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Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis are diseases associated with economic losses; ticks and blood-sucking flies are important zoonotic vectors and reservoirs. This study aimed to investigate the presence of anti-Babesia spp. and anti-Anaplasma marginale antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in ruminants at the Catimbau National Park. Blood samples were collected from 119 sheep, 119 goats, and 47 cattle. Rhipicephalus microplus ticks were collected from cattle. ELISA showed seropositivity of 34% (16/47), 20.3% (24/119), and 16% (19/119) for anti-Babesia bovis; 34% (16/47), 15.2% (18/119), and 9% (7/119) for anti-Babesia bigemina; and 34% (16/47), 35.6% (42/119), and 17% (20/119) for anti-A. marginale antibodies in cattle, goats, and sheep, respectively. The information collected using an epidemiological questionnaire showed that mostly are breed in a semi-intensive system, with access to Caatinga vegetation. The circulation of B. bovis, B. bigemina, and A. marginale was confirmed. Thus, based on the prevalence, this suggests this is an enzootic instability area and is prone to outbreaks.

A total of 231 blood samples from wild mammals belonging to the orders Rodentia (n = 142) and Didelphimorphia (n = 89) were screened by real-time PCR assay (qPCR), being six Rhipidomys sp., 118 Thrichomys laurentius, nine Rattus rattus, four Kerodon rupestris, five Necromys lasiurus, 42 Didelphis albiventris and 47 Monodelphis domestica. Results using qPCR showed that 32 of the total 231 (13.85 %) samples were positive for hemoplasma sequences of the 16S rRNA gene. Sequences from two D. albiventris showed 99.77-99.89 % identity with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris' and 99.09 % with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemodidelphidis', respectively. Furthermore, one M. domestica and five T. laurentius showed 99.72-99.77 % identity with Mycoplasma sp., and one K. rupestris showed 98.13 % identity with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematohydrochaerus'; and from two Rattus rattus showed 99.65-99.89 % identity with Mycoplasma sp. and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomuris'. The 23S rRNA gene sequences obtained from the two D. albiventris showed 100 % identity with 'Ca. M. haemoalbiventris' whereas the sequences from the R. rattus showed only 85.31 % identity with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematohydrochaerus'. Two T. laurentius and one K. rupestris showed 84.66-92.97 % identity with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemosphiggurus'. Based on phylogenetic and Neighbor-Net network analyses of the 16S and 23S rRNA genes, potential novel species are described. In addition, 'Ca. M. haemoalbiventris' was detected in Didelphis albiventris, and Mycoplasma sp. was detected in Rattus sp. rodents from the Caatinga biome, Brazil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ticks parasitize a wide variety of wild animals, including amphibians and reptiles. In addition to the possibility of microorganism transmission to these hosts, ticks can also cause severe bleeding, and high parasitism can lead to death. Therefore, knowing the diversity of ticks parasitizing amphibians and reptiles is important for conservation and preservation measures for these vertebrates. In the present study, we report parasitism by ticks in amphibians and reptiles from different Brazilian biomes (Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest). Ticks were collected from amphibians and reptiles deposited from the Herpetological Collection of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís (Maranhão State), the State University Santa Cruz (UESC), Ilhéus (Bahia State), and the Federal University of São Francisco Valley (Univasf), Petrolina (Pernambuco State). Additionally, ticks were collected from amphibians and reptiles captured and road-killed in the Amazon biome, at Maranhão and Amapá States. Specimens of ticks were photographed under a Zeiss stereomicroscope (5.1 zoom). Map with the locations were made using the Qgis program. Overall, 1973 specimens of amphibians and reptiles were examined. A total of 927 ticks were collected: 98 larvae, 421 nymphs and 408 adults. Six species of ticks were identified: Amblyomma rotundatum and Amblyomma dissimile the most frequent, and Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma sculptum, Amblyomma nodosum and Amblyomma humerale, occasionally. Surprisingly, a total of twelve males of A. rotundatum were collected. Here we report new records of association between cold-blooded animals and ticks and reinforce the absence of A. dissimile in the Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes. Additionally, we report new records of A. rotundatum males on reptiles in the Amazon biome. This last record allows us to speculate about a possible association of A. rotundatum males with reptiles and the Amazon biome., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii, for which domestic ruminants are the primary source of infection in humans. Herein, we investigated the presence of C. burnetii in humans, sheep, and goats in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. The presence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies was surveyed using indirect immunofluorescence assay, and detection of C. burnetii DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Anti-C. burnetii antibodies were detected in 60% of farms, 4.8% of goats, 1.5% of sheep, and 4.5% of human samples. PCR was positive in 18.9% of blood samples, 7.7% of milk samples, and 7.7% of vaginal mucus samples. A DNA sequence of a C. burnetii DNA sample extracted from the goat vaginal mucus showed 99.2-99.4% nucleotide identity with other strains previously reported in Brazil. These results indicate that C. burnetii is present in the surveyed area, where it poses a risk to both public and animal health. These findings indicate an urgent need for educative actions to protect population, as well as better training of veterinarians to detect and report Q fever., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

In this study, we report soft ticks from bat-inhabiting caves in different areas of Brazil. From 2010 to 2019, we collected 807 tick specimens from nine caves located in four Brazilian states among two biomes. Ticks were morphologically identified as Antricola guglielmonei (282 specimens), Ornithodoros cavernicolous (260 specimens), and Ornithodoros fonsecai (265 specimens). Whereas A. guglielmonei was collected on bat guano in hot caves, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai were collected in cracks and crevices on the walls of cold caves, sometimes in the same chamber. Morphological identifications were corroborated by molecular and phylogenetic analyses inferred from tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene partial sequences. The sequences of A. guglielmonei, O. cavernicolous and O. fonsecai collected in this study clustered with conspecific GenBank sequences from different localities of Brazil. Remarkably, a clade containing 12 sequences of O. fonsecai was clearly bifurcated, denoting a degree of genetic divergence (up to 5 %) of specimens from Cerrado/Atlantic Forest biomes with the specimens from the Caatinga biome. To further evaluate this divergence, we performed morphometric analysis of the larval stage of different O. fonsencai populations by principal component analysis, which indicated that the larvae from Caatinga populations were generally smaller than the larvae from other biomes. Some of the present A. guglielmonei specimens were collected from the type locality of Antricola inexpectata. Comparisons of these specimens with the type specimens of A. inexpectata and A. guglielmonei indicated that they could not be separated by their external morphology. Hence, we are relegating A. inexpectata to a synonym of A. guglielmonei. This proposal is corroborated by our phylogenetic analysis., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

