Evaluation of health surveys in captive psittacines and analysis of relocation efforts

• Grant number: 11/50375-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2011
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Nilson Roberti Benites
• Grantee: Nilson Roberti Benites
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of the major biodiversities in the planet is found in national territory and Brazil has the largest number of psittacine species compared to any other country in the world. Out of the 84 endemic species, 16 are classified as vulnerable to critically endangered. An essential part of wildlife conservation is the relocation of species and in order to guarantee its success the individuals must be screened negative for known pathogens. The Normative Instruction 179 (IN-179) has determined the procedures for confiscated wild animals taking into account laboratorial exams in order to prevent the introduction of infectious agents in the environment. The proposed project aims to detect the prevalence of several infectious agents in parrots participating in relocation efforts, employing the Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR), as well as determining the interactions between the carrier state and shedding of infectious agents using paired samplings. Positive samples will be sequenced with the purpose of determining the similarity with samples already described in the literature and attempting to deduce a likely common origin as well as the zoonotical potential of the isolates. Cloacal swabs will be collected at a minimum of three separate periods during the rehabilitation process, carrying out bacterial cultures and biochemical identification of the isolates, and extracting the DNA searching for virulence factors found in Enteropathogenic E.coli and Salmonella spp with the PCR technique. Additional swabs will be taken for DNA extraction and PCR aiming to detect Avian poxvirus, and RT-PCR to Paramyxovirus type 1, Influenza type A, and Coronavirus. Positive samples will be submitted to DNA sequencing and the resulting fragments will be used to build phylogenetic trees in order to determine the correlation of the isolates with the available literature. These results will be further discussed according to the importance to relocation projects of parrots back in the wild as well as the viability of the protocols currently employed according o the Brazilian laws. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SAIDENBERG, ANDRE B. S.; ZUNIGA, EVELINE; MELVILLE, PRISCILLA A.; SALABERRY, SANDRA; BENITES, NILSON R.. HEALTH-SCREENING PROTOCOLS FOR VINACEOUS AMAZONS (AMAZONA VINACEA) IN A REINTRODUCTION PROJECT. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, v. 46, n. 4, p. 704-712, DEC 2015. (11/50375-5)

SAIDENBERG, ANDRE B. S.; ZUNIGA, EVELINE; MELVILLE, PRISCILLA A.; SALABERRY, SANDRA; BENITES, NILSON R.. HEALTH-SCREENING PROTOCOLS FOR VINACEOUS AMAZONS (AMAZONA VINACEA) IN A REINTRODUCTION PROJECT. JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE, v. 46, n. 4, p. 9-pg., 2015-12-01. (11/50375-5)

SAIDENBERG, ANDRE B. S.; KNOBL, TEREZINHA; MELVILLE, PRISCILLA A.; ZUNIGA, EVELINE; SALABERRY, SANDRA R. S.; BENITES, NILSON R.; BRANDAO, PAULO E.. An Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolate with Possible Human and Domestic Animal Origin from a Free-Living Lear's Macaw (Anodorhynchus leari). JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, v. 53, n. 2, p. 396-398, APR 2017. (11/50375-5)