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BackgroundLeptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of bacteria belonging to the genusLeptospira. Most studies infer the epidemiological patterns of a single serogroup or aggregate all serogroups to estimate overall seropositivity, thus not exploring the risks of exposure to distinct serogroups. The present study aims to delineate the demographic, socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with seropositivity ofLeptospiraserogroup Icterohaemorraghiae and serogroup Cynopteri in an urban high transmission setting for leptospirosis in Brazil.Methods/Principal FindingsWe performed a cross-sectional serological study in five urban informal communities in the city of Salvador, Brazil. During the years 2018, 2020 2021, we recruited 2.808 residents and collected blood samples for serological analysis using microagglutination assays. We used a mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression model to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity for each serogroup. Seropositivity to Cynopteri increased with age in years (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.06) and was higher in those living in houses with unplaster walls (exposed brick) (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.09-2.59) and where cats were present near the household (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.03-3.88). Seropositivity to Icterohaemorrhagiae also increased with age in years (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.03) but was higher in males (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.09-2.10), in those with work-related exposures (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.10-2.66) or who had contact with sewage (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.00-2.03). Spatial analysis showed differences in distribution of seropositivity to serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae and Cynopteri within the five districts where study communities were situated.Conclusions/SignificanceOur data suggests distinct epidemiological patterns associated with serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae and Cynopteri within the high-risk urban environment for leptospirosis and with differences of spatial niches. Future studies must identify the different pathogenic serogroups circulating in low-income areas, and further evaluate the potential role of cats in the transmission of the serogroup Cynopteri in urban settings.

A Educação Básica acolhe estudantes com necessidades educacionais especiais sem, muitas vezes, estar preparada para isso. Neste sentido, são necessárias investigações que possam contribuir com o panorama metodológico e didático em sala de aula. Optamos por abordar o ensino de matemática com o estudante cego. Elegemos como questão norteadora a identificação de potencialidades da Modelagem Matemática, na Educação Matemática, com este estudante. Especificamente, nos propomos a desenvolver e a discutir a prática pedagógica, mediada pela Modelagem, e a avaliar o potencial do material didático incorporado. De maneira geral, obtivemos elementos que substanciam uma reflexão, na qual a construção do conhecimento foi efetivamente percebida de modo dinâmico, colaborativo e interdisciplinar.

Four spirochetes (F1T, B21, YaleT and AMB6-RJ) were isolated from environmental sources: F1T and B21 from soils of an urban slum community in Salvador (Brazil), YaleT from river water in New Haven, Connecticut (USA) and AMB6-RJ from a pond in a horse farm in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Isolates were helix-shaped, aerobic, highly motile and non-virulent in a hamster model of infection. Draft genomes of the strains were obtained and analysed to determine the relatedness to other species of the genus Leptospira . The analysis of 498 core genes showed that strains F1T/B21 and YaleT/AMB6-RJ formed two distinct phylogenetic clades within the ‘Pathogens’ group (group I). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of strains F1T/B21 and YaleT/AMB6-RJ to other previously described Leptospira species were below Leptospira yasudae sp. nov. and Leptospira stimsonii sp. nov. as new species in the genus Leptospira . The type strains are F1T (=ATCC-TSD-163=KIT0259=CLEP00287) and YaleT (=ATCC-TDS-162=KIT0258=CLEP00288), respectively.

BackgroundThe structural environment of urban slums, including physical, demographic and socioeconomic attributes, renders inhabitants more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Yet, little is known about the specific determinants that contribute to high transmission within these communities.Methods and findingsWe performed a serosurvey of an established cohort of 2,035 urban slum residents from the city of Salvador, Brazil between November 2020 and February 2021, following the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in the country. We identified high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence (46.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 44.3-48.6%), particularly among female residents (48.7% [95% CI 45.9-51.6%] vs. 43.2% [95% CI 39.8-46.6%] among male residents), and among children (56.5% [95% CI 52.3-60.5%] vs. 42.4% [95% CI 39.9-45.0%] among adults). In multivariable models that accounted for household-level clustering, the odds ratio for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among children was 1.96 (95% CI 1.42-2.72) compared to adults aged 30-44 years. Adults residing in households with children were more likely to be seropositive; this effect was particularly prominent among individuals with age 30-44 and 60 years or more. Women living below the poverty threshold (daily per capita household income ConclusionsDuring a single wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, cumulative incidence as assessed by serology approached 50% in a Brazilian urban slum population. In contrast to observations from industrialized countries, SARS-CoV-2 incidence was highest among children, as well as women living in extreme poverty. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions that provide safe environments for children and mitigate the structural risks posed by crowding and poverty for the most vulnerable residents of urban slum communities.