The domestic cat is not considered a primary host for any specific tick species; however, it can be affected by some Ixodidae species, such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Amblyomma spp. The study reports parasitism by Amblyomma auricularium and the detection of anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies in domestic cats from a rural property in the Afrânio municipality, Pernambuco, Brazil. Amblyomma auricularium (24 nymphs, six females, and four males) and Amblyomma sp. (42 larvae) parasitized three cats, and 73 free-living ticks were captured in armadillo burrows: A. auricularium (36 nymphs, six females, five males) and Amblyomma sp. (26 larvae). Blood samples from cats were collected and the obtained plasma were subjected to indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect antibodies against Rickettsia antigens. Thus, anti-Rickettsia spp. antibodies were determined (titers ranging from 128 to 512) and showed a predominant antibody response to Rickettsia amblyommatis or a very closely related genotype. This study reports the first infestation of nymphs and adults of A. auricularium on cats in a new area of occurrence in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil and reports for the first time the presence of anti-Ricketsia antibodies in cats in the region, with R. amblyommatis as the probable infectious agent.

Although Bartonella spp. have been worldwide described in rodents and bats, few studies have reported these agents in marsupials. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella in small mammals (rodents, marsupials, and bats) and associated ectoparasites in two ecoregions (Amazonia and Cerrado biomes) in midwestern Brazil. For this purpose, DNA samples from 378 specimens of small mammals (128 rodents, 111 marsupials, and 139 bats) and 41 fleas (Siphonaptera) were screened for the Bartonella genus employing a quantitative real-time PCR assay (qPCR) based on the nuoG (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase gamma subunit) gene. Then, positive samples in qPCR were submitted to conventional PCR (cPCR) assays targeting the gltA, ftsZ, and rpoB genes. One (0.78 %) rodent, 23 (16.54 %) bats, and 3 (7.31 %) fleas showed positive results in the qPCR for Bartonella sp. After cPCR amplification and sequencing, 13 partial Bartonella DNA sequences of the following genes were obtained only from bats´ blood samples: 9 gltA (citrate synthase), 3 ftsZ (cell division protein), and 1 rpoB (RNA polymerase beta subunit). The maximum likelihood inference based on the gltA gene positioned the obtained sequences in three different clades, closely related to Bartonella genotypes previously detected in other bat species and bat flies sampled in Brazil and other countries from Latin America. Similarly, the ftsZ sequences clustered in two different clades with sequences described in bats from Brazil, other countries from Latin America, and Georgia (eastern Europe). Finally, the Bartonella rpoB from a specimen of Lophostoma silvicolum clustered with a Bartonella sp. sequence obtained from a Noctilio albiventris (KP715475) from French Guiana. The present study provided valuable insights into the diversity of Bartonella genotypes infecting bats from two ecoregions (Amazonia and Cerrado) in midwestern Brazil and emphasized that further studies should be conducted regarding the description and evaluation of different lineages of Bartonella in wild small mammals and their ectoparasites in different Brazilian biomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The selection of animals with greater feed efficiency has unknown parasitological and physiological parameters when confined in full sun or shade. Thus, we aimed to assess the effect of residual feed intake (RFI) and the confinement environment on the hematological, parasitological and physiological parameters in male Dorper sheep (n = 60; 30 with positive RFI and 30 with negative RFI) distributed in 2 confinement environments (full sun and shade), in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with 15 animals for treatment. Animals kept in the shade showed an increase (P < 0.05) of erythrocytes, hemoglobin and albumin. Animals kept in full sun showed higherOocysts gamma glutamyltransferase, direct bilirubin, transaminase aspartate and respiratory rate (P<0.05). There was a higher incidence of Eimeria spp oocysts in RFI negative animals (P<0.05). Positive RFI animals increased respiratory rate (P<0.05). The RFI did not influence the blood parameters of Dorper sheep, however, it had an effect on respiratory rate and presence of Eimeria spp. oocysts. Thermal environment promoted changes in blood parameters and the physiological parameters of Dorper sheep., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Oral Lichen Planus is a potential malignant disorder and shares clinical and histopathological features with other similar lesions. ALDH1 is a specific biomarker for stem cells identification, however its role in stromal cells of immune inflammatory infiltrate has not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the ALDH1 immunoexpression in epithelial and stromal cells of Oral Lichen Planus and other lesions with lichenoid inflammatory infiltrate., Material and Methods: 64 samples of Oral Lichen Planus, Oral Lichenoid Lesions, Oral Leukoplakia and Unspecific Chronic Inflammation were included. ALDH1 was evaluated in both epithelium and stromal cells. ALDH1+ cells ≥ 5% were considered positive in epithelium. Stromal cells were evaluated semi quantitatively. Fields were ranked in scores, according to criteria: 1 (0 to 10%); 2 (11 to 50%) and 3 (>50%). The mean value of the sum of the fields was the final score. Statistical differences among groups were investigated, considering p < 0.05., Results: ALDH1 expression in epithelium was low in all groups without difference among them. ALDH1+ cells in the lamina propria were higher for Lichen Planus [2.0], followed by Leukoplakia [1.3], Lichenoid lesions [1.2] and control [1.1] (p<0.05)., Conclusions: ALDH1 immunoexpression in epithelium of lichenoid potential malignant disorders did not show a contributory tool, however ALDH1 in stromal cells of lichen planus might be involved in the complex process of immune regulation associated with the pathogenesis of this disease.

