Doctora en Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Argentina.Bacterióloga Clínica e Industrial, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina.Profesora-Investigadora. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, hasta 2015.Profesora Instituto Superior de Formaión Docente y Técnica Nº 70, Rauch, Argentina.Directora de Ambiente. Municipalidad de Rauch, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Se presenta una revisión sobre el protozoo Neospora caninum. En la primera parte, se pone énfasis... more Se presenta una revisión sobre el protozoo Neospora caninum. En la primera parte, se pone énfasis en los signos clínicos que produce en bovinos, el diagnóstico y la importancia económica en la producción de este ganado. En la segunda parte de este trabajo se trata la respuesta inmune provocada por la neosporosis en bovinos y las medidas de control y profilaxis que se recomienda tomar para prevenir la infección en esta especie.Neospora caninum infection is a major cause of abortion in cattle. The objective of this work is to review the clinical signs, diagnosis and economic losses produced by neosporosis in cows. The second part of this paper discuss the immune response in cattle and the control and prophylaxis recommended to prevent the infection in this species.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria
Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron caracterizar los lechones mortinatos provenientes de tres gr... more Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron caracterizar los lechones mortinatos provenientes de tres granjas de cria intensiva en confinamiento de ]a provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, sobre ]a base de los hallazgos anatomopatologicos macroscopicos y determinar, mediante estudios inmunoserologicos del liquido pleural, la presencia de algunos agentes infecciosos que inciden en su presentacion. Se realizo ]a necropsia de 1.024 mortinatos, los que se clasificaron en intraparto, anteparto momificados y anteparto no momificados, Se tomaron muestras de liquido pleural, de las cuales 200 fueron procesadas para la determinacion de anticuerpos contra parvovirus porcino, virus de la enfermedad de Aujeszky, Leptospira interrogans (4 serogrupos) y Brucella suis, Para Toxoplasma gondii fueron procesadas 738 muestras. Los porcentajes de mortinatos totales en las granjas A, B Y C fueron 4, 1, 3.4 Y 10.8%, respectivamente, En las granjas A y C e] mayor porcentaje fue para los intraparto (61.8 y 92.2%), mientras que en ]a B fue para los anteparto momificados (54, 8%). En A y C, el alto porcentaje de mortinatos intraparto se asocio con la presencia de anticuerpos contra L. Interrogans serogrupo Icterohemorrhagiae, mientras que en la B el alto porcentaje de momias se relaciono con la presencia de anticuerpos contra parvovirus porcino. En las 3 granjas se observo positividad al T. Gondii, en particular en la B, siendo este hallazgo coincidente con la presencia de gatos. La determinacion de anticuerpos contra virus de la enfermedad de Aujeszky y B. Suis fue negativa en las 3 granjas. La caracterizacion de los mortinatos asociada a la determinacion de anticuerpos en liquido pleural constituyo un metodo simple y efectivo, resultando de utilidad como herramienta complementaria en la determinacion del perfil sero]ogico de exposicion a patogenos que producen trastornos reproductivos.
... FIV). MARIA C. VENTURINI, MARIA C CASTELLANO* DIANA BACIGALUPE, GRAGIELA OLIVA**, JUAN M.UNZA... more ... FIV). MARIA C. VENTURINI, MARIA C CASTELLANO* DIANA BACIGALUPE, GRAGIELA OLIVA**, JUAN M.UNZAGA, MIGUEL A.RISSO***, DANIEL ARIAS****, CECILIA DI LORENZO y LUCILA VENTURINI. Toxoplasma gondii ...
Toxoplasmosis is commonly asymptomatic; however, it can be a fatal multi systemic disease in some... more Toxoplasmosis is commonly asymptomatic; however, it can be a fatal multi systemic disease in some animal species, such as New World monkeys. An outbreak of acute fatal toxoplasmosis was reported in a colony of black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) from the zoo of La Plata, Argentina. Post-mortem examination of two monkeys revealed macroscopical and microscopical lesions compatible with acute toxoplasmosis. Presence of Toxoplasma gondii was confirmed by immunohistochemistry on monkey tissues, bioassay in mice and PCR using the specific primers B22-B23. By PCR-RFLP analysis, T. gondii isolated in mice, deriving from both monkeys, showed the same restriction pattern, with most markers showing a type III restriction pattern, except for C22-8 (type II) and C29-2 (type I). To our knowledge this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in S. boliviensis caused by a non-canonical or atypical genotype of T. gondii.
Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated protozoan that causes a sexually transmitted disease in ca... more Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated protozoan that causes a sexually transmitted disease in cattle. Trichomonosis is characterized by early abortions, subfertility and a significant decrease in productivity. Vaccine preparations containing whole T. foetus can reduce the time of residence of the pathogen in the host cervix after experimental infection. Here, T. foetus vaccines prepared with different adjuvants were tested, in parallel with a commercial vaccine, for their efficacy to clear the infection. The median time for clearance of infection was 69days in non-immunized animals, 55days in animals treated with aluminum hydroxide, 41days with oil-in-water or saponin based vaccines or with a commercial vaccine and 27days in animals treated with saponin plus aluminum hydroxide. A slight increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance from the genital tract was found with the saponin based vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-6.17) or the commercial vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-6.38). A significant increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance was found with the combination of saponin plus aluminum hydroxide based vaccine (hazard ratio, 5.12; 95% confidence interval, 2.04-12.83).
Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antib... more Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Antibodies were detected in 15 samples at a 1:20 dilution in the indirect fluorescent antibody test and 10 samples were positive in the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a dilution of 1:25; four of these samples had a MAT titer of > or = 1:100. This survey indicates a low rate of congenital T. gondii infection in stillborn pigs in Argentina.
The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mai... more The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mainly responsible for severe side effects and discontinuation of toxoplasmosis treatments. In the search for new strategies that improve the efficacy of treatments with reduced doses of SDZ, we have determined the performance of cationic G4 (DG4) and anionic G4.5 (DG4.5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers to act as SDZ nanocarriers. Both dendrimers could efficiently load SDZ (SDZ-DG4 and SDZ-DG4.5) up to a ratio of 30 molecules SDZ per dendrimer molecule. The MTT assay on Vero and J774 cells showed no cytotoxicity for DG4.5 and its SDZ complex incubated between 0.03 and 33 microM of dendrimer concentration. On the other hand, DG4 and its SDZ complex resulted cytotoxic when incubated at dendrimer concentrations higher than 3.3 microM. Finally, complexes and empty dendrimers were in vitro tested against Vero cells infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii along 4h of treatment. For SDZ-D...
Sarcocystis sp. and Neospora caninum infections affect cattle worldwide causing important economi... more Sarcocystis sp. and Neospora caninum infections affect cattle worldwide causing important economic losses. The objective of the present study was to trace serologic profiles for Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum in naturally infected beef calves and analyze their relationship with transmission routes and productive performance. Samples were collected in two cow-calf operations located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. In farm 1, 43 calves were bled and weighed three times. In farm 2, 69 calves were bled and weighed six times. Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) titers were averaged for each sampling point in order to trace serologic profiles for each infection. Categories were created to evaluate differences in daily weight gain. For S. cruzi antigen, animals were separated in a low-titer (< or = 200) and high-titer group (>200); for N. caninum, animals were grouped as infected and uninfected. Sarcocystis sp. antibody titer as well as the number of infected animals increased gradually over time in both farms. In farm 2 the low-titer group had significantly higher daily weight gain than the high-titer group. For N. caninum 44% (farm 1) and 65% (farm 2) of calves were considered infected, and the serological profile was horizontal or decreasing over time. However, seroprevalence increased in both farms and vertical and horizontal transmission frequency were estimated between 18.5%-29% and 22-25.5%, respectively. No differences were detected in daily weight gain between N. caninum groups from both farms. This is the first report of serological profiles for Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum by IFAT in naturally infected beef calves and their relationship to different transmission routes and productive performance.
The aims of this study were to identify the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum ... more The aims of this study were to identify the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum abortions in goats from Argentina by serological, macroscopical and microscopical examination and bioassay, and to characterize the obtained isolates by molecular techniques. For this purpose, 25 caprine fetal fluids, 18 caprine fetal brains and 10 caprine placentas from 8 dairy/meat goat farms from Argentina were analyzed. Gestational age of the aborted fetuses was determined in 18 cases. Protozoal infections were detected by at least one of the applied diagnostic techniques in 44% (11/25) of examined fetuses; specifically, 24% (6/25) were positive to T. gondii, 8% (2/25) were positive to N. caninum and 12% (3/25) were positive to both parasites. In this study IFAT titers were similarly distributed in younger and older fetuses. Macroscopical and microscopical examination of one placenta revealed chalky nodules in the fetal cotyledons and normal intercotyledonary areas, as well as necros...
Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antib... more Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Antibodies were detected in 15 samples at a 1:20 dilution in the indirect fluorescent antibody test and 10 samples were positive in the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a dilution of 1:25; four of these samples had a MAT titer of > or = 1:100. This survey indicates a low rate of congenital T. gondii infection in stillborn pigs in Argentina.