Leptospirosis is an environmentally transmitted zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. that affects poor communities worldwide. In urban slums, leptospirosis is associated with deficient sanitary infrastructure. Yet, the role of sewerage in the reduction of the environmental contamination with pathogenic Leptospira has not been explored. Here, we conducted a survey of the pathogen in soils surrounding open and closed sewer sections in six urban slums in Brazil. We found that soils surrounding conventionally closed sewers (governmental interventions) were 3 times less likely to contain pathogenic Leptospira (inverse OR 3.44, 95% CI = 1.66-8.33; p < 0.001) and contained a 6 times lower load of the pathogen (0.82 log10 units difference, p < 0.01) when compared to their open counterparts. However, no differences were observed in community-closed sewers (poor-quality closings performed by the slum dwellers). Human fecal markers (BacHum) were positively associated with pathogenic Leptospira even in closed sewers, and rat presence was not predictive of the presence of the pathogen in soils, suggesting that site-specific rodent control may not be sufficient to reduce the environmental contamination with Leptospira. Overall, our results indicate that sewerage expansion to urban slums may help reduce the environmental contamination with the pathogen and therefore reduce the risk of human leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is an environmentally transmitted zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. that affects poor communities worldwide. In urban slums, leptospirosis is associated with deficient sanitary infrastructure. Yet, the role of sewerage in the reduction of the environmental contamination with pathogenic Leptospira has not been explored. Here, we conducted a survey of the pathogen in soils surrounding open and closed sewer sections in six urban slums in Brazil. We found that soils surrounding conventionally closed sewers (governmental interventions) were 3 times less likely to contain pathogenic Leptospira (inverse OR 3.44, 95% CI = 1.66–8.33; p < 0.001) and contained a 6 times lower load of the pathogen (0.82 log(10) units difference, p < 0.01) when compared to their open counterparts. However, no differences were observed in community-closed sewers (poor-quality closings performed by the slum dwellers). Human fecal markers (BacHum) were positively associated with pathogenic Leptospira even in closed sewers, and rat presence was not predictive of the presence of the pathogen in soils, suggesting that site-specific rodent control may not be sufficient to reduce the environmental contamination with Leptospira. Overall, our results indicate that sewerage expansion to urban slums may help reduce the environmental contamination with the pathogen and therefore reduce the risk of human leptospirosis.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:41:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-06-01 Individual variation in how animals react in challenging situations is an important topic since it relates to different coping strategies. Previous work with piglets has focused mainly on the backtest, which does not take into account variation within an individual in how it adapts to the challenge. Our aim was to assess individual pig's reactions to human early handling by using different measures of individual variation, including how reactions by the same piglet change over time, and how these measures relate to piglet´s weight gain. We stroked 66 piglets on their back for two minutes each day, starting at five days of age. Piglets were scored immediately after each handling session (scale 1–4, lowest reactive to highest reactive), totalling 15 scored sessions. Individual variation was calculated by averaging the scores (AS) of all sessions and by calculating the b-coefficient (b) of linear regressions in order to assess changes in individuals over time. We assessed the relationship between these measures (AS and b) and piglet growth at 5, 9 and 12 weeks of age using generalized mixed models. We found a large variation in piglet scores, and also that there was a continuum on how individual score within a piglet varied over time (b). This measure (b) was related to the piglet's overall weight gain (0–12 weeks of age) in that individuals who became calmer over time gained more weight than those who became more reactive over time (F = 3.87, P = 0.05). AS was positively related to weight gain, in that for each unit of increase in the reactive score, there was an increase of 1.3 kg in body weight at 9 weeks of age (F = 3.79, P = 0.05). We conclude that piglets show a large individual variation in their reaction to human handling, not only in the magnitude of their reactivity which has been shown previously, but also how their reactions change over time. For extreme individuals, this change probably implies habituating or sensitizing to the repeating handling. The change over time (b) was associated with weight gain, and we suggest that this association might be modulated by individual traits. We also suggest that individual traits interact with piglet's developmental plasticity, which are likely influencing their ontogeny, and in turn influence the further development of the piglet. In future studies developmental plasticity measured by changes over time should be considered when assessing individual variation. Dept. of Animal Environment and Health Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7068 UNESP São Paulo State University Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Dept. of Animal Science, Rod. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n UNESP São Paulo State University Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Dept. of Animal Science, Rod. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n