This study aimed to analyze the epidemiology of infections caused by Eimeria spp. in goats bred in an extensive production system in Northeast Brazil. To this end, an epidemiological survey was performed, wherein 350 fecal samples were collected from goats ranging from 3 months to 8 years old across 30 farms. The number of oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) was counted using the Mini-FLOTAC method. Species were identified based on their morphological and morphometric characteristics. Frequencies between animal categories were assessed using the chi-square test and known risk factors after multivariate analysis. Eimeria oocysts were found in 99.4% (346/348) of samples and 100% (30/30) of the farms. The OPG was influenced by the age of the animals; therefore, young goats (up to 6 months old) eliminated more oocysts (2302.6 + 5454.8) than adult goats (881.7 + 1551.5). Three pathogenic species were identified, with two demonstrating a high prevalence: Eimeria arloingi (88.83%) and Eimeria christenseni (44.7%), in addition to Eimeria caprina (3.72%). In the study, the habit of ground feeding and the use of cisterns as water sources were identified as risk factors, with odds ratios of 4.04 and 9.82, respectively. However, cleaning facilities at shorter intervals was a protective factor (OR = 0.19). We concluded that there was a high prevalence of Eimeria infection in goats bred in extensive production systems, even those in semiarid regions. This high prevalence can be attributed to the congregation of animals in shaded areas and the substantial accumulation of fecal matter at night., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is a tick-borne bacterium that causes human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, an emerging life-threatening disease in humans transmitted by Amblyomma americanum . Although most studies have reported bacterial isolations and clinical cases in the United States, their occurrence is not restricted to North America. Some studies in the Southern Cone of South America have molecularly detected a close phylogenetic relative of E. chaffeensis in ticks and wild mammals. Even so, many gaps must be filled to confirm the presence of this agent in the region. To add new data on this issue, we report the first detection of specific anti- E. chaffeensis antibodies in dogs collected from all regions of Brazil. By means of IFA and ELISA with crude and specific antigens of E. chaffeensis , sera from 1134 dogs were analyzed. Serological analyses using ELISA showed nine (0.7%) seropositive dogs, with seven of them exhibiting IFA titers ranging from 160 to 5120. All regions of Brazil had at least one seropositive dog. Our results support the evidence for the occurrence of E. chaffeensis in South America. As dogs have a close relationship with humans, they can be used as an environmental sentinel for these infections because they can act as a bridge to human parasitism or infection with ehrlichial agents.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the second most common protozoosis that affects people around the world. The aim of this study is to understand how environmental and socioeconomic factors, as well as VL control and surveillance interventions, influence the spread and detection of VL cases in Pernambuco state (Brazil). A novel model was developed to analyze cases of VL between 2007 and 2018, enabling the quantification of the association of these variables with two processes: the probability of "invasion" (emergence of new cases) at municipalities by VL, and the probability of detecting cases not reported in municipalities that have already been invaded. Pernambuco state identified 1,410 cases of VL between 2007 and 2018, with an average of 128 cases per year and average incidence of 1.28/100 thousand people. These cases were distributed in 77.1% (142/184) of the municipalities, and 54.8% (773/1,410) of them were autochthonous. Our model reveals that the proportion of agriculture was positively associated with VL invasion probability. We also find that municipalities that are closer to notification centers and/or that have received technical training and support tend to have higher detection rates of VL cases. Taken together, these results suggest that a municipality with almost no agriculture and that received technical training, located close to a notification center, is unlikely to be invaded if no cases have ever been detected. On the other hand, a municipality that is far from the notification center, with no technical training, with a large agricultural area might have already been invaded but the surveillance system might have routinely failed to detect VL cases due to low detection probability. By disentangling the processes of invasion and detection, we were able to generate insights that are likely to be useful for the strategic allocation of VL prevention and control interventions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Machado et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Tick-borne relapsing fever group (RFG) borreliosis remains neglected as a human disease and little is known on its maintenance in ticks and vertebrates, especially in South America. Therefore, this study investigated borrelial infection in Ornithodoros ticks collected in rodent-inhabited rock formations in the Brazilian semiarid region, within the Caatinga biome. Collected ticks ( Ornithodoros rietcorreai and Ornithodoros cf. tabajara ) were allowed to feed under laboratory conditions on guinea pigs, which had blood samples examined daily by dark-field microscopy. No spirochetes were visualized in the blood of any of four O. rietcorreai- infested guinea pigs. Contrastingly, spirochetes were visualized between 9 and 39 days after tick feeding in the blood of three guinea pigs, each infested with O. cf. tabajara ticks from a different locality. Guinea pig infection was confirmed by passages into experimental animals and by generating DNA sequences of Borrelia spp. from the blood of spirochetemic guinea pigs. Three O. cf. tabajara populations were infected by the same borrelial organism, which was characterized as a novel RFG agent (named as ' Candidatus Borrelia caatinga') based on 10 Borrelia loci ( rrs , flaB , glpQ , gyrB , clpX , pepX , pyrG , recG , rplB and uvrA ). We demonstrated that O. cf. tabajara is a competent vector of the novel Borrelia sp. isolates, although none of the infected rodents developed clinical illness.

Q fever, caused by the γ-proteobacterium Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonosis of great importance and global impact. This agent has high transmissibility and can spread over long distances via wind, in which a small number of aerosolized particles are needed to infect susceptible hosts. The clinical diagnosis of Q fever is difficult owing to the variety of clinical signs shared with other diseases. In Brazil, studies related to C. burnetii are constantly being conducted, and this review aims to increase the number of approaches already studied, leading to the following question: is Q fever an unknown, neglected disease, or does it have a focal occurrence in certain areas (exotic/rare) in the country?

Caatinga and Atlantic Forest are Brazilian biomes threatened by anthropogenic disturbances, which are a serious threat to biodiversity and favor the emergence of zoonotic pathogens. Capybara populations are increasingly present in urban and rural areas due to the loss of their natural habitats. There are no studies on the rickettsial infection in these rodents in Northeastern Brazil, although there are case records of Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF) in this region. In this context, we evaluated rickettsial infection in capybaras and their ticks in four areas of the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes in Northeastern Brazil. Blood sera from 21 capybaras were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, and R. amblyommatis antigens. Blood samples and ticks (Amblyomma sp., Amblyomma dubitatum and Amblyomma sculptum) were tested by PCR, targeting a fragment of the rickettsial gltA gene and R. bellii primers. Overall, 15 out of 21 capybaras (71.4%) reacted positively (titer ≥64) to at least one of the three Rickettsia antigens tested, with final titers ranging from 64 to 1024. No rickettsial DNA was found in capybara blood samples. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 22 of 31 adult tick pools using gltA gene, being all nine pools of A. sculptum and 16 of the 19 of A. dubitatum, but all samples were negative to R. bellii specific primers. All attempts to sequence the amplicon were unsuccessful, indicating a possible low rickettsial load in the tick samples. The present study reports for the first time the serological evidence of Rickettsia spp. infection in free-ranging capybaras and suggest the rickettsial infection in A. sculptum and A. dubitatum in the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes in Northeastern Brazil., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of exposure to Leishmania infection in stray dogs in an area of intense visceral leishmaniasis transmission in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Blood samples from 178 dogs were analyzed using serological and molecular assays: rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), and conventional and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (cPCR and qPCR). Positivity values obtained with serological tests were 71.4% (127/178), 70.2% (125/178), and 50.6% (90/178) using ICT, ELISA, and IFAT, respectively, with 38.8% (69/178) of the dogs were simultaneously positive for all three tests. The positivity values obtained with cPCR and qPCR were 20.2% (36/178) and 38.8% (69/178), respectively, with 11.8% (21/178) testing positive in both molecular assays. Overall, 87.1% (155/178) were positive for anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies and/or Leishmania spp. DNA. Positivity to one or more tests was statistically associated with lymphadenomegaly, skin lesions, lymphocytosis, anemia and hyperproteinemia. The results of this study revealed a high level of exposure to Leishmania in stray dogs in an area of intense human visceral leishmaniasis transmission, suggesting that dogs play a role as reservoirs in the transmission cycle of this zoonosis.

