Study on impacts of domestic dogs with access to forest present in the area of Atlantic Forest of Caraguatatuba County and the correlation between the genetic variability of the ticks of dogs and wild environment

• Grant number: 14/00648-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): December 16, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal researcher: Ricardo Augusto Dias
• Grantee: Gislene Fátima da Silva Rocha Fournier
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/05355-0 - Epidemiological role of domestic dogs present in the Atlantic Forest region of Caraguatatuba - Brazil, and its correlation with the genetic variability of the collected ticks, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Much has been said about the impact of human activity. However, little is known about the impacts that domestic animals that invade forest environments along with humans have caused to wild animals. The close relationship between domestic animals and wild animals can result in transmission of disease from one group to another, despite of providing an increased competition for wild and anthropogenic habitat. Domestic dogs have been observed in forested areas of the Parque Estadual Serra do Mar - Núcleo Caraguatatuba. The true role of these animals in the epidemiology of zoonosis and parasitism by ticks of wild animals is still unclear. This study proposes a systematic gathering of A. ovale ticks on dogs and small mammals captured in six transects from degraded and preserved areas of the Parque Estadual Serra do Mar State Park - Núcleo Caraguatatuba. Tick specimens collected will be submitted individually to a testing of gene flow for the evaluation of repetitive markers of genomic DNA known as microsatellites and conventional PCR for the diagnosis of pathogenic hemoparasites of the Rickettsiaceae families: Anaplasmataceae and Babesiidae. The results will be analyzed, compared and overlaid with data collected by radio transmitters that will be placed on the dogs that live around the park and has free access to the forest. The sizes of tick infrapopulations are also compared with vegetation characteristics and land use in the places listed. It is expected to untangle what are the real impacts of dogs on wildlife and if they are more embracing than what has been evidenced by current research. Domestic dogs may be taking the place of predators not only by their hunting but also by participating directly in increasing and maintaining the epidemiological cycle of various ectoparasites that transmit pathogens. (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)

GISLENE FÁTIMA DA SILVA ROCHA FOURNIER; ADRIANO PINTER; SEBASTIAN MUÑOZ-LEAL; MARCELO BAHIA LABRUNA; MARCOS GOMES LOPES; THIAGO FERNANDES MARTINS; LUCIANA COLÁCIO; CAYO RODRIGO SANTOS MÔRA; JONAS MORAES-FILHO; RICARDO AUGUSTO DIAS. Implications of domestic dogs in the epidemiology of Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest and Rangelia vitalii in Southeastern Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária, v. 29, n. 1, p. -, 2020. Web of Science Citations: 1.

Academic Publications

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

. Epidemiological aspects of semi-domiciled domestic dogs present in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Area of Caraguatatuba City and the correlation between the genetic variability of dogs ticks and the wild environment. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.