Immunohistochemical and ultra-structural detection of Pneumocystis in wild boars (Sus scrofa) co-infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Southern Brazil.
Pneumocystis spp. are fungi that are able to infect a variety of host species and, occasionally, lead to severe pneumonia. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an important viral pathogen which affects both swine and wild boar herds worldwide. Co-infection between PCV2 and other pathogens has been reported, and the secondary immunodeficiency caused by the virus may predispose to these co-infections. In the present study, postmortem tissue samples obtained from wild boar herds in Southern Brazil were analyzed by histopathology, ultra-structural observation, and immunohistochemistry. Forty-seven out of seventy-eight (60%) wild boars showed clinical signs, gross, and histopathological lesions characteristic of infection by PCV2. Pneumocystis was detected by immunohistochemistry in 39 (50%) lungs and viral antigens of PCV2 were found in 29 (37.2%) samples. Concomitant presence of Pneumocystis and PCV2 were observed in 16 (20.5%) of the wild boars. Cystic and trophic forms of Pneumocystis were similar to previously described ultra-structural observations in other mammals.
Borba
Mauro Riegert
MR
Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. mauro.rb@hotmail.com
Sanches
Edna Maria Cavallini
EM
Corrêa
André Mendes Ribeiro
AM
Spanamberg
Andréia
A
de Souza Leal
Juliano
J
Soares
Mauro Pereira
MP
Guillot
Jacques
J
Driemeier
David
D
Ferreiro
Laerte
L
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D018173:Circoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D017925:Circovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008853:Microscopy; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*