Development of approaches to the diagnosis of cattle leukemia in the system of antiepizootic measures in the Belgorod Region

The aim of the research is the use of serological and molecular genetic methods for detecting virus-infected cattle leukemia, as well as determining the significance of PCR in identifying BLV infected calves in the system of antiepizootic health measures. The developed technique for early diagnosis of leukemia in cattle made it possible to accelerate the process of recovery of disadvantaged farms in the Belgorod region by increasing the frequency of studies from 6 months to 2-3 months and an increase in the sensitivity of the agar-gel immunodiffusion test. This, in turn, leads to an increase in the sensitivity of the agar-gel immunodiffusion test and makes it possible to detect, on average, from 8.8% to 20.25% more animals infected with the leukemia virus compared to the standard reaction of the agar-gel immunodiffusion test. The additional use of molecular genetic tests for the detection of proviral DNA of the leukemia virus makes it possible to identify at the early stages of the development of the leukemia process, in calves from 15 days of age, the genomic material of bovine leukemia virus, which will also allow in a shorter time to carry out a qualitative improvement of young cattle in dysfunctional farms.

Prevalence of Brucella spp in humans

Objective: to determine the seroprevalence of Brucella spp in humans.Method: this is an observational study, developed with 455 individuals between 18 and 64 years old, who use the Estratégia de Saúde da Família (Brazil's family health strategy). The serum samples of volunteers underwent buffered acid antigen tests, such as screening, agar gel immunodiffusion and slow seroagglutination test in tubes and 2-Mercaptoethanol.Results: among the samples, 1.98% has responded to buffered-acid antigen, 2.85% to agar gel immunodiffusion test and 1.54% to the slow seroagglutination tests on tubes/2-Mercaptoethanol. The prevalence of Brucella spp was 4.4%, represented by the last two tests.Conclusion: the results of this research suggest that the studied population is exposed to Brucella spp infection.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in dogs from Western Brazilian Amazon

The objective of the study was to evaluate Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in urban dogs from the municipality of Monte Negro, Rondonia, Western Brazilian Amazon. The serum samples (n=126) were analyzed by indirect ELISA and the immunodiffusion test using P. brasiliensis gp43 and exoantigen as antigens, respectively. A positivity of 54.8% was observed only in the ELISA test and no statistical difference was observed in the seroprevalence in relation to age or sex. This is the first paracoccidioidomycosis survey carried out with dogs from the Western Brazilian Amazon. The higher positivity rates of P. brasiliensis infection observed in this study suggest that veterinarians must be alert to detect new cases of natural disease in dogs living in paracoccidioidomycosis endemic areas.