RESUMO
Adults of Gurltia paralysans were obtained from veins of the spinal cord subarachnoid space from three domestic cats presenting with chronic paraparesis/paraplegia from rural areas of southern Chile. Four adult nematodes were collected (2 males and 2 females) were recovered from cat 1, 14 adult nematodes (12 females and 2 males) from cat 2, and 12 nematodes (10 females and 2 males) were collected from cat 3. Parasite induced lesions that compromised subarachnoid vein microvasculature at the thoracic, lumbar, sacral spinal cord segments extending to conus medularis. Female nematodes measured 25 mm long (range=25-30 mm) and 0.1mm wide. Male measured a mean of 16 mm length (range=13-18 mm) with a body diameter of 0.1mm (range=0.08-0.15 mm). The present study described structural features of G. paralysans, a rare parasite first reported in the 1930s, and provides additional reports on associated clinical and pathological findings in naturally infected domestic cats.
Assuntos
Doenças do Gato/parasitologia , Nematoides/fisiologia , Infecções por Nematoides/veterinária , Paraparesia/veterinária , Paraplegia/veterinária , Animais , Gatos , Chile , Feminino , Masculino , Nematoides/anatomia & histologia , Infecções por Nematoides/complicações , Infecções por Nematoides/parasitologia , Paraparesia/etiologia , Paraparesia/parasitologia , Paraplegia/etiologia , Paraplegia/parasitologia , Medula Espinal/irrigação sanguínea , Medula Espinal/parasitologia , Espaço Subaracnóideo/parasitologiaRESUMO
Spinal cord parasitic migrations in cats are uncommon. This report describes four cases of chronic hindlimb paraparesis in cats associated with nematode infection. Complete neurologic, hematologic, serum chemistry and radiographic examination was performed on all animals. Computed tomographic (CT)-myelographic examination at the lumbar area in one cat showed a slight swelling of the spinal cord. Necropsy examination of the spinal cord revealed generalized edema and marked submeningeal hemorrhage at the thoracic region in three cats. On histopathologic examination, numerous sections of adult nematodes and eggs were present in histological sections of the affected spinal cord segments in all cats. The morphologic features of the nematode, location and appearance of the lesions suggest that the parasite responsible for the paralysis in these cats is Gurltia paralysans.
Assuntos
Doenças do Gato/parasitologia , Meningoencefalite/veterinária , Paraparesia/veterinária , Infecções por Strongylida/veterinária , Animais , Doenças do Gato/etiologia , Gatos , Feminino , Masculino , Meningoencefalite/complicações , Meningoencefalite/parasitologia , Metastrongyloidea/isolamento & purificação , Paraparesia/etiologia , Paraparesia/parasitologia , Infecções por Strongylida/complicações , Infecções por Strongylida/parasitologiaRESUMO
Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi are zoonotic parasites that are endemic throughout many parts of Latin America. Infected dogs play an important role in transmission of both parasites to humans. A serological survey of Leishmania and Trypanosoma infection was conducted on 365 dogs from São Paulo, Brazil and Bogatá, Colombia, South America. Serum samples were examined by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Anti-Leishmania IgG antibodies were detected in 5 of 107 from Brazil (4.7%) and in 4 of 258 dogs (1.6%) from Colombia. Titers ranged from 1:25 to 1:100. Anti-T. cruzi antibodies were not detected in any of the dogs from either Brazil or Colombia. The results show a low prevalence of anti-Leishmania antibodies and no antibodies against T. cruzi in these canine populations. Our study suggests that dogs play a limited role in the spread of L. infantum and T. cruzi in these urban areas of Brazil and Colombia.
Assuntos
Doença de Chagas/veterinária , Doenças do Cão/epidemiologia , Leishmania infantum , Leishmaniose Visceral/veterinária , Trypanosoma cruzi , Animais , Brasil/epidemiologia , Doença de Chagas/sangue , Doença de Chagas/epidemiologia , Colômbia/epidemiologia , Doenças do Cão/sangue , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Cães , Leishmaniose Visceral/sangue , Leishmaniose Visceral/epidemiologia , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , População UrbanaRESUMO
Canine isolates of Hammondia heydorni from Argentina, Brazil, and the United States were analysed for genetic diversity. A total of 14 isolates were tested for their ability to produce amplification using three PCR assays, one targeting the common toxoplasmatiid ITS-1 region and 2 amplifying novel, H. heydorni-specific loci, HhAP7 and HhAP10. While the ITS-1 fragments could be amplified from all isolates, only six isolates were capable of amplifying the fragments from the novel loci. The PCR products were further investigated for genetic diversity using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) techniques. Polymorphism in the digestion pattern was evident only at the HhAP10 locus, differentiating two of the Argentinean isolates from the remainder. Mobility shifts on SSCP gels revealed that the two Argentinean isolates were not only different from the other four isolates, but also differed from each other, both at the HhAP7 and HhAP10 loci. The ITS-1 fragments of all isolates were identical by RFLP. However, two distinct mobility patterns resulted when the products were electrophoresed on SSCP gels. Based on the sequence data from the ITS-1 and the two random loci, the isolates could be broadly classified into two distinct groups, within which minor polymorphisms were evident. In contrast, very little heterogeneity occurred in the sequences of corresponding ITS-1 regions of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii isolates. Thus, it is concluded that there is a considerable degree of microheterogeneity among isolates of H. heydorni. This diversity should be taken into consideration while attempting to elucidate the systematics, diagnostics, and biology of H. heydorni in relation to N. caninum.
