scholarly journals Molecular eco-epidemiology of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in road-killed mammals reveals Cerdocyon thous and Cuniculus paca as new hosts harboring this fungal pathogen

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256668
Author(s):  
Bruno de Souza Scramignon-Costa ◽  
Fernando Almeida-Silva ◽  
Bodo Wanke ◽  
Marcelo Weksler ◽  
Ricardo Moratelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Paracoccidioides Brasiliensis ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Outbreak Areas ◽  
New Hosts ◽  
Cerdocyon Thous ◽  
Bradypus Variegatus

Wild animals infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis represent important indicators of this fungal agent presence in the environment. The detection of this pathogen in road-killed wild animals has shown to be a key strategy for eco-epidemiological surveillance of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), helping to map hot spots for human infection. Molecular detection of P. brasiliensis in wild animals from PCM outbreak areas has not been performed so far. The authors investigated the presence of P. brasiliensis through nested-PCR in tissue samples obtained from road-killed animals collected nearby a human PCM outbreak spot, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil and border areas. Eighteen species of mammals were analyzed: Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo, n = 6), Cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox, n = 4), Coendou spinosus (hairy dwarf porcupine, n = 2), Lontra longicaudis (Neotropical river otter, n = 1), Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon, n = 1), Galactis cuja (lesser grison, n = 1), Tamandua tetradactyla (collared anteater, n = 1), Cuniculus paca (paca, n = 1), and Bradypus variegatus (brown-throated three-toed sloth, n = 1). Specific P. brasiliensis sequences were detected in the liver, spleen, and lymph node samples from 4/6 (66.7%) D. novemcinctus, reinforcing the importance of these animals on Paracoccidioides ecology. Moreover, lymph nodes samples from two C. thous, as well as lung samples from the C. paca were also positive. A literature review of Paracoccidioides spp. in vertebrates in Brazil indicates C. thous and C. paca as new hosts for the fungal pathogen P. brasiliensis.

scholarly journals OCORRÊNCIA DO VÍRUS DA RAIVA NA POPULAÇÃO SELVAGEM DE SAGUIS CALLITHRIX GEOFFROYI (HUMBOLDT, 1812) NO SUDESTE DO BRASIL

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1574-1584
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Valdetaro Rangel ◽  
Ana Paula Jejesky de Oliveira ◽  
João Luiz Rossi Junior ◽  
Fabio Ribeiro Braga ◽  
Fernando Vicentini
Keyword(s):  
Rabies Virus ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Wildlife Health ◽  
Desmodus Rotundus ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Cerdocyon Thous ◽  
Wild Dog ◽  
Callithrix Geoffroyi

Background: Zoonosis, which causes acute and lethal encephalitis, is transmitted through the inoculation of the virus present in the saliva of mammals of several species. In Brazil, wild rabies is a challenge for epidemiological surveillance and a significant increase has already been observed in human cases. Some of the main wild reservoirs are: wild dog (Cerdocyon thous), marmosets (Callithrix sp) and hematophagous bats (Desmodus rotundus). Considering cases of positivity in marmosets in the Northeast of Brazil, together with the increasing number of cases in wild animals, this work aimed to survey the occurrence of the virus in a wild population. The animals were necropsied from the tramway ES-060, all of the Callithrix geoffroyi. The material collected for analysis of the rabies virus consisted of brain, which was conditioned and identified for later analysis at the Institute of Agricultural and Forest Defense of Espírito Santo (IDAF). The 44 samples gave negative results. The study suggests that the occurrence of the virus should be investigated in other localities, especially in regions closer to sites that have already been reported cases of rabies, and that the use of trampled animals is feasible for a better understanding of wildlife health.

scholarly journals The Impact of ‘Selfie’ Tourism on the Behaviour and Welfare of Brown-Throated Three-Toed Sloths

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Carder ◽  
Tinka Plese ◽  
Fernando Machado ◽  
Suzanne Paterson ◽  
Neil Matthews ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Future Study ◽  
Average Duration ◽  
Wild Animal ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Bradypus Variegatus ◽  
Focal Observation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Physical Manipulation

