Repositório RCAAP

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to assess the resistance in cowpea cultivars to Bruchidius atrolineatus (Pic) attack. The experiment was conducted at the Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias of Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal (SP). The following cultivars were used: BR17 Gurgueia, BR3 Tracuateua, BRS Novaera, Sempre Verde, BRS Milênio, and BRS Urubuquara. The non-preference test without choice evaluated the number of viable eggs, unviable and total posed by insects in grains, after 25 days of confinement. In addition, it was observed, in a daily basis, the total dry matter consumed and dry matter consumed per insect; male and female mass; male, female and total egg-adult cycle length; male and female longevity; sex ratio; number of emerged insects and percentage of emerged insects. The non-preference test with free choice evaluated the number of viable, unviable and total eggs and adult attractiveness after 24 hours and seven days of release. Sempre Verde cultivar was the least preferred for oviposition in the test without choice and showed lower number and percentage of emerged insects. BRS Milênio had the lowest total dry mass consumed and dry mass consumed per insect.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to analyze epidemiological aspects and spatial characteristics of Lesptospira spp. infection among sheep in Pernambuco state, Brazil. A total of 426 samples were collected from unvaccinated animals aged 1 year or older, and submitted to Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). To study the risk factors, a standardized investigative survey of sheep farmers, with objective questions, was conducted to establish the general characteristics of the farm property production, reproductive management, and health plan. From 426 samples analyzed, 83 (19.5%; CI 15.9 - 23.6%) were positive; among them, the most prevalent serovar was Autumnalis (32.4%). Significant differences were observed between gender (OR = 0.38; CI 0.14 - 0.99), production system (OR = 2.03; CI 1.07 - 3.84), types of herd (OR = 2.28; CI 1.39 - 3.72), absence of rodents to the grain storage (OR = 0.55; CI 0.34 - 0.91), and restriction to surface waters (OR = 0.60; CI 0.37 - 0.99). Leptospira spp. infection is disseminated in sheep herds, and multiple factors can influence its occurrence. Health education programs and worker training in prevention and control of leptospirosis and other infectious diseases may be useful to reduce infection rates and economic losses caused by this disease.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to assess the transit of poultry, as well as the inspection on the outbreak of diseases, by addressing the issues concerning the system of the National Program on Poultry Sanity and its legal resolutions. The data on the animal transportation and the occurrence of the diseases were collected from the official services. A legislation-based assessment was also carried out for the period from 2008 to 2012 in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. Results showed an intense transit of poultry in just about all towns of the state in the period under study, especially in chicken farms where less number of poultry is bred: from 5,000 to 15,000. Besides, 64% of poultry transportation was found to be intermunicipal. The state of Sergipe has received poultry particularly from the states of Pernambuco (49.87%), Bahia (20.85%), Minas Gerais (5.94%), Paraíba (5.16%), and Goiás (5.05%). The number of transit indicates an increase in transit over the years. In addition, three of six municipalities which saw these diseases (Estância, São Cristóvão and Itaporanga d'Ajuda) are responsible for a great part of the poultry transit. Results also showed that the majority of activities of the State Program on Poultry Sanity would be carried out in the municipalities where a larger poultry marketing flow takes place, thereby seeking to record a greater number of notifications on the diseases and, then, carry out the surveillance activities. Therefore, regarding the poultry transit, it is recommended to do a mapping of the risk regions for poultry diseases, as well as studies about the epidemiological characterization of the municipalities of the state of Sergipe.

