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Sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF) is a severe lymphoproliferative vascular disease of cattle that is caused by ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2), which is a Macavirus within the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily. SA-MCF occurs worldwide in several mammalian hosts. Alternatively, alcelaphine gammaherpesvirus 1 (AlGHV1) is a Macavirus that causes wildebeest-associated malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), which principally occurs in cattle from Africa. Previous serological assays to evaluate the presence of MCF in mammals used a competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). This CI-ELISA is based on the 15A antigenic epitope that is common to all Macavirus associated with the development of MCF in their respective hosts. This study evaluated an indirect MCF-specific ELISA assay based on the AlGHV1 C500 strain to detect antibodies against OvGHV2 in 43 closed dairy cattle farms from Southern Brazil. These farms are located in a region where subclinical infections by OvGHV2 have been detected in free-ranging wild boars ( Sus scrofa ). Sheep or goats were not reared at these farms or within the proximity of these farms. Risk factors associated with seropositivity to OvGHV2 were evaluated, while the possible participation of subclinically infected wild boars in the dissemination of OvGHV2 was estimated using spatial analysis. Sera from 29 dairy cows from 16 farms demonstrated sample/positive (S/P) values considered positive with this MCF-specific ELISA (cutoff S/P, 0.063). The S/P values for the positive dairy cows varied between 0.0633 and 0.2510 (mean, 0.0998; standard deviation, 0.0476). At least one cow was seropositive in 16/43 (37.2%) of these farms, with seropositivity identified in 29/367 (7.9%) of dairy cows maintained at these farms. Additionally, dairy cows raised within the intensive system had a more than threefold higher chance of being seropositive to OvGHV2 relative to those reared within the semi-intensive system. Furthermore, the spatial evaluation revealed that cows on dairy farms within a 50 km radius of the home range of subclinically infected wild boars had an increased risk of being seropositive to this assay. These findings demonstrated that the AlGHV1 C500-specific MCF ELISA can be efficiently used to monitor the occurrence of OvGHV2 in cattle. In addition, the occurrence of subclinically infected free-ranging wild boars within a radius of 50 km from susceptible cattle may be a possible risk factor for the occurrence of OvGHV2-related infections in these animals from Southern Brazil. These initial results are fundamental to understanding the epidemiology of OvGHV2-associated infections and clinical SA-MCF in mammals in Brazil.

Neospora caninum is a major cause of reproductive loss in cattle worldwide as it leads to abortion and animal repositioning. Although Toxoplasma gondii does not cause a reproductive problem in cattle, consuming raw or uncooked beef poses the risk of transmission. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of anti-N. caninum and anti-T. gondii antibodies in dairy cattle in the West and Northwest regions of São Paulo State, Brazil. A total of 653 serum samples from dairy cows were analyzed using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Epidemiological data from the farms were associated with the serological results of the animals by logistic regression based on the presence of antibodies. The frequencies of the antibodies against N. caninum and T. gondii were 41.6% (272/653) and 11.5% (75/653), respectively. A statistically significant association was observed between: the serum anti-N. caninum antibodies and breed, history of food supplementation for calves, introduction of outside animals that later presented reproductive problems, and history of reproductive problems by the trimester of gestation. The present study highlights the importance of neosporosis in dairy cattle in the study regions and that the inclusion of this parasite in the investigation of animals with reproductive disorders is important.

The role of Mycoplasma bovirhinis in the development of pulmonary disease in cattle is controversial and was never evaluated in cattle from Latin America. This study investigated the respiratory infection dynamics associated with M. bovirhinis in suckling calves from 15 dairy cattle herds in Southern Brazil. Nasal swabs were obtained from asymptomatic ( n = 102) and calves with clinical manifestations ( n = 103) of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and used in molecular assays to identify the specific genes of viral and bacterial disease pathogens of BRD. Only M. bovirhinis , bovine coronavirus (BCoV), ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2), Histophilus somni , Pasteurella multocida , and Mannheimia haemolytica were detected. M. bovirhinis was the most frequently diagnosed pathogen in diseased (57.8%; 59/102) and asymptomatic (55.3%; 57/103) calves at all farms. BCoV-related infections were diagnosed in diseased (52%; 53/102) and asymptomatic (51.4%; 53/103) calves and occurred in 93.3% (14/15) of all farms. Similarly, infectious due to OvGHV2 occurred in diseased (37.2%; 38/102) and asymptomatic (27.2%; /28/103) calves and were diagnosed in 80% (12/15) of all farms investigated. Significant statistical differences were not identified when the two groups of calves were compared at most farms, except for infections due to OvGHV2 that affected five calves at one farm. These results demonstrated that the respiratory infection dynamics of M. bovirhinis identified in Southern Brazil are similar to those observed worldwide, suggesting that there is not enough sufficient collected data to consider M. bovirhinis as a pathogen of respiratory infections in cattle. Additionally, the possible roles of BCoV and OvGHV2 in the development of BRD are discussed.

