Universidad de la Salle

Las siguientes son publicaciones realizadas por los investigadores de la Universidad de La Salle en Salud y Bienestar Animal.

Ocular surface and tear film changes in workers exposed to organic solvents used in the dry-cleaning industry

Workers in the dry-cleaning industry are exposed to organic solvents that may cause eye irritation and tear film changes. Objective To quantify changes in the ocular surface and tear film in dry cleaners exposed to organic solvents and associate these changes with ocular irritation as reported in a symptom questionnaire for dry eye diagnosis. Methods This was a case and control study in which the characteristics and eye-irritation symptoms were compared between two groups of 62 participants that were either exposed or not exposed to organic solvents. A general optometric examination and the following test were performed: lipid interferometry, Lissamine Green Stain, tear breakup time, Schirmer I, conjunctival impression cytology and the Donate dry eye symptoms questionnaire. Results Sixty-five percent of exposed workers obtained a higher score than 13 on the Donate dry eye symptoms questionnaire which indicated the presence of more irritation symptoms than those in the non-exposed group. A Chi-square analysis indicated the exposed group reported significantly higher incidences (P <0.005) for eye irritation symptoms of sandy sensation; tearing eyes sensation; foreign body sensation; tearing; dry eye; dryness; eyestrain and heavy eyelids. A Mann Whitney-U indicated greater severity only for symptoms relating to dry eye; sandy sensation; foreign body sensation, tearing; tearing eyes and dryness. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) for Schirmer I; tear break up time; and the ocular surface assessed with Lissamine green staining and conjunctival impression cytology between groups. A reduction in the thickness of the lipid layer in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group was observed. Surprisingly, clinical test outcomes were not significantly correlated with dry eye symptoms nor years of exposure. Conclusion Workers in the dry-cleaning industry exposed to organic solvents are associated with changes in ocular surface and tear film generating irritation symptoms commonly present in evaporative dry eye.

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Anatomical Distribution of Subcutaneous Fat and its Relationship with Body Condition Score in Pack Mules from the Central Andean Area of Colombia

Introduction: In the Colombian Andean mountain areas, mules are the basis for the development of agricultural activities of smallholders. In the management of mules, the empirical knowledge of farmers predominates for the nutritional aspect, which implies having the animals in optimal body condition for the task of pack loading. One of the important aspects of management related to animal welfare is the determination of body condition (level of fatness), which is calculated via subjective (visual) and objective techniques such as real-time ultrasound fat thickness measurement. Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine the fatness using ultrasound in different anatomical regions of the body and its association with body condition scores (BCSs) in working mules. Methods: Mules (n = 43) aged 5-30 years, from four municipalities in the western area of Cundinamarca, were measured in each sample. Mules were assigned a BCS value (1-9) based on visual appraisal and palpation of the dorsal and lumbar areas, area behind the shoulder, withers, and tail head as well as by measuring the subcutaneous fat thickness using ultrasound in five anatomical sites [back fat thickness (BFT), loin fat thickness (LFT), hearth fat thickness (HFT), wither fat thickness (WFT), and hip fat thickness (FHT)]. Results: The mean BCS in the mules was 5.2 +/- 1.1 and the mean subcutaneous fat thickness for the sites BFT, LFT, HFT, WFT, and FHT were 5.2 +/- 2.1 mm, 3.9 +/- 0.8 mm, 7.0 +/- 2.2 mm, 4.7 +/- 1.5, and 4.2 +/- 1.2 mm, respectively. Correlation coefficient between BCS and BFT was r = 0.39 (p <0.01), that between BCS and HFT was 0.49 (p <0.01), and that between BCS and HFT was r = 0.43 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: We concluded that the distribution of subcutaneous fatness is different for the five anatomical sites evaluated, demonstrating a greater fatness in the hearth region followed by the back region.

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Alteration of the Reproductive Indicators by the Presence of Leptospira spp. in Sows of Swine Farms

