Molecular detection of Hepatozoon spp. in wild rodents in southern mato Grosso's Pantanal

• Grant number: 16/10676-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Rogério André
• Grantee: Marina Pugnaghi Fernandes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Wild rodents play an important role as reservoirs for many pathogens, being considered hosts for many fleas and ticks. These two groups of arthropods parasites constitute an abundant and frequently found component in the community of rodent's ectoparasites, playing the role as the main vectors of several diseases. The Hepatozoon spp genus includes protozoan parasites of a wide range of terrestrial vertebrates, including rodents. Recently, studies have been investigating the possible role of rodents as intermediate and paratenic hosts in the cycles of transmission of Hepatozoon parasites of domestic and wild carnivores. The present study aims at investigating, using molecular methods, the occurrence of Hepatozoon spp. in rodents' spleen samples in the south area of Pantanal Matogrossense. Positive samples in PCR assays will be molecularly characterized by sequencing in order to validate and compare with sequences previosuly deposited on GenBank, and to perform phylogenetic analysis. Thus, the obtained results will contribute to the diagnosis and molecular characterization of the Hepatozoon spp. detected in rodents, evaluating the role of these animals in the natural transmission cycles of genotypes circulating in nature.

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)

MARQUES DE SOUSA, KEYLA CARSTENS; FERNANDES, MARINA PUGNAGHI; HERRERA, HEITOR MIRAGLIA; FRESCHI, CARLA ROBERTA; MACHADO, ROSANGELA ZACARIAS; ANDRE, MARCOS ROGERIO. Diversity of piroplasmids among wild and domestic mammals and ectoparasites in Pantanal wetland, Brazil. TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES, v. 9, n. 2, p. 245-253, FEB 2018. (15/14896-1, 13/13186-5, 16/10676-0)

MARQUES DE SOUSA, KEYLA CARSTENS; FERNANDES, MARINA PUGNAGHI; HERRERA, HEITOR MIRAGLIA; BENEVENUTE, JYAN LUCAS; SANTOS, FILIPE MARTINS; ROCHA, FABIANA LOPES; GOMES BARRETO, WANESSA TEIXEIRA; MACEDO, GABRIEL CARVALHO; CAMPOS, JOAO BOSCO; MARTINS, THIAGO FERNANDES; et al. Molecular detection of Hepatozoon spp. in domestic dogs and wild mammals in southern Pantanal, Brazil with implications in the transmission route. Veterinary Parasitology, v. 237, p. 37-46, APR 15 2017. (15/14896-1, 13/13186-5, 16/10676-0)