Detecção molecular de agentes patogênicos em primatas neotropicais no estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil

Abstract

With the growth of cities, deforestation, the expansion of agriculture and the maintenance of wild fauna in captivity, neotropical primates are closer to humans, increasing the risk of spreading zoonoses, as they can act as reservoirs for numerous pathogens. In Brazil, information about the health of these animals is scarce and the diagnosis can assist in the epidemiological understanding for the implementation of prophylactic measures and control of these diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify the health profile of primates through the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Between 2017 and 2019, whole blood samples were collected from 38 freeliving and captive Neotropical primates of six different species (Alouatta caraya, Aotus azarae, Aotus infulatus, Ateles marginatus, Mico melanurus and Sapajus apella), from seven cities in the state from Mato Grosso, Midwest of Brazil. The investigated agents were: Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. For trypanosomatids, nine (23.68%) positive samples were identified for the genus Leishmania: seven (18.42%) as L. infantum and two (5.26%) animals were positive for L. (L.) amazonensis; and two (5.26%) animals for the genus Trypanosoma: one T. minasense and another T. rangeli. L. infantum was detected in the species Aotus azarae, being the first description of this species-host association. For the other agents, 11 (28.95%) samples were positive for T. gondii, 10 (26.32%) were positive for N. caninum and 13 (34.21%) samples showed DNA from Brucella spp. In this study, the presence of Leptospira spp. genetic material was not found in the tested samples. This research contributed to the understanding of the health profile of free-living and captive neotropical primates in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, and demonstrated the importance of these animals in playing the role of hosts and possible sources of infection of the agents found for other animals and humans. Molecular detection showed the susceptibility of animias in this region to numerous potentially fatal pathogens, directly implying their conservation. This is the first study carried out in the State of Mato Grosso in which the health profile of freeliving and captive neotropical primates is assessed.