ABSTRACT: We report a case of a free-ranging five-month wildcat with bilateral hind limbs paralysis since birth due to a segmental lumbar spinal cord aplasia. The species confirmation of the southern tiger cat (Leopardus guttulus) was determined by genetic sequencing. This southern tiger cat native to Brazil had autophagy in both pelvic limbs during the initial phase of hospitalization, followed by a right tibial fracture with bone exposition. Euthanasia was chosen due to animal welfare and submitted for postmortem examination. Grossly, there was an 8.5cm in-length segmental interruption of the spinal cord between the third and fifth lumbar vertebrae, with a lack of spinal cord tissue and collapsed associated dura mater. Microscopically, the representative sections of the L3 to L5 spinal cord had only .an irregular trace of gray matter adhered to the meninges (lumbar spinal cord aplasia) In the region of L6, a focally extensive, cystic, and well-defined tubular cavitation was noted dorsally to the central canal, replacing and compressing the adjacent nervous tissue (syringomyelia). Metagenomics examination did not detect any virus responsible for the presented spinal cord malformations. This seems to be the first description of segmental spinal cord aplasia reported in a wild feline.

RESUMO: O objetivo do presente relato foi descrever um caso de aplasia segmentar da medula espinhal lombar em um felino silvestre, com aproximadamente cinco meses, resgatado de seu ambiente natural, apresentando paralisia bilateral dos membros posteriores. A espécie gato-do-mato-pequeno (Leopardus guttulus) foi determinada por sequenciamento genético. Após curto período de hospitalização, iniciou autofagia de ambos os membros pélvicos, seguido de fratura com exposição óssea. Optou-se pela eutanásia e o cadáver foi encaminhado ao Setor de Anatomia Patológica da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro para necropsia. Macroscopicamente, havia uma interrupção segmentar grave da medula espinhal entre a terceira e a quinta vértebras lombares, medindo 8,5cm de comprimento, com resquícios de tecido nervoso e com meninges colapsadas. Ao exame histológico, em seções da medula espinhal na região de L3 a L5, .havia apenas vestígio de tecido nervoso aderido às meninges, morfologicamente compatível com substância cinzenta (aplasia de medula espinhal lombar). Na região de L6 notou-se áreas multifocais com cavitações tubulares, císticas e bem delimitadas, dorsalmente ao canal central substituindo e comprimindo o tecido nervoso adjacente (siringomielia). O exame de metagenômica não detectou qualquer vírus responsável pelas malformações da medula espinhal. Com base no histórico, sinais clínicos, necropsia e achados histológicos, o diagnóstico de aplasia segmentar grave com siringomielia foi estabelecido em um L. guttulus.

RESUMO: A infecção por Trypanosoma spp. é um problema em muitos países tropicais, infectando várias espécies animais, incluindo humanos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar as espécies de Trypanosoma em primatas neotropicais no estado Rio de Janeiro e comparar os resultados com outros relatos, tanto filogeneticamente quando geograficamente. A detecção molecular foi baseada no gene SSU 18. As sequências obtidas na PCR foram sequenciadas e comparadas com outras previamente depositadas no GenBank. Essas sequências foram utilizadas para análises filogenéticas e confeccionar um mapa de distribuição de espécies de primatas infectadas por espécies de Trypanosoma no Brasil. Entre 34 macacos, cinco macacos-prego (Sapajus spp.) e um sagui (Callithrix spp.) apresentaram sequências de Trypanosoma spp. no mesmo clado de Trypanosoma minasense e três sequências de macacos-prego estavam no mesmo clado de Trypanosoma cruzi. A Mata Atlântica e a Amazônia brasileira são as regiões com maior frequência de estudos sobre Trypanosoma spp. e variedade de primatas neotropicais hospedeiros. São áreas que merecem atenção no que se refere à conservação da biodiversidade, mas também evidencia a carência de estudos com PNH em outras regiões do país e de estudos multidisciplinares para melhor compreender as relações do patógeno hospedeiro.

ABSTRACT: Trypanosoma spp. infection is a problem in many tropical countries, infecting several animal species, including humans. The aim of the present study was to identify the Trypanosoma species in Neotropical primates from Rio de Janeiro state and compare the results with other reports both phylogenetically and geographically. Molecular detection was based on the 18 SSU gene. The sequences obtained in the PCR were sequenced and compared with others previously deposited in GenBank. These sequences were used to perform phylogenetic analysis and make a distribution map of primate species infected by Trypanosoma species in Brazil. Among 34 monkeys, five capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) and one marmoset (Callithrix spp.) showed Trypanosoma spp. sequences in the same clade of Trypanosoma minasense and three capuchin monkeys’ sequences were in the same clade of Trypanosoma cruzi. The Atlantic Forest and the Brazilian Amazon are the regions with the highest frequency of studies about Trypanosoma spp. and variety of Neotropical primate hosts. These are areas that deserve attention regarding the conservation of biodiversity, but it also makes evident the lack of studies with Neotropical primates in other regions of the country, as well as multidisciplinary studies to better understand the host pathogen relationships.

