Effect of time of therapy with wild-type lytic bacteriophages on the reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis in broiler chickens.

Salmonella Enteritidis remains a leading cause of human foodborne disease, mostly associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products. To more strategically implement a phage therapy scheme for S. Enteritidis control in broilers, a cocktail containing three wild-type lytic bacteriophages (LBs) previously isolated from chickens was evaluated shortly and later after a challenge.

Evaluation of candidate reference genes for investigation of the uterine tissue and corpus luteum of pigs on day 6 after artificial insemination.

Housekeeping genes (HKG) are genes necessary for the maintenance of basal cellular functions, regardless of the specific roles within a tissue. It, therefore, is expected that these genes will maintain a relatively constant expression profile when there are varying physiological conditions. The identification of tissue specific reference genes is highly important for the normalization of gene expression profiles among different tissues.

Impact of treatments for recycled broiler litter on the viability and infectivity of microorganisms.

The microbiological risk of recycled litter depends on the efficacy of the management system applied to inactivate residual microorganisms and preserve the health of the successive broiler flock. This study aimed to assess the viability and infectivity of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) and Salmonella Heidelberg in recycled litter exposed to different treatments. The litter was contaminated with microorganisms and submitted to the treatments (T): T1: shallow fermentation; T2: quicklime (calcium oxide); T3: shallow fermentation followed by addition of quicklime; T4: no treatment.

Early immune responses and development of pathogenesis of avian infectious bronchitis viruses with different virulence profiles.

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) primarily replicates in epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract of chickens, inducing both morphological and immune modulatory changes. However, the association between the local immune responses induced by IBV and the mechanisms of pathogenesis has not yet been completely elucidated. This study compared the expression profile of genes related to immune responses in tracheal samples after challenge with two Brazilian field isolates (A and B) of IBV from the same genotype, associating these responses with viral replication and with pathological changes in trachea and kidney.

Targeted survey of Newcastle disease virus in backyard poultry flocks located in wintering site for migratory birds from Southern Brazil.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes a fast-spreading, highly contagious infectious disease in several bird species. Commercial poultry farms in Brazil were considered free of virulent NDV. Data on NDV infection levels in backyard poultry flocks and the epidemiology of the disease are limited.

Newcastle disease virus in penguins from King George Island on the Antarctic region.

Here we report the isolation of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) from cloacal swabs obtained from penguins in the South Atlantic Antarctic region (62°08S, 58°25W). Samples of 100 penguins from King George Island were tested by real-time PCR, of which 2 (2%) were positive for NDV. The positive samples were isolated in embryonated chicken eggs and their matrix and fusion proteins genes were partially sequenced.

Cloning and expression of chicken anemia virus VP3 protein in Escherichia coli.

Purification of chicken anemia virus (CAV) VP3 protein, expressed in a prokaryotic expression system as histidine-tagged fusion protein is demonstrated in the present study. CAV particle was obtained from infected liver of chicken and DNA was extracted. The VP3 protein gene was amplified from the extracted DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned.

Genome sequencing analysis of Brazilian chicken anemia virus isolates that lack MSB-1 cell culture tropism.

Specific amino acid (aa) substitutions in VP1, VP2 and VP3 genes were reported as a distinctive feature of the American CIA-1 strain, characterized as having a variable rate of growth and tropism for different MSB-1 cell sublines [Renshaw RW, Soiné C, Weinkle T, O'Connell PH, Ohashi K, Watson S, et al. A hypervariable region in VP1 of chicken anemia virus mediates rate of spread and cell tropism in tissue culture. J Virol 1996;70(12):8872-8].

Standardization of a duplex RT-PCR for the detection of Influenza A and Newcastle disease viruses in migratory birds.

Influenza A and Newcastle disease viruses are pathogens of social and economical importance known to be disseminated throughout the world by migratory birds. Many efforts have been made to control the introduction of these viruses into new environments, and complete world surveillance has yet to be achieved. Virus isolation and immunofluorescence techniques are time consuming, have inherent limited sensitivity and present a lack of host cells permissive universally to all Influenza A viruses.

Detection of chicken anemia virus in the gonads and in the progeny of broiler breeder hens with high neutralizing antibody titers.

Previous evidence for the presence of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in the gonads of immune specific-pathogen-free chickens raised the question whether this occurs also in commercial breeders. The presence of CAV was investigated by nested PCR in the gonads and spleens of hens from two 55- and 59-week-old, CAV-vaccinated (flocks 2 and 3), and two 48- and 31-week-old non-vaccinated broiler breeder flocks (flocks 1 and 4). In addition, lymphoid tissues of 20-day-old embryos from these hens were also investigated for the presence of CAV.

