Toxoplasmosis in Mazama gouazoubira: evaluation of clinical, hematological and reproductive parameters in experimentally infected males

• Grant number: 19/07992-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2019
• End date: September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: José Maurício Barbanti Duarte
• Grantee: Adriely Mary D'Adderio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The effects of infectious diseases are very little known in neotropical cervids, there are few studies that elucidate clinical and pathophysiological aspects of the diseases species. Among diseases that can negatively influence conservation of cervids is toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii is known to be a zoonotic and causing reproductive problems in domestic animals, but little is known about the clinical and pathological effect that this protozoan exerts on wild species. This job search for possible clinical and hematological changes of toxoplasmosis in Mazama gouazoubira and, besides analyzing the possibility of sexual transmission of the protozoan and its reproductive effects in males of this species. Such an approach is justified by the absence ofinformation on toxoplasmosis in this cervid species and the reproductive Toxoplasma gondii is capable of causing. This task will be performed through experimental study of 4 adult males with oocysts. The observation of clinical manifestations will be performed by the measurement of clinical parameters such as temperature, respiratory rate and amount of concentrate ingested daily up to 28 DPI in addition to blood counts and biochemical tests to evaluate the renal and hepatic profile every 7 days during the month, going from 15 days to 49 DPI. The reproductive aspects will be evaluated by physical and morphological tests of the semen, collected by electro ejaculation of the day -7DPI to the 49th DPI with a 15-day interval between collections.