Bird checklist and contributions to conservation of the Atlantic forest-cerrado ecotone in Três Lagoas municipality, Brazil

Although Três Lagoas municipality is located in a rare and highly fragmented Atlantic Forest-Cerrado ecotone, there is scarcity of biodiversity data to guide conservation decisions. Therefore, this study aimed to compile the first bird checklist in 31 localities in this municipality to propose conservation strategies based on avian richness, conservation and migratory status. A total of 419 bird species were recorded, of which 412 were exclusive to the Atlantic Forest-Cerrado ecotone and seven to the Cerrado domain (C. minor, L. xenopterus, P. unicinctus, T. curucui, S. pileata, S. melanopis and S. luteola). According to the results, 12 species are included in the Near Threatened category, four are vulnerable (C. fasciolata, L. xenopterus, A. tricolor and S. hypoxantha) and one is endangered (U. coronata). Regarding migratory birds, 112 were recorded (95 intracontinental, 17 intercontinental). Since the majority of these species are recorded in grasslands, aquatic habitats and Seasonal Deciduous Alluvial Forest, they necessarily have highest priority for conservation and restoration. Thus, we recommend that: (1) areas 2, 11 and 24 be considered as both Important Bird Area and “Area de Proteção Ambiental”; (2) riparian forest restoration along the Paraná river act as a local ecological corridor among these areas, allowing the recolonization, genetic exchange and restoration of locally reduced populations of migratory and near/threatened bird species

Trypanosoma vivax in Dairy Cattle

Background: Trypanosoma vivax is a protozoan that causes reproductive disorders and decreased production in domestic and wild ungulate animals. The bovine are the main hosts of the disease and the transmission occurs by the bite of hematophagous insects, mainly tabanids. Several diagnostic techniques can be used to detect the parasite, both in parasitologicalform and by serological kits. In Brazil, the disease has been reported in bovines, goats and sheep of some states, with high morbidity and mortality and due to the scarcity of results on the epidemiology of the disease, this work had the objective to report the presence of T. vivax in a female bovine of a dairy herd in Parnaíba county, Piauí.Case: The animal naturally infected by Trypanosoma vivax, was a three-year-old cow from a dairy farm in the Parnaíba county, located in the north of Piauí state. The farm had a herd whith 62.20% of young Girolando breed cows and the breeding system used was semi-confinement, with two mechanical milking per day. At the time of a Veterinarian’s technicalvisit to the property, it was observed the occurrence of abortions, mastitis, estrus repetitions and cows with hematuria, leading to the suspicion of the bovine leptospirosis occurrence. Blood samples were collected from 78 cows from the herd for hematological, biochemical and serological tests, and 72 (92.30%) were reactive to some Leptospira serovars. All the exams were carried out at the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI). In the group of animals negative for leptospirosis, a female was diagnosed positive for bovine trypanosomiasis, confirming the result in the blood smear. This animal had no clinical signs characteristic of the disease at the time of the evaluation.Discussion: Blood trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma vivax were visualized on several slides of the animal smear and all the morphological structures of the parasite found were clearly seen under microscopyas described in the literature. The hematological alterations observed were normochromic normocytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis due tolymphocytosis, monocytosis and eosinophilia. The anemia and leukocytosis clinical condition found in the specific animal is commonly found in bovines naturally infected by trypanosomiasis in the chronic phase of the disease. The results of the serum biochemistry revealed decreased blood glucose and increased renal and hepatic parameters, as well as the inversion of the albumin-globulin ratio. Similar laboratory results were also described previously. The animal had a good body score, a good diet and showed no clinical signs of the disease. A good nutrition may have controlled the T. vivax parasitaemia, avoiding the characterization of the clinical condition. This fact can be attributed to the differences in pathogenicity of the parasite and/or susceptibility of a particular host. In the area of the farm where the cattle were housed the presence ofseveral tabanids was noticed and the increase of these insects in the environment is considered a risk factor, predisposing, even, the occurrence of new outbreaks. The epidemiological situation of the disease in Brazil is described, for the most part, by reports of outbreaks or specific events, revealing the lack of more consistent studies. With this result it is knownthat trypanosomiasis exists in the dairy herd of the state of Piauí, being important to carry out new work to diagnose the epidemiological situation of the disease within the productive context of our region.Keywords: bovine, dairy herd, trypanosomiasis