RESUMO: Objetivou-se com este estudo comparar diferentes métodos complementares de diagnóstico (macroscópico, histopatológico, sorológico e molecular) da tuberculose, em bovinos naturalmente infectados. O trabalho deu-se por meio de amostras colhidas em abate sanitário de 40 bovinos reagentes no teste cervical comparativo (TCC) para tuberculose. A inspeção macroscópica post mortem das carcaças foi acompanhada de colheita de amostras de muco nasal, sangue e tecido (fígado, pulmão e linfonodo mediastínico) para realização do exame de reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR), de Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) e histopatológico com colorações de hematoxilina-eosina (HE) e Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN), respectivamente. Dos 40 bovinos inspecionados no abate, 22 (55%) animais apresentaram algum tipo de lesão macroscópica sugestiva de tuberculose. Nos achados histopatológicos visualizados em HE, 13 (32,5%) carcaças apontaram alterações histológicas, sendo 6 (15%) nos linfonodos mediastínicos, 5 (12,5%) no fígado e 3 (7,5%) no pulmão. Não foi observada a presença de bacilos álcool-ácido resistentes em nenhuma das amostras avaliadas. O ensaio sorológico de ELISA/IDEXX(r) identificou um (2,5%) animal reagente, e o teste de PCR detectou DNA de Mycobacterium bovis em uma (2,5%) amostra. Concluiu-se que entre os exames complementares de diagnóstico avaliados nenhum foi capaz de detectar todos os animais que estavam positivos na tuberculinização, porém a associação de diferentes métodos pode garantir a confiabilidade do diagnóstico.

ABSTRACT: The specific diagnosis and evaluation of the intensity of avian helminth infections are essential for efficacy studies and the determination of drug doses targeted to their control. This study evaluated the Mello and Campos method, originally described for parasitological diagnosis in dogs, in the recovery of scolices from cestode parasites of poultry (Gallus domesticus ). A total of 52 naturally infected birds obtained from farms underwent parasitological necropsy using the Mello and Campos method. The method consisted of four steps: content, soaking, scraping and evaluation. The number of scolices recovered per bird ranged from 1 to 4,345, and the highest number of scolices was recovered from material derived from the soaking step. The cestodes species diagnosed were Amoebotaenia cuneata , Choanotaenia infundibulum , Hymenolepis sp., Raillietina tetragona , Raillietina echinobothrida and Raillietina cesticillus . The Mello and Campos method, originally used to test for helminths in dogs, was effective in avian cestode testing because it includes a soaking step, which enables a more efficient recovery of scolices.

RESUMO: O estudo visou inferir sobre a estabilidade genética, com base na viabilidade polínica, em genótipos de triticale hexaploide utilizados no bloco de cruzamentos do programa de melhoramento genético da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa Trigo). O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Para cada genótipo, foram avaliadas cinco repetições e cada repetição foi constituída por uma planta. Analisaram-se, por meio de microscopia óptica e pela técnica de Squash com corante carmim acético 1%, 200 grãos de pólen por lâmina, totalizando 1.000 grãos de pólen por genótipo. As variáveis analisadas foram: grãos de pólen binucleados e trinucleados, com pouco amido, vazios, com mais de um poro e de tamanhos diferentes. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 1%. Houve diferença significativa entre todas as variáveis. A porcentagem de grãos de pólen binucleados e/ou trinucleados variou de 74 a 97%. Concluiu-se que 66% dos genótipos avaliados apresentaram viabilidade polínica acima de 90%, sendo indicados a continuar fazendo parte do programa de melhoramento genético de triticale, tanto na seleção de parentais como durante os cruzamentos e retrocruzamentos. Portanto, os estudos citogenéticos representam excelente ferramenta de apoio ao melhorista na escolha dos genótipos mais estáveis.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the control of globe fringerush (Fimbristylis miliacea ) and selectivity to rice crop irrigated with an in-tank mixture of bispyribac-sodium + metsulfuron-methyl associated with adjuvants. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Douradina, Paraná state, Brazil (23º12'32.0" South, 53º17'39.9" West), in the agricultural year of 2012/2013. An experimental randomized complete block design with ten treatments and four replications was used. The treatments consisted of applying an in-tank mixture of the herbicides bispyribac-sodium + metsulfuron-methyl at two doses (32+1.3 and 40+3.3 g ai ha-1) associated with the adjuvants Iharaguen(tm) (375 mL.ha-1), Orobor N1(tm) (75 mL.ha-1), LI 700(tm) (150 mL.ha-1) and TA 35(tm) (50 mL.ha-1), as well as weeded and unweeded control. Although the effectiveness of globe fringerush (F. miliacea ) control with the in-tank mixture of the herbicides bispyribac-sodium + metsulfuron-methyl associated with Iharaguen(tm) and Orobor N1(tm) has been significantly higher than the effectiveness of these herbicides associated with LI 700(tm) and TA 35(tm), there were no significant differences among the treatments in terms of selectivity and grains yield of the rice cultivar Epagri 108.