The frequent use of acaricides against the tick Rhipicephalus microplus increases the risk of development of resistance. Recent studies have revealed that Neoglaziovia variegata, an indigenous plant species known in Brazil as 'caroá', has a deleterious effect against R. microplus. In the current study, extracts of N. variegata were studied for their possible acaricidal properties. A hexane extract of N. variegata leaves was fractionated in a chromatography column and the fractions were tested in adult tick immersion tests in triplicate using three concentrations (5, 10 and 25 mg/ml). All the fractions had harmful effects on the ticks. However, three fractions were more efficaceous. Phytochemical analysis indicated that stigmast-5-en-3-ol and stigmastanol were most abundant; they might be responsible for the acaricidal effects, making them potentially useful as alternative agents to control the tick R. microplus.

This study aimed to determine the AR of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) to commercial drugs in sheep flocks naturally infected, grazing in irrigated (IA) and dry (DA) areas of the semiarid region in northeastern Brazil. Fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were performed at 10 farms. From each flock, 36 adult sheep were selected and divided into five groups (G1 (0.08% ivermectin), G2 (10% albendazole), G3 (5% levamisole), G4 (1% moxidectin), G5 (10% closantel) and one control group, G6). All the commercial drugs were found to reduce the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG). Resistance to ivermectin (37.1%), albendazole (52.1%), and levamisole (52.0%) was detected at all the farms, but nematodes proved to be susceptible to moxidectin (87.9%) and closantel (83.9%). The overall average efficacy of the commercial drugs was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in DA (49.2%), where moxidectin (90.4%) showed high effectiveness. The presence of the parasite Haemonchus contortus predominated at all the farms. The variables irrigated area (P = 0.002), intensive breeding (P = 0.018), uncovered enclosures (P = 0.05), cultivated (P = 0.043) and native/cultivated (P = 0.007) pastures, and rotational grazing (P = 0.013) were significantly associated with GIN infection; irrigated area (P = 0.009), semi-intensive breeding (P = 0.05), rotational grazing (P = 0.045), cultivated (P = 0.021) and native/cultivated (P = 0.04) pastures, and estimated weighing of animals (P = 0.002) were significantly associated with AR. Therefore, improved management practices and strategic deworming must be implemented to prevent the development of AR.

Introduction: The association of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a concern worldwide, and this co-infection is linked to increased lethality. The Northeast is the region that mostly reports cases of VL in Brazil. The knowledge of risk factors associated with VL/HIV co-infection and its impact on lethality is extremely important., Methods: The present study analyzed the epidemiologic features of cases with VL/HIV co-infection in the state of Pernambuco, Northeast of Brazil, from 2014 to 2018., Results: There were 858 and 11,514 reported cases of VL and HIV infection, respectively. The average incidences of VL and HIV infection were 1.82 and 24.4/100,000 inhabitants, respectively. Of all reported cases of VL, 4.9% (42/858) also had HIV infection. There was an inverse spatial association between VL and HIV infection incidences. The lethality rates of VL, HIV infection, and co-infection were 9.9%, 26.1%, and 16.6%, respectively. Most of the patients were males and lived in urban areas. The cases of VL mostly occurred in children aged below 10 years, whereas the cases of HIV infection and VL/HIV co-infection were primarily observed in adults between 20 years and 39 years old., Conclusions: We defined the profile and areas with most cases of co-infection and found that the lethality of VL with co-infection increased in the current period. These findings contribute to applying efforts with a greater focus in these identified populations to prevent future deaths.

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is a common tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. Horses are the primary hosts of the main vector, Amblyomma sculptum, and are considered efficient sentinels for circulation of Rickettsia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to detect antibodies reactive to R. rickettsii antigens in horses from a non-endemic area in the north-central region of Bahia state, Brazil. Blood samples and ticks were collected from 70 horses from the municipalities of Senhor do Bonfim, Antônio Gonçalves, Pindobaçu, and Campo Formoso. The sera obtained were tested by an indirect immunofluorescence assay to detect anti-Rickettsia antibodies. Overall, 5.7% (4/70) of the horses reacted to R. rickettsii antigens. Ticks were collected from 18.6% (13/70) of the horses and were identified as A. sculptum and Dermacentor nitens. Despite being a non-endemic area, seropositive animals were identified in our study, suggesting circulation of rickettsial agents in the region. This is the first serological survey of this agent in horses from the north-central region of Bahia, and further studies are needed to understand the epidemiology of BSF in these locations.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the centralization and transportation of ProTaper Gold (PTG) rotary system and Reciproc Blue (RB) reciprocating system in curved canals, by using micro-CT., Material and Methods: Twenty extracted mandibular molars were previously scanned by using the SkyScan 1174 microtomograph to select the Vertucci IV anatomic type. The specimens were divided into two groups (n=10) according to the mechanized system used to prepare the root canals. The teeth were scanned by micro-CT to calculate the increase volume, percentage of dentin removed, remaining dentin thickness, structure model index (SMI), degree of transportation and centering ability of root canals. The Student's t test was used to evaluate differences between PTG and RB in each measurement evaluated., Results: No significant differences were found between the groups in the increase of the total root canal and apical volume; percentage of dentin removed after preparation; SMI of the mesiolingual canal; degree of transportation of the canal and centering ability of the cervical and middle thirds ( P >0.05). There were significant differences in the mesiobuccal canal in SMI and in the centering ability of the apical third ( P <0.05). Concerning the remaining dentin thickness, there was also no significant diferences between the groups, except for some regions were RB was observed to have a superior cutting capacity ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: Both systems were efficient and safe for performing preparation of the moderately curved root canals of mandibular molars. RB instruments produced more circular and better centralized canals in the apical third of the mesiobuccal canal, with superior cutting action when compared with PTG instruments. Key words: Nickel-titanium instrument, heat treatment, micro-computed tomography, canal transportation., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None declared., (Copyright: © 2021 Medicina Oral S.L.)