Assuntos
Coccidiose/veterinária , Doenças do Cão/parasitologia , Variação Genética , Sarcocystidae/genética , Animais , Argentina , Sequência de Bases , Brasil , Coccidiose/parasitologia , DNA Intergênico/química , DNA de Protozoário/química , Cães , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/veterinária , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , Polimorfismo Conformacional de Fita Simples , Sarcocystidae/classificação , Alinhamento de Sequência/veterinária , Análise de Sequência de DNA/veterinária , Estados UnidosRESUMO
A species of Besnoitia from naturally infected rabbits from Argentina was propagated experimentally in mice, gerbils, rabbits, cats, and cell cultures. Cats fed tissue cysts from rabbits shed oocysts with a prepatent period of nine to 13 days. Sporulated oocysts were infective to gerbils, rabbits, outbred Swiss Webster and interferon gamma gene knockout mice. Bradyzoites were infective orally to gerbils and cats. Tachyzoites were successfully cultivated and maintained in vitro in bovine monocytes and African green monkey kidney cells. Schizonts were seen in the lamina propria of the small intestine of cats fed tissue cysts; the largest ones measured 52 x 45 microm. Schizonts were also present in mesenteric lymph nodes, livers, and other extra-intestinal organs of cats fed tissue cysts. Oocysts were 10-14 x 10-13 microm in size. This rabbit-derived species of Besnoitia resembled B. darlingi of the North American opossum, Didelphis virginiana with an opossum-cat cycle, but it was not transmissible to D. virginiana, and B. darlingi of opossums was not transmissible to rabbits. Based on biological, serological, antigenic, and molecular differences between the rabbit and the opossum Besnoitia, a new name, B. oryctofelisi is proposed for the parasite from domestic rabbits from Argentina.
Assuntos
Coccidiose/veterinária , Coelhos/parasitologia , Sarcocystidae/fisiologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Argentina , Western Blotting/veterinária , Gatos , Bovinos , Células Cultivadas , Chlorocebus aethiops , Coccidiose/parasitologia , Coccidiose/transmissão , Impressões Digitais de DNA/veterinária , DNA de Protozoário/análise , DNA de Protozoário/química , Feminino , Gerbillinae , Interferon gama/genética , Jejuno/parasitologia , Estágios do Ciclo de Vida , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Monócitos/parasitologia , Gambás , Técnica de Amplificação ao Acaso de DNA Polimórfico/veterinária , Sarcocystidae/classificação , Sarcocystidae/patogenicidade , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
The diversity among coccidian parasites of the genus Besnoitia is incompletely known. Of the eight currently described members of the genus, only B. jellisoni is known to parasitize a rodent host. Here, we propose a new name, Besnoitia akodoni, for the species initially isolated form the rodent Akodon montensis in Brazil. The tissue cysts of B. akodoni were up to 442 microm in diameter and bradyzoites were 8.4 x 1.4 microm in size. The bradyzoites contained enigmatic bodies, micronemes and rhoptries. Tachyzoites were 5.8 x 1.5 microm in size and they could be grown in vitro in bovine monocytes and African Green monkey cells where they divided by endodyogeny. Besnoitia akodoni was infective to laboratory-raised mice (Mus musculus) and gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) but not to cats (Felis catus). Comparison of the conserved sequences of the small subunit rDNA clearly established the close relationship of B. akodoni with other members of the genus. However, sequences of the more variable first internal transcribed spacer portion of the ribosomal DNA repeat support its differentiation from the other species of the genus.
