MOLECULAR DETECTION AND CARACHTERIZATION OF HAEMOSPORIDIANS IN MAGELLANIC PENGUINS (Spheniscus magellanicus) RESCUED IN SAO PAULO'S COAST, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

• Grant number: 23/06102-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Rogério André
• Grantee: Giovana Almeida Reis
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The only penguin species usually found in Brazil is Spheniscus magellanicus(Magellanic penguin). Although it does not have breeding colonies in the country, this species uses the Brazilian coast as a fundamental area for wintering, in search of food and rest, as it migrates seasonally. These animals migrate from the extreme southern coast of Argentina towards the north and are found by the thousands, in repeated years, along the Brazilian coast, mainly in the South and Southeast regions. Eventually, such animals are found weakened on Brazilian beaches, being taken to rehabilitation centers where they receive veterinary care and, depending on their health status, are released into the wild. However, parasitic diseases, such as avian malaria, can become important obstacles to the recovery of these animals. Hemosporidians comprise phylogenetically related protozoa belonging to the genera Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon, and Haemoproteus, which are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Avian malaria is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium spp. and transmitted by Culicidae. Penguins infected with Plasmodium spp. have a disease of high morbidity and mortality, with a rapid evolution of clinical signs. The present study aims to detect and molecularly characterize hemosporidians in blood (n=34) and spleen (n=169) samples of rescued Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from the southern coast of Brazil. Samples will be subjected to PCR assays for hemosporidians based on the mitochondrial cytochrome B (cytB) gene. Amplicons will be purified and sequenced for the identification of hemosporidian lineages by phylogenetic inference. The results of this project will contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology and ecology of malaria in penguins and may help guide the conservation and management efforts of the species.