ABSTRACT: Passion fruits (Passiflora edulis ) were found with symptoms of rot in the field, in the city of Tanhaçu, Bahia. After isolating the pathogen associated with this rot, in the present study we aimed to characterize the Ceratocystis isolate from passion fruit for better understanding this pathosystem. Molecular characterization was done based on the region ITS-5.8S rDNA. Pathogenic characterization was carried out for seedlings and fruits of passionflower. Passion fruit colonization was monitored by means of scanning electron microscopy techniques (SEM). DNA analysis of the Ceratocystis isolate from passionflower pointed out that this species belongs to Ceratocystis fimbriata . The inoculated passionflower seedlings showed injury at 30 days post-inoculation, but no inoculated plant showed wilt or died. Considering fruits, no differences were found for lesions caused by this fungus among cultivars, and lesions had average diameters of 1.0 and 2.2 cm at 7 and 11 days, respectively. The analysis using SEM indicated fungus spore germination and penetration in the fruit between 2 and 6 hours post-inoculation. At 12 and 24 hours post-inoculation, fruit colonization was noted both externally and internally, while fruit wall degradation started at 48 hours post-inoculation. At 90 hours post-inoculation, formation of new perithecia was observed inside and outside the fruit. This study complements the available information about the interaction of this fungus with passion fruit.

ABSTRACT: The main goal of this paper was to know the species diversity of frugivorous flies (Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) in Ilhéus, Uruçuca and Wenceslau Guimarães, municipalities in southern Bahia. In each sampled place five McPhail traps were used containing 5% corn hydrolyzed protein (Bio Anastrepha(c)), from July 2011 through December 2012. The captured adults were placed in plastic pots containing 70% alcohol, until identification, characterized according to diversity indexes of Shannon-Wiener, Margalef and equitability, and categorized according to the total number of captured flies: 2.24% species of genus Neosilba McAlpine (Lonchaeidae), and 97.76% species of genus Anastrepha Schiner, with 12 species reported, and Ceratitis capitata . The index fly/trap/day (FTD) oscillated from zero to 1.35 with the highest capture in March and April 2012, coinciding with the fructification period. The frugivorous flies captured were Anastrepha antunesi Lima, A. bahiensis Lima, A. consobrina (Loew), A. ­distincta Greene, A. ­fraterculus (Wied.), A. ­grandis (Macquart), A. ­leptozona Hendel, A. ­obliqua (Macquart), A. parallela (Wied.), A. ­serpentina (Wied.), A. ­sororcula Zucchi, A. zenildae Zucchi, C. capitata (Wied.), Neosilba glaberrima (Wied.) and Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine & Steyskal. Anastrepha fraterculus was the species with the highest index of frequency, dominance, abundance and constancy. It is the first register of A. consobrina in the state of Bahia.

RESUMO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar a frequência, os fatores de risco e o mapeamento de focos em rebanhos leiteiros do estado do Maranhão, Brasil, associados à Leptospira spp. Foram colhidas 420 amostras de soros sanguíneos de fêmeas com idade ≥24 meses selecionadas de forma aleatória simples, distribuídas em 70 rebanhos provenientes de 14 municípios. Foi aplicado um questionário epidemiológico para investigar os principais fatores de riscos associados à infecção. As amostras foram submetidas à prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), sendo utilizados 24 sorovares de Leptospira spp. Das amostras analisadas, 70 (100%) para rebanhos e 420 (100%) para animais foram reagentes a pelo menos um dos sorovares de Leptospira spp., com títulos variáveis entre 100 e 800. Os sorovares mais prevalentes foram Patoc (410/420; 97%), Castellonis (351/420; 84%), Hardjo (347/420; 83%), Hebdomadis (335/420; 80%), Sentot (328/420; 78%), Wolffi (330/420; 79%), Icterohaemorrhagiae (300/420; 71%) e Pomona (286/420; 69%). As variáveis não realização de inseminação artificial, criação conjunta de caprinos, ovinos, equinos e caninos e maior taxa de nascimento de bezerros no período seco apresentaram associação estatística significativa (p<0,05) à ocorrência de animais sororreagentes para Leptospira interrogans e foram considerados fatores de risco. Os resultados revelaram elevados títulos aglutinantes para diversos sorovares de Leptospira no rebanho bovino leiteiro do estado do Maranhão. Esses resultados demonstram a necessidade de implementação de estratégias que consistem na realização de vacinações, preferencialmente com sorovares regionais, exames sorológicos, aquisição de animais de propriedades idôneas, efetivação de quarentena ao ingresso de novos animais e notificação da doença na Agência de Defesa Agropecuária do Estado.