The use of wild animals as photo props is prevalent across the globe and is widely recognised to represent a potential animal welfare concern. However, detailed information regarding the specific impacts of such activity on wild animal behaviour is currently lacking. Herein, we investigated how brown-throated three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus) were handled by tourists, and how sloths behaved during wildlife ‘selfies’ taken in Manaus, Brazil and Puerto Alegria and Iquitos in Peru. In total, we observed 17 sloths (during 70 focal observations) that were provided for use in wildlife selfies on 34 different tours. We found that an average number of 5 people held each sloth during each focal observation. For 48.6% of the time the sloths were handled in a way which involved physical manipulation of the sloths’ head and/or limbs and/or being held by the claws. From the eight different types of sloth behaviour observed, we found that the two types performed for the longest average duration of time were surveillance (55.3%) and limb stretching (12.6%). Our findings show that when being handled sloths were frequently held in ways that may compromise their welfare. Although to date the behaviour of sloths while being handled has not been reported in any published literature, in this study we document certain behaviours which may act as indicators of compromised welfare. We suggest that our data provides a potential baseline for future study into the behaviour and welfare of sloths.

scholarly journals Active Targeted Surveillance to Identify Sites of Emergence of Hantavirus

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 464-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Won-Keun Kim ◽  
Jin Sun No ◽  
Daesang Lee ◽  
Jaehun Jung ◽  
Hayne Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genomic Sequence ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Likelihood Method ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Epidemiological Surveys ◽  
Outbreak Areas ◽  
Complete Sequences

Abstract Background Endemic outbreaks of hantaviruses pose a critical public health threat worldwide. Hantaan orthohantavirus (HTNV) causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. Using comparative genomic analyses of partial and nearly complete sequences of HTNV from humans and rodents, we were able to localize, with limitations, the putative infection locations for HFRS patients. Partial sequences might not reflect precise phylogenetic positions over the whole-genome sequences; finer granularity of rodent sampling reflects more precisely the circulation of strains. Methods Five HFRS specimens were collected. Epidemiological surveys were conducted with the patients during hospitalization. We conducted active surveillance at suspected HFRS outbreak areas. We performed multiplex polymerase chain reaction–based next-generation sequencing to obtain the genomic sequence of HTNV from patients and rodents. The phylogeny of human- and rodent-derived HTNV was generated using the maximum likelihood method. For phylogeographic analyses, the tracing of HTNV genomes from HFRS patients was defined on the bases of epidemiological interviews, phylogenetic patterns of the viruses, and geographic locations of HTNV-positive rodents. Results The phylogeographic analyses demonstrated genetic clusters of HTNV strains from clinical specimens, with HTNV circulating in rodents at suspected sites of patient infections. Conclusions This study demonstrates a major shift in molecular epidemiological surveillance of HTNV. Active targeted surveillance was performed at sites of suspected infections, allowing the high-resolution phylogeographic analysis to reveal the site of emergence of HTNV. We posit that this novel approach will make it possible to identify infectious sources, perform disease risk assessment, and implement preparedness against vector-borne viruses.

Alphaviruses

2010 ◽  
pp. 557-561
Author(s):  
E.E. Ooi ◽  
L.R. Petersen ◽  
D.J. Gubler
Keyword(s):  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
The Family ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Complex Transmission ◽  
Diagnosis Of Infection

There are 29 registered alphaviruses belonging to the family Togaviridae, 16 of which are known to cause human infection. They are RNA viruses with global geographical distribution and complex transmission cycles between wild or domestic animals or birds and one or more mosquito species; humans are infected by mosquito bites. They cause a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from nonspecific febrile illness to acute encephalitis and death. Diagnosis of infection is made serologically by detection of IgM and IgG antibodies, virus isolation, and polymerase chain reaction, or by immunohistochemistry on tissue samples....

