Molecular survey of Leishmania spp. in skin samples of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) from different areas of Brazil

Leishmaniases comprise a spectrum of diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, with some species of rodents being incriminated as reservoirs. The capybara is the largest extant rodent species in the world and is widely distributed in South America. The occurrence of infection by Leishmania spp. was investigated in capybaras captured in Brazil during 2015–2019 from established populations in five highly anthropic areas of the state of São Paulo and two natural areas of the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. A total of 186 individuals were captured and subjected to abdominal skin biopsy. All skin samples were Leishmania kDNA-negative, suggesting that capybaras have no role in the transmission cycles of Leishmania species in the studied areas despite the well-known role of other rodents in the life cycle of Leishmania spp. As leishmanioses compreendem um espectro de doenças causadas por protozoários do gênero Leishmania e algumas espécies de roedores são incriminadas como reservatórios de Leishmania spp. As capivaras compreendem a maior espécie de roedores existentes e são amplamente distribuídas na América do Sul. Para investigar a ocorrência de infecção por Leishmania spp. em capivaras, durante os anos de 2015-2019 capivaras foram capturadas em cinco áreas antrópicas do estado de São Paulo e em duas áreas naturais dos estados do Mato Grosso e do Mato Grosso do Sul, todos esses ambientes com populações de capivaras estabelecidas. Um total de 186 indivíduos foram capturados e submetidos à biópsia de pele abdominal. Todas as amostras de pele foram negativas para o alvo kDNA, assim, os dados sugerem que nas áreas estudadas as capivaras não têm papel no ciclo de transmissão de espécies de Leishmania spp., apesar do papel bem conhecido de outros roedores no ciclo de vida de Leishmania spp

Ornithodoros faccinii n. sp. (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae) parasitizing the frog Thoropa miliaris (Amphibia: Anura: Cycloramphidae) in Brazil

Abstract\ud \ud Background\ud Most argasid ticks from the Neotropical region are parasites of mammals and birds, with a few records from reptiles. Many species of the genus Ornithodoros are known only through larval descriptions, and their chaetotaxy and morphological characteristics have been used to separate the taxa. In the present study, we describe the larva and the nymph of first instar of a new species of the genus Ornithodoros that was collected from frogs of the species Thoropa miliaris.\ud \ud \ud Methods\ud Larvae of Ornithodoros were collected from frogs of the species T. miliaris at waterfalls in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The larval and nymphal description was based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. Molecular analysis using the argasid 16S rRNA sequences available in GenBank was also conducted.\ud \ud \ud Results\ud \ud Ornithodoros faccinii sp. n. is closely related to Ornithodoros clarki Jones & Clifford, Ornithodoros marinkellei Kohls, Clifford & Jones, Ornithodoros capensis Neumann and Ornithodoros sawaii Kitaoka & Susuki. However, the larval morphology of the new species is unique. The mitochondrial 16S rDNA partial sequence of O. faccinii generated in the present study was deposited in GenBank under the number KP861242.\ud \ud \ud Conclusions\ud The larvae collected from Thoropa miliaris are a new species, Ornithodoros faccinii n. sp. This is the first report of argasid ticks on frogs in Brazil, the second on frogs and the third on Amphibia in the Neotropical region

LOS ENDOPARÁSITOS COMO INDICADORES DE CALIDAD AMBIENTAL EN AVES SILVESTRES EN LA RESERVA BIOLÓGICA DE TINGUÁ, RÍO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL

