Leptospira Seroprevalence in Capybaras from a Brazilian Urban Area

Background: Leptospirosis remains the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. As a clinical entity it is strongly associated with regional occupational and environmental exposures.  While the exact global disease burden remains unknown, recent estimates by the leptospirosis Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (LERG) at the World Health Organization have set the number of human cases of severe leptospirosis to over 500,000 per year. This number almost certainly represents an under-representation due to poor surveillance and difficult diagnosis. Leptospira spp. belong to the order Spirochaetales, family Leptospiraceae, composed by 13 pathogenic Leptospira species with more than 260 serovars. Wildlife species are commonly considered to be important epidemiological carriers, mainly because of their frequent reactivity to Leptospira serovars native to their habitat. Capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris), a known leptospirosis host, is a widespread species in South America. However, reports regarding the importance of this animal in the epidemiology of leptospirosis are rare. Therefore, the objective of this study was to report the results of leptospirosis serological survey of capybaras from a residential park area in southeastern Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 172 capybaras were sampled at Itú Municipality, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, from December 2012 to May 2013. Sera samples were examined for Leptospira antibodies by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), using live antigens grown in liquid medium (EMJH). A complete panel of 7 serogroups (including 10 reference serovars) was used as antigens: serogroup Sejroe (serovars Hardjo and Wolffi), serogroup Grippotyphosa (serovar Grippotyphosa), serogroup Canicola (serovar Canicola), serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae (serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae and Copenhageni), serogroup Australis (serovars Australis and Bratislava), serogroup Pomona (serovar Pomona), and serogroup Autumnalis (serovar Butembo).   As a results, 46 (26.75%) were serologically positive: 29 (63.05%) for serogroup Sejroe, 7 (15.22%) for serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae; 9 (19.56%) were seropositive for serogroups Sejroe and Icterohaemorrhagiae; and 1 (2.17%) was positive for serogroups Sejroe and Grippotyphosa.Discussion: L. interrogans sensu stricto is responsible for the most frequent and severe cases of human and animal leptospirosis. Considering the results of our serological survey, it is important to reinforce that in tropical countries, mainly Brazil, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and Barbados, serovars belonging to the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup (Icterohaemorrhagiae and Copenhageni) are generally the most prevalent. Therefore, the report of different serogroups in capybaras (as observed in our study) it is an important observation reported. Human leptospirosis is usually due to serovars that are maintained by the animal populations of a region, which spread the bacterium on the environment; thus, it may represent an important additional risk factor for human population. Our study identified a greater serum reactivity to strains that belongs to serogroup Sejroe. In Brazil this serogroup is highly predominant in livestock; thus, our main hypothesis is that some animals were contaminated with Sejroe serovars when they were at their natural habitat and, once in the park, they maintained these serovars through cross transmission.  Therefore, based on our results, it was possible to observe a significant prevalence of serovars belonging to serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae, and there was also a high prevalence of samples positive to serogroup Sejroe. Thus, our serologic survey showed that capybaras living in an urban area could represent a risk factor for leptospirosis for the human population eventually exposed

Litomosoides silvai (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) parasitizing Akodon montensis (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the southern region of Brazil

In the present study, Litomosoides silvai parasitizing Akodon montensis in the southern region of Brazil is reported for the "rst time. New morphological information is provided for some structures of this nematode species, such as a #attened cephalic extremity, presence of two dorsal cephalic papillae, female tail with a constriction at its tip, “s” shaped vagina, spicules characteristic of the carinii species group and micro"laria tail constricted at the tip. $is nematode was found parasitizing the thoracic cavity with a prevalence of 10$is occurrence of L. silvai in A. montensis is a new geographical record for southern Brazil, in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregion of the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul, which is part of the Atlantic Forest biome.No presente estudo é relatado pela primeira vez Litomosoides silvai parasitando Akodon montensis coletados na região Sul do Brasil. Foram fornecidas novas informações morfológicas para algumas estruturas desta espécie de nematódeo, tais como extremidade cefálica achatada, a presença de duas papilas cefálicas dorsais, cauda das fêmeas com uma constrição na ponta da cauda, vagina em forma de “s”, espículas de característica do grupo de espécies de carinii e cauda da microfilária com constrição na ponta. Este nematódeo parasitava a cavidade torácica com uma prevalência de 10% (2/20), intensidade média de 4 (8/2) e abundância média de 0,4 (8/20), e intervalo de infecção de 2-6 espécimes por hospedeiro no Sul do Brasil. A ocorrência de L. silvai em A. montensis é um novo registro geográfico, no sul do Brasil, a noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, na ecorregião da Mata Atlântica do Alto Paraná, parte do bioma da Mata Atlântica.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Pesquisa sorológica de Ehrlichia sp. em cães da região central do Rio Grande do Sul