An Ancillary Tool for the Diagnosis of Amyloid A Amyloidosis in a Variety of Domestic and Wild Animals

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shtrasburg ◽  
R. Gal ◽  
E. Gruys ◽  
S. Perl ◽  
B. M. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Amyloid Deposit ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Aa Amyloidosis ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Amyloid A ◽  
Congo Red Staining ◽  
Species Specific

Immunohistochemistry, the standard method for diagnosing amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis, is limited in animals because it requires a large array of animal-specific anti-AA antibodies, not commercially available. The Shtrasburg method (SH method) is a highly specific and sensitive technique, helping in the diagnosis and determination of AA amyloidosis in humans. The aim of this study is to determine whether the SH method is applicable in the diagnosis of AA amyloidosis in a variety of animals. Tissue samples were obtained from animals suffering from spontaneous or experimentally induced AA amyloidosis (mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, cheetahs, cats, cows, ducks, a dog, a goose, a chicken, and a turaco). Detection of the amyloid and quantitative evaluation were performed using Congo red staining, and specific AA typing was performed by the potassium permanganate technique. The studied tissues were subjected to the SH method, which confirmed the AA nature of the amyloid deposit, by displaying in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein bands consistent with the molecular weight of the species-specific AA, in all the animals examined, except mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs. N-terminal analysis of these bands corroborated their AA origin. We conclude that the SH method may be used as an ancillary simple tool for the diagnosis of AA amyloidosis in a large number of domestic and wild animals. Moreover, our findings further increase the feasibility of applying this method in humans.

scholarly journals Anatomo-pathological aspects of parasitism by nematodes of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea in wild crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in Midwestern Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jair Alves Ferreira Júnior ◽  
Guilherme Reis Blume ◽  
Susy Karoline Hermes de Sousa ◽  
Clarissa Machado de Carvalho ◽  
Chris Gardiner
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Arteries ◽  
Federal District ◽  
Angiostrongylus Vasorum ◽  
Anatomical Location ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Nervous Systems ◽  
Histological Features ◽  
Wild Canids ◽  
Cerdocyon Thous ◽  
Domestic Carnivores

ABSTRACT: Nematodes of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea affect the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems of domestic carnivores and are uncommonly detected in wild animals. This report describes the lesions associated with pulmonary parasitism by nematodes of the superfamily Metastrongyloidea in a wild crab-eating fox ( Cerdocyon thous ) in the Federal District, Brazil. Grossly, there was pulmonary hyperemia, edema, and emphysema. Microscopically, there was granulomatous arteritis associated with intravascular metastrongylid. The anatomical location, characteristic lesion, and histological features of the parasite suggested that the nematode involved in this case is Angiostrongylus vasorum . This worm is frequently reported parasitizing pulmonary arteries of domestic canids but is uncommonly described in wild canids in Midwestern Brazil.

scholarly journals Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild animals from forest fragments of the municipality of Natal, northeastern Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gislene Fátima da Silva Rocha Fournier ◽  
Marcos Gomes Lopes ◽  
Arlei Marcili ◽  
Diego Garcia Ramirez ◽  
Igor Cunha Lima Acosta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Monodelphis Domestica ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Wild Mammals ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Artibeus Lituratus

Toxoplasmosis stands out as a global disease that has felines as definitive hosts. In the municipality of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, two parks are notable for their ecological and social importance. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in short hair cats, bats and small non-volant mammals in these two ecological reserves. Altogether, biological samples were obtained from 154 mammals, 92 wild animals from both areas and 62 domestic cats of the Parque da Cidade. In total, 22 (53.7%) non-volant wild mammals, 11 (21.5%) bats and 28 (52.8%) cats were positive for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (≥ 25). It was possible to detect the presence of T. gondii DNA, by means of a molecular amplification of a B1 gene fragment (155bp), in 92 tissue samples from wild animals, including Didelphis albiventris, Monodelphis domestica, Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata and Glossophaga soricina. Of the 62 cats examined by the same molecular method, T. gondii DNA could be detected in 4 cats. In this study, it was observed the circulation of T. gondii in wild species and domestic cats, demonstrating the involvement of wild and domestic animals in the cycle of T. gondii.