The Piauí State, Brazil, has never had its chigger fauna recorded. In this study, we examined chiggers collected on marsupials, rodents, and lizards from the conservation unit Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (PNSC). Herein we describe four new species, Paraguacarus klompenin. sp., Neoschoengastia ochoain. sp., Quadraseta welbournin. sp., and Susa bauchanin. sp. Furthermore, an additional seven species are reported: Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910), Microtrombicula brachytrichiaBrennan, 1971, Microtrombicula rhipidomysiGoff, Whitaker and Dietz, 1983, Parascoschoengastia aemulata (Brennan and Jones, 1964), Parasecia validaBrennan, 1969, Pseudochoengastia petrolinensis Jacinavicius, Bassini-Silva and Barros-Battesti 2019, and Quadraseta flochi (Brennan and Jones, 1960). This is the first report of chiggers in Piauí State, which includes one of the most biodiverse areas in the Caatinga biome and is of particular importance to conservation. The genera Paraguacarus Goff and Whitaker, 1984 and Susa Audy and Nadcharam, 1960 are reported here for the first time to Brazil., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Most visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases reported in Brazil are from the northeast region, where the disease is strongly linked to poverty. In spite of the still existing inequalities, many social improvements were achieved in the past decades in this region, but the possible impact of these improvements on VL remains poorly investigated. We conducted a cross-sectional study coupled with a spatial analysis of VL cases notified in northeastern Brazil from 2007 to 2017. In total, 21,703 cases were reported during this period, with an annual incidence of 3.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Children under 10 years old and males were more affected, and most cases were from urban areas. Living in municipalities situated in the Cerrado, Amazon or, to a lesser extent, in the Caatinga biomes was a risk factor for VL. This study indicates that the epidemiological profile of VL patients remained unchanged in northeastern Brazil, suggesting that social improvements achieved in this region were not enough to mitigate the risk of this disease among the most affected populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Caatinga is a biome exclusive to the semiarid zone of Brazil, where studies on ticks and tick-borne diseases are scarce. Herein, we investigated the occurrence of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Coxiella in wild mammals, domestic dogs and their ectoparasites using molecular and serological techniques. During 2014-2016, blood samples and ectoparasites were collected from 70 small mammals (51 rodents, 18 marsupials, 1 wild canid) and 147 domestic dogs in three areas of the Caatinga. Through serological analyses of domestic dogs of the three areas, 8 to 11 % were seropositive for Rickettsia rickettsii, 9 to 37 % for Rickettsia amblyommatis, 61 to 75 % for Ehrlichia canis, and 0-5% for Coxiella burnetii. All wild mammals were seronegative for Rickettsia spp. and C. burnetii, except for one rodent (Wiedomys pyrrhorhinos) and one marsupial (Didelphis albiventris) that were seroreactive to C. burnetii, one wild canid (Cerdocyon thous) for R. amblyommatis, and two Rattus rattus for Rickettsia spp. Through PCR targeting DNA of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia or Coxiella, all blood samples were negative, except for the presence of Ehrlichia canis DNA in 8.8 % of the domestic dogs, and a recently reported novel agent, Ehrlichia sp. strain Natal, in one marsupial (Gracilinanus agilis). A total of 222 ticks, 84 fleas, and six lice were collected. Ticks were mostly Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, some Ixodes loricatus, Ornithodoros rietcorreai, Haemaphysalis sp., and Amblyomma spp.; fleas were Ctenocephalides felis felis, Pulex sp. and Polygenis (Polygenis) bohlsi jordani; and lice were Polyplax sp. and Gyropus sp. Through molecular detection of microorganisms, 9% of C. felis felis contained Rickettsia felis, 20 % of A. auricularium contained R. amblyommatis and 13 % of A. parvum contained 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae', whereas Ehrlichia canis DNA was detected in at least 6% of the R. sanguineus s.l. from one area. We report a variety of ectoparasites infesting small mammals and domestic dogs in the Caatinga biome, where these ectoparasites probably act as vectors of rickettsiae, ehrlichial agents (E. canis and Ehrlichia sp. strain Natal) and C. burnetii. Our results highlight to the potential risks of human infection by these tick-borne agents in the Caatinga biome., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The present work aimed to analyze the ectoparasite-host interaction network and possible differences of this interaction related to two seasonal periods and host sex. During November 2016 and July 2017, non-flying small mammals were captured in 17 forest fragments located in the southern portion of the Amazon biome. We captured 96 individuals belonging to 10 host species that were parasitized with a total of 3668 ectoparasites. Overall, we identified 24 ectoparasite taxa belonging to the mite and insect groups Ixodida (ticks), Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes, Trombidiformes (mites), Phthiraptera (lice), and Siphonaptera (fleas). The interaction network between all ectoparasites and hosts showed significant deviation from random, with moderately high specialization index (H2' = 0.80). There was seasonal difference in prevalence for Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius) sensu stricto (s.s), Amblyomma coelebs Neumann and larvae of Amblyomma. This difference was also found in the mean intensity of infestation of Amblyomma larvae and the mite Tur aragaoi (Fonseca). Only mean intensity of infestation differed in relation to host sex for the species Marmosa constantiae Thomas. Our results demonstrate that specificity between ectoparasites and small mammals in this region is moderately high and that the pattern of aggregation of some ectoparasite taxa differed between two seasons, as well as between sexes in M. constantiae.

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, factors associated with seropositivity to Leishmania infection in dogs and spatial analysis in six municipalities in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 462 dogs, 77 in each municipality, and used for serological analysis [dual path platform (DPP®) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)]. Clinical signs of dogs were evaluated and associated factors for Leishmania infection were analyzed using robust Poisson regression model. A seroprevalence of 42.8% (198/462, IC: 95% = 38.6%-47.6%) was detected in dogs that tested positive in both tests, ranging from 29.8% to 55.8%, with higher prevalence in the municipality of Cabrobó (55.8%; P = 0.006). About 67% (132/198) of the seropositive dogs showed one or more clinical signs suggestive of canine leishmaniasis (CanL), such as lymphadenomegaly, skin lesions and conjunctivitis, which were associated with seropositivity. High seroprevalence levels were identified in urban and rural areas in all the municipalities, and the buffer for sand flies around cases covered almost these entire areas. Spatial analysis revealed a significant cluster, showing a relative risk of 1.88 in the urban area of Cabrobó. The higher density of seropositive dogs in urban areas indicates the need effective control measures against CanL to prevent the emergence of canine and human diseases.

