IBV variants belonging to the GI-23 lineage have circulated since 1998 in the Middle East and have spread to several countries over time. In Brazil, the first report of GI-23 occurred in 2022. The study aimed to evaluate the in vivo pathogenicity of exotic variant GI-23 isolates. Biological samples were screening by real-time RT-PCR and classified in to GI-1 or G1-11 lineages. Interestingly, 47.77% were not classified in these lineages. Nine of the unclassified strains were sequenced and showed a high similarity to the GI-23 strain. All nine were isolated and three, were studied for pathogenicity. At necropsy, the main observations were the presence of mucus in the trachea and congestion in the tracheal mucosa. In addition, lesions on the tracheas showed marked ciliostasis, and the ciliary activity confirmed the high pathogenicity of isolates. This variant is highly pathogenic to the upper respiratory tract and can cause severe kidney lesions. This study confirm a circulation of GI-23 strain in the country and report, to first time, the isolation of an exotic variant of IBV in Brazil.

Diversos metais pesados e metalóides desempenham funções vitais nos organismos vivos. Por outro lado, a exposição excessiva pode provocar possíveis efeitos morfológicos e fisiológicos negativos em répteis. A ação antrópica pode interferir diretamente no desequilíbrio fisiológico desses animais, dado que os xenobióticos presentes em resíduos de atividades humanas acabam por gerar espécies reativas de oxigênio nos organismos, essa condição é estabelecida quando a produção de radicais livres supera as barreiras antioxidantes. É possível realizar monitoramento ambiental para estudos ecotoxicológicos por meio de bioindicadores e biomarcadores moleculares, utilizando técnicas não invasivas para a amostragem, sem prejudicar a vida selvagem. O objetivo desta revisão literária foi averiguar informações sobre a influência de metais pesados e sua relação com o estresse oxidativo, ações antrópicas, bioindicadores ambientais e suas relações com danos metabólicos em répteis. Para realizar essa revisão, foram utilizados artigos em bases científicas PubMed, portal de periódicos CAPES, Google acadêmico e SciELO. A partir desta pesquisa, notou-se que a ação antrópica tem impacto prejudicial tanto para os animais quanto para o homem, visto que diversos metais e metalóides são disseminados através de resíduos de atividades industriais e doméstica, e quando dispostos de forma irresponsável em biota marinha ou terrestre podem ocasionar fenômenos de bioacumulação e biomagnificação. Isto exposto, esse cenário leva a diversos danos metabólicos, resultando em lesões celulares e disfunção orgânica. O impacto que o uso abusivo de metais pesados e contaminantes no geral pode resultar em remodelagem dos ecossistemas, com efeitos diretos na conservação de répteis.

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are important pathogens affecting poultry worldwide. Different serotypes cause distinct disease syndromes in domestic chickens, including gizzard erosions (GE), inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), and hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome (HHS). Despite the economic impact, the evaluation of pathogenicity and genomic features of Brazilian isolates has not yet been assessed. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenic characteristics and whole-genome features of two FAdV Brazilian isolates, BRMSA3762 (FAdV-1) and BRMSA3761 (FAdV-11). For this, pathogenicity was evaluated through inoculation of day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens and embryos. Infected birds were macroscopically and histologically examined in trachea, heart, proventriculus, gizzard, liver, pancreas, duodenum, kidney, and bursa of Fabricius. Also, we analyzed viral distribution in tissues and cloacal virus shedding through real-time PCR. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing enabled phylogenetic reconstruction and recombination analyses. Results revealed that FAdV-1 was pathogenic, causing severe erosions in the gizzard and a slight alteration in the heart tissue, while FAdV-11 exhibited higher virulence and affected several tissues, including pancreas, liver, gizzard, bursa, and heart. Both viruses were detected in all tissues 8 days post-inoculation, and viral excretion through cloaca occurred throughout the entire experimental period. Differences were established in viral titers, with FAdV-11 demonstrating a higher viral load in tissues and cloacal shedding. In addition, both isolates demonstrated to be pathogenic in SPF chicken embryos. Genomic analysis revealed that BRMSA3762 clustered with sequences from other countries in the Americas, showing no evidence of recombination. Surprisingly, BRMSA3761 clustered with sequences isolated in Europe and the Middle East and was identified as a putative recombinant showing a genetic arrangement closely related to Iranian and Lebanese sequences. Collectively, our findings provide important insights into the pathogenicity of Brazilian fowl adenovirus isolates and contribute to the current understanding of their genetic diversity.

Mirtazapine, a tetracyclic antidepressant initially developed for human use, has been widely used in feline medicine due to its anxiolytic, antiemetic, and appetite stimulant properties. Some psychotropic medications have been shown to modulate immune activation, but the effects of mirtazapine on the cat’s immune system remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effects of mirtazapine on gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy domestic cats. TNF-α and IL-6 are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and infectious diseases affecting felines. For this purpose, PBMC from cats were treated overnight with 50 μM of mirtazapine, and the expression of these cytokines was analyzed by real-time PCR. There was a significant reduction in the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the treated cells compared to the control group, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect of mirtazapine. The anti-inflammatory effects of mirtazapine may represent a novel therapeutic option for cats with inflammatory conditions.