Zoonotic spillover from animal reservoirs is responsible for a significant global public health burden, but the processes that promote spillover events are poorly understood in complex urban settings. Endemic transmission ofWe conducted an eco-epidemiological study in a high-risk community in Salvador, Brazil, by prospectively following a cohort of 1401 residents to ascertain serological evidence for leptospiral infections. A concurrent rat ecology study was used to collect information on the fine-scale spatial distribution of 'rattiness', our proxy for rat abundance and exposure of interest. We developed and applied a novel geostatistical framework for joint spatial modelling of multiple indices of disease reservoir abundance and human infection risk.The estimated infection rate was 51.4 (95%CI 40.4, 64.2) infections per 1000 follow-up events. Infection risk increased with age until 30 years of age and was associated with male gender. Rattiness was positively associated with infection risk for residents across the entire study area, but this effect was stronger in higher elevation areas (OR 3.27 95% CI 1.68, 19.07) than in lower elevation areas (OR 1.14 95% CI 1.05, 1.53).These findings suggest that, while frequent flooding events may disperse bacteria in regions of low elevation, environmental risk in higher elevation areas is more localised and directly driven by the distribution of local rat populations. The modelling framework developed may have broad applications in delineating complex animal-environment-human interactions during zoonotic spillover and identifying opportunities for public health intervention.This work was supported by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Brazilian Ministry of Health, the National Institutes of Health of the United States (grant numbers F31 AI114245, R01 AI052473, U01 AI088752, R01 TW009504 and R25 TW009338); the Wellcome Trust (102330/Z/13/Z), and by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB/JCB0020/2016). MTE was supported by a Medical Research UK doctorate studentship. FBS participated in this study under a FAPESB doctorate scholarship.

The mutually beneficial relationships between improving animal welfare (AW) and achieving the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) were further explored and compared to previous work. This was done in the context of a doctoral training course where students selected at least six SDGs and reasoned around their impact on AW and vice versa. Then, students rated the strength of the SDG—AW links. Lastly, students engaged in an assessment exercise. Students reported an overall mutually beneficial relationship between AW and all SDGs, yet with significant differences in strength for SDGs 4, 11, 10, 12 and 13 to that previously found by experts. Students considered SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production the most promising way to integrate AW targets. This study further supports the positive role of AW in the success of the UN’s strategy. Still, the magnitude of the anticipated impacts is modified by stakeholder, context and experience.

This study analysed the effectiveness of using different levels of a product based on 6% cypermethrin and 2% citronella on broiler production and control the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus). A total of 648 one-day-old chicks (Cobb®) which were allocated to one of three treatments (no application of the commercial product - control, and two concentrations of the product 2.00 and 3.33g/m2) in eight replicates with 27 birds each. The commercial product, which was based on cypermethrin was applied in the chambers with an atomizer. The lesser mealworm population was sampled weekly (1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of the experiment) using traps, at three points (front, middle and back) inside the pen. The performance, carcass and cut yields were evaluated. At 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of the experiment, the number of lesser mealworm adults and larvae was lower in the treatment groups involving 2.00 and 3.33g/m2 of the product than in the control group. On the first and 14th days of the study, the number of lesser mealworms adults was lower in the group treated with 3.33g/m2 of the product compared to the control group, although the results did not differ statistically from those obtained with 2.00g/m2 of the product. In conclusion, the application of the commercial product at both concentrations (2.00 and 3.33g/m2) was effective in combating Alphitobius diaperinus adults and larvae, and the performance was not influenced by treatments. RESUMO: Este estudo analisou a eficácia do uso de diferentes níveis de um produto à base de cipermetrina a 6% e citronela a 2%, na produção de frangos de corte e no controle do cascudinho (Alphitobius diaperinus). Um total de 648 pintos de um dia de idade (Cobb®) foram distribuídos em três câmaras com os tratamentos (sem aplicação do produto comercial - controle, e duas concentrações do produto comercial - 2,00 e 3,33g/m2) em oito repetições com 27 aves cada. O produto comercial a base de cipermetrina foi aplicado nas câmaras com um atomizador. A população de cascudinho foi amostrada semanalmente (1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 e 42 dias do experimento) usando armadilhas, em três pontos (frente, meio e fundo) de cada parcela. Foram avaliados o desempenho, rendimentos de carcaça e cortes. Aos 21, 28, 35 e 42 dias do experimento, o número de adultos e larvas de cascudinho foi menor nos grupos de tratamento envolvendo 2,00 e 3,33g/m2 do produto quando comparado ao grupo controle. No primeiro e no 14º dia do estudo, o número de cascudinhos adultos foi menor no grupo tratado com 3,33g/m2 do produto em comparação ao grupo controle, embora os resultados não tenham diferido estatisticamente daqueles obtidos com 2,00g/m2 do produto. A conversão alimentar de 1 a 21 dias de idade foi significativa, com os melhores resultados para essa variável quando aplicado 3,33g do produto por metro quadrado e no tratamento controle. Em conclusão, a aplicação do produto comercial em ambas as concentrações (2,00 e 3,33g/m2) foi eficaz no combate a adultos e larvas de Alphitobius diaperinus e, não influenciou o desempenho.

