claire Francisco - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by claire Francisco

Parasitology international, 2010

The cercariae stages of Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus are morphologically ... more The cercariae stages of Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus are morphologically indistinguishable. However, the differentiation of these two species is crucial to understand the transmission dynamics between these primary hosts (mussels) and the secondary hosts (fish). In this way, the objective of this study is to develop an accurate molecular identification tool to differentiate the cercariae stage of P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. We targeted the 18S nuclear ribosomal DNA region by PCR amplification and sequenced this amplicon. By generating these sequences, we developed a RFLP tool with the use of the enzymes HincII and FokI that produced different restriction profiles between P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. Each enzyme generated different-sized fragments specific to the species examined and no cross-reaction between the species was detected in their restriction pattern. By sequencing, no intraspecific-polymorphism was detected since there is 100% homology amon...

Veterinary Parasitology, 2005

This work evaluated parasitic infections by Neoechinorhynchus curemai (Acanthocephala: Neoechinor... more This work evaluated parasitic infections by Neoechinorhynchus curemai (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) in

Journal of Parasitology, 2010

The primary aim of the present study was to conduct a 1-yr parasitological survey of a Mytilus ga... more The primary aim of the present study was to conduct a 1-yr parasitological survey of a Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel population from the Aveiro Estuary, Portugal. In addition, we attempted to assess the host response to parasites by examining host histopathology, including an evaluation of hemocyte infiltration and parasite encapsulation. The parasites present (prevalence) included the following: 1 protozoan, Nematopsis sp. (70%); 1 turbellarian, Urastoma cyprinae, (39%); 2 trematodes, Diphtherostomum sp. (58%) and Prosorhynchus crucibulum (0.3%); 3 crustaceans, Bathylaophonte azorica (0.3%); and 2 species of Mytilicola sp. (3.5%), M. intestinalis and M. orientalis. Highest prevalences for the most abundant species occurred in summer and autumn. Histological sections of the mantle of infected mussels revealed a marked reduction in the reproductive tissue, indicating that P. crucibulum invades the mussel and promotes a severe damage to its reproductive capacity.

Journal of Helminthology, 2010

The digenean trematode Diphtherostomum brusinae (Stossich, 1888) Stossich, 1903 presents a comple... more The digenean trematode Diphtherostomum brusinae (Stossich, 1888) Stossich, 1903 presents a complex life cycle that may involve more than one intermediate host. The present study represents the first description of the metacercariae from D. brusinae infecting the labial palps of a new intermediate host, Mytilus galloprovincialis, in the Aveiro estuary, Portugal. The morphology of this parasitic stage was studied by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and some differences were reported (body and sucker sizes, and spine distribution and shape). In this work, the 18S partial region of the ribosomal DNA was sequenced from D. brusinae metacercariae isolated from M. galloprovincialis collected in different localities of the Aveiro estuary. In addition, sequences from the same region of the 18S rDNA were obtained from D. brusinae cercariae and metacercariae, hosted by Nassarius reticulatus and Cerastoderma edule, respectively. No intraspecific polymorphism was detected in the ...

Aquaculture, 2007

The effect of salinity on survival, growth and activity of digestive enzymes was evaluated in the... more The effect of salinity on survival, growth and activity of digestive enzymes was evaluated in the fat snook (Centropomus parallelus). Juveniles of 76 days after hatching (0.35 g) were reared at 5, 15 and 35 ppt, in triplicate, for 50 days, at 0.6 fish/l. Snook presented excellent survival (N 93.3%) at 5, 15 and 35 ppt, demonstrating the euryhalinity of the species. At the end of the experiment, no differences in weight and specific-growth rates (mean 1.8%/day) were observed, however, total and standard length values were higher at 15 ppt when compared to those at 5 ppt (P N 0.05). The best results in food conversion ratio (1.3) and digestive enzymes activity were obtained at 15 ppt. The activity of total alkaline proteinase was significantly affected at this salinity (0.124 ± 0.006 Δ absorbance 366 nm /min/ml/mg protein), being twofold and six-fold higher, compared to 35 and 5 ppt, respectively. The activity of total amylase was higher at 15 and 35 ppt (mean 0.016 ± 0.001 μmol reducing sugar/min/ml/mg protein), compared to 5 ppt (P b 0.05). Results indicate that fat snook reared at 15 ppt presented a higher potential for a more efficient digestibility and nutrient absorption, especially proteins. Additionally, at this salinity, the energetic demand for osmoregulation is probably reduced by the isosmotic medium, leading to growth enhancement. In terms of production costs, feeding expenses can be lowered at this salinity due to a better food conversion ratio.

