Study of avian malaria in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) kept in selected Brazilian coast rehabilitation centers

• Grant number: 09/53956-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2010
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Luiz Catao Dias
• Grantee: Ralph Eric Thijl Del Val Onoro Vanstreels
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) inhabits Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, and regularly visits the Brazilian continental platform during its winter migration. A considerable portion of these animals reach the Brazilian beaches in poor health, receiving care in several Rehabilitation Centers (RCs) distributed along the Brazilian coast. During the period of rehabilitation at these institutions, one of the most relevant infectious diseases that affect these animals is Avian Malaria, a sudden and fulminant disorder that results in high mortality rates. Although there are many reports of Avian Malaria outbreaks in Brazil, it is unclear if the infection occurs in the wild or in the RCs. It is also unknown why the plasmodial infection, typically mild or subclinical in other bird species, is so harmful to the penguins; nor is it known how effective are the classic preventive measures that were empirically implemented in zoos and RCs throughout the world. Using biomolecular (PCR, genetic sequencing), serological (indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), hematological (thin blood smears) and pathological methods (necropsy, histopathology, tissue imprints), this research project intends to contribute to the understanding the Avian Malaria infection and mortality patterns in these migratory marine birds in RCs throughout the Brazilian coast and in captivity institutions. The results of this project will provide information that may help clarifying the role of this disease as a potential threat factor to the conservation of these birds, as well as discuss the preventive measures that might be necessary in the future. (AU)

Scientific publications

(21)

(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)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; FERREIRA JUNIOR, FRANCISCO C.; DUTRA, DANIELA DE ANGELI; EPIPHANIO, SABRINA; BRAGA, ERIKA M.; PISTORIUS, PIERRE A.; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Investigation of Babesia sp in pygoscelid penguins at the South Shetland Islands. POLAR RESEARCH, v. 37, n. 1, SEP 26 2018. (09/53956-9, 10/51801-5)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; DA SILVA-FILHO, RODOLFO PINHO; MIYAJI KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE KIYOMI; CAMPOS BHERING, RENATA CRISTINA; RUOPPOLO, VALERIA; EPIPHANIO, SABRINA; AMAKU, MARCOS; FERREIRA JUNIOR, FRANCISCO CARLOS; BRAGA, ERIKA MARTINS; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Epidemiology and pathology of avian malaria in penguins undergoing rehabilitation in Brazil. VETERINARY RESEARCH, v. 46, MAR 13 2015. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

ROSSI, SILMARA; SANCHEZ-SARMIENTO, ANGELICA MARIA; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; DOS SANTOS, ROBSON GUIMARAES; SETIM PRIOSTE, FABIOLA ELOISA; GATTAMORTA, MARCO AURELIO; HILDEBRAND GRISI-FILHO, JOSE HENRIQUE; MATUSHIMA, ELIANA REIKO. Challenges in Evaluating the Severity of Fibropapillomatosis: A Proposal for Objective Index and Score System for Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Brazil. PLoS One, v. 11, n. 12, DEC 9 2016. (11/04565-7, 10/01781-8, 12/14319-6, 09/53956-9)

BIZELLI, CAMILA C.; SILVA, SANDRIANA R.; DA COSTA, JESSICA D.; VANSTREELS, RALPH E. T.; ATZINGEN, MARINA V.; SANTORO, MARCELO L.; FERNANDES, IRENE; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE L.; FAQUIM-MAURO, ELIANA L.. Isolation and Characterization of IgM and IgY Antibodies from Plasma of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). AVIAN DISEASES, v. 59, n. 1, p. 79-86, MAR 2015. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE K. M.; SANDRI, SANDRO; SILVEIRA, PATRICIA; BELO, NAYARA O.; FERREIRA JUNIOR, FRANCISCO C.; EPIPHANIO, SABRINA; STEINDEL, MARIO; BRAGA, ERIKA M.; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Outbreak of Avian Malaria Associated to Multiple Species of Plasmodium in Magellanic Penguins Undergoing Rehabilitation in Southern Brazil. PLoS One, v. 9, n. 4, APR 15 2014. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

