Detecção molecular de protozoários da família Sarcocystidae em fragmentos de coração de animais silvestres do estado de Mato Grosso

Abstract

The State of Mato Grosso has a vast territorial dimension, with great abundance and diversity of species and habitats, however little is known about the epidemiology of diseases that affect wild animals, including zoonotic ones. Wild animals can serve as reservoirs for different infectious agents, with great potential for applied research, whose literature is still very scarce. Therefore, we carried out the molecular detection of protozoa of the Sarcocystidae family from tissue fragments of the heart (n=158) obtained from road-killed free-roaming wild animals alongside of state and/or federal highways in the state of Mato Grosso and captive animals sent to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso (HOVET/UFMT). We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for protozoan detection, initially a screening amplifying the 18S ribosomal RNA gene and sequencing the amplified products. n total, 31% (30/158) animals were positive, however, due to DNA quality, some samples were not sequenced. Thus, 36%(11/30) were identified as Sarcocystis sp. and 30% (9/30) positive for Toxoplasma gondii. The results obtained indicate the presence of the parasite in wild animals and the possibility of carrying out the molecular detection of protozoa from tissue fragments (heart). This being the first report of Sarcocystis spp. infecting Aotus infulatus, Ara macao, Chelonoidis carbonaria, Crotophaga mayor, Lontra longicaudis, Sciurus aestuans de vida livre of free lifte.