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit:

Ciência Animal Brasileira, 2007

This experiment studied the parasitic degree in Poecilia vivipara experimentally infected by Icht... more This experiment studied the parasitic degree in Poecilia vivipara experimentally infected by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis trophozoites. In flasks with 400 mL of water, four fish were maintained with constant aeration in two replicates and added 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 20 trophozoites/fish. Mean values of water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were 19.5±0.39oC, 6.35±0.09 and 7.02±0.45mg/L, respectively. Before experimental infection the fish were treated with formalin solution 1:4000 for 1 hour in two consecutive days. The parasites were obtained from five infected Salminus brasiliensis that were maintained into Petri dishes with water for 30 minutes. Trophozoites were collected with pipette and the respective number of inoculums added. To avoid the parasite adherence, the plates were maintained into the respective flask. After seven days all fish were killed for exam, except for treatment 20 trophozoites/fish in which mortality occurred in two days. The mean value of treatment wit...

In November 2014 and March 2015, 360 O. niloticus were randomly sampled from six fish farms in Br... more In November 2014 and March 2015, 360 O. niloticus were randomly sampled from six fish farms in Brazil and the organs were collected for histopathology, polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and phylogeny tests. The histopathology revealed eosinophils, microsporidium, and inflammation in tissues of the majority of fish analyzed in this study. Microsporidia prevalence varied from 86.66% to 100%. Examination of wet mounts, revealed oval shaped microsporidian spores, their length ranging from 1.284 – 1.435 μm and their width 0.545 – 0.667 μm (n = 30). The nested PCR amplified a 407-bp product, which exhibited 97% sequence identity to Nucleospora salmonis. The phylogeny tests revealed that the microsporidia found in this study belonged to the Nucleospora genus. According to the clinical signs, histopathology findings, and molecular results, this study identifies an intranuclear microsporidium similar to Nucleospora infecting O. niloticus, which we named Nucleospora braziliensis sp. Nov.

... muito cedo. Ao meu irmão Jonatta, as minhas queridas irmãs Mirian e Dayana ... catla.). A car... more ... muito cedo. Ao meu irmão Jonatta, as minhas queridas irmãs Mirian e Dayana ... catla.). A carpa comum (Cyprinus carpio) foi introduzida no Brasil em 1882, sendo trazida dos Estados Unidos para o Rio de Janeiro (Silva, 1983). Segundo ...

Aquaculture International

Francisella noatunensis orientalis is a bacterium that causes emerging bacteriosis in Nile tilapi... more Francisella noatunensis orientalis is a bacterium that causes emerging bacteriosis in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in many parts of the world, including Brazil. It is a nonmotile, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, facultative intracellular coccobacillus. This species of bacteria is responsible for low to high mortality in fish farms, causing economic losses for fish farmers. This study aimed to detect the presence of F. noatunensis orientalis using qPCR (realtime polymerase chain reaction) and to describe lesions caused by the bacterium in O. niloticus in Brazilian aquaculture. For this purpose, 360 fish from six fish farms (30 per farm) were sampled at two time points (n = 180 per sampling). Necropsies and histopathology were performed for lesion observation, in addition to qPCR and sequencing for detection and identification of Francisella species. Environmental data were collected using a multiparameter sonde YSI EXO2. All measured limnological variables were within the optimum range for cultivation of Nile tilapia. The major lesions present were melanization of the skin, splenomegaly, granulomas, and inflammatory cell responses. The prevalence of francisellosis varied from 0 to 86.66% between time periods and fish farms analyzed, and an outbreak was observed during the second sampling period. This study describes the prevalence of francisellosis in O. niloticus and reports that the lesions found are not exclusively associated with this bacterial disease.