VANSTREELS, RALPH E. T.; MARACINI, PRYSCILLA; NIEMEYER, CLAUDIA; RUOPPOLO, VALERIA; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE L.. COMMON GOOSE BARNACLES LEPAS AUSTRALIS (THORACICA, PEDUNCULATA) ON DECEASED MAGELLANIC PENGUINS SPHENISCUS MAGELLANICUS (AVES). CRUSTACEANA, v. 85, n. 2, p. 241-248, FEB 2012. (09/53956-9, 10/51801-5)

CAMILE LUGARINI; MARIA CLARA FEITOSA DE ALBUQUERQUE; RALPH ERIC THIJL VANSTREELS; ANDREI LANGELOH ROOS; JEAN CARLOS RAMOS SILVA; JAQUELINE BIANQUE DE OLIVEIRA. ENDOPARASITOS NAS AVES DA RESERVA BIOLÓGICA GUARIBAS, PARAÍBA, BRASIL. Ciênc. anim. bras., v. 19, 2018-05-17. (09/53956-9)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; UHART, MARCELA; RAGO, VIRGINIA; HURTADO, RENATA; EPIPHANIO, SABRINA; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Do blood parasites infect Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in the wild? Prospective investigation and climatogeographic considerations. Parasitology, v. 144, n. 5, p. 698-705, APR 2017. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

EWBANK, ANA CAROLINA; STREFEZZI, RICARDO DE FRANCISCO; SACRISTAN, CARLOS; MIYAJI KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE KIYOMI; MARTINS, ARYSE; SILVA PEREIRA MAYORGA, LUIS FELIPE; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Comparative morphometric evaluation of hepatic hemosiderosis in wild Magellanic penguins (Spbeniscus magellanicus) infected with different Plasmodium spp. subgenera. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, v. 28, n. 1, p. 68-79, JAN-MAR 2019. (09/53956-9, 10/51801-5)

ANA CAROLINA EWBANK; RICARDO DE FRANCISCO STREFEZZI; CARLOS SACRISTÁN; CRISTIANE KIYOMI MIYAJI KOLESNIKOVAS; ARYSE MARTINS; LUIS FELIPE SILVA PEREIRA MAYORGA; RALPH ERIC THIJL VANSTREELS; JOSÉ LUIZ CATÃO-DIAS. Avaliação morfométrica comparativa da hemossiderose hepática em pinguins-de-Magalhães (Spheniscus magellanicus) de vida livre infectados por diferentes subgêneros de Plasmodium spp.. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, v. 28, n. 1, p. 68-79, 2019-02-21. (09/53956-9, 10/51801-5)

GALLO, LUCIANA; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; COOK, ROBERT A.; KARESH, WILLIAM B.; UHART, MARCELA. Hematology, plasma biochemistry, and trace element reference values for free-ranging adult Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). POLAR BIOLOGY, v. 42, n. 4, p. 733-742, APR 2019. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

GASTAL, SILVIA B.; MASCARENHAS, CAROLINA S.; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; RUAS, JERONIMO L.. Rhinonyssus sphenisci (Acari: Rhinonyssidae) in Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus). POLAR BIOLOGY, v. 41, n. 3, p. 487-490, MAR 2018. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