Serum Epidemiological Analysis and Risk Factors Associated with Leptospira spp. in Cattle in the State of Piauí

Background: Leptospirosis is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira spp. and it is considered one of the main causes of reproductive problems in cattle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of anti-Leptospira antibodies and identify the prevalent serovars and risk factors associated with infection in cattle herds, in the microregion of Floriano, Piaui State, Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 414 bovine sera samples were collected (390 females aged over 24 months and 24 bulls) from 22 properties (farms) in the municipalities that compose the study area. The samples were analyzed using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) to detect anti-Leptospira antibodies from 23 pathogenic serovars. An epidemiological questionnaire was applied in each farm to evaluate the risk factors, using a univariate analysis of the variables of interest, by Pearson’s Chi-square test (χ2) or Fisher’s exact test, when it was necessary. Then, each independent variable was crossed with the dependent variable and those that presented statistical significance 1: 100) in the 22 evaluated farms; all of them had at least one positive animal, resulting in a prevalence of 34.54%, with 32,8% females (136) and 1,7% males (07), and 8,93% (37) of co-agglutination. Nineteen of the 23 tested serovars were identified; among them, Icterohaemorrhagiae (42.48%), Hardjo (31.2%), Pomona (4.3%), and Castellonis (4.3%) stood out. Absence of quarantine (OR = 16.172, P = 0.024), vaccination (OR = 0.090, P = 0.037) and isolation of diseased animals (OR = 0.006, P = 0.030) were identified, by the multivariate logistic regression analysis, as risk factors for any serovar of Leptospira spp.Discussion: The results of the present study showed that leptospirosis is present in all studied municipalities, in which the prevalence may be related to the variety of factors that influence the occurrence of the disease, such as climatic and environmental conditions, transit of animal, practices of management adopted in the herd, and the lack of information about the disease. The occurrence of co-agglutination can be explained by the possibility of multiple and concomitant contaminations with several serovars. Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most prevalent serovar, which has significant importance to public health since it is considered the main serovar of leptospirosis in humans, associated with the presence of rodents. On the other hand, the serovar Hardjo is related to the chronic leptospirosis in cattle, demonstrated through reproductive problems. The serovars Castellonis and Pomona were also observed in bovine herds, suggesting a possible transmission of the microorganism between animal species, probably due to exposure to the same sources of infection. In fact, the large number of serovarieties of Leptospira spp. indicates the presence of one or more maintenance hosts, which are natural reservoirs of this infection. The risk factors confirmed in the logistic regression analysis probably occur due to failures in sanitary management. It is concluded that Leptospira spp. is disseminated in cattle in the studied region, with the presence of several serovars, which reinforces the need for intensifying the prevention and control measures, such as vaccination

Bird checklist and contributions to conservation of the Atlantic forest-cerrado ecotone in Três Lagoas municipality, Brazil

Posso, Sérgio Roberto, Godoi, Maurício Neves, Faxina, Claudenice, Gabriel, Vagner de Araújo, Souza, Lys Pereira de, Godoy, Fernando Igor de, Villegas-Vallejos, Marcelo Alejandro, Cintra, Luiz Arthur de Carvalho (2023): Bird checklist and contributions to conservation of the Atlantic forest-cerrado ecotone in Três Lagoas municipality, Brazil. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 63: 1-20, DOI: 10.11606/1807-0205/2023.63.035, URL: https://www.revistas.usp.br/paz/article/view/20149

Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable

Brazil, home to one of the planet's last great forests, is currently in trade negotiations with its second largest trading partner, the European Union (EU). We urge the EU to seize this critical opportunity to ensure that Brazil protects human rights and the environment