Wild birds are hosts of a variety of parasites. Their migratory behavior increases the dispersion of parasites and consequently the occurrence of diseases in various locations around the world. To identify the parasitological fauna of wild birds in the Tinguá Biological Reserve in Rio de Janeiro state-Brazil, 43 birds belonging to the orders Passeriformes and Columbiformes were captured and stool samples collected. Four birds (9.3%) were positive for parasites. In the fecal samples, trematode eggs of the Tanaisia sp and oocysts of coccidia as Isospora sp were found. The low parasite prevalence in wild birds found in this study may be an environmental quality indicator,because the reserve is a preserved area that has little human interference. We emphasize also thatthe use of the technique of collecting stool samples with anal swabs was successful for diagnostic purposes.Aves silvestres são hospedeiras de uma diversidade de parasitos e o comportamento migratório aumenta a dispersão dos arasitos e consequentemente a ocorrência de enfermidades em diversas localidades do mundo. Com o objetivo de conhecer a fauna parasitológica de aves silvestres de uma Reserva Biológica do estado do Rio de Janeiro, 43 aves pertencentes às ordens Passeriformes e Columbiformes foram capturadas e amostras de fezes colhidas. A prevalência parasitária das aves capturadas foi de 9,3% (4/43). Foram encontrados nas amostras de fezes, ovos de trematódeo do gênero Tanaisia e oocistos de coccídeos pertencentes ao gênero Isospora.Abaixa prevalência parasitária em aves silvestres encontrada no presente estudo pode ser um indicador de qualidade ambiental, pois a reserva é uma área conservada que possui pouca interferência humana. Destacamos, também, que o uso da técnica de coleta das fezes através de swab anal, revelou-se eficaz para fins de diagnóstico

LEVANTAMENTO DE ENTEROPARASITOS EM MORCEGOS ATRAVÉS DE TÉCNICA DE CENTRÍFUGO FLUTUAÇÃO (MAMMALIA: CHIROPTERA) EM ÁREA DE FLORESTA TROPICAL

The frequency of intestinal parasites was established in 5 species of bats of the family Phyllostomidae captured in three different areas of study, located in the Village of Tinguá located in the far northeast of the city of Nova Iguaçu and the southern limits Tinguá Biological Reserve, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in April and July 2012. Each fecal sample was individually analyzed and processed by a modified centrifugal flotation procedure in sucrose solution. No eggs or cysts of endoparasites were detected in the 33 samples analyzed. This is the first study of the fauna endoparasites in bats using centrifugal flotation technique using only fecal samples. All surveys are based on necropsy of examined hosts.Verificou-se a frequência de enteroparasitos em morcegos pertencentes a cinco espécies da família Phyllostomidae capturados em três diferentes áreas de estudo, localizadas na Vila do Tinguá situada no extremo nordeste do Município de Nova Iguaçu e nos limites sul da Reserva Biológica do Tinguá, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil nos meses de abril e julho de 2012. Cada amostra fecal foi analisada individualmente e processada pela técnica de centrifugo-flutuação em solução de sacarose, com algumas modificações. Das 33 amostras analisadas não se observou ovos ou cistos de enteroparasitos. Este é o primeiro estudo para pesquisa da fauna enteroparasitária em morcegos utilizando a técnica de centrifugo-flutuação, que utiliza apenas as fezes e assegura a manutenção do hospedeiro na natureza, com o objetivo de ampliar o conhecimento para a região, uma vez que todos os levantamentos são baseados em coleta de material de necropsia

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

Ticks parasitizing dogs in an insular area of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

ABSTRACT. Luz H.R., Mathias C. & Faccini J.L.H. [Ticks parasitizing dogs in an insular area of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.] Carrapatos parasitando cães em uma área insular do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(4):437-442, 2014. Curso de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Instituto de Veterinária, Anexo 1, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Seropédica, BR 465 Km 7, Seropédica, RJ 23897-970, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] The navy training center (CADIM) at the sandbank of Marambaia, about 40 km long and approximately 49.4km2, is located in the Municipality of Mangaratiba, RJ. Here we present for the first time information on parasitism by ticks in dogs in an insular area of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Dogs in two different areas were examined from April/2013 to January 2014. Overall, 15 (PI=39 %) out of 38 dogs examined were parasitized. We collected 85 ticks (IMP 5.6 / dog) in the stages of adult (30FF and 20MM) and nymphs (35NN). We identified three species of ticks: R. sanguineus , A. aureolatum and A. sculptum . R. sanguineus was the most common tick collected in nine ( PI=60 % and = 5.3 IMP) dogs followed by A. aureolatum collected in six dogs ( PI=40 % / IMP=1.4 ) and A . sculptum collected in five dogs ( PI=33 % / IMP=3.2 ). We captured 118 free living ticks: 15 larvae identified as Amblyomma sp., and 41 nymphs and 62 adults identified as A. sculptum from which 26 ticks were collected wandering on the collectors