Estudo da infecção por hematozoários apicomplexos em mamíferos silvestres no estado do Mato Grosso

Abstract

Apicomplexan hemoparasites can infect different groups of vertebrates, such as mammals. Infections by these agents deserve prominence, as they may lead to clinical disease and some species of wild animals can act as reservoirs, and thus have a contribution to the propagation of the agents to other species. The study aimed to detect the presence of DNA from order Piroplasmida (Babesia sp., Cytauxzoon sp., and Theileria sp.) and suborder Adeleorina (Hepatozoon sp.) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by genetic sequencing from blood and spleen samples of wild mammals. A total of 164 animals, comprising 31 different species were sampled. Among them, one Leopardus pardalis, three Panthera onca, two Puma concolor, and six Tapirus terrestris were positive for Piroplasmida, whereas one L. pardalis were positive for Hepatozoon sp. Despite the controversy regarding the epidemiological threat by these protozoa, the detection of these tick-borne infections in wild free-living and captive mammals, even when asymptomatic, demonstrates the importance of monitoring, mainly in hotspots, such as the state of Mato Grosso, in order to anticipate the emergency of new pathogens and their possible consequences to other animals as well as human.