Assuntos
Coccidiose/veterinária , Muridae/parasitologia , Sarcocystidae/isolamento & purificação , Animais , Brasil , Gatos/parasitologia , Coccidiose/parasitologia , Fezes/parasitologia , Gerbillinae/parasitologia , Camundongos , Músculo Esquelético/parasitologia , Aves Predatórias/parasitologia , Sarcocystidae/genética , Sarcocystidae/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Sarcocystidae/ultraestrutura , Alinhamento de Sequência , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350 Antibodies to Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona were determined in serum samples of 502 domestic cats from Brazil using direct agglutination tests with the respective antigens. Antibodies to S. neurona were not found in 1:50 dilution of any serum in the S. neurona agglutination test. suggesting that domestic cats from São Paulo city were not exposed to S. neurona sporocysts from opossums. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 60 (11.9%) of 502 cats with titers of 1:40 in 36 cats, 1:80 in 18 cats, 1:160 in 5 cats, and 1:800 in 1 cat using the Neospora agglutination test (NAT). Antibodies to N. caninum were confirmed by Western blotting in the sera of 10 cats with NAT titers of 1:80 to 1:800; this finding suggests that at least 10 cats had N. caninum-specific antibodies confirmed by 2 tests. This is the first documentation of natural exposure of cats to N. caninum.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Doenças do Gato/epidemiologia , Coccidiose/veterinária , Neospora/imunologia , Sarcocystis/imunologia , Sarcocistose/veterinária , Testes de Aglutinação/veterinária , Animais , Western Blotting/veterinária , Brasil/epidemiologia , Doenças do Gato/imunologia , Gatos , Coccidiose/epidemiologia , Coccidiose/imunologia , Sarcocistose/epidemiologia , Sarcocistose/imunologia , Estudos SoroepidemiológicosRESUMO
At least three species of Sarcocystis (S. neurona, S. falcatula, S. speeri) have recently been shown to use opossums of the genus Didelphis as their definitive host. In order to evaluate the evolutionary relationships among Sarcocystis spp. isolates from the Americas, and to determine whether organisms representing the same parasite lineages are transmitted north and south of the Panamanian isthmus, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships from nucleotide sequence variation in parasites isolated from three opossum species (D. virginiana, D. albiventris, D. marsupialis). In particular, we used variation in the 25/396 marker to compare several isolates from Brazil, Argentina, and the United States to each other and to cloned S. neurona and S. falcatula whose morphology and host affinities have been defined in the laboratory. S. neurona was identified from a Brazilian D. albiventris, as well as from North American D. virginiana. Parasites resembling the Cornell isolate of S. falcatula are transmitted both south and north of the Panamanian isthmus by D. albiventris and D. virginiana, respectively. Distinct attributes at two genetic loci differentiated a Brazilian isolate of S. falcatula from all other known parasite lineages. We confirm S. neurona as the causative agent of recently reported neurologic disease in Southern sea otters, Enhydra lutris nereis. And we found that S. speeri could not be compared to the other opossum-derived Sarcocystis isolates on the basis of nucleotide variation at the 25/396 locus. The widespread distribution of certain species of Sarcocystis may derive from their ability to parasitize migratory bird hosts in their intermediate stage.
Assuntos
Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Gambás/parasitologia , Sarcocystis/patogenicidade , Sarcocistose/veterinária , Animais , Argentina , Brasil , Cavalos/parasitologia , Lontras/parasitologia , Filogenia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/veterinária , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , Sarcocystis/fisiologia , Sarcocistose/transmissão , Aves Canoras/parasitologia , Especificidade da Espécie , Estados UnidosRESUMO
Sarcocystis neurona was isolated from sporocysts from two of eight South American opossums, Didelphis albiventris, from Brazil. Interferon gamma gene knock out (KO) mice fed sporocysts from two opossums developed neurologic sarcocystosis. S. neurona was demonstrated in the brains of infected KO mice by immunohistochemical staining with anti-S. neurona antibody. The parasite was cultivated in cell culture and S. neurona DNA was isolated from cultured merozoites. This is the first report of isolation of S. neurona from Brazil and the first report from its new host, D. albiventris.
Assuntos
Interferon gama/fisiologia , Gambás/parasitologia , Sarcocystis/isolamento & purificação , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/análise , Encéfalo/parasitologia , Brasil , DNA de Protozoário/química , DNA de Protozoário/isolamento & purificação , Intestinos/parasitologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Knockout , Parasitologia/métodos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/veterináriaRESUMO
Isolates of Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms from South American opossums were characterized based on biological and morphological criteria. Sporocysts from intestinal scrapings of 1 Didelphis marsupialis and 8 Didelphis albiventris from São Paulo, Brazil, were fed to captive budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Budgerigars fed sporocysts from all 9 isolates became ill and S. falcatula-like schizonts were identified in sections of their lungs by immunohistochemical staining. Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms were cultured from lungs of budgerigars fed sporocysts from D. marsupialis and from lungs of budgerigars fed sporocysts from 3 of 8 D. albiventris. The 33/54 locus amplified by polymerase chain reaction from culture-derived merozoites contained both a HinfI endonuclease recognition site previously suggested to diagnose S. falcatula and a DraI site thought to diagnosed S. neurona. Development of the isolate from D. marsupialis was studied in cell culture; its schizonts divided by endopolygeny, leaving a residual body. Morphological and genetic variation differentiated this Sarcocystis isolate originating in D. marsupialis from the Cornell I isolate of S. falcatula. This is the first report of a S. falcatula infection in the South American opossum, D. marsupialis.