This study aims to describe the sociodemographic determinants associated with exposure to Zika Virus (ZIKV) in pregnant women during the 2015–2016 epidemic in Salvador, Brazil. Methods We recruited women who gave birth between October 2015 and January 2016 to a cross-sectional study at a referral maternity hospital in Salvador, Brazil. We collected information on their demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics, and evaluated their ZIKV exposure using a plaque reduction neutralization test. Logistic regression was then used to assess the relationship between these social determinants and ZIKV exposure status. Results We included 469 pregnant women, of whom 61% had a positive ZIKV result. Multivariate analysis found that lower education (adjusted Prevalence Rate [aPR] 1.21; 95%CI 1.04–1.35) and food insecurity (aPR 1.17; 95%CI 1.01–1.30) were positively associated with ZIKV exposure. Additionally, age was negatively associated with the infection risk (aPR 0.99; 95%CI 0.97–0.998). Conclusion Eve after controlling for age, differences in key social determinants, as education and food security, were associated with the risk of ZIKV infection among pregnant women in Brazil. Our findings elucidate risk factors that can be targeted by future interventions to reduce the impact of ZIKV infection in this vulnerable population., Author summary The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil has intensified global concern about congenital defects associated with intrauterine exposure. Social determinants are factors that reinforce and contribute to the transmission and spread of ZIKV as well as other arboviruses like Dengue. We performed a cross-sectional study to describe the prevalence of ZIKV and the contribution of social determinants to transmission among pregnant women during the 2015–2016 ZIKV epidemic in Salvador, Brazil. We found that 61% of pregnant women were ZIKV seropositive. We also found that lower education level, food insecurity and lower maternal age were associated with higher ZIKV infection risk. These findings contribute to understanding the role of social determinants in ZIKV transmission, providing key social factors that can be combined with pre-existing tactics (vector control and environmental improvement) to create policies and interventions which reduce social inequalities and risk of infection in vulnerable populations like pregnant women.

Accurate measurements of seroincidence are critical for infections undercounted by reported cases, such as influenza, arboviral diseases, and leptospirosis. However, conventional methods of interpreting paired serological samples do not account for antibody titer decay, resulting in underestimated seroincidence rates. To improve interpretation of paired sera, we modeled exponential decay of interval-censored microscopic agglutination test titers using a historical data set of leptospirosis cases traced to a point source exposure in Italy in 1984. We then applied that decay rate to a longitudinal cohort study conducted in a high-transmission setting in Salvador, Brazil (2013–2015). We estimated a decay constant of 0.926 (95% confidence interval: 0.918, 0.934) titer dilutions per month. Accounting for decay in the cohort increased the mean infection rate to 1.21 times the conventionally defined rate over 6-month intervals (range, 1.10–1.36) and 1.82 times that rate over 12-month intervals (range, 1.65–2.07). Improved estimates of infection in longitudinal data have broad epidemiologic implications, including comparing studies with different sampling intervals, improving sample size estimation, and determining risk factors for infection and the role of acquired immunity. Our method of estimating and accounting for titer decay is generalizable to other infections defined using interval-censored serological assays.