Equine piroplasmosis, an economically important disease in horses, has so far not been reported in Pernambuco state, Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-Babesia caballi and anti-Theileria equi antibodies based on the detection of these agents in equine blood and in ticks on horses in the municipality of Petrolina, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Blood samples were drawn from 393 horses and sera were examined by ELISA. The presence of tick infestations was evaluated, and 101 ticks were subjected to DNA amplification for the detection of Babesia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No parasites were detected in the blood smears. Anti-B. caballi and anti-T. equi antibodies were found in 27.2% (107/393) and 34.8% (137/393) horses, respectively. Infestation by Dermacentor nitens was detected in 4.3% (17/393) of the horses. There was no DNA amplification of the agents in ticks. The risk factors for the presence of anti-T. equi antibodies (P < 0.05) were: purebred (P < 0.001), animals older than 156 months (P = 0.014), and the presence of ticks (P = 0.001). No risk factors for B. caballi were identified. This study confirmed the circulation of agents of equine piroplasmosis in the municipality of Petrolina, state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

The genetic structure of populations of the tick Amblyomma ovale from five distinct areas of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest was evaluated via DNA sequencing and associated with the presence of domestic dogs acting as hosts at the edge of forest fragments. Ticks were collected from domestic dogs and from the environment between 2015 and 2017. Four collection areas were located in the surroundings and within the Serra do Mar State Park, São Paulo State (23°37'21"S, 45°24'43"W), where dogs were bimonthly monitored along 2 years using camera traps and GSM trackers. To determine the spatial limits of genetic structure, ticks collected upon dogs living near the Serra do Baturié, Ceará State (4°15'40"S, 38°55'54"W) were included as well. A total of 39 haplotypes of 16S rRNA and Cox 1 mitochondrial genes sequences were observed, with 27 of them coming from areas within the Serra do Mar State Park. No haplotype was shared between the Serra do Mar and the Serra do Baturié indicating isolation of tick populations at the scale of 2000 km. Although three different haplotype lineages of A. ovale occurred within the Serra do Mar State Park, no genetic structure was found across the study sites within this park, suggesting high tick gene flow across a range of 45 km. Monitoring data from domestic dogs and wild carnivores showed that these species share the same habitats at the forest edge, with dogs playing a likely limited role in tick dispersal. Our findings have important implications for understanding the genetic structure of wide spread A. ovale along Brazilian rainforest remnants, which can further be associated to tick-borne infectious agents, such as Rickettsia parkeri, and used for predicting future patterns of tick diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest.

This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 152 free-living small wild mammals from distinct regions in the Caatinga biome, a semi-arid region in the Northeast of Brazil: the National Park of Serra das Confusões (NPSC), which is a preserved area in the state of Piauí, and the municipalities of Petrolina and Lagoa Grande, two non-preserved areas in the state of Pernambuco. Using the modified agglutination test (MAT), we found that 5.3% (4/75) and 3.3% (2/60) of small wild mammals were positive for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in the NPSC and Petrolina, respectively. All mammals from Lagoa Grande (0/17) tested negative on the MAT. Indirect infection of T. gondii was determined by MAT in Galea spixii, Monodelphis domestica and Thrichomys laurentius (from NPSC) and in Didelphis albiventris (from Petrolina). Seropositive animals were observed in both preserved and non-preserved areas within the Caatinga biome. Low seroprevalences observed can be related to the extreme temperature and humidity in this particular biome., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic agent transmitted mainly by small ruminants. In Brazil the disease has been classified as a notifiable disease since 2013, when human cases were reported. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with the presence of anti- Coxiella burnetii antibodies in goats and sheep in a semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil. Sera of 412 goats and 403 sheep from municipality of Petrolina, Pernambuco, were examined by the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) against antigens of C. burnetii. Information about management variables (independent variables) that could be associated with the presence of the microorganism (dependent variables) were obtained from the supervisor of each farm. It was determined that 2.2% (9/412) of the goats and 2.1% (9/403) of the sheep had antibodies reactive to C. burnetii. The presence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies was associated with the dry area of the Sequeiro (a region in the northern part of the municipality of Petrolina) (P = 0.025), male sheep (P = 0.020), and intensive goat breeding (P = 0.005). This study therefore showed the presence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies in goat and sheep, confirming for the first time that this agent is likely circulating among goat herds in the Caatinga Biome, semi-arid of Brazil.

Introduction: The National Park of Serra das Confusões (NPSC) is a protected area of natural landscape located in Southern Piauí, Brazil, and it is considered as one of the largest and most important protected areas in the Caatinga biome., Methods: The natural occurrences of trypanosomatids from hemocultures on small mammals and cultures from intestinal contents triatomines were detected through molecular diagnoses of blood samples, and phylogenetic relationship analysis of the isolates parasites using the trypanosome barcode (V7V8 SSUrDNA) were realized., Results: Only two Galea spixii (8.1%) and six Triatoma brasiliensis (17.6%) were positive by hemoculture, and the isolates parasites were cryopreserved. All the isolates obtained were positioned on the Trypanosoma cruzi DTU TcI branch., Conclusions: Research focused on studying the wild animal fauna in preserved and underexplored environments has made it possible to elucidate indispensable components of different epidemiological chains of diseases with zoonotic potential.

Amblyomma rotundatum is an ixodid tick strictly associated with cold-blooded animals, among them the toad Rhinella jimi. This work aimed to evaluate the seasonal dynamics of larvae, nymphs, and adults of A. rotundatum parasitizing R. jimi in an area within the semi-arid Caatinga Biome of northeastern Brazil. Monthly sampling from February 2014 to January 2016 resulted in a total of 592 R. jimi toads captured and inspected for infestation by ticks, which were counted and identified. After the procedure, the toads were released with their ticks at the same capture site. During the study period, a total of 658 A. rotundatum were counted, comprising 497 larvae, 110 nymphs, and 51 females. The two-year mean abundances of larvae, nymphs, and adults were 0.84, 0.19, and 0.09, respectively. The two-year mean infestation intensities of larvae, nymphs, and adults were 3.65, 1.45, and 1.34, respectively. Comparing the monthly values of prevalence, mean abundance, and mean infestation intensity of A. rotundatum life stages, differences were observed between the first and second year of study; however, with no clear seasonal pattern., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease that causes severe reproductive problems in livestock and generates economic losses for farmers. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in small mammals, both wild and domestic, in two distinct areas of the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil: the National Park of Serra das Confusões (NPSC), state of Piauí, a preserved area; and rural areas in the municipalities of Petrolina and Lagoa Grande, state of Pernambuco, non-preserved areas. Serum samples were evaluated using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Approximately 4% (6/152) of the wild animals were positive, all of them in the non-preserved area. Overall, the seroprevalence rates among goats and sheep were 13.4 (77/576) and 4.6% (24/518), respectively, confirmed in both areas. The seroprevalence rates in dogs and cats were 5.6 (10/180) and 4.7% (2/43) and were determined only in the non-preserved area. The risk factors associated with Leptospira spp. infection were as follows: ages of 1-3 and > 3 years for goats and sheep, region (preserved area) for goats, intensive management system for sheep, and region (non-preserved area) for dogs and wildlife. The present study confirmed the presence of circulation of Leptospira spp. in both of these areas of the Caatinga biome, as well as a variety of serotypes in these areas.