Background: The objective of this study was to isolate Staphylococcus spp. and to characterize the resistance profile in nasal samples from pigs slaughtered for consumption. Material and Methods: Intranasal swabs were collected from 100 pigs immediately after bleeding in a slaughterhouse located in the largest pork production region in Brazil, these samples were cultured and isolated to identify Staphylococcus spp. in coagulase positive (CoPS) and coagulase negative (CoNS) and molecular identification of Staphylococcus aureus and then subjected to the disk-diffusion test to identify the bacterial resistance profile and search for the mecA gene. Results: Of the 100 samples collected, it was possible to isolate 79 Staphylococcus spp., of these, 72.15% were classified as CoNS and 27.85% of the isolates classified as CoPS. Among the CoPS isolates, 77.27% were identified as S. aureus . Through the disk-diffusion test, it was possible to verify isolates resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin (98.73%), chloramphenicol (93.67%), and doxycycline (89.87%). There was amplification of the mecA gene in 30.38% of Staphylococcus spp. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the need for the careful use of antibiotics in swine production, in addition to aiming at continuous surveillance in relation to the rate of multiresistant microorganisms within these environments, focused on large industrial centers; such results also indicate the importance of understanding, through future studies, possible pathways to transmission of these microorganisms directly, or indirectly, through meat products derived from these pigs, which can be considered neglected diffusers of variants of Staphylococcus spp. resistant to antibiotics or carriers of important resistance genes related to One Health.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate how relationships between guardians and domestic animals were established and their possible effects during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Brazil., Methods: Data were collected by completing an online questionnaire. Throughout the national territory, 2002 people completed the questionnaire, while respecting social distancing from January 20, 2021, to March 20, 2021. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were 'to own pets' or 'those who had them during the period of quarantine' in Brazil. The data obtained were treated qualitatively through discourse analysis and content analysis, while the quantitative data were tabulated by the questionnaire application platform itself., Results: The results showed that 97% of the participants were affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil and that of these, 95.5% stated that their pet was important to overcome and bear bad feelings during the period of social isolation. It was possible to observe through the participants' reports through the online questionnaire that the relationships with their pets were deepened during the pandemic period, and that these had an important role in overcoming bad emotions caused by social distancing., Conclusion: It was concluded that due to these relationships, behaviors such as anxiety and sadness were reduced and the pets themselves also showed an increase in affective behaviors in relation to their guardians.

Leishmaniasis is an anthropozoonosis with vector transmission, and knowledge regarding the occurrence of this parasitosis in sentinels can contribute to infection and disease control measures in humans. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the occurrence of Leishmania exposure and infection in dogs from urban and rural areas in the North Pioneer Mesoregion of the state of Paraná, to evaluate possible risk factors, and to analyze the statistical agreement between the serological techniques that were used. Using a convenience sampling, serum and whole blood samples were collected to perform serological and molecular assays, respectively. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) identified 29/204 (14.2%) and 20/204 (9.8%) seropositive dogs, respectively. Five dogs (2.4%) were seropositive for both serological tests, and four dogs presented high titers in the IFAT. None of the samples tested positive for Leishmania spp. DNA according to polymerase chain reaction analysis. No factors were significantly associated with infection. Leishmania parasites circulate in urban and rural dogs in the North Pioneer Mesoregion of the state of Paraná. Despite the absence of clinical cases, seropositive animals with high antibody titers should serve as a warning to the local population that should be properly informed regarding the prevention.

