Pollyanna Cordeiro Souto

Summary: Background: Transport is a routine stressor in equine management, yet the oxidative impact of short‐ and medium‐distance journeys remains poorly characterised. Objectives: To investigate the effects of 50 km and 300 km road transport on oxidative stress biomarkers in horses. Study Design: Longitudinal experimental study with repeated measures. Methods: Eleven healthy Quarter Horses underwent two journeys (50 km and 300 km). Serum samples were collected at nine time points: before transport (T0), immediately after (T1) and up to 144 h post‐transport (T2–T8). Biomarkers evaluated included nitric oxide (NO), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Results: Medium‐distance transport (300 km) induced significant oxidative alterations ( p < 0.001), characterised by a marked decrease in SOD activity and an increase in MDA concentrations from T1 to T6. In contrast, the 50 km journey resulted in only mild, inconsistent changes. NO and FRAP showed high variability and no significant differences between distances. Main Limitations: Limitations include the relatively small sample size ( n = 11) and the lack of climate control during transport, leading to variable environmental temperatures throughout the journey. Conclusions: Transport over 300 km triggers a substantial oxidative imbalance and cellular damage that persists during the recovery phase. Potential Relevance: Horses transported over medium distances may require at least 48 h of rest and potentially antioxidant supplementation to restore redox homeostasis before returning to high‐intensity exercise.

Didelphis aurita is a widely distributed neotropical marsupial frequently found in peri-urban environments and known to harbor various pathogens, including hemoparasites of the genus Hepatozoon. However, the systemic physiological responses of naturally infected individuals remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the serum proteomic profile of Didelphis aurita naturally infected with Hepatozoon sp., providing insights into host–parasite interactions and potential biomarkers of infection. Serum samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), followed by functional annotation based on Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment. A total of 67 proteins were identified, 33 of which were exclusive to infected animals. The most abundant proteins included albumin, hemoglobin subunits, and venom metalloproteinase inhibitors (DM43 and DM64). Functional enrichment revealed significant involvement in complement and coagulation cascades, protease inhibition, antioxidant defense, and extracellular vesicle localization. Key proteins such as fibrinogen, plasminogen, antithrombin, SERPIN family members, vitronectin, and fibronectin suggest an integrated host response involving hemostasis, inflammation control, and tissue remodeling. This is the first report of the serum proteome of Didelphis aurita naturally infected with Hepatozoon sp. Despite the absence of protein validation, the findings provide novel insights into marsupial immunophysiology and offer a foundation for future biomarker research and ecoimmunological surveillance in synanthropic species.

We aimed to develop a species-specific ELISA for qualitatively and quantitatively determining serum amyloid A (SAA) in horses. Current methods for measuring SAA in horses utilize ELISA or immunoturbidimetric tests designed for human SAA, which are not specific to horses. Mice and rabbits were used to generate polyclonal antibodies against equine SAA. The study examined serum samples from 32 horses with acute inflammatory disease (SG) and 25 clinically healthy horses. Furthermore, the SAAeq kinetics were observed in three horses from the SG group at three different timepoints. The SAA-ELISA established a cut-off at 0.06 OD₄₉₂nm, where values equal to or higher than this were deemed positive, while values below it was considered negative. The test exhibited a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 92%, resulting in an overall accuracy of 93%. The positive and negative predictive values were 94% and 92%, respectively. Coefficients of variation for inter- and intra-assay were 6.1% and 7.46% for SG and 9.6% and 9.63% for the control group (CG). The detection limit was determined to be 0.067. The SAA-ELISA proved its worth by demonstrating satisfactory performance, paving the way for the development of automated quantitative tests and species-specific semi-quantitative tests. This paves the way for their application in practical field settings.

The black-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a South American synanthropic marsupial. The presence of opossums in domestic spaces is relevant in the One-Health context since they are hosts of pathogens and ectoparasites that may affect the health of domestic animals and humans. In this study, we aim to determine the occurrence of hemoplasmas and selected tick-borne pathogens in free-ranging black-eared opossums, along with their molecular characterization, hematological and biochemical evaluation and factors associated with infection, in the municipality of Viçosa, State of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Thirty black-eared opossums were trapped between March 2021 and June 2022. Ectoparasites were collected. Hematological and biochemical analyses were performed. DNA from EDTA-blood samples were analyzed by PCR and qPCR assays. By molecular analyses, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris’ was the most prevalent hemoparasite (73.3%), followed by Hepatozoon sp. (22.2%). Significant differences were observed in the number of platelets, and in the concentration of protein and globulins in the animals infected by ‘Ca. M. haemoalbiventris’ when compared with the negative group. This is the first report of ‘Ca. M. haemoalbiventris’ infection in D. aurita.

Horse transport is a common practice and is usually associated as a cause of stress in animals, with consequences for their well-being. There are several of evidence that stress can increase an acute phase response. The aim of this study was to verify whether the road transport of horses over distances of 50 and 300 kilometers induces changes in the values of acute phase proteins. To do this, the serum SDS-PAGE was performed and the bands obtained were identified by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). The evaluations occurred before the road transportation (T0), immediately after the journey (T1), six hours later (T2), and 24 hours (T3), 48 hours (T4), 72 hours (T5), 96 hours (T6), 120 hours (T7) and 144 hours (T8) after the end of the trip. All analyzes were performed using the Minitab 17 statistical package, and significance was considered when p<0.05. The APPs found through SDS-PAGE and properly identified were α2-macroglobulin, ceruloplasmin, transferrin, albumin, α1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein alpha 1, and α1-acid glycoprotein. No differences were observed in the concentration values between 50 and 300 km or between the moments after each route. The distances covered with the horses were not challenging enough to provoke an acute phase response reflected in changes in APPs.