Ocorrência de agentes infecciosos em carnívoros silvestres e cães domésticos no Pantanal Sul

Abstract

Most emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in the world are zoonoses and originate in wildlife. The main factors associated with the emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases are, urbanization, deforestation, and fragmentation of habitats, which together predispose to a higher contact among wildlife, humans and domestic animals. Wild carnivores and dogs can share parasites through direct or indirect contact in various regions of the world, especially high biodiverse sites such as the Pantanal Wetland. The objective of this study was to detect, through molecular diagnostics (PCR), the presence of vector borne pathogens such as: Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Cytauxzoon felis, Hepatozoon spp., Leishmania spp., and Trypanosoma spp.; or infectious by cysts or oocysts such as Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondi using spleen samples from roadkill wild carnivores and blood samples from domestic dogs obtained along the BR262 highway between Aquidauana and Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul. Out of 54 samples examined, 26 from wild carnivores and 28 from dogs, 20 (37%) were positive for at least one pathogenic agent analyzed, the most prevalent agent being Hepatozoon spp., with diagnosed in 15 samples. This study presented the first reports of positive molecular diagnosis of Neospora caninum and Hepatozoon spp. in bush dog (Speothos venaticus) and for Hepatozoon spp. in a neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis), highlighting the importance of using carcasses of roadkill animals as ‘sentinels’ for monitoring and detection of pathogenic agents at risk to public health.