This position paper describes a common stand on methodology of human attitudes and behaviour that is suitable to use in studies regarding cow−calf contact (CCC) in dairy production, in order to create a common knowledge base and foundation for future recommendations of CCC systems. We describe how different quantitative and qualitative methods can be used to study human attitudes to CCC as well as farmer or consumer behaviour. We aim to contribute to a better understanding of the available methods, and hope that this paper can be used as a guideline for future studies in this area.

A Unidade de Saúde oferece o atendimento primário à população, assim, para que isso ocorra adequadamente e de forma eficaz, necessita-se de mapeamento da região onde a unidade atende a população. O mapa inteligente oferece ao enfermeiro e à equipe, o conhecimento da área de atuação para que promova a saúde integralmente. Portanto, o objetivo desse estudo é relatar a percepção da construção do mapa inteligente e do vídeo educativo da Atenção Básica. Assim sendo, esta pesquisa trata-se de um relato de experiência sobre um trabalho desenvolvido na disciplina de Administração em Saúde Pública no curso de enfermagem, que consistiu na construção do mapa inteligente de uma determinada Unidade Básica de Saúde da cidade de Batayporã-MS e na criação de um vídeo educativo que por meio do que foi identificado durante o mapeamento caracterizar o ambiente de trabalho em que o enfermeiro está inserido. Foi utilizado o método de apresentação em maquete apontando a localização da unidade, sua região de abrangência e um vídeo educativo relatando as atribuições do profissional enfermeiro, relacionadas aos benefícios da implantação do mapa inteligente. O estudo contribui para o conhecimento e aperfeiçoamento de novas tecnologias na assistência em saúde, promovendo ao enfermeiro maior domínio sob possíveis dificuldades na detecção precoce de agravos que o mapa inteligente contribui minimizando futuros problemas.

Leptospirosis, a zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira, primarily affects tropical, developing regions, especially communities without adequate sanitation. Outbreaks of leptospirosis have been linked with the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in water. In this study, we measured the physicochemical characteristics (temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids (TDS)) of surface waters from an urban slum in Salvador, Brazil, and analyzed their associations with the presence and concentration of pathogenic Leptospira reported previously. We built logistic and linear regression models to determine the strength of association between physicochemical parameters and the presence and concentration of Leptospira. We found that salinity, TDS, pH, and type of water were strongly associated with the presence of Leptospira. In contrast, only pH was associated with the concentration of the pathogen in water. The study of physico-chemical markers can contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence of Leptospira in water and to the identification of sources of risk in urban slum environments.

Due to increasing public concern regarding separation of the dairy cow and calf within the first days after birth, alternative systems, where cows and calves stay in contact for an extended period, are receiving increasing interest from a broad array of researchers and other stakeholders. With more research in the area, there is a risk of inconsistencies emerging in the use of terminology. To create a better consensus in further discussions, the aim of this Research Reflection is to provide definitions and propose a common terminology for cow-calf contact in dairy production. We also suggest definitions for various systems allowing cow-calf contact and describe the distinct phases of cow-calf contact systems.

In this Research Reflection we describe a common standpoint on suitable methodology for controlled and observational studies in cow-calf contact systems in dairy production. Different methods to assess behaviour, health and production in cow-calf contact systems are outlined. Knowledge and experience from researchers working in this field supplement scientific literature whenever relevant. Specific methods including study design, early behaviour of cow and calf, social behaviour relevant to cow-calf contact systems, human-animal relationships and aspects related to management (milking, weaning and separation, health) are reviewed, and recommendations formed. We expect that this paper can contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of cow-calf contact systems and help to advance research in this area of dairy production.

There is an interest in alternative rearing systems that allow for prolonged cow-calf contact (CCC). Yet, a better understanding of cows' affiliative behaviour in those systems is needed. We evaluated the effect of type of CCC on calf-directed affiliative behaviour in dairy cows. Cows were permitted to have either: i) partial contact (PC) with their calf; calves were housed in a pen adjacent to the cow area allowing limited physical contact on initiative of the dam but no suckling (n = 18), or ii) full contact (FC) with their calf including suckling; calves were housed together with the dams in a free stall barn (n = 20). Proximity and physical contact between the cow and her own calf were recorded between 0 and 48 h postpartum in an individual maternity pen, and from 1 to 5 weeks postpartum in a free stall barn. Data were analysed with generalized linear models, except for behaviour with excess of zero-valued data where a Kruskal Wallis test was used. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to identify consistency of behaviour in the maternity pen and free stall barn. After parturition, latency to onset of allogrooming did not differ among treatments (mean +/- SE, 8 +/- 3 min, P = 0.39). Throughout the first 48 h postpartum, no treatment differences were found in percentage of observed time spent allogrooming the calf (PC: 7.7 +/- 1.3%, FC: 9.5 +/- 1.5%), standing in proximity (