Hemoplasmas are non-cultivable bacterial parasites of erythrocytes that infect domestic and wild animals, as well as humans. Their means of transmission and pathogenesis remain contentious issues and difficult to evaluate in wild animals. Procyon cancrivorus is a South American carnivore and occurs in all Brazilian biomes. In this study, we aimed to investigate occurrences of hemoplasmas infecting P. cancrivorus and to identify their 16S rRNA gene, in southern Brazil. DNA was extracted from spleen and blood samples of P. cancrivorus (n = 9) from different locations. Hemoplasma DNA was detected in six samples, based on 16S rRNA gene amplification and phylogenetic analysis. Four of the six sequences belonged to the "Mycoplasma haemofelis group", which is closely related to genotypes detected in Procyon lotor from the USA; one was within the "Mycoplasma suis group", closely related to "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum"; and one was within the intermediate group between these clusters. Thus, these sequences showed that the molecular identity of hemoplasmas in the population studied was very variable. In five positive animals, Amblyomma aureolatum ticks and a flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis) were collected. The present study describes the first molecular detection of mycoplasmas in P. cancrivorus.

This study aimed to detect the occurrence of infection by Leishmania spp.in bats from 34 municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul state (RS; southern Brazil) from 2016 to 2021. A total of 109 bats were provided by the Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde of RS, including six species belonged to Molossidae family, six to Vespertilionidae family, and two to Phyllostomidae family. Leishmania spp. was identified using the nested-PCR method by amplifying the SSU rDNA ribosomal subunit gene into four organ pools: (1) the liver, spleen, and lymph node; (2) heart and lungs; (3) skin; and (4) bone marrow of each bat. Three (3/109, 2.7%) animals tested positive for Leishmania spp. The respective PCR-positive organs came from pools 1 and 3. Two bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) were from the municipality of Canoas, and sequences analysis confirms the species identification as Leishmania infantum. In the third bat (Molossus molossus), from Rio Grande, it was not possible to determine the protozoa species, being considered Leishmania spp. Our results indicate that bats can participate in the biological cycle of Leishmania spp. and perform as host, reservoir, and/or source of infection of the protozoa in different areas of RS. More studies will be needed to elucidate the role of these Chiropteras in the circulation of Leishmania spp. This is the first study reporting the occurrence of Leishmania spp. in bats in Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Trichinella spp. are zoonotic parasites that are widely distributed in warm-blooded carnivores and omnivores, including humans. Until the present moment, Brazil has been considered by World Animal Health Organization free from the domestic cycle of trichinellosis, whereas the parasite's sylvatic cycle has the status of infection in limited zones. However, neighboring countries such as Argentina have reports of parasite larvae in the wild fauna. The present study aimed to determine the occurrence of Trichinella spp. in road-killed wild animals in Paraná, Brazil. Biological samples from 71 wild animals-29 Didelphis albiventris, 11 Nasua nasua, ten Cerdocyon thous, seven Dasypus novemcinctus, six Leopardus guttulus, six Sphiggurus spinosus and two Puma concolor-collected from November 2016 to November 2021 were subjected to artificial digestion, following the methodology described in the REGULATION (EC) No. 2075/2005. No Trichinella spp. larvae were detected in the carcasses of the road-killed wild animals. However, considering the wide spectrum of possible reservoirs that could act as a link between the sylvatic and domestic cycles and considering the current Brazilian status of sylvatic trichinellosis in limited zones, frequent monitoring of wild fauna remains necessary.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Leishmania sp. DNA and anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies in free-ranging Sapajus nigritus from an urban forest located in a city in the North Central region of the state of Paraná. For the indirect diagnosis, the direct agglutination test was used with promastigote forms of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis, where it was possible to detect the agglutination reaction in 53.33% of the S. nigritus blood samples. For direct diagnosis, the samples were submitted to real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, which confirmed the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in 26.66% of the tested samples. It reinforces the importance of considering the concept of One Health in the face of diseases with high prevalence, such as leishmaniasis and the need for health education measures. This result shows that the animals in the present study have a role as environmental bioindicators for leishmaniasis., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)