RUOPPOLO, VALERIA; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; WOEHLER, ERIC J.; RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA, SERGIO ANDRES; ADORNES, ANDREA CORRADO; DA SILVA-FILHO, RODOLFO PINHO; MATUS, RICARDO; POLESCHI, CARLA; GRIOT, KAREN; KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE K. MIYAJI; et al. Survival and movements of Magellanic penguins rehabilitated from oil fouling along the coast of South America, 2000-2010. Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 64, n. 7, p. 1309-1317, JUL 2012. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; ADORNES, ANDREA CORRADO; CANABARRO, PAULA LIMA; RUOPPOLO, VALERIA; AMAKU, MARCOS; DA SILVA-FILHO, RODOLFO PINHO; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Female-biased mortality of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) on the wintering grounds. EMU: Austral Ornithology, v. 113, n. 2, p. 128-134, 2013. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; MIRANDA, FLAVIA R.; RUOPPOLO, VALERIA; DE ALMEIDA REIS, ANA OLIVIA; COSTA, ERLI SCHNEIDER; DE LIRA PESSOA, ADRIANA RODRIGUES; MACHADO TORRES, JOAO PAULO; TEIXEIRA DA CUNHA, LARISSA SCHMAUDER; PIUCO, ROBERTA DA CRUZ; VALIATI, VICTOR HUGO; et al. Investigation of blood parasites of pygoscelid penguins at the King George and Elephant Islands, South Shetlands Archipelago, Antarctica. POLAR BIOLOGY, v. 37, n. 1, p. 135-139, JAN 2014. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

GRILO, M. L.; VANSTREELS, R. E. T.; WALLACE, R.; GARCIA-PARRAGA, D.; BRAGA, E. M.; CHITTY, J.; CATAO-DIAS, J. L.; MADEIRA DE CARVALHO, L. M.. Malaria in penguins - current perceptions. AVIAN PATHOLOGY, v. 45, n. 4, p. 393-407, 2016. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; BRAGA, ERIKA MARTINS; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Blood parasites of penguins: a critical review. Parasitology, v. 143, n. 8, p. 931-956, JUL 2016. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

SANCHEZ-SARMIENTO, ANGELICA MARIA; ROSSI, SILMARA; VILCA, FRANZ ZIRENA; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; MONTEIRO, SERGIO HENRIQUE; VALE, LUIZ AMERICO S.; DOS SANTOS, ROBSON GUIMARAES; MARIGO, JULIANA; BERTOZZI, CAROLINA PACHECO; HILDEBRAND GRISI FILHO, JOSE HENRIQUE; et al. Organochlorine pesticides in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) with and without fibropapillomatosis caught at three feeding areas off Brazil. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, v. 97, n. 1, p. 215-223, FEB 2017. (11/04565-7, 10/01781-8, 12/14319-6, 09/53956-9)

VANSTREELS, R. E. T.; GARDINER, C. H.; YABSLEY, M. J.; SWANEPOEL, L.; KOLESNIKOVAS, C. K. M.; SILVA-FILHO, R. P.; EWBANK, A. C.; CATAO-DIAS, J. L.. Schistosomes and Microfilarial Parasites in Magellanic Penguins. Journal of Parasitology, v. 104, n. 3, p. 322-328, JUN 2018. (09/53956-9, 10/51801-5)

CARVALHO, VANIA M.; VANSTREELS, RALPH E. T.; PAULA, CATIA D.; KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE K. M.; RAMOS, MARIA CHRISTINA C.; COUTINHO, SELENE D.; MARTINS, CRISTIANA S.; PISSINATTI, ALCIDES; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE L.. Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus). Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, v. 45, n. 4, p. 1531-1539, OCT-DEC 2014. (09/53956-9)

EWBANK, ANA CAROLINA; STREFEZZI, RICARDO DE FRANCISCO; SACRISTAN, CARLOS; MIYAJI KOLESNIKOVAS, CRISTIANE KIYOMI; MARTINS, ARYSE; SILVA PEREIRA MAYORGA, LUIS FELIPE; THIJL VANSTREELS, RALPH ERIC; CATAO-DIAS, JOSE LUIZ. Comparative morphometric evaluation of hepatic hemosiderosis in wild Magellanic penguins (Spbeniscus magellanicus) infected with different Plasmodium spp. subgenera. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA, v. 28, n. 1, p. 12-pg., 2019-01-01. (10/51801-5, 09/53956-9)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

VANSTREELS, Ralph Eric Thijl Del Val Onoro. Investigation of avian malaria and other blood parasites in penguins along the Atlantic coast of South America. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.