Ecological approach of the sylvatic cycle of Toxoplama gondii in three biomes of the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil: evaluations of the molecular relationship prey / predator

• Grant number: 13/03794-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Solange Maria Gennari
• Grantee: Solange Maria Gennari
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Antonio Francisco Malheiros ; Arlei Marcili ; Hilda Fátima de Jesus Pena

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of wildlife in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Brazil, however the approach of the research has been an epidemiological unidirectional focus (host - parasite). The parasitic cycle in the wild is much more complex that requires new approaches that allow inferences about the biological and ecological factors, and into triad parasite - predator - prey. In this study the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii among different trophic levels of the food chain, specifically inside the taxon of small non-flying mammals (rodents and marsupials) and carnivorous predators of three different biomes of the state of Mato Grosso will be evaluated. In this study adds analysis of biological species predated (age, sex, weight, diet and phylogeny) and ecological variables (vertical use of space, habitat use, species density, lifetime and dispersion in the biome). With these factors the significance of interrelationships predator-prey, parasite-host, predator-parasite and parasite-parasite, will be correlated. Innovative features that can contribute to the knowledge of the sylvatic cycle of toxoplasmosis. (AU)