Risk Analysis and Occurrence of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Domestic Swine in Northeast Brazil

Anti-HEV antibodies were detected in animals from abattoir and in farms from northeast Brazil. Our results suggest that HEV is highly disseminated in the swine population and might present a great risk to animal handlers and for consumption of raw or undercooked meat and meat products in northeast Brazil.

Serological Survey of Porcine circovirus-2 in Captive Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Registered Farms of South and South-east Regions of Brazil

This study aimed to survey captive wild boars for antibodies against Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) in registered farms. Serum samples (n = 1305) were collected from 90-day-old wild boars from 118 farms of the Brazilian South-east region, including the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo, and South region, including the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. All herds (100%) presented reactive animals, in varying numbers and from low-to-high antibody titres, with the occurrence ranging from 82 to 89%. Considering farms, the average prevalence was of 84.9% (P < 0.05) and ranged from 54.1 to 94.95%. Regarding the geographic regions studied, the prevalence was of 100%, with PCV2 antibodies detected in wild boars of all regions. This study provides the first evidence of PCV2 antibodies in captive wild boars in Brazil.

Development and evaluation of single-tube nested PCR (STNPCR) for the detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2)

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is a common virus in pig population and is associated with the postweaning multisystemic wasting disease (PMWS). In this study, it was developed and evaluated the single-tube nested PCR (STNPCR) method for the detection of PCV2 DNA. PCV2 reference controls and swine tissue samples were used, and primers were selected for targeting specific regions of the viral genome. In comparison of the methods, STNPCR was 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR and showed the same sensitivity to nested PCR (NPCR), but with reduction in the risk of cross-contamination. In clinical application, 55 tissue samples were analysed by conventional PCR and resulted in 67% (37/55) of positive reactions, while the NPCR and STNPCR were able to identify the presence of viral DNA in 100% (55/55) of the samples. The high sensitivity combined with the elimination of cross-contamination makes the STNPCR method suitable for the epidemiological studies of PCV2 and can aid in the diagnosis of PMWS.

[Giant epignathus in the newborn: report of a case and review of the literature]

Epignathus is a congenital teratoide tumor in the oral cavity. It is extremely rare and usually lethal. The authors present a case treated successfully. Important aspects of the diagnosis, clinical management and surgical procedures are discussed. Extensive review of the literature is presented.