Emergent Life Sciences Research

Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative bacterium present in the water, which can cause disease i... more Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative bacterium present in the water, which can cause disease in animals, such as fish, frog, and mammals, including humans. In fish, Aeromonosis occurs when it is immunosuppressed due to the stress of handling, water quality, parasitism or population density. Due the importance of this disease in fish and humans, this study aimed to detect this bacterium by PCR in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) of cage fish farms localized in hydro-electrical reservoirs of São Paulo state, Brazil and describe the lesions found in positive fish by necropsy and histopathology. Around 360 samples of Oreochromis niloticus specimens were randomly sampled at six Brazilian fish farms in November 2014 (n = 180) and in March 2015 (n = 180). The identification of A. hydrophila by PCR showed the prevalence since 3.33% to 46.66%. The most common macroscopic lesions were hemorrhage and splenomegaly, and bacteria colonies, coagulative necrosis, hemorrhage, inflammatory process, melano-macrophages, and vacuolar degeneration were microscopic. The pathological and histopathological findings showed the presence of an infectious disease, and employing the molecular technique, it was possible to identify that the analyzed fishes had A. hydrophila. Thus, producers should utilize this information using histopathology and molecular techniques in tilapia to reduce economic losses and avoid disease in consumers.

Aquaculture International

In Brazil, studies and production of penaeid shrimp in a biofloc technology (BFT) system are rece... more In Brazil, studies and production of penaeid shrimp in a biofloc technology (BFT) system are recent, but the results point to a promising future. Research with feed restriction inducing compensatory growth in shrimps has been shown to be a technique that allows a saving of around 25% in the use of feed for shrimp production. It also allows the reduction of costs with salaries and adapts shrimp farming to the world demand for environmentally friendly production, with the reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus levels in its effluents, as well as lower water use in shrimp farming. In crustaceans, it has been shown that after a period of feed restriction, the animals show a pronounced compensatory growth when they return to a sufficient food source. Studies with the penaeid shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reported the ability of the species to obtain a complete compensatory growth after short feeding periods (1 to 3 days) followed by feeding; These short periods of fasting presented a greater efficiency in the feed conversion besides the decrease in the concentration of phosphorus present in the aquatic environment, coming from the excreta. The adoption of a restriction program in the feeding using BFT may contribute to a reduction in operating costs, reduction of metabolic nutrients dissolved in water, and, consequently, an increase in the number of cycles in which the same water can be reused for production reducing production costs and improving productivity indices in shrimp farming.

Parasitology Research, 2016

Sinuolinea species are myxozoans of the order Bivalvulida, suborder Variisporina, and family Sinu... more Sinuolinea species are myxozoans of the order Bivalvulida, suborder Variisporina, and family Sinuolineidae, which can be parasites for freshwater and marine fish. The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of Sinuolinea niloticus n. sp. infecting Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from aquaculture and from river sources with morphological and molecular analyses. Between March 2010 and November 2012, 116 Nile tilapia were randomly sampled from aquaculture net fishing (n = 56) in Mira Estrela, São Paulo, and from the Capivari River (n = 60) in Botucatu, São Paulo. The fishes that were sampled were examined by necropsy, microscopic observation and molecular techniques for detection and identification of the myxozoan causing disease in tilapia. All of the tissues that were sampled for analysis showed the presence of the parasite. It was observed by microscopy that the myxozoan belongs to the Sinuolinea genus. This identification was performed based on morphological characteristics and histopathology findings, such as structures consistent with myxozoan in the interstices in all analysed tissues, coagulative necrosis, haemorrhage, inflammatory processes, presence of melano-macrophages and eosinophils. The results of the molecular analyses revealed that the myxozoan detected and identified in this study is sister to a group of other Sinuolinea species. Because this is the first report of this parasite in Nile tilapia, the parasite was named S. niloticus n. sp. This is the first report of a Sinuolinea species in Brazil and in tilapia.