Thermoelectric properties of pure polycrystalline CaMnO3 ceramics were significantly enhanced by increasing sintering holding time from 1 to 24 h. The Seebeck coefficient values were reduced while the sintering holding time was increased, and the DC electrical conductivity was enhanced from 255 S/m to 1.748 S/m. This same effect was observed in electronic thermal conductivity, increasing from 5x10-3 to 3.5x10-2W/m K, whereas the lattice thermal conductivity decreased from 5.0 to 4.0 W/m K at 873K. Overall, CaMnO3 ceramic sintered for 24 h demonstrated the best performance, which presented a Figure-of-Merit value of about 0.03. The grain size of the samples ranged from 2.79 µm to 6.45 µm, due to the sintering holding time, directly influencing the high-temperature thermoelectric properties of CaMnO3 ceramics.

RESUMO: A febre catarral maligna (FCM) é uma doença infecciosa, com distribuição geográfica ampla, pansistêmica e altamente fatal. As espécies clinicamente suscetíveis incluem bovino, cervo e bisão. No Brasil, a doença em ruminantes e cervídeos está associada ao contato com ovinos, principalmente durante o parto, no qual os envoltórios fetais eliminados contém, em suas secreções, o Herpesvírus ovino-2 (OvHV-2). O surto ocorreu em uma propriedade conservacionista no município de Casimiro de Abreu/RJ, que abrigava 23 cervos exóticos, onde foram registradas a morte de 19 destes, com sinais neurológicos. Os cervos habitavam em um piquete com 15 ovinos de corte, machos e fêmeas. Um exemplar de cervo sambar (Rusa unicolor), fêmea, com aproximadamente três anos de idade, que havia apresentado sinais clínicos neurológicos foi encaminhado para necropsia no Setor de Anatomia Patológica da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (SAP/UFRRJ). Durante a necropsia foi realizada a coleta de líquido cefalorraquidiano e de fragmentos de lobo occipital, cerebelo e bulbo, para a realização de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Fragmentos de diversos órgãos foram fixados em formalina 10% tamponada e processados para a análise histopatológica. O diagnóstico do presente surto foi estabelecido com base nos achados epidemiológicos, clínicos, patológicos e na amplificação do DNA do OvHV-2 através da PCR. As alterações histológicas foram a base para confirmar o caso de FCM e caracterizaram-se por degeneração de células endoteliais vasculares, vasculite fibrinoide, hiperplasia dos órgãos linfoides. Contudo, a PCR foi uma ferramenta importante para a confirmação do diagnóstico. Ressalta-se a importância da FCM na lista dos diagnósticos diferenciais de doenças que cursam com sintomatologia nervosa em cervídeos.

ABSTRACT: Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is an infectious, pansystemic and highly fatal disease with wide geographic distribution. The species that are clinically prone to it include cattle, deer and bison. In Brazil, the disease in ruminants and deer is associated with the contact with sheep, especially during labor, when the fetal remains that are eliminated contain the ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2). The outbreak took place in a conservationist property in the city of Casimiro de Abreu/RJ, which hosted 23 Sambar deer, and, of these, 19 died, showing neurological signs. The deer lived in a location together with 15 male and female meat sheep. A female specimen of the Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), aged approximately three years, which had presented with neurological clinical signs was referred to necropsy in the Setor de Anatomia Patológica at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (SAP/UFRRJ). During necropsy, cerebrospinal fluid was sampled for analysis; fragments of several organs were fixated in 10% buffered formalin and processed for histopathological analysis. Fragments of occipital lobe, cerebellum and bulb were collected to perform the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The diagnosis of this outbreak was based on epidemiological, clinical and pathological findings, and on the amplification of the OvHV-2 DNA through PCR. The histological changes were the base to confirm the MCF case and were characterized by degeneration of vascular endothelial cells, fibrinoid vasculitis, hyperplasia and necrosis of lymphoid organs. However, PCR was an important tool to confirm the diagnosis. MCF as an important disease with nervous symptomatology in deer.

Reintroduction has been recognized as a powerful conservation tool, but in order to ensure its success, animal monitoring is highly recommended. One way to monitor released animals is to put radiotelemetry collars on them. These devices, however, can harm the subjects, causing serious wounds. Our objectives in this work were to describe the injuries caused by a radiotelemetry collar model on reintroduced agoutis and to propose modifications to it. We equipped agoutis with TXE-311C radio collars (Telenax Wildlife Telemetry) before releasing them in the wild. They acquired serious wounds and one animal died. We then modified the collar structure to reduce its width and retention of water. After these modifications, the injuries did not occur again. As reintroduction is an expensive conservation strategy, any improvement that maximize its probability of success is important. We believe that the improvements we propose here have the potential to enhance the success of reintroductions and to increase animal welfare. This recommendation is more important when captive animals are re-introduced, because they tend to have lower immunity, particularly when they are released in rainy habitats.

Registro de Pseudolynchia canariensis em dois gaviões caranguejeiros de vida livre atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da Fundação RioZoo. Os dezenoves exemplares coletados foram identificados no Laboratório de Diptera da Fundação Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. O encontro de P. canariensis fora do hospedeiro natural (Columba livia), representa uma contribuição aos estudos da família Hippoboscidae, visto que não há registros sobre aves nativas do continente americano parasitadas por P. canariensis.

The record of Pseudolynchia canariensis on two Rufous Crab-Hawk in situ taken care of the Hospital Veterinarian of the RioZoo Foundation. The nineteen collected specimens had been identified in the Laboratory of Diptera, Fundação Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. The findings of P canariensis out natural hosty (Columba livia) it represents a contribution to the studies of the family Hippoboscidae considering that it does not have records about native birds of the american continent parasitized by P canariensis.