RESUMO: Objetivou-se com este estudo estimar a frequência da brucelose em bovinos e em ordenhadores na região central do Maranhão. Foram escolhidas, no período de maio a outubro de 2013, de forma aleatória, 35 propriedades cadastradas na Agência Estadual de Defesa Agropecuária do Maranhão (AGED-MA) e analisados sorologicamente 525 bovinos com aptidão leiteira, hemossoros de 60 ordenhadores, além de ter sido aplicado questionário epidemiológico para investigar os fatores de risco associados à infecção. O protocolo de diagnóstico utilizado foi o teste de triagem com antígeno acidificado tamponado (AAT), e a confirmação dos reagentes ocorreu mediante os testes 2-mercaptoetanol (2-ME) e polarização fluorescente (TPF). A frequência de animais sororreagentes foi de 26/525 (4,95%) no teste AAT e 17/525 (3,23%) e 13/525 (2,47%) nos testes de 2-ME e TPF, respectivamente. A frequência de rebanhos foco, com pelo menos um animal soropositivo, foi de 9/35 (25,71%) e 8/3 (22,85%), nessa ordem. Referente aos ordenhadores, 1/60 (1,66%) foi reagente nos testes confirmatórios de 2-ME, TPF e fixação de complemento. O fator de risco associado à ocorrência da brucelose, na análise multivariada, foi presença de ovinos (odds ratio - OR=6,66; intervalo de confiança de 95% - IC95% 1,26-35,03). O estudo demonstrou que a brucelose está disseminada no rebanho leiteiro investigado, indicando a necessidade de melhorias nas ações de controle e erradicação da brucelose na região estudada.

RESUMO: A ocorrência de Isogonoceraia divergipennis (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) foi constatada no estado de Mato Grosso, associada a Poincianella pluviosa (Fabaceae). Até o momento a distribuição da I. divergipennis estava restrita aos estados da Bahia, Minas Gerais, Paraná e São Paulo e esse resultado amplia a área de distribuição do inseto para a região centro-oeste do Brasil. O material de estudo foi obtido em Sorriso, Mato Grosso (S12º32'42,78'', W55º43'32,10") e as coletas foram realizadas no período de setembro de 2013 a maio de 2014.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do contato direto e da fração volátildo óleo de café verde, testado nas concentrações de 500, 1.000, 1.500 e 2.000 µL L-1, sobre o crescimento micelial e a esporulação dos fungos Penicillium roqueforti e Rhizopus stolonifer. O óleo essencial de cravo-da-índia na concentração de 800 µL L-1 foi utilizado para comparação. Nas concentrações de 1.500 e 2.000 µL L-1, o óleo de café verde em contato direto proporcionou redução da esporulação do fungo R. stolonifer , sendo estatisticamente semelhante ao óleo de cravo-da-índia. Na fração volátil do óleo de café verde, observou-se redução significativa da esporulação de P. roqueforti e R. stolonifer na concentração de 2.000 µL L-1. O óleo de café verde, em contato direto ou por volatilização, reduziu significativamente o crescimento micelial e a esporulação de ambos os fungos em comparação com a testemunha.