Ciencia Animal Brasileira

Este trabalho estudou o grau de parasitismo em Poecilia vivipara infectado experimentalmente com ... more Este trabalho estudou o grau de parasitismo em Poecilia vivipara infectado experimentalmente com trofozoítos de Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Em frascos de 400 mL de água com aeração constante foram acondicionados quatro peixes, com duas réplicas e adicionadas as quantidades de 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 e 20 trofozoítos/peixe. Os valores médios da temperatura da água, pH e oxigênio dissolvido foram de 19,5±0,39ºC, 6,35±0,09 e 7,02±0,45mg/L, respectivamente. Antes de se proceder à infecção, os animais foram tratados com solução de formalina 1:4000 durante uma hora por dois dias consecutivos. Obtiveram-se os parasitos de cinco alevinos de Salminus brasiliensis infectados, mantidos em placas de Petri com água por trinta minutos. Coletaram-se os trofozoítos com pipeta Pasteur e adicionou-se o número respectivo em cada tratamento. Para evitar que os parasitos ficassem aderidos às placas, cada uma foi mantida no respectivo frasco durante o período. Após sete dias, os peixes foram sacrificados e e...

Bol. Inst. de Pesca, 2006

... Maslowa P. de AZEVEDO 1, 4; Maurício Laterça MARTINS 1, 3, 6; Marcela M. YAMASHITA 1, 5; Clai... more ... Maslowa P. de AZEVEDO 1, 4; Maurício Laterça MARTINS 1, 3, 6; Marcela M. YAMASHITA 1, 5; Claire J. FRANCISCO 1, 5 ... Dez animais foram capturados mensalmente com rede, em propriedade de Nova Trento, SC, Brasil, para contagens totais de eritrócitos, trombócitos e ...

Parasite (Paris, France), 2012

Parasitology international, 2010

The cercariae stages of Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus are morphologically ... more The cercariae stages of Prosorhynchus crucibulum and Prosorhynchus aculeatus are morphologically indistinguishable. However, the differentiation of these two species is crucial to understand the transmission dynamics between these primary hosts (mussels) and the secondary hosts (fish). In this way, the objective of this study is to develop an accurate molecular identification tool to differentiate the cercariae stage of P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. We targeted the 18S nuclear ribosomal DNA region by PCR amplification and sequenced this amplicon. By generating these sequences, we developed a RFLP tool with the use of the enzymes HincII and FokI that produced different restriction profiles between P. crucibulum and P. aculeatus. Each enzyme generated different-sized fragments specific to the species examined and no cross-reaction between the species was detected in their restriction pattern. By sequencing, no intraspecific-polymorphism was detected since there is 100% homology amon...

Veterinary Parasitology, 2005

This work evaluated parasitic infections by Neoechinorhynchus curemai (Acanthocephala: Neoechinor... more This work evaluated parasitic infections by Neoechinorhynchus curemai (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) in

Journal of Parasitology, 2010

The primary aim of the present study was to conduct a 1-yr parasitological survey of a Mytilus ga... more The primary aim of the present study was to conduct a 1-yr parasitological survey of a Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel population from the Aveiro Estuary, Portugal. In addition, we attempted to assess the host response to parasites by examining host histopathology, including an evaluation of hemocyte infiltration and parasite encapsulation. The parasites present (prevalence) included the following: 1 protozoan, Nematopsis sp. (70%); 1 turbellarian, Urastoma cyprinae, (39%); 2 trematodes, Diphtherostomum sp. (58%) and Prosorhynchus crucibulum (0.3%); 3 crustaceans, Bathylaophonte azorica (0.3%); and 2 species of Mytilicola sp. (3.5%), M. intestinalis and M. orientalis. Highest prevalences for the most abundant species occurred in summer and autumn. Histological sections of the mantle of infected mussels revealed a marked reduction in the reproductive tissue, indicating that P. crucibulum invades the mussel and promotes a severe damage to its reproductive capacity.

