Diversity of parasites from the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma in wild carnivores found run over on Brazilian highways.

• Grant number: 25/10593-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Arlei Marcili
• Grantee: Gabriel Passos Pelegrina Luz
• Host Institution: Universidade de Santo Amaro (UNISA). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Species of the genus Trypanosoma parasitize vertebrates of all classes (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals), while species of the genus Leishmania parasitize mammals in the New World and have life cycles that alternate between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Most species develop in hematophagous arthropods, which may belong to various orders and families. Trypanosomes circulate in the wild environment as enzootic infections, associated with their hosts and respective ecotopes. Most species are non-pathogenic; T. cruzi is the only pathogenic species for humans in the Americas. Visceral leishmaniasis is an important zoonosis, with wild and domestic canids being recognized as significant reservoirs. There are few studies on this group of parasites in Brazilian carnivores. The main objective of the present project is to assess the diversity of parasites of the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma in carnivores killed on Brazilian roads, through molecular diagnostics