Nutritional assessment in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Background/aims: Protein-calorie malnutrition that occurs in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus presents defined implications in surgical results. The present study aims to establish a nutritional score for malnutrition to measure the prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition and to determine parameters with higher discriminatory power for protein-calorie malnutrition diagnosis.

Methodology: Forty-five (45) patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (cases) and 90 surgical patients (controls) were analyzed using twelve parameters: percentage of body weight loss, triceps and subscapular skin fold, mid arm circumference and arm muscle circumference, serum total proteins, albumin, transferin, pre-albumin, hematocrit, total lymphocyte count and late hypersensitivity skin tests.

Efficacy of computed axial tomography in the evaluation of the involvement of the respiratory tract in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is endemic in Rio Grande do Sul, the most southern state of Brazil, where the incidence reaches 27 out of 100,000 inhabitants per year. Palliative treatments, surgical or nonsurgical, impose lower mortality and lower costs. The choice of the best treatment for each patient depends on the neoplasia staging, and the local involvement of the tracheobronchial tree by tumor characterizes incurability.

Survival and prognostic factors in patients with resected epidermoid oesophageal carcinoma.

To determine long-term survival of patients with thoracic oesophageal tumor who underwent resection, and to identify possible associated prognostic factors, 58 patients underwent oesophagectomy alone (group A) and 16 combined with neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (group B). Univariate and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors were performed for age, depth of oesophageal wall tumour penetration, node involvement, type of resection, TNM stage and degree of tumour differentiation. Long-term survival rates at 1-5 years were 81% versus 89%; 56% versus 67%; 30% versus 67%; 12% versus 44%; and 0% versus 33% for group A and B, respectively (P = 0.

Alternative surgical treatment for complex enterocutaneous fistula.

A retrospective analysis on the clinical-surgical handling of patients with enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) was performed, where an alternative surgical technique was discussed: intestinal bypass. Fistula with draining over 500 ml/24 h, which were present in 13 patients, were classified as high debit. We defined as complex, the fistula with multiple orifices, high defect of the abdominal wall or through the mesh.

Laparoscopic resection of a mesenteric cyst.

Mesenteric cysts are rare intra-abdominal tumors with an incidence around one case per 100,000 hospital admissions. The clinical presentation is variable; patients may be asymptomatic or present with either acute or chronic abdominal pain. Physical examination commonly demonstrates a smooth, round and mobile abdominal mass.

The reovirus protein mu2, encoded by the M1 gene, is an RNA-binding protein.

The reovirus M1, L1, and L2 genes encode proteins found at each vertex of the viral core and are likely to form a structural unit involved in RNA synthesis. Genetic analyses have implicated the M1 gene in viral RNA synthesis and core nucleoside triphosphatase activity, but there have been no direct biochemical studies of mu2 function. Here, we expressed mu2 in vitro and assessed its RNA-binding activity.

[Neoplasms associated with esophageal epidermoid carcinoma].

Introduction: The esophageal epidermoid cancer has an important association with aerodigestive tract neoplasms and possibly share the same risk factors. Furthermore, other neoplasms can be associated with esophagus cancer.

Objective: To analyze retrospectively the patients with esophageal epidermoid cancer (EEC) and associated neoplasms, treated by the Esophagus Stomach and Small Intestine Group of Surgery at Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre from January 1988 to June 1995.

Delayed cervical anastomosis of the esophagus for esophageal carcinoma.

Background: The surgical approach for patients with advanced epidermoid esophageal carcinoma should provide an effective palliative effect with morbidity ratio as low as possible. Anastomotic leakage is a frequent complication and may be responsible for both early and late morbidity and, therefore, we assessed the role of delayed cervical esophagovisceral anastomosis technique in relation to the incidence of anastomotic complications.

Methods: Eight patients (Group 1) and 12 patients (Group 2) submitted to one-stage or two-stage operation, respectively, were selected by an intraoperative assessment by the surgeon, considering mainly tissue blood flow of the replacement organ after its placement in the cervical region.

Isolation and identification of chicken infectious anemia virus in Brazil.

Seven chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) isolates were obtained from seven broiler flocks with poor performance in two states of Brazil. All isolates induced thymus atrophy, bone-marrow aplasia, and low hematocrit values when inoculated into 1-day-old susceptible chicks. The CIAV isolates were resistant to treatment with chloroform and were able to pass through 50-nm-pore-size filters.

Experimental vaccination of rabbits with non-pathogenic strains of Aujeszky's disease virus.

1. The Bartha K and NIA-4 strains of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) were non-pathogenic for rabbits vaccinated once or twice by nasal instillation or intramuscular injection. Neutralizing antibodies were detected in 68% of the rabbits two weeks after primary vaccination and in all rabbits at challenge.