Journal of Helminthology, 2010

The digenean trematode Diphtherostomum brusinae (Stossich, 1888) Stossich, 1903 presents a comple... more The digenean trematode Diphtherostomum brusinae (Stossich, 1888) Stossich, 1903 presents a complex life cycle that may involve more than one intermediate host. The present study represents the first description of the metacercariae from D. brusinae infecting the labial palps of a new intermediate host, Mytilus galloprovincialis, in the Aveiro estuary, Portugal. The morphology of this parasitic stage was studied by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and some differences were reported (body and sucker sizes, and spine distribution and shape). In this work, the 18S partial region of the ribosomal DNA was sequenced from D. brusinae metacercariae isolated from M. galloprovincialis collected in different localities of the Aveiro estuary. In addition, sequences from the same region of the 18S rDNA were obtained from D. brusinae cercariae and metacercariae, hosted by Nassarius reticulatus and Cerastoderma edule, respectively. No intraspecific polymorphism was detected in the ...

Aquaculture, 2007

The effect of salinity on survival, growth and activity of digestive enzymes was evaluated in the... more The effect of salinity on survival, growth and activity of digestive enzymes was evaluated in the fat snook (Centropomus parallelus). Juveniles of 76 days after hatching (0.35 g) were reared at 5, 15 and 35 ppt, in triplicate, for 50 days, at 0.6 fish/l. Snook presented excellent survival (N 93.3%) at 5, 15 and 35 ppt, demonstrating the euryhalinity of the species. At the end of the experiment, no differences in weight and specific-growth rates (mean 1.8%/day) were observed, however, total and standard length values were higher at 15 ppt when compared to those at 5 ppt (P N 0.05). The best results in food conversion ratio (1.3) and digestive enzymes activity were obtained at 15 ppt. The activity of total alkaline proteinase was significantly affected at this salinity (0.124 ± 0.006 Δ absorbance 366 nm /min/ml/mg protein), being twofold and six-fold higher, compared to 35 and 5 ppt, respectively. The activity of total amylase was higher at 15 and 35 ppt (mean 0.016 ± 0.001 μmol reducing sugar/min/ml/mg protein), compared to 5 ppt (P b 0.05). Results indicate that fat snook reared at 15 ppt presented a higher potential for a more efficient digestibility and nutrient absorption, especially proteins. Additionally, at this salinity, the energetic demand for osmoregulation is probably reduced by the isosmotic medium, leading to growth enhancement. In terms of production costs, feeding expenses can be lowered at this salinity due to a better food conversion ratio.

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit:

Ciência Animal Brasileira, 2007

This experiment studied the parasitic degree in Poecilia vivipara experimentally infected by Icht... more This experiment studied the parasitic degree in Poecilia vivipara experimentally infected by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis trophozoites. In flasks with 400 mL of water, four fish were maintained with constant aeration in two replicates and added 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 20 trophozoites/fish. Mean values of water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were 19.5±0.39oC, 6.35±0.09 and 7.02±0.45mg/L, respectively. Before experimental infection the fish were treated with formalin solution 1:4000 for 1 hour in two consecutive days. The parasites were obtained from five infected Salminus brasiliensis that were maintained into Petri dishes with water for 30 minutes. Trophozoites were collected with pipette and the respective number of inoculums added. To avoid the parasite adherence, the plates were maintained into the respective flask. After seven days all fish were killed for exam, except for treatment 20 trophozoites/fish in which mortality occurred in two days. The mean value of treatment wit...