A serological survey on Ehrlichia canis was conducted among dogs in the central area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, where the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus is a common parasite of dogs. Out of a total of 316 dogs attended at the veterinary teaching hospital in the municipality of Santa Maria, only 14 (4.43%) reacted positively to E. canis antigens in the indirect immunofluorescence assay, with the following endpoint titers: 80 (three dogs), 160 (five), 320 (four), 640 (one) and 1280 (one). Like in previous studies in other regions of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, only a very small portion of the dogs in Santa Maria presented antibodies reactive to E. canis, even though canine infestations due to R. sanguineus are very common in this study region. These results contrast with other regions of Brazil, where E. canis is endemic among canine populations, with seropositivity values generally higher than 30%. Genetic differences among the R. sanguineus populations in South America might be implicated in these contrasting results

Presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp. and -Ehrlichia canis antibodies in free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

O lobo-guará (Chrysocyon brachyurus) habita o ecossistema de Cerrado e é considerado o maior canídeo da América do Sul e uma espécie ameaçada de extinção pela "International Union for Conservation of Nature" (IUNC). O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a presença de anticorpos anti-Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp. e -Ehrlichia canis em lobos-guará da região nordeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Das 17 amostras de soro testadas por meio da reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI), 88,2% (15/17), 17,6% (3/17) e 52,9% (9/17) apresentaram anticorpos anti-T. gondii, -Leishmania spp. e -E. canis, respectivamente. Todos os animais testados foram soronegativos para N. caninum. Esses resultados indicam a exposição dos lobos-guará dessa região aos agentes pesquisados. A presença de um complexo industrial, agricultura extensiva e fragmentação de habitat na região nordeste do estado de São Paulo, favorece a proximidade desses animais silvestres a ambientes urbanos o que pode contribuir para a transmissão de doenças entre os animais silvestres, domésticos e o homem.The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), an inhabitant of the Brazilian savanna, is considered the largest canid of South America and is classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp., and -Ehrlichia canis in free-ranging maned wolves in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Of the 17 serum samples tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), 88.2% (15/17), 17.6% (3/17) and 52.9% (9/17) showed anti-T. gondii, -Leishmania spp., and -E. canis antibodies, respectively. None of the studied maned wolves tested positive for N. caninum antibodies. Our results indicated the exposure of free-ranging maned wolves to the agents in question. The presence of industrial complexes, extensive agriculture and habitat fragmentation in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo puts these wild animals in proximity to urban areas, possibly contributing to the transmission of diseases between wild and domestic animals and human beings

Litomosoides silvai (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) parasitizing Akodon montensis (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in the southern region of Brazil

In the present study, Litomosoides silvai parasitizing Akodon montensis in the southern region of Brazil is reported for the "rst time. New morphological information is provided for some structures of this nematode species, such as a #attened cephalic extremity, presence of two dorsal cephalic papillae, female tail with a constriction at its tip, “s” shaped vagina, spicules characteristic of the carinii species group and micro"laria tail constricted at the tip. $is nematode was found parasitizing the thoracic cavity with a prevalence of 10$is occurrence of L. silvai in A. montensis is a new geographical record for southern Brazil, in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest ecoregion of the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul, which is part of the Atlantic Forest biome.No presente estudo é relatado pela primeira vez Litomosoides silvai parasitando Akodon montensis coletados na região Sul do Brasil. Foram fornecidas novas informações morfológicas para algumas estruturas desta espécie de nematódeo, tais como extremidade cefálica achatada, a presença de duas papilas cefálicas dorsais, cauda das fêmeas com uma constrição na ponta da cauda, vagina em forma de “s”, espículas de característica do grupo de espécies de carinii e cauda da microfilária com constrição na ponta. Este nematódeo parasitava a cavidade torácica com uma prevalência de 10% (2/20), intensidade média de 4 (8/2) e abundância média de 0,4 (8/20), e intervalo de infecção de 2-6 espécimes por hospedeiro no Sul do Brasil. A ocorrência de L. silvai em A. montensis é um novo registro geográfico, no sul do Brasil, a noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, na ecorregião da Mata Atlântica do Alto Paraná, parte do bioma da Mata Atlântica.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Detection of anti -Rickettsia spp. antibodies in domestic chickens of extensive breeding in an endemic Detection of anti -Rickettsia spp. antibodies in domestic chickens of extensive breeding in an endemic area for spotted fever in the state of Rio Grande

Detecção de anticorpos anti