Se presenta una revisión sobre el protozoo Neospora caninum. En la primera parte, se pone énfasis... more Se presenta una revisión sobre el protozoo Neospora caninum. En la primera parte, se pone énfasis en los signos clínicos que produce en bovinos, el diagnóstico y la importancia económica en la producción de este ganado. En la segunda parte de este trabajo se trata la respuesta inmune provocada por la neosporosis en bovinos y las medidas de control y profilaxis que se recomienda tomar para prevenir la infección en esta especie.Neospora caninum infection is a major cause of abortion in cattle. The objective of this work is to review the clinical signs, diagnosis and economic losses produced by neosporosis in cows. The second part of this paper discuss the immune response in cattle and the control and prophylaxis recommended to prevent the infection in this species.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria
Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron caracterizar los lechones mortinatos provenientes de tres gr... more Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron caracterizar los lechones mortinatos provenientes de tres granjas de cria intensiva en confinamiento de ]a provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, sobre ]a base de los hallazgos anatomopatologicos macroscopicos y determinar, mediante estudios inmunoserologicos del liquido pleural, la presencia de algunos agentes infecciosos que inciden en su presentacion. Se realizo ]a necropsia de 1.024 mortinatos, los que se clasificaron en intraparto, anteparto momificados y anteparto no momificados, Se tomaron muestras de liquido pleural, de las cuales 200 fueron procesadas para la determinacion de anticuerpos contra parvovirus porcino, virus de la enfermedad de Aujeszky, Leptospira interrogans (4 serogrupos) y Brucella suis, Para Toxoplasma gondii fueron procesadas 738 muestras. Los porcentajes de mortinatos totales en las granjas A, B Y C fueron 4, 1, 3.4 Y 10.8%, respectivamente, En las granjas A y C e] mayor porcentaje fue para los intraparto (61.8 y 92.2%), mientras que en ]a B fue para los anteparto momificados (54, 8%). En A y C, el alto porcentaje de mortinatos intraparto se asocio con la presencia de anticuerpos contra L. Interrogans serogrupo Icterohemorrhagiae, mientras que en la B el alto porcentaje de momias se relaciono con la presencia de anticuerpos contra parvovirus porcino. En las 3 granjas se observo positividad al T. Gondii, en particular en la B, siendo este hallazgo coincidente con la presencia de gatos. La determinacion de anticuerpos contra virus de la enfermedad de Aujeszky y B. Suis fue negativa en las 3 granjas. La caracterizacion de los mortinatos asociada a la determinacion de anticuerpos en liquido pleural constituyo un metodo simple y efectivo, resultando de utilidad como herramienta complementaria en la determinacion del perfil sero]ogico de exposicion a patogenos que producen trastornos reproductivos.
... FIV). MARIA C. VENTURINI, MARIA C CASTELLANO* DIANA BACIGALUPE, GRAGIELA OLIVA**, JUAN M.UNZA... more ... FIV). MARIA C. VENTURINI, MARIA C CASTELLANO* DIANA BACIGALUPE, GRAGIELA OLIVA**, JUAN M.UNZAGA, MIGUEL A.RISSO***, DANIEL ARIAS****, CECILIA DI LORENZO y LUCILA VENTURINI. Toxoplasma gondii ...
Toxoplasmosis is commonly asymptomatic; however, it can be a fatal multi systemic disease in some... more Toxoplasmosis is commonly asymptomatic; however, it can be a fatal multi systemic disease in some animal species, such as New World monkeys. An outbreak of acute fatal toxoplasmosis was reported in a colony of black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) from the zoo of La Plata, Argentina. Post-mortem examination of two monkeys revealed macroscopical and microscopical lesions compatible with acute toxoplasmosis. Presence of Toxoplasma gondii was confirmed by immunohistochemistry on monkey tissues, bioassay in mice and PCR using the specific primers B22-B23. By PCR-RFLP analysis, T. gondii isolated in mice, deriving from both monkeys, showed the same restriction pattern, with most markers showing a type III restriction pattern, except for C22-8 (type II) and C29-2 (type I). To our knowledge this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in S. boliviensis caused by a non-canonical or atypical genotype of T. gondii.
Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated protozoan that causes a sexually transmitted disease in ca... more Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellated protozoan that causes a sexually transmitted disease in cattle. Trichomonosis is characterized by early abortions, subfertility and a significant decrease in productivity. Vaccine preparations containing whole T. foetus can reduce the time of residence of the pathogen in the host cervix after experimental infection. Here, T. foetus vaccines prepared with different adjuvants were tested, in parallel with a commercial vaccine, for their efficacy to clear the infection. The median time for clearance of infection was 69days in non-immunized animals, 55days in animals treated with aluminum hydroxide, 41days with oil-in-water or saponin based vaccines or with a commercial vaccine and 27days in animals treated with saponin plus aluminum hydroxide. A slight increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance from the genital tract was found with the saponin based vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-6.17) or the commercial vaccine (hazard ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-6.38). A significant increase in the risk of T. foetus clearance was found with the combination of saponin plus aluminum hydroxide based vaccine (hazard ratio, 5.12; 95% confidence interval, 2.04-12.83).
Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antib... more Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Antibodies were detected in 15 samples at a 1:20 dilution in the indirect fluorescent antibody test and 10 samples were positive in the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a dilution of 1:25; four of these samples had a MAT titer of > or = 1:100. This survey indicates a low rate of congenital T. gondii infection in stillborn pigs in Argentina.
The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mai... more The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mainly responsible for severe side effects and discontinuation of toxoplasmosis treatments. In the search for new strategies that improve the efficacy of treatments with reduced doses of SDZ, we have determined the performance of cationic G4 (DG4) and anionic G4.5 (DG4.5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers to act as SDZ nanocarriers. Both dendrimers could efficiently load SDZ (SDZ-DG4 and SDZ-DG4.5) up to a ratio of 30 molecules SDZ per dendrimer molecule. The MTT assay on Vero and J774 cells showed no cytotoxicity for DG4.5 and its SDZ complex incubated between 0.03 and 33 microM of dendrimer concentration. On the other hand, DG4 and its SDZ complex resulted cytotoxic when incubated at dendrimer concentrations higher than 3.3 microM. Finally, complexes and empty dendrimers were in vitro tested against Vero cells infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii along 4h of treatment. For SDZ-D...
Sarcocystis sp. and Neospora caninum infections affect cattle worldwide causing important economi... more Sarcocystis sp. and Neospora caninum infections affect cattle worldwide causing important economic losses. The objective of the present study was to trace serologic profiles for Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum in naturally infected beef calves and analyze their relationship with transmission routes and productive performance. Samples were collected in two cow-calf operations located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. In farm 1, 43 calves were bled and weighed three times. In farm 2, 69 calves were bled and weighed six times. Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) titers were averaged for each sampling point in order to trace serologic profiles for each infection. Categories were created to evaluate differences in daily weight gain. For S. cruzi antigen, animals were separated in a low-titer (< or = 200) and high-titer group (>200); for N. caninum, animals were grouped as infected and uninfected. Sarcocystis sp. antibody titer as well as the number of infected animals increased gradually over time in both farms. In farm 2 the low-titer group had significantly higher daily weight gain than the high-titer group. For N. caninum 44% (farm 1) and 65% (farm 2) of calves were considered infected, and the serological profile was horizontal or decreasing over time. However, seroprevalence increased in both farms and vertical and horizontal transmission frequency were estimated between 18.5%-29% and 22-25.5%, respectively. No differences were detected in daily weight gain between N. caninum groups from both farms. This is the first report of serological profiles for Sarcocystis sp. and N. caninum by IFAT in naturally infected beef calves and their relationship to different transmission routes and productive performance.
The aims of this study were to identify the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum ... more The aims of this study were to identify the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum abortions in goats from Argentina by serological, macroscopical and microscopical examination and bioassay, and to characterize the obtained isolates by molecular techniques. For this purpose, 25 caprine fetal fluids, 18 caprine fetal brains and 10 caprine placentas from 8 dairy/meat goat farms from Argentina were analyzed. Gestational age of the aborted fetuses was determined in 18 cases. Protozoal infections were detected by at least one of the applied diagnostic techniques in 44% (11/25) of examined fetuses; specifically, 24% (6/25) were positive to T. gondii, 8% (2/25) were positive to N. caninum and 12% (3/25) were positive to both parasites. In this study IFAT titers were similarly distributed in younger and older fetuses. Macroscopical and microscopical examination of one placenta revealed chalky nodules in the fetal cotyledons and normal intercotyledonary areas, as well as necros...
Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antib... more Fetal fluids of 738 stillborn piglets from three swine farms in Argentina were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Antibodies were detected in 15 samples at a 1:20 dilution in the indirect fluorescent antibody test and 10 samples were positive in the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a dilution of 1:25; four of these samples had a MAT titer of > or = 1:100. This survey indicates a low rate of congenital T. gondii infection in stillborn pigs in Argentina.
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