In November 2014 and March 2015, 360 O. niloticus were randomly sampled from six fish farms in Br... more In November 2014 and March 2015, 360 O. niloticus were randomly sampled from six fish farms in Brazil and the organs were collected for histopathology, polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and phylogeny tests. The histopathology revealed eosinophils, microsporidium, and inflammation in tissues of the majority of fish analyzed in this study. Microsporidia prevalence varied from 86.66% to 100%. Examination of wet mounts, revealed oval shaped microsporidian spores, their length ranging from 1.284 – 1.435 μm and their width 0.545 – 0.667 μm (n = 30). The nested PCR amplified a 407-bp product, which exhibited 97% sequence identity to Nucleospora salmonis. The phylogeny tests revealed that the microsporidia found in this study belonged to the Nucleospora genus. According to the clinical signs, histopathology findings, and molecular results, this study identifies an intranuclear microsporidium similar to Nucleospora infecting O. niloticus, which we named Nucleospora braziliensis sp. Nov.

... muito cedo. Ao meu irmão Jonatta, as minhas queridas irmãs Mirian e Dayana ... catla.). A car... more ... muito cedo. Ao meu irmão Jonatta, as minhas queridas irmãs Mirian e Dayana ... catla.). A carpa comum (Cyprinus carpio) foi introduzida no Brasil em 1882, sendo trazida dos Estados Unidos para o Rio de Janeiro (Silva, 1983). Segundo ...

Aquaculture International

Francisella noatunensis orientalis is a bacterium that causes emerging bacteriosis in Nile tilapi... more Francisella noatunensis orientalis is a bacterium that causes emerging bacteriosis in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in many parts of the world, including Brazil. It is a nonmotile, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, facultative intracellular coccobacillus. This species of bacteria is responsible for low to high mortality in fish farms, causing economic losses for fish farmers. This study aimed to detect the presence of F. noatunensis orientalis using qPCR (realtime polymerase chain reaction) and to describe lesions caused by the bacterium in O. niloticus in Brazilian aquaculture. For this purpose, 360 fish from six fish farms (30 per farm) were sampled at two time points (n = 180 per sampling). Necropsies and histopathology were performed for lesion observation, in addition to qPCR and sequencing for detection and identification of Francisella species. Environmental data were collected using a multiparameter sonde YSI EXO2. All measured limnological variables were within the optimum range for cultivation of Nile tilapia. The major lesions present were melanization of the skin, splenomegaly, granulomas, and inflammatory cell responses. The prevalence of francisellosis varied from 0 to 86.66% between time periods and fish farms analyzed, and an outbreak was observed during the second sampling period. This study describes the prevalence of francisellosis in O. niloticus and reports that the lesions found are not exclusively associated with this bacterial disease.

Emergent Life Sciences Research

Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative bacterium present in the water, which can cause disease i... more Aeromonas hydrophila is a Gram-negative bacterium present in the water, which can cause disease in animals, such as fish, frog, and mammals, including humans. In fish, Aeromonosis occurs when it is immunosuppressed due to the stress of handling, water quality, parasitism or population density. Due the importance of this disease in fish and humans, this study aimed to detect this bacterium by PCR in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) of cage fish farms localized in hydro-electrical reservoirs of São Paulo state, Brazil and describe the lesions found in positive fish by necropsy and histopathology. Around 360 samples of Oreochromis niloticus specimens were randomly sampled at six Brazilian fish farms in November 2014 (n = 180) and in March 2015 (n = 180). The identification of A. hydrophila by PCR showed the prevalence since 3.33% to 46.66%. The most common macroscopic lesions were hemorrhage and splenomegaly, and bacteria colonies, coagulative necrosis, hemorrhage, inflammatory process, melano-macrophages, and vacuolar degeneration were microscopic. The pathological and histopathological findings showed the presence of an infectious disease, and employing the molecular technique, it was possible to identify that the analyzed fishes had A. hydrophila. Thus, producers should utilize this information using histopathology and molecular techniques in tilapia to reduce economic losses and avoid disease in consumers.