This study verified the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in dogs, cats, wild mammals and their ectoparasites in Petrolina and Lagoa Grande Counties, Pernambuco, located in a semi-arid region in Northeastern Brazil. Anti-Bartonella spp. antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in 24.8% of dogs (27/109) and in 15% of cats (6/40). Bartonella sp. DNA was identified by PCR performed on DNA extracted from blood and ectoparasites using primers targeting Bartonella sp. gltA and ribC genes in 100% (9/9) of Pulex irritans from Cerdocyon thous, 57.4% (35/61) of P. irritans from dogs, 2.3% (1/43) of Ctenocephalides felis felis from dogs, 53.3% (24/45) of C. felis felis from cats, and 10% (1/10) of Polyplax spp. from Thrichomys apereoides. DNA sequencing identified Bartonella clarridgeiae and Bartonella henselae in C. felis felis from cats, Bartonella rochalimae in P. irritans from dog and C. thous, and Bartonella vinsoni berkhofii in P. irritans from dog., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

The study was to assess the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on root canals contaminated by Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). PDT was performed with 0.005% methylene blue dye and with a low-intensity red emission laser. Microbiological samples were collected before, immediately and 72 hours after instrumentation. Although PDT performed with the chosen light parameters promoted additional microbial reduction, this therapy did not achieve a statistically significant reduction of E. faecalis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the reclassification of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) as a tumor on the prevalence profile of odontogenic cysts (OCs) and odontogenic tumors (OTs)., Study Design: Two referral Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology services in Brazil were evaluated. All cases diagnosed as OCs or OTs were selected and classified according to the 1992 WHO-classification (cases before 2005 WHO classification of tumors excluding OKC) and the 2005 WHO classification of tumors, going forward including cases of odontogenic keratocyst tumor (KCOT). The frequency and prevalence of OCs and OTs were compared before and after the reclassification., Results: Among 27,854 oral biopsies, 4920 (17.66%) were OCs and 992 (3.56%) were OTs. The prevalence of OTs before 2005 WHO classification of tumors was 2.04%, while the prevalence after 2005 WHO classification was 11.51% (p < 0.0001). Before 2006, the most frequent tumor diagnosed was odontoma with 194 cases (39.67%), and after 2005 WHO classification of tumors the KCOT was the most frequent with 207 cases (41.07%)., Conclusions: The increase in the prevalence of OTs after 2005 WHO is related to the improvement of pathology services and to the inclusion of KCOT in the OTs group., (Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the structure and degradation patterns of BioGide ® and OsseoGuard™ collagen membranes. HA mediates inflammation and acts in cell migration, adhesion, and differentiation, benefitting tissue remodeling and vascularization. These are desirable effects in guided regeneration procedures, but it is still unknown whether HA alters the barrier properties of absorbable membranes., Design: Bone defects were created in the calvaria of rats, which were treated with HA gel 1% (HA group) or simply filled with blood clot (control group), and covered with BioGide ® or OsseoGuard™. The animals were euthanized after 1, 30, and 60days, and their calvarias were processed for histological analysis., Results: BioGide ® , in both HA and control groups, showed vascularization, intense cell colonization, bone formation, and tissue integration at 30 and 60days. In contrast, Osseoguard™ presented minimal cellular colonization, and inflammatory reaction associated to foreign body reaction in both time points and groups. The HA group of BioGide ® showed higher cell colonization (574.9±137.6) than the control group (269.1±70.83) at 60days (p<0.05). Despite this finding, the structure and degradation pattern were similar for BioGide ® and Osseoguard™ in the HA and control groups., Conclusion: The results suggest that HA did not interfere with tissue integration and structural degradation of BioGide ® and Osseoguard™ membranes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate changes in the enamel surface of bovine teeth after whitening with exogenous bleaching agents: 10% carbamide peroxide (group 1), 16% carbamide peroxide (group 2) and 35% hydrogen peroxide activated by a light-emitting diode (LED) (group 3). The evaluations were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)., Material and Methods: Ninety bovine teeth were divided into five groups (n = 18). The bleaching agents 10% and 16% carbamide peroxide were applied for eight hours a day for 14 consecutive days. The third agent, LED-activated 35% hydrogen peroxide, was used four times at seven-day intervals. Each of the four time points consisted of three applications of 10 minutes each. A 37% phosphoric acid solution and artificial saliva were used as positive and negative controls, respectively., Results: The evaluations by SEM showed changes in the enamel surfaces of the specimens. Based on the Mann-Whitney statistical test, the data showed significant differences ( p <0.05) between groups 1 and 2 and between groups 2 and 3. However, no significant difference ( p >0.05) was observed between groups 1 and 3., Conclusions: Based on these results, it can be concluded that bleaching agents can cause changes in the structure of tooth enamel and that these changes are related to the concentration and the duration of contact with the tooth surface. Key words: Bovine teeth, carbamide peroxide, enamel, hydrogen peroxide, scanning electronic microscopy., Competing Interests: The authors deny any conflicts of interest.

Objective:: The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dental effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in cleft patients using two types of expanders., Methods:: Twenty unilateral cleft lip and palate patients were randomly divided into two groups, according to the type of expander used: (I) modified Hyrax and (II) inverted Mini-Hyrax. A pretreatment cone-beam computed tomographic image (T0) was taken as part of the initial orthodontic records and three months after RME, for bone graft planning (T1)., Results:: In general, there was no significant difference among groups (p > 0.05). Both showed a significant transverse maxillary expansion (p < 0.05) and no significant forward and/or downward movement of the maxilla (p > 0.05). There was greater dental crown than apical expansion. Maxillary posterior expansion tended to be larger than anterior opening (p < 0.05). Cleft and non-cleft sides were symmetrically expanded and there was no difference in dental tipping between both sides (p > 0.05)., Conclusions:: The appliances tested are effective in the transverse expansion of the maxilla. However, these appliances should be better indicated to cleft cases also presenting posterior transverse discrepancy, since there was greater expansion in the posterior maxillary region than in the anterior one.

