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This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the risk factors of infection by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Brazilian cats with cough and/or radiographic changes, using as diagnostic tools the Baermann method (BM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of feces, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and cytology. Forty-three cats that were presented with cough or lung radiographic abnormalities compatible with bronchoalveolar disease were included in the study. After clinical evaluation, feces samples were collected to investigate lungworm parasitism through BM and PCR. BALF was performed to provide samples for cytology, bacteriology, and fungal culture. Stool PCR was considered the gold standard for diagnosis tests, and the other methods were evaluated by their agreement. PCR presented 74% (32/43) of positivity for A. abstrusus, while in the BM, 41% (18/43) were positive. BM showed sensitivity of 56.25% and specificity of 100% when compared with PCR. No larva was found in the cytological evaluation of 21 BALF samples. Lungworm is an important cause of bronchopulmonary disease in domestic cats in Brazil and should be included as a differential diagnosis when a cat is presented with cough or radiographic abnormalities. BM is a sensitive, non-invasive, and cheap technique to diagnose the disease, but it is not as sensitive as PCR.

Verminotic pneumonia caused by Parafilaroides spp. nematodes is an underreported disease in beached South American fur seals, with scant literature available on the characteristics of parafilaroidiasis, the nematode itself, as well as its occurrence in pinnipeds in Brazil. The present work aims to identify, describe and detail the histological features of the infection and molecular characteristics of verminotic pneumonia in the South American fur seal. Twenty-six specimens of Arctocephalus australis, found dead on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul in 2021, were analysed. These animals were identified and submitted to necropsy and histology. For the molecular identification of metastrongylids, lung fragments were subjected to DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction targeting the Internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) gene and subsequent sequencing. In total, 12 animals presented with parasites in the lung parenchyma on histological evaluation, and only 1 showed a granulomatous lung lesion at necropsy. Microscopically, the nematodes were found mainly in the alveoli, associated with little or no inflammatory response, and they had morphological characteristics compatible with metastrongylids. Six ITS-2 gene quality sequences were obtained; after comparative analysis via BLAST, they showed similarity with sequences obtained from Parafilaroides sp. Therefore, verminotic pneumonia caused by Parafilaroides represents an important differential diagnosis of lung disease in South American fur seals found on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul.

Influenza D virus (IDV) is endemic in cattle on several continents and can also infect a wide range of hosts. IDV was first detected in a bovine respiratory disease outbreak associated with bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 in Brazil. Sequence analysis of partial segments showed that the virus is phylogenetically divergent from previously described IDVs from other continents. As the first molecular description of IDV in South America, this can be a first step toward investigating IDV infections in cattle in Brazil and surrounding countries in which the beef industry is economically important.

In this work, we investigated cases of birth of calves with congenital defects in a farm in Southern Brazil. Only calves born from heifers were affected, and the disease occurred in both crossbred and purebred calves. Three necropsies were performed, tissues were collected for histopathology, and samples of liver of calves, blood serum, and food provided for cows and heifers were collected to quantify the levels of the minerals: manganese, copper, and zinc. The calves were born weak, with disproportionate dwarfism, limb deformities, and enlarged joints. Heads were shortened and domed. Long bones had a shortened diaphysis and a normal-sized epiphysis, when compared to the control. In one of the cases, there were white-yellowish lines on the metaphyseal surface of the epiphyseal plate. Histopathology of growth plates revealed premature closure, disarrangement of chondrocyte columns, and collapse of primary spongiosa. These findings supported a diagnosis of chondrodysplasia. Liver manganese levels were under the reference values in the three calves. Food analysis revealed insufficient levels of manganese in the diet of heifers, especially in sorghum silage, which was provided as the main source of food for the category in some periods. Approximately 6 months after the diet was changed, the problem ceased and only normal calves continued to be born. Our findings allowed to conclude the diagnosis of chondrodysplasia of nutritional origin and reinforce the thesis that manganese is the mineral deficient in these cases.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) has been widely detected worldwide in healthy and sick pigs. Recently its association with clinical disease and reproductive failure has been proven through the detection of intralesional viral mRNA in affected pigs. This study aims to describe the occurrence of PCV3-associated reproductive failure (abortions) in sow herds in southern Brazil. Eleven fetuses from five different litters from two herds were analyzed. These herds reported an increase in the rate of late-gestation abortions, stillbirths, and the percentage of mummified piglets. At gross examination, six of the fetuses had large caudally rotated ears and one fetus was mummified. Microscopically, multisystemic vasculitis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, myocarditis, and encephalitis were observed. These six fetuses with gross and histological lesions were positive in qPCR analysis for PCV3, and PCV3 transcription was shown through in situ hybridization (ISH-RNA) within the histologic lesions. Samples from all 11 fetuses tested negative in PCR exam for Porcine Circovirus type 1 and 2, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, Porcine Parvovirus, and Atypical Porcine Pestivirus. Furthermore, based on the ORF2 analysis, the PCV3a clade was identified. This is the first report of PCV3a-associated reproductive failure in pig herds in South America.