Urban slums provide suitable conditions for infestation by rats, which harbour and shed a wide diversity of zoonotic pathogens including helminths. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with the probability and intensity of infection of helminths of the digestive tract in an urban slum population ofRattus norvegicus. Among 299 rats, eleven species/groups of helminths were identified, of whichStrongyloidessp.,Nippostrongylus brasiliensisand, the human pathogen,Angiostrongylus cantonensiswere the most frequent (97, 41 and 39%, respectively). Sex interactions highlighted behavioural differences between males and females, as eg males were more likely to be infected withN. brasiliensiswhere rat signs were present, and males presented more intense infections ofStrongyloidessp. Moreover, rats in poor body condition had higher intensities ofN. brasiliensis. We describe a high global richness of parasites inR. norvegicus, including five species known to cause disease in humans. Among these,A. cantonensiswas found in high prevalence and it was ubiquitous in the study area – knowledge which is of public health importance. A variety of environmental, demographic and body condition variables were associated with helminth species infection of rats, suggesting a comparable variety of risk factors for humans.

SUMMARYLeptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The disease is globally distributed and a major public health concern. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the main reservoir of the pathogen in urban slums of developing and developed countries. The potential routes of intra-specific leptospire transmission in rats are largely unknown. Herein, we identified pathogenic Leptospira spp. in breast tissue and milk of naturally infected rats. We examined kidney, breast tissue and milk from 24 lactating rats for the presence of leptospires using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and scanning electronic microscopy. All 24 rats had evidence for Leptospira in the kidneys, indicating chronic carriage. The majority of kidney-positive rats had detectable leptospires in milk (18, 75%) and breast tissue (16, 67%), as evidenced by immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry. Four (17%) milk samples and two (8%) breast tissue samples were positive by quantitative real-time PCR. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of leptospires in breast tissue. No major pathological changes in breast tissue were found. This study, for the first time, identified leptospires in the milk and breast tissue of wild Norway rats, suggesting the possibility of milk-borne transmission of leptospirosis to neonates.

A fim de refletirmos sobre as condições de produção na contemporaneidade, propomos discussões e análises em torno do funcionamento dos recursos de personalização de conteúdos na Internet que impõem filtros aos usuários. Para isso, mobilizamos a teoria de Análise do Discurso de linha francesa, sobretudo a partir dos trabalhos de Michel Pêcheux. Delimitamos a observação do funcionamento de tais recursos no mecanismo de busca do Google, uma vez que ele representa uma das maiores corporações na Internet e detém a maior parte do mercado de buscas. A partir dessa delimitação, selecionamos o corpus de análise oriundo da política de privacidade do buscador, de definições dadas pela empresa sobre o funcionamento de tais recursos e de relatos sobre esse funcionamento postados por usuários e disseminados na rede. Acreditamos que a análise do funcionamento dessas técnicas nos dizem sobre as condições de produção do discurso na contemporaneidade, bem como das materialidades discursivas que lhes são peculiares, compreendendo que é pela influência materialista que se chega, na Análise do Discurso, a noção de materialidade discursiva. Temos, dessa forma, contemplada uma discussão sobre história, sujeito e língua que fundamenta o funcionamento da ideologia. Ainda nesse ínterim, propomos pensar o discurso ressaltando o que concerne à memória, bem como as questões que decorrem ao considerarmos seu funcionamento perpassado pelas Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC\'s), o que nos move a refletir sobre o discurso eletrônico e a memória metálica. Tudo isso nos mostra os efeitos discursivos dos filtros que giram em torno do controle na rede, característica que tem marcado as relações de poder no cenário atual. Aiming to reflect on the conditions of production in contemporary society, we propose discussions and analysis about the functioning of the contents customization features on the Internet that that imposes filters to users. For that, we mobilize the Discourse Analysis Theory of French orientation, especially from Michel Pêcheux. We delimited the observation of the functioning of such features in the Google search engine, once it is one of the largest corporations on the Internet and holds most of the search market. From this definition, we selected the corpus of analysis derived from the privacy policy of the search engine, the definitions given by the company on the operation of such resources and comments about this functioning posted by users in specialized forums. We believe that the observation of the functioning of such techniques tell us about the discourse production conditions in contemporary society, as well as the discursive materiality that are peculiar, understanding that it is the materialistic influence that comes the notion of discursive materiality in Discourse Analysis. We thereby contemplated a discussion of history, subject and language that underpins the functioning of ideology. Yet in the interim, we propose to think the discourse emphasizing that concerns the memory, as well as issues that derive when considering its operation permeated by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), which moves us to reflect on the electronic discourse and the metal memory. All this shows the discursive effects of filters that revolve around the control of on the network, a feature that has characterized relations of power in the current scenario.

