In an effort to detect West Nile virus (WNV) in Brazil, we sampled serum from horses and chickens from the Pantanal region of the state of Mato Grosso and tested for flavivirus-reactive antibodies by blocking ELISA. The positive samples were further confirmed for serological evidence of WNV infection in three (8%) of the 38 horses and one (3.2%) of the 31 chickens using an 80% plaque-reduction neutralisation test (PRNT80). These results provide evidence of the circulation of WNV in chickens and horses in Pantanal

This study demonstrates an increased incidence of failed cannulation using a blunt needle compared with using a sharp needle, although this was not significant. In addition, the use of a sharp needle did not result in any increase in complications.

Introduction: Bioecological aspects of anophelines (Diptera: Culicidae) near areas under the direct infl uence of the hydroelectric plant reservoir of Serra da Mesa in Goiás, Brazil, were analyzed. Methods: Samples were collected at the surrounding dam area during the phases before and after reservoir impoundment. The infl uence of climatic and environmental factors on the occurrence of Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles albitarsis, Anopheles triannulatus, Anopheles oswaldoi and Anopheles evansae was assessed using Pearson's correlations with indicators for richness and diversity as well as the index of species abundance (ISA) and the standardized index of species abundance (SISA). Results: The highest anopheline density occurred during the phase after fi lling the tank; however, no direct correlation with the climatic factors was observed during this stage. The reservoir formation determined the incidence of the anopheline species. An. darlingi was the predominant species (SISA = 1.00). Conclusions: The signifi cant difference (p < 0.05) observed between the species incidence during the different reservoir phases demonstrates the environmental effect of the reservoir on anophelines.

Bimonthly diurnal and nocturnal captures were conducted in four different sampling sites of the Mato Grosso Pantanal region over 24 consecutive months between March 2009 and January 2011. The goal of performing these collections was to elucidate aspects of the biology and ecology of mosquitoes in this region since little to nothing is known about these aspects for many species. A total of 17,532 specimens were captured, comprising two subfamilies, nine genera, and 44 species. The main species of culicids found in the Mato Grosso Pantanal had strong ecological compatibility with well-preserved environments and with some of the specific habitats found in at least one of the four selected collection sampling sites. Anopheles darlingi, An. albitarsis, and An. triannulatus are well-suited to environments with large water bodies and greater anthropic activity. Culex nigripalpus and Cx. quinquefasciatus prefer environments with bush fragments and pronounced human action and movement. Culex declarator and Psorophora albigenu, the most eclectic, prefer wild areas and with some anthropic activity. Mansonia titillans is associated with environments offering a wide variety of natural breeding areas that enable its development, in particular natural swamp areas covered with macrophytes, which is one of the natural components of the Pantanal biome. The effect of the flooding season on the population density of anophelines is especially advantageous, with an explosion in the number of individuals in periods of widespread flooding. The region’s environmental dynamics are regulated by flooding cycles with alternating periods of flooding and drought, which are the main factors governing the ecology of the local fauna and flora. Flooding periods contribute to raising culicid species’ richness and diversity, while the droughts result in a more even distribution of specimens within species. The flooding season of the Pantanal occurs between November and May and coincides with the greatest abundance of culicid species. During this period, the human population of the region has greater contact with mosquito vectors carrying pathogens, including arboviruses, which previous studies have confirmed via seropositivity in the region’s equines and birds.

ResumoTodos os produtos injetáveis de uso humano devem ser livres de pirogênio.Este contaminante é considerado um grave problema de saúde pública, pois pode causar febre, podendo levar o paciente a um quadro de choque ou até a óbito. O teste de pirogênio é realizado em coelhos, principalmente no controle de soros, dos problemas éticos e do alto custo na utilização de animais, o teste em vacinas e hemoderivados, embora ensaios de LAL e MAT sejam considerados como alternativas para determinados produtos. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma revisão da literatura sobre a evolução do teste de pirogênio e avaliar a possibilidade de aceitação regulatória de métodos alternativos pelos laboratórios oficiais, no controle de produtos injetáveis. Conclui-se que, apesar da existência de métodos alternativos, a carência de novos estudos e a limitação da aplicação desses métodos, principalmente para imunobiológicos, não permite a substituição do teste in vivo a não ser nos casos preconizados pelas Farmacopeias. Dessa forma, apesar dos problemas éticos e do alto custo na utilização de animais, o teste em coelhos continua a ser, até o momento, o teste de escolha para garantir a qualidade de grande parte dos produtos injetáveis, até que o MAT possa ser validado e reconhecido para uma ampla classe de produtos.Palavras-chave: Pirogênio. Métodos alternativos. Produtos injetáveis. Controle da qualidade.