scholarly journals PECULIARITIES OF TRICHINELLA LARVAE DISTRIBUTION IN BADGERS’ MUSCLES THAT INHABIT IN AMUR REGION

2019 ◽  
pp. 171-176
Author(s):  
T. I. Trukhina ◽  
I. A. Solovieva ◽  
G. A. Bondarenko ◽  
D. A. Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Meat Products ◽  
Body Part ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Amur Region ◽  
The Body ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Lean Tissue ◽  
Regional Center ◽  
Eating Meat ◽  
Muscle Groups

Trichinellosis is a parasitic disease that affects animals and humans. Trichinella is a causative agent seen as a small round worm invisible to the eye. Trichinellosis affects pets and wild animals. Pigs, horses, dogs and synanthropic rats are seen to suffer from the disease more often among the domestic animals, and bears, wild boars, foxes, badgers and others – among the wild ones. . Human infection takes place when eating meat and meat products as raw dried homemade sausages and ham, kebabs, fried meat and other meat products contaminated with trichinell larvae. Infestation of wild animals is caused by predation or eating of dead animals. Pets are infected by eating slaughter products, food scraps and dead animals (rats). Trichinella are preserved in the animal muscles for some years. Badgers populations are seen as one of trichinosis reserves in Amur region. To determine specific features of trichinella larvae distribution in the lean tissue, the researchers explored the materials of 21 badgers from different areas of Amur region. The researchers used the heads or separate muscle groups for conducting the research. This is explained by remote location of many districts from the regional center. Trichinella larvae were detected by compressor trichinelloscopy and digestion in artificial gastric juice. The analysis showed that the number of trichinell larvae in the same muscle group does not depend on the side of the animal’s body, i.e. their number is almost identical on both the left and right sides. Invasion rate (IR) was defined as ratio of the number of infected animals to the total number of animals explored (in percentage). Invasion intensity (II) was determined by the number of trichinell larvae in 1 g of lean tissue (lye/g). The same method was used to investigate the distribution of trichinella larvae in 15 muscle groups of a badger. Invasion intensity in the infected animals was 14.3%. The largest number of trichinella larvae in a badger is concentrated in the head muscles, and there are no significant differences from the body part. The authors recommend to explore the badger carcasses and muscle sampling mainly from the head.

scholarly journals Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in wild animals treated at the Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. ec03036
Author(s):  
Luisa B. Beltrame ◽  
Leopoldo F. de O. Bernardi ◽  
Thiago F. Martins ◽  
Marcelo B. Labruna ◽  
Samantha M. Favoretto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Boophilus Microplus ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Leopardus Pardalis ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Minas Gerais State ◽  
Significant Step ◽  
Cerdocyon Thous ◽  
Chrysocyon Brachyurus

Ticks have a great diversity of hosts, many of which are still being discovered. These parasites may be responsible for the transmission of several pathogens to animals and humans. For this reason, knowledge on tick species and their hosts is essential for planning actions in public health and fauna conservation. From February 2018 to July 2019, ticks found in animals treated at the Wild Animal Clinic of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) were surveyed. Animals came from nine municipalities at the southern region of Minas Gerais State, all close to the municipality of Lavras. During veterinary procedures the animals were inspected, and tick specimens were removed from the hosts’ skins with the help of tweezers, and posteriorly identified. One hundred and three specimens of ticks were removed from the hosts and allocated in five species of Amblyomma Koch, 1844 (Ixodidae) [A. nodosum (Neumann, 1899), A. sculptum Berlese, 1888, A. aureolatum (Pallas, 1772), A. calcaratum Neumann, 1899, and A. ovale (Koch, 1844)] and one of Rhipicephalus Latreille, 1806 [R. (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1888)]. Ticks were collected from: Cariama cristata (Linnaeus, 1766) (Cariamidae); Cerdocyon thous Linnaeus, 1766 and Chrysocyon brachyurus Illiger,1815 (Canidae); Leopardus pardalis Linnaeus, 1758 (Felidae); Mazama gouazoubira Fischer, 1814 (Cervidae); Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Myrmecophagidae); Sphiggurus villosus (F. Cuvier, 1823) (Erethizontidae). In this study no new parasite-host relationships were found, however, wild animals can be vectors of important diseases, and monitoring the occurrence of ectoparasites in wildlife is a significant step in public health policies.

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