Aquaculture International

In Brazil, studies and production of penaeid shrimp in a biofloc technology (BFT) system are rece... more In Brazil, studies and production of penaeid shrimp in a biofloc technology (BFT) system are recent, but the results point to a promising future. Research with feed restriction inducing compensatory growth in shrimps has been shown to be a technique that allows a saving of around 25% in the use of feed for shrimp production. It also allows the reduction of costs with salaries and adapts shrimp farming to the world demand for environmentally friendly production, with the reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus levels in its effluents, as well as lower water use in shrimp farming. In crustaceans, it has been shown that after a period of feed restriction, the animals show a pronounced compensatory growth when they return to a sufficient food source. Studies with the penaeid shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reported the ability of the species to obtain a complete compensatory growth after short feeding periods (1 to 3 days) followed by feeding; These short periods of fasting presented a greater efficiency in the feed conversion besides the decrease in the concentration of phosphorus present in the aquatic environment, coming from the excreta. The adoption of a restriction program in the feeding using BFT may contribute to a reduction in operating costs, reduction of metabolic nutrients dissolved in water, and, consequently, an increase in the number of cycles in which the same water can be reused for production reducing production costs and improving productivity indices in shrimp farming.

Parasitology Research, 2016

Sinuolinea species are myxozoans of the order Bivalvulida, suborder Variisporina, and family Sinu... more Sinuolinea species are myxozoans of the order Bivalvulida, suborder Variisporina, and family Sinuolineidae, which can be parasites for freshwater and marine fish. The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of Sinuolinea niloticus n. sp. infecting Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from aquaculture and from river sources with morphological and molecular analyses. Between March 2010 and November 2012, 116 Nile tilapia were randomly sampled from aquaculture net fishing (n = 56) in Mira Estrela, São Paulo, and from the Capivari River (n = 60) in Botucatu, São Paulo. The fishes that were sampled were examined by necropsy, microscopic observation and molecular techniques for detection and identification of the myxozoan causing disease in tilapia. All of the tissues that were sampled for analysis showed the presence of the parasite. It was observed by microscopy that the myxozoan belongs to the Sinuolinea genus. This identification was performed based on morphological characteristics and histopathology findings, such as structures consistent with myxozoan in the interstices in all analysed tissues, coagulative necrosis, haemorrhage, inflammatory processes, presence of melano-macrophages and eosinophils. The results of the molecular analyses revealed that the myxozoan detected and identified in this study is sister to a group of other Sinuolinea species. Because this is the first report of this parasite in Nile tilapia, the parasite was named S. niloticus n. sp. This is the first report of a Sinuolinea species in Brazil and in tilapia.

Ciencia Animal Brasileira

Este trabalho estudou o grau de parasitismo em Poecilia vivipara infectado experimentalmente com ... more Este trabalho estudou o grau de parasitismo em Poecilia vivipara infectado experimentalmente com trofozoítos de Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Em frascos de 400 mL de água com aeração constante foram acondicionados quatro peixes, com duas réplicas e adicionadas as quantidades de 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 e 20 trofozoítos/peixe. Os valores médios da temperatura da água, pH e oxigênio dissolvido foram de 19,5±0,39ºC, 6,35±0,09 e 7,02±0,45mg/L, respectivamente. Antes de se proceder à infecção, os animais foram tratados com solução de formalina 1:4000 durante uma hora por dois dias consecutivos. Obtiveram-se os parasitos de cinco alevinos de Salminus brasiliensis infectados, mantidos em placas de Petri com água por trinta minutos. Coletaram-se os trofozoítos com pipeta Pasteur e adicionou-se o número respectivo em cada tratamento. Para evitar que os parasitos ficassem aderidos às placas, cada uma foi mantida no respectivo frasco durante o período. Após sete dias, os peixes foram sacrificados e e...

Bol. Inst. de Pesca, 2006

... Maslowa P. de AZEVEDO 1, 4; Maurício Laterça MARTINS 1, 3, 6; Marcela M. YAMASHITA 1, 5; Clai... more ... Maslowa P. de AZEVEDO 1, 4; Maurício Laterça MARTINS 1, 3, 6; Marcela M. YAMASHITA 1, 5; Claire J. FRANCISCO 1, 5 ... Dez animais foram capturados mensalmente com rede, em propriedade de Nova Trento, SC, Brasil, para contagens totais de eritrócitos, trombócitos e ...

Parasite (Paris, France), 2012