RESUMO: Lippia gracilis é uma planta nativa da Caatinga, rica em óleo essencial com atividade antimicrobiana. O trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de diferentes tipos de estacas e substratos na propagação vegetativa de L. gracilis . O experimento foi montado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 x 3, sendo 3 tipos de estacas (apical, mediana e basal) e 3 tipos de substratos (areia + húmus, argila + húmus e areia + argila + húmus), com 5 repetições cada. Aos 40 dias foram avaliadas: porcentagem de estacas brotadas e enraizadas, número médio de brotos, comprimento da maior raiz e biomassa seca dos brotos e raízes. Em todas as variáveis as estacas medianas e basais apresentaram melhores resultados do que as apicais. O substrato influenciou apenas na biomassa seca dos brotos, sendo o composto de argila + húmus superior ao areia + argila + húmus e igual, em significância, ao areia+ húmus.

ABSTRACT: Organophosphate pesticides are among those with the highest acute toxicity and are available on the market and used in several regions of Brazil. The concentration and residence time of the organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos, in the air after application in a greenhouse were investigated. For more than 24 h, the chlorpyrifos remained in the greenhouse air at concentrations three times above the occupational exposure limit and was still detectable four days later.

RESUMO: Os autores relatam a ocorrência do ácaro nasal Rhinonyssus rhinolethrum (Trouessart, 1895) (Acarina: Rhinonyssidae) em marreca caneleira Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieillot, 1816) e marreca piadeira Dendrocygna viduata (Linnaeus, 1766) de vida livre na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Para a prevalência e intensidade média foram observados 35,5% e 2,27 ácaros para D. bicolor e 13% e 9,33 ácaros para D. viduatta . A intensidade de parasitismo observada variou de 1 a 6 ácaros em D. bicolor e 1 a 22 ácaros em D. viduatta . O parasitismo caracteriza o primeiro relato da ocorrência de R. rhinolethrum sobre Dendrocygna bicolor e sobre Dendrocygna viduata no Rio Grande do Sul, ampliando a listagem dos anatídeos parasitados por essa espécie neste Estado.

CONTEXT: Enteral feeding is indicated for patients unable to maintain appropriate oral intake, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the most adequate long-term enteral access. Peristomal infections are the most common complications of PEG, occurring in up to 8% of patients, despite the use of prophylactic antibiotics. The "introducer" PEG-gastropexy technique avoids PEG tube passage through the oral cavity, preventing microorganisms' dislodgment to the peristomal site. OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of peristomal wound infection at 7-day post-procedure after conventional "pull" technique versus a new "introducer" PEG-gastropexy kit. Secondary outcomes included success rates, procedure time, and other complications. METHODS: Eighteen patients referred for PEG placement between June and December 2010 were randomly assigned to "pull" PEG with antibiotics or "introducer" PEG-gastropexy technique without antibiotics. RESULTS: Overall success rate for both methods was 100%, although mean procedure duration was higher in the "introducer" PEG-gastropexy group (12.6 versus 6.4 minutes, P = 0.0166). Infection scores were slightly higher in patients who underwent "pull" PEG with antibiotics compared with "introducer" PEG-gastropexy without antibiotics (1.33 ± 0.83 versus 0.75 ± 0.67, P = 0.29). CONCLUSION: Although procedure duration was longer in the "introducer" PEG-gastropexy, infection scores were marginally higher in the "pull" PEG technique.

CONTEXT: The identification of a bulging covered by normal epithelium is a common finding during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. OBJECTIVE: To compare the endoscopic and endosonography findings in the differential diagnosis of the gastrointestinal bulging (subepithelial tumor or extrinsic compression). METHOD: Patients referred by endosonography with bulging of upper gastrointestinal tract were studied retrospectively. The size, location, consistency and presumptive diagnosis were recorded at time of endoscopy and endosonography. Endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration was proposed in case of uncertain diagnose to increase diagnostic sensitivity. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-six patients (93 women) and mean age 62.5 years (10-87). One hundred fifty-three had subepithelial tumor and 23 had extrinsic compression as a final diagnosis. Endosonography had sensitivity, specificity and accuracy higher than those found by endoscopy for both diagnosis subepithelial tumor and extrinsic compression. Endoscopy and endosonography showed poor concordance (K = 0.13) for subepithelial tumor diagnosis and unsuitable agreement for diagnosis in extrinsic compression (K = 0.01). The endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 75%, 72.4%, 80.5%, 65.6% and 74%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy has high sensitivity and low specificity for subepithelial tumor and both are low for the extrinsic compression. Endoscopy is a good tool for diagnosis of the subepithelial tumors, but not to determine the cause of an extrinsic compression. The endosonography identifies the layer from which subepithelial tumor comes, obtain histological samples, and increasing the diagnostic accuracy.

