Occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in dogs in a coastal region of the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil.

The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens (Ehrlichia canis, Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon spp. and Rickettsia spp.) in dogs in Vila de Jericoacoara, coastal region of Ceará, Brazil.

Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV): Evidence of Circulation in Donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast Region.

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as one of the equine diseases that must be notified. No effective treatment or vaccine is available. EIA control is based on segregation and euthanasia of positive equids.

Feline immunodeficiency virus in Northern Ceará, Brazil.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to confirm the prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in domestic cats in the region north of Ceará, Brazil, and to determine the factors associated with infection and the major circulating subtypes of the virus in this area.

Methods: Samples from 148 cats were collected and tested using anti-FIV antibody screening, with confirmation of positive results by PCR. Univariate analysis was performed considering the epidemiological characteristics and FIV status.

Distribution of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus provirus, RNA, and antigen in the reproductive tract of one naturally and seven experimentally infected bucks.

Caprine arthritis encephalitis is a worldwide, multisystemic disease caused by a small ruminant lentivirus. Although the main route of transmission is oral, detection of proviral DNA of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) in caprine semen has been previously described. However, the presence of viral antigens in the male reproductive tract has apparently never been reported.

Genetic characterization of influenza virus circulating in Brazilian pigs during 2009 and 2010 reveals a high prevalence of the pandemic H1N1 subtype.

Background: Influenza A viruses circulating in pigs in Brazil are still not characterized, and only limited data are available about swine influenza epidemiology in the country. Therefore, we characterized the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of influenza viruses isolated from Brazilian pigs. We also evaluated one case of probable swine-to-human transmission.

Serological evidence of swine influenza in Brazil.

The aim of this work was to detect serum antibodies specific to influenza viruses in swine in Brazil. Serum samples of 355 pigs from 17 herds in Minas Gerais state were tested by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) for antibodies against H1N1 swine (SIV) and human influenza viruses, and H3N2 SIV. HI revealed that 158 animals (44·5%) and 11 herds (64·7%) were positive for H1N1 SIV, 36 animals (10·1%) and four herds (23·5%) were positive for H3N2 SIV, and 136 animals (38·3%) and 10 herds (58·8%) were positive for H1N1 human.

Canine distemper virus induces apoptosis in cervical tumor derived cell lines.

Apoptosis can be induced or inhibited by viral proteins, it can form part of the host defense against virus infection, or it can be a mechanism for viral spread to neighboring cells. Canine distemper virus (CDV) induces apoptotic cells in lymphoid tissues and in the cerebellum of dogs naturally infected. CDV also produces a cytopathologic effect, leading to apoptosis in Vero cells in tissue culture.