Assuntos
Gambás/parasitologia , Sarcocystis/classificação , Animais , Brasil , Células Cultivadas , DNA de Protozoário/genética , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Sarcocystis/genética , Sarcocystis/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
An unidentified isolate of a Sarcocystis falcatula-like parasite was obtained from the lungs of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) fed sporocysts from a naturally-infected South American opossum, Didelphis albiventris from Brazil. Four captive budgerigars fed sporocysts from the opossum intestine died of acute sarcocystosis 8, 10, and 12 days after oral inoculation (DAI); one budgerigar was killed 12 DAI when it was lethargic. Schizonts and merozoites found in the lungs of the budgerigars reacted mildly with polyclonal S. falcatula antibody. The parasite was isolated in equine kidney cell cultures inoculated with lung tissue from a budgerigar that was killed 12 DAI. Two budgerigars inoculated subcutaneously with 100,000 culture-derived S. falcatula merozoites developed acute sarcocystosis and S. falcatula-like schizonts were found in their lungs 15 and 16 DAI. Four budgerigars kept as unfed controls in the same environment remained free of Sarcocystis infection. The parasite underwent schizogony in African green monkey kidney cells and bovine turbinate cells. Merozoites divided by endopolygeny, often leaving a residual body. Polymerase chain reaction studies using primers JNB33/JNB54 and Hinf I and Dra I digestion indicated that the isolate was not S. falcatula. Results of this study indicated that the South American opossum, D. albiventris, is a definitive host for yet another S. falcatula-like parasite.
Assuntos
Gambás/parasitologia , Sarcocystis/classificação , Sarcocystis/isolamento & purificação , Sarcocistose/veterinária , Animais , Doenças das Aves/parasitologia , Doenças das Aves/patologia , Brasil , Linhagem Celular , DNA de Protozoário/análise , Cavalos , Pulmão/parasitologia , Pulmão/patologia , Microscopia Eletrônica , Periquitos/parasitologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Sarcocystis/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Sarcocystis/ultraestrutura , Sarcocistose/parasitologia , Sarcocistose/patologiaRESUMO
Two isolates of Sarcocystis falcatula were obtained from the lungs of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) fed sporocysts from two naturally-infected South American opossums (Didelphis albiventris). The two isolates were designated SF-1A and SF-2A. Both isolates induced fatal infections in budgerigars. Both isolates underwent schizogony in African green monkey kidney cells. The structure of schizonts in the lungs of budgerigars was more variable than that observed in cell culture. The two isolates were identified as S. falcatula by the two species-specific Hinf 1 restriction fragments dervied from digestion of a PCR amplification using primers JNB33/JNB54. Thus, the South American opossum, D. albiventris, is a definitive host for S. falcatula.
Assuntos
Gambás/parasitologia , Sarcocystis/isolamento & purificação , Sarcocistose/veterinária , Animais , Argentina , Células Cultivadas , Chlorocebus aethiops , Papagaios/parasitologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Sarcocystis/genética , Sarcocistose/parasitologiaRESUMO
The North American opossum, Didelphis virginiana, is a definitive host for at least 3 species of Sarcocvstis: S. falcatula Stiles 1983, S. neurona Dubey, Davis, Speer, Bowman, de Lahunta, Granstrom, Topper, Hamir, Cummings, Suter 1991, and S. speeri Dubey and Lindsay 1999. In order to identify species of Sarcocystis in the South American opossum, D. inarsupialis, Sarcocystis sporocysts from the intestines of a naturally infected opossum (D. marsupialis) from Brazil were fed to 4 gamma-interferon knockout (KO) mice, a nude mouse, and 2 budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). All 4 KO mice became ill and 1 died 42 days post-feeding (p.f.) of sporocysts, 1 was killed 44 days p.f. because of neurological signs, and 2 were killed 52 and 53 days p.f. because of abnormal gaits. Numerous sarcocysts were seen in the skeletal muscles of all 4 KO mice and they were structurally identical to S. speeri seen in KO mice fed sporocysts from D. virginiana from the United States and D. albiventris from Argentina. The nude mouse was killed 41 days p.f. because it appeared weak; schizonts were seen in sections of its liver and sarcocysts were seen in sections of skeletal muscles. Sarcocystis speeri was cultured in bovine turbinate cells inoculated with liver homogenate from this mouse. Sarcocystis neurona was not demonstrable in tissues of mice. The two budgerigars remained asymptomatic and S. falcatula was not found in their tissues when they were killed 29 days p.i. This is the first report of S. speeri from D. marsupialis.