Leptospirosis has emerged as an important urban health problem as slum settlements have expanded worldwide. Yet the dynamics of the environmentally transmitted Leptospira pathogen has not been well characterized in these settings. We used a stratified dense sampling scheme to study the dynamics of Leptospira abundance in surface waters from a Brazilian urban slum community. We collected surface water samples during the dry, intermediate and rainy seasons within a seven-month period and quantified pathogenic Leptospira by quantitative PCR (qPCR). We used logistic and linear mixed models to identify factors that explained variation for the presence and concentration of Leptospira DNA. Among 335 sewage and 250 standing water samples, Leptospira DNA were detected in 36% and 34%, respectively. Among the 236 samples with positive results geometric mean Leptospira concentrations were 152 GEq/mL. The probability of finding Leptospira DNA was higher in sewage samples collected during the rainy season when increased leptospirosis incidence occurred, than during the dry season (47.2% vs 12.5%, respectively, p = 0.0002). There was a marked spatial and temporal heterogeneity in Leptospira DNA distribution, for which type of water, elevation, and time of day that samples were collected, in addition to season, were significant predictors. Together, these findings indicate that Leptospira are ubiquitous in the slum environment and that the water-related risk to which inhabitants are exposed is low. Seasonal increases in Leptospira presence may explain the timing of leptospirosis outbreaks. Effective prevention will need to consider the spatial and temporal dynamics of pathogenic Leptospira in surface waters to reduce the burden of the disease.

Early handling of animals including tactile stimulation (TS) has been shown to have beneficial effects on the physical and psychological development of species where considerable maternal interaction, e.g. in the form of licking, already occurs. But little is known about the magnitude of these effects, if any, in species without this natural mechanism. Piglets from 13 litters ( N = 127) were subjected to four treatments: AH – all piglets in a litter received TS; NH – none of the piglets in a litter received TS; 50/50H – half of a litter received TS and 50/50NH – half of a litter did not receive TS. The TS was performed by a human stroking the back of the piglet for 2 min from 5 to 35 days of age. At 4 weeks of age the piglets were tested twice in an open-field/human-approach test, with either a familiar (F) or an unfamiliar person (U). Body weight was measured at birth, 5, 9 and 12 weeks of age. In the tests, AH and 50/50H piglets allowed more physical contact, regardless of the familiarity of the person (AH: 22.5 ± 2.3 F; 24.1 ± 2.3 U, 50/50H: 18.1 ± 2.2 F; 25.3 ± 2.2 U, P = 0.05). Additionally, AH piglets vocalized least and were least often in the perimeter zone (PZ) of the arena (AH grunts: 6.0 ± 0.8, P = 0.002; 12.8 ± 0.8, P = 0.0005; 18.1 ± 0.8, P = 0.08; AH PZ: 3.9 ± 0.8, P = 0.009; 9.1 ± 0.8, P = 0.003; 12.6 ± 0.7, P = 0.004 in isolation, stationary and moving person phase, respectively). In contrast, NH piglets vocalized most and were most often in the PZ. 50/50NH had higher body weights at 12 weeks than 50/50H, whereas AH and NH piglets were intermediate (AH: 36.9 ± 0.9, NH: 35.6 ± 1.0, 50/50H: 34.2 ± 1.3, 50/50NH: 37.8 ± 1.3, P = 0.03). This study suggests that early handling changed the way piglets reacted to challenging situations in that handled piglets showed behaviour suggesting they were less fearful in a novel environment and less fearful of being handled by people in general. Interestingly though, the early handling did not result in the same beneficial effects on the physical development of the piglets, as handled piglets were not heavier. Instead, it was the 50/50NH piglets that were the heaviest, implying that the daily presence of a human moving around in the pen to handle the 50/50H piglets seemed to stimulate weight gain.