and Brazilian environmental isolates of Pythium torulosum, Pythium rhizo-oryzae and Pythium pachycaule voucher (n=3). It was possible to allocate each American P. insidiosum isolate to clade I, the isolates of India, Japan, and Thailand to clade II, and the Thai isolate to clade III. P. aphanidermatum, P.torulosum, P.rhizo-oryzae and P.pachycaule voucher isolates were not amplified. For the first time, a P. insidiosum isolate from Uruguay, South America, was included in molecular analyzes. By SNP-based multiplex-PCR, it was possible to perform the identification and genotyping of the South American isolates of P. insidiosum, demonstrating similar genetic characteristics of these isolates.

Criptococose é uma doença fúngica causada por leveduras do complexo Cryptococcus neoformans e Cryptococcus gattii. A infecção geralmente ocorre através da inalação dos basidiósporos do fungo presente no ambiente. Casos graves ocorrem devido à infecção do sistema nervoso central. A enfermidade possui distribuição mundial, associada principalmente aos indivíduos imunocomprometidos, portadores do vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV). Este estudo objetivou verificar o perfil epidemiológico e os protocolos terapêuticos dos pacientes diagnosticados com criptococose no Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (Santa Maria, RS), no período de março de 2010 a março de 2017. Avaliaram-se 46 prontuários clínicos, sendo que o perfil dos pacientes observados foi predominantemente do sexo masculino, etnia branca, faixa etária de 31 a 50 anos, portadores de HIV, apresentando taxa de células CD4+<100 células/µL e com forma clínica prevalente, a neurocriptococose. A associação de anfotericina B e fluconazol foi o protocolo terapêutico adotado na maioria dos pacientes estudados.

The seroprevalence of Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii was researched in swine raised in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Serum samples from 84 pigs from 31 farms were tested using indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for both agents. Additionally, 53 samples of pork sausages and tissues destined for human consumption, including: salami, sausage, black pudding, heart, tongue, brain, and rib muscle, were submitted to PCR to detect DNA for each agent. The frequency of anti-Sarcocystis spp. antibodies was 36.9% (31/84), with titers ranging from 32 to 1024, and 25% (21/84) for anti-T. gondii antibodies, with titers ranging from 64 to 2048. Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii DNA were detected in 67.9% (36/53) and 13.2% (7/53) of samples, respectively. The presence of antibodies and the detection of DNA from Sarcocystis spp., and T. gondii suggests that the pigs were infected and may serve as an important reservoir for both parasites. The infection by these protozoa in the swine population is relevant to public health due to their zoonotic potential.

Os principais fatores relacionados à ocorrência de surtos e doenças de origem alimentar, estão relacionados às falhas múltiplas no controle de qualidade na produção de alimentos. Com o objetivo de avaliar os impactos dos cursos de capacitação em Boas Práticas de Manipulação (BPM) para os serviços de alimentação em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, realizado por profissionais de estabelecimentos alimentares, em instituições de ensino habilitadas e credenciadas. Foram visitados 41 estabelecimentos que comercializam alimentos, com alvarás renovados no ano de 2014. Nestas empresas, foi aplicado um questionário aos profissionais que realizaram o curso de BPM, abordando o impacto e as mudanças geradas pela participação das pessoas envolvidas com o processo de fabricação e distribuição de alimentos. Na maioria dos estabelecimentos (75,6%), apenas um colaborador realizou o curso. Entre os participantes 58,6% foram os manipuladores de alimentos que realizaram esta capacitação. O manual de BPM, que serve para garantir a qualidade e a identidade dos alimentos e dos serviços, estava instituído em 51,2% dos estabelecimentos visitados. Para 87,8% dos participantes, o curso de BPM realizado atendeu suas expectativas relacionadas ao conteúdo programático e sua metodologia de ensino. A carga horária foi considerada suficiente por 85,3% dos participantes, entretanto 65,8% dos entrevistados consideraram necessários outros cursos para melhorar sua capacitação. O curso de BPM promoveu melhorias na qualidade higiênico-sanitárias dos estabelecimentos de serviço de alimentação vistoriados em Santa Maria. Cursos especializados devem ser incentivados e periodicamente ofertados com a finalidade de minimizar os agravos por doenças transmitidas por alimentos à saúde pública.