João Vitor dos Santos Alves da Silva

Hemoplasmas (hemotropic mycoplasmas) are Gram-negative bacteria that bind to the surface of red blood cells of mammals and may cause hematological alterations in the infected host, and in urban environments, wildlife species may act as important reservoirs of these agents. The study aimed to evaluate, through molecular analysis, the infection of hemoplasmas in capybaras from the Parque das Nações Indígenas, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Additionally, we evaluated the health status of infected and non-infected capybaras by haematological parameters. The results of PCR assays based on the 16 S rRNA gene confirmed the presence of hemoplasmas in 84.6% (55/65) of the samples. Phylogenetic inferences based on 16 S and 23 S rRNA genes positioned the sequences into the ´Candidatus Mycoplasma haematohydrochoerus ´ clade. The findings suggest that the high prevalence, low genetic variability, and unchanged hematological parameters may indicate host tolerance or adaptation to ‘Ca . M. haematohydrochoerus’ infection.

Purpose: To analyze the effects of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) on healing of clean surgical wounds in dogs. Methods: Thirty healthy, non-neutered dogs of different breeds underwent elective ovariohysterectomy or orchiectomy, and a 1-cm circular abdominal wound was created. Animals were divided into three groups (n = 10). Groups T1 and T2 received PHMB dressings changed once and twice daily. The control group (C) had wounds cleaned daily with saline and covered with gauze. Macroscopic evaluations were performed daily for 10 days, assessing edema, exudate, cosmetic appearance, and color. After 10 days, excisional biopsies were collected for histopathology evaluating vascular proliferation, inflammatory cells, fibroblastic proliferation, collagenization, necrosis, hyperplasia, and reepithelialization, and immunohistochemistry for reepithelialization and angiogenesis. Results: Macroscopic evaluations showed no significant differences among groups. Histopathology revealed greater collagenization in group C than in T2 (p < 0.05), while T1 did not differ from the others. Immunohistochemistry showed no differences in reepithelialization among groups. However, angiogenesis was higher in C and T2 than in T1 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: PHMB dressings neither demonstrate superior healing compared with gauze and saline cleaning nor impair healing and may represent an option for wound management in dogs.

Blood transfusions are indispensable in Veterinary Medicine, providing therapeutic support in cases of hematological disorders. Several pathogens can cause disease and/or exacerbate the condition of immunocompromised dogs or those requiring a transfusion. This study aimed to investigate the molecular occurrence of hemopathogens (Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., piroplasmids, and hemoplasmas) in blood donor and patient dogs using samples from a clinical veterinary laboratory in Brazil. One hundred blood samples were collected from each group. All dogs tested negative for Bartonella spp. in all performed assays. Among the 100 dogs from the clinical veterinary laboratory, 15% (95% CI: 9.3–23.3) tested positive for Ehrlichia spp., 6% (95% CI: 2.8–12.5) for Anaplasma spp., 3% (95% CI: 1.0–8.5) for Babesia spp., and 2% (95% CI: 0.6–7.0) for hemoplasmas. Blood donor dogs tested positive for hemoplasmas (5%) (95% CI: 2.2–11.2). Additional conventional and real-time PCR assays followed by sequencing confirmed the presence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia vogeli, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum’, and Mycoplasma haemocanis. The molecular detection of E. canis, A. platys, ‘Ca. M. haematoparvum’, and M. haemocanis in dogs from midwestern Brazil reinforces the relevance of molecular tools in diagnosing hemopathogens. This is the first molecular detection of hemoplasmas in canine blood donors from Brazil. This finding indicates their silent circulation and highlights the importance of molecular screening to prevent the worsening of clinical conditions and the risk of turning recipients into new sources of infection.