The subfamily Parvovirinae within the family Parvoviridae consists of viruses that can infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts and cause effects ranging from severe disease to asymptomatic infection. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was utilized to analyze samples obtained from an abortion outbreak in a sheep flock to identify a putative viral etiology. A highly divergent nearly complete parvovirid genome sequence, approximately 4.9 kb in length, was determined. The nonstructural protein (NS1) amino acid (aa) sequence of this virus shared less than 30% identity with those of other copiparvoviruses and less than 22% identity with those of members of other genera in the subfamily Parvovirinae. Phylogenetically, this virus, which we have provisionally named \"sheep copiparvovirus 1\", formed a cluster with copiparvovirus sequences and should be classified as a member of a new species in the genus Copiparvovirus.

Mastitis may be caused by a wide range of microorganisms able to induce distinct lesions in mammary tissues. This study aims to characterize the gross and microscopic features of mastitis in dairy cows and to correlate them with the pathogens involved. The udders of slaughtered dairy cows were inspected and milk samples from each mammary quarter or fragments of the parenchyma were sent for microbiological analysis, and tissue collected for histopathological evaluation. A total of 148 cows and 592 mammary quarters were collected. From these, 432 quarters (73%) had mastitis and in 160 (27%), no changes were observed. Mastitis was classified into seven patterns based on the histopathological findings, of which mixed, lymphoplasmacytic, and suppurative mastitides were the most prevalent with 35.9% (155/432), 27.1% (117/432), and 14.3% (62/432) of the cases, respectively. These patterns were associated with the same set of pathogens: Streptococcus spp., coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, and Corynebacterium bovis. The pyogranulomatous pattern represented 7.2% (31/432) of the cases with distinct distribution based on the agent involved, mostly S. aureus and Nocardia sp. Abscedative mastitis accounted for 6.0% (26/432) of the cases; it was characterized by multiple abscesses in the parenchyma and was mainly caused by Trueperella pyogenes. Necrosuppurative mastitis represented 5.8% (25/432) of the cases which were characterized by severe parenchyma necrosis and were caused by bacteria such as CNS and Escherichia coli. The granulomatous pattern represented 3.7% (16/432) of the cases and was occasionally associated with Mycobacterium sp.

The objective of this study was to identify species of Angiostrongylus spp. infecting wild carnivores in Southern Brazil, as well as to describe gross and histopathological findings associated with the infection. Necropsy was conducted in 16 wild carnivores parasitized by Angiostrongylus spp. Analysed lungs revealed multifocal dark-red areas of consolidation; in one case, multifocal firm white nodules spread in all pulmonary lobes were observed. In one animal, a focally extensive area of malacia associated with haemorrhage was noted in the encephalon. Histologically, multifocal granulomatous pneumonia or bronchopneumonia, associated with eggs and larvae in blood vessels, lung interstitium, alveoli, and sometimes in bronchi and bronchioles was observed. Adult nematodes were seen within blood vessels. The lesion observed in the brain was characterized as a focally extensive area of malacia associated with gitter cells, haemorrhage, thrombosis and a free intralesional larva. Through molecular techniques, seven positive samples of Angiostrongylus cantonensis were obtained, including the brain sample, and a positive sample of Angiostrongylus vasorum-like, all in Cerdocyon thous. The positive sample for A. vasorum showed 97% similarity with sequences deposited in GenBank, suggesting a new species or subspecies of Angiostrongylus sp. Infection of Lycalopex gymnocercus by Angiostrongylus spp. was confirmed by histological evaluation.