Background: Leptospirosis is a worldwide disease that impacts health, welfare and animal production. Manifestations in swine range from subclinical to severe cases of reproductive failure, generating abortions, embryonic resorption, litters with few piglets, and piglets born weak or dead, which causes great economic losses. Tropical conditions in Colombia favor transmission and maintenance of Leptospira, highlighting the importance of implementing direct diagnostic techniques such as isolation through culture to reach a definitive diagnosis. The objective of the present study was to relate reproductive indicators behavior with the presence of Leptospira spp. in two pig farms in Cundinamarca, Colombia. Materials, Methods & Results: Sows in reproductive stage in two pig farms were selected. A clinical examination of the animals was performed to demonstrate the presence of signs suggestive of Leptospirosis, also the sow records were reviewed to find reports of any of these clinical manifestations, and the average of the reproductive indicators was calculated to set which were altered in the sows. Blood and urine samples were obtained and analyzed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and isolation through culture, respectively. Among the altered reproductive indicators were identified: total pigs born (TPB) in 72.5%, stillbirths (SB) by 70%, mummified pigs (MUM) in a 52.5%, pre-weaning death (PWD) by 40% and the 24 h mortality (M24h) in the 20%. The 77.5% of the sows were positive by MAT. The predominant serovars of Leptospira spp. included Grippotyphosa (67.5%), Canicola (22.5%), Icterohaemorrhagiae (20%), Hardjo (17.5%) and Pomona (12.5%). The bacterium was isolated in 32.5% of the analyzed urine samples. There is increased risk of alteration in the indicators M24h (1.27), TPB (1.08), SB (1.15) and MUM (1.27) with the presence of Leptospira by isolation through culture. Discussion: The birth of weak piglets and the alteration of indicators such as SB were the most common findings in this study, which are of the major alterations caused by the bacteria because Leptospira can be located in the uterus. Positive cultures, 32.5% (13/40), indicate a high percentage of positive animals in the population. The total of positive culture results reveal that humans, pigs and other animal species from the farms and surrounding areas, are at risk of exposure to the bacteria, because these positive sows are eliminating the microorganism through urine to the environment, representing a problem for public health. This is why it is important to perform the identification of bacteria in urine. It establishes whether the animal is a carrier, although the non-detection of the microorganism in the urine does not rule out that this is a chronic renal carrier because it may indicate that at the moment of the test the animal was not excreting detectable amounts of the bacteria. The total of positive sera (77.5%) indicates a high seropositivity of swine leptospirosis in the population. Regarding serovars of Leptospira spp. identified, Grippotyphosa has the largest presentation (67.5%), therefore, as pigs are not maintenance hosts of this serovar, the results of this study suggest that synanthropic rodents that are found on farms may be transmitting the bacteria to pigs. The reproductive indicators related to the Leptospira serovars by X-2 test, demonstrated significant association between the average of SB and the serovar Pomona, which has as reservoir the swine species and it is related with the production of piglets born dead, while through the Pearson correlation coefficient it was found that the greater the number of positive samples to serovar Pomona there is a greater presentation of weak piglets, and also was demonstrated that animals with Leptospira spp. have a higher risk to present alterations of the M24h, the average of TPB, SB and MUM.

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The Cloacal Microbiome Changes with the Breeding Season in a Wild Bird

The symbiotic microbial communities, or microbiomes, that reside on animals are dynamic, and can be affected by the behavior and physiology of the host. These communities provide many critical beneficial functions for their hosts, but they can also include potential pathogens. In birds, bacteria residing in the cloaca form a complex community, including both gut and sexually-transmitted bacteria. Transmission of cloacal bacteria among individuals is likely during the breeding season, when there is direct cloacal contact between individuals. In addition, the major energetic investment in reproduction can draw resources away from immune responses that might otherwise prevent the successful establishment of microbes. We assessed dynamic variation in the cloacal microbiome of free-living rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) through sequential breeding and non-breeding seasons. We found that the cloacal bacterial communities differed between the sexes when they were in breeding condition. Further, in males, but not in females, the bacterial community became more diverse with the onset of reproduction, and then decreased in diversity as males transitioned to non-breeding condition. Individuals sampled across sequential breeding seasons did not accumulate more bacterial taxa over seasons, but bacterial community composition did change. Our results suggest that the cloacal microbiome in birds is dynamic and, especially in males, responsive to breeding condition.

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Genotype identification of Staphylococcus with methicillin-resistant phenotype isolated from human, animal and environmental samples

The aim of this study was to identify the mecA-1 gene of Staphylococcus isolates with methicillin-resistant phenotype (SMR) obtained from biological samples and surfaces of a veterinary clinic. Nine isolates with SMR phenotype classified by the automated VITEK system were selected. The genus and the variability were corroborated by amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA and tuf genes. The presence of the mecA-1 gene was also established by PCR. In the nine isolates with SMR phenotype, the 16S rRNA and tuf genes were identified, showing 99% similarity with reference strains; however, only in five isolates was found the mecA-1 gene. The results showed a greater identification of the MR genotype in intra-hospital surfaces, which indicates the need for control and monitoring of these strains in veterinary hospitals due to the implications they have on public health.

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