CONTEXT: Endoscopic mucosal resection is a minimally invasive technique used in the treatment of colorectal neoplasms, including early carcinomas of different size and morphology. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate procedure safety, efficacy, outcomes, and recurrence rate in endoscopic mucosal resection of colorectal lesions. METHODS: A total of 172 lesions in 156 patients were analyzed between May 2003 and May 2009. All lesions showed pit pattern suggestive of neoplasia (Kudo types III-V) at high-magnification chromocolonoscopy with indigo carmine. The lesions were evaluated for macroscopic classification, size, location, and histopathology. Lesions 20 mm or smaller were resected en bloc and lesions larger than 20 mm were removed using the piecemeal technique. Complications and recurrence were analyzed. Patients were followed up for 18 months. RESULTS: There were 83 (48.2%) superficial lesions, 57 (33.1%) depressed lesions, 44 (25.6%) laterally spreading tumors, and 45 (26.2%) protruding lesions. Mean lesion size was 11.5 mm ± 9.6 mm (2 mm-60 mm). Patients' mean age was 61.6 ± 12.5 years (34-93 years). Regarding lesion site, 24 (14.0%) lesions were located in the rectum, 68 (39.5%) in the left colon, and 80 (46.5%) in the right colon (transverse, ascending, and cecum). There were 167 (97.1%) neoplasms: 142 (82.5%) adenomatous lesions, 24 (14.0%) intramucosal carcinomas, and 1 (0.6%) invasive carcinoma. En bloc resection was performed in 158 (91.9%) cases and piecemeal resection in 14 (8.1%). Bleeding occurred in 5 (2.9%) cases. Recurrence was observed in 4.1% (5/122) of cases and was associated with lesions larger than 20 mm (P<0.01), piecemeal resection (P<0.01), advanced neoplasm (P = 0.01), and carcinoma compared to adenoma (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic mucosal resection of colorectal lesions is a safe and effective procedure, with low complication and local recurrence rates. Recurrence is associated with lesions larger than 20 mm and carcinomas.

CONTEXT: Band ligation (BL) is the most appropriate endoscopic treatment for acute bleeding or prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding. Sclerotherapy with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (CY) can be an alternative for patients with advanced liver disease. Bacteremia is an infrequent complication after BL while the bacteremia rate following treatment with CY for esophageal varices remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the incidence of transient bacteremia between cirrhotic patients submitted to diagnostic endoscopy, CY and BL for treatment of esophageal varices. METHODS: A prospective study comprising the period from 2004 to 2007 was conducted at Hospital of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, UNIFESP, SP, Brazil. Cirrhotic patients with advanced liver disease (Child-Pugh B or C) were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according treatment: BL Group (patients undergoing band ligation, n = 20) and CY Group (patients receiving cyanoacrylate injection for esophageal variceal, n = 18). Cirrhotic patients with no esophageal varices or without indication for endoscopic treatment were recruited as control (diagnostic group n = 20). Bacteremia was evaluated by blood culture at baseline and 30 minutes after the procedure. RESULTS: After 137 scheduled endoscopic procedures, none of the 58 patients had fever or any sign suggestive of infection. All baseline cultures were negative. No positive cultures were observed after CY or in the control group - diagnostic endoscopy. Three (4.6 %) positive cultures were found out of the 65 sessions of band ligation (P = 0.187). Two of these samples were positive for coagulase-negative staphylococcus, which could be regarded as a contaminant. The isolated microorganism in the other case was Klebsiella oxytoca. The patient in this case presented no evidence of immunodeficiency except liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in bacteremia rate between these three groups. BL or CY injection for non-bleeding esophageal varices may be considered as low-risk procedures regarding bacteremia even when performed on patients with advanced liver disease.