Background: The rock cavy Kerodon rupestris (Wied-Neuwied, 1820) is a rodent species endemic to northeastern Brazil. Earlier studies have associated the argasid tick Ornithodoros talaje (Guérin-Méneville, 1849) with rocky cavy; however, a recent study proposed that O. talaje is not established in Brazil, where previous reports of this species were possibly misidentifications of closely related species, yet to be properly determined. Here, we describe a new species of Ornithodoros Koch, 1844 associated with rock cavies in northeastern Brazil., Methods: During 2012-2013, Ornithodoros ticks were collected from K. rupestris resting places in Paraíba State (PB) and Piauí State (PI), northeastern Brazil. These ticks were brought alive to the laboratory, and used to form two laboratory colonies (PB and PI ticks). Field-collected adults and laboratory-reared larvae were used for morphological description through light and scanning electron microscopy. DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene were generated from nymphal ticks and used to conduct phylogenetic analyses along with other Ornithodoros spp. sequences from GenBank. Reproductive compatibility of crosses between PB and PI adult ticks was evaluated, as well as analyses of hybrid ticks through larval morphology by a principal components analysis (PCA) and DNA sequences of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region from adult ticks., Results: Morphological analysis allowed recognizing these ticks as a new species, Ornithodoros rietcorreai n. sp. The larva of O. rietcorreai is distinct from those of other Ornithodoros spp. by the combination of the following character states: 14 pairs of dorsal setae, dorsal plate pyriform, hypostome with pointed apex and dental formula 3/3 anteriorly, 2/2 posteriorly, and anal valves with long and pointed leaf-shaped ends. There were a few larval morphological differences between PB and PI ticks, and their mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences diverged by 3.3 %. On the other hand, cross-mating experiments showed that PB and PI ticks were reproductive compatible, indicating that they represent a single species. Analyses of ITS2 sequences and PCA corroborated this assumption., Conclusion: Ornithodoros rietcorreai is described as a new species associated with K. rupestris in Brazil, increasing the Brazilian tick fauna to 70 species.

The study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in goats, sheep, dogs and cats from two distinct regions in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil: Serra das Confusões National Park (SCNP), a preserved area; and municipality of Petrolina, a non-preserved area. Overall, by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), the prevalence for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in goats was 5.1% (19/376) and 2.4% (9/376); in sheep, it was 10.2% (34/332) and 14.2% (47/332); in dogs, it was 19.7% (25/127) and 3.9% (5/127) and, in cats, it was 25.7% (9/35) and 5.7% (5/35), for T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. For T. gondii infection, the risk factors associated with the seroprevalence was gender (female) and study area (Petrolina) for goats and only the study area (Petrolina) for dogs; and for N. caninum infection the risk factors were the age (six months to one year) and the study area (Petrolina) for sheep. The circulation of T. gondii and N. caninum was observed in both areas, with significative risk factors demonstrated of a degraded environment., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Osteolipoma is a rarely reported histologic variant of lipoma that exhibits bone formation. To the best of our knowledge, only 13 well-documented case reports of osteolipoma in the oral cavity have been published in the English literature. This study presents the clinical, radiographic, and histologic features of an osteolipoma in the oral cavity and reviews the pertinent literature. The patient was a 29-year-old female, who presented with an 8-month history of a painless, progressively enlarging, well-defined, movable submucosal mass in the left posterior buccal mucosa. The lesion had a hard consistency. Imaging findings revealed a spherical radiopacity with an irregular trabecular pattern. The lesion was excised and the diagnosis of osteolipoma was established. No recurrence was observed after a 5-year follow-up., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, Amblyomma ovale Koch ticks were collected from domestic dogs in two localities of the Atlantic rainforest biome of Brazil: 1) the Paty Valley of the Chapada Diamantina National Park, Bahia state (northeastern Brazil), and 2) Adrianópolis, Paraná state (southern Brazil). Ticks were screened for the presence of Rickettsia-like structures by the hemolymph test with Giménez staining, and then processed for isolation of rickettsiae in Vero cell culture by the shell-vial technique. Rickettsiae were isolated from one A. ovale tick of each of the two localities. The two isolates were successfully established in the laboratory with several passages, each one reaching >90% infection of the cells. The two isolates were identified as the spotted fever group (SFG) agent Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, as their gltA (350 bp), ompB (781 bp), and ompA (567 bp) gene fragments were 100% equal to GenBank corresponding sequences of the original strain Atlantic rainforest, reported to be infecting a human in southeastern Brazil, and also 100% equal to the available ompA sequence of strain Bahia, reported to be infecting a human in Paty Valley, the same area of the present study in Bahia state. Ten dogs from Paty Valley were serologically tested against rickettsial antigens by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. At least 60% of them were seroreactive to SFG rickettsiae. The role of A. ovale as vector of Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest in the Paty Valley area, as well as in other parts of Latin America, is discussed., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To evaluate the anterior and posterior maxillary width, the nasal passage volume, the oropharyngeal minimum axial area, and volume changes in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients treated with one of the following four expanders: Hyrax, Fan-Type, inverted mini-hyrax supported on the first permanent molars (iMini-M), or inverted mini-hyrax supported on the first premolars (iMini-B)., Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients with transverse maxillary deficiency who were submitted for rapid maxillary expansion were divided in four groups according to type of expander used. Cone-beam computed tomography images were taken before and 3 months after expansion. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences among the groups, and paired t-tests were used to evaluate the changes in each group., Results: All groups showed a significant increase in the anterior maxillary width, with no intergroup differences. The iMini-B was the only group that did not show a significant increase in the posterior maxillary width. The intergroup comparison demonstrated differences among all groups except between Hyrax and iMini-M, which showed the greatest posterior expansions. The intragroup analysis showed a significant increase in the nasal passage volume in hyrax and inverted mini-hyrax on the molar groups, but the intergroup comparison revealed a significant difference only between Fan-Type and inverted mini-hyrax on the molars. None of the expanders caused significant changes in the oropharyngeal measurements., Conclusions: Only the Hyrax and inverted mini-hyrax on the molar expanders effectively increased the nasal passage volume, and none of the expanders evaluated in this study modified the oropharyngeal airway.