Mansonella sp. and associated Wolbachia endosymbionts in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) in periurban areas from Midwestern Brazil

Author(s)

Perles, L. ; Otranto, D. ; Barreto, W. T. G. ; de Macedo, G. C. ; Lia, R. P. ; Mendoza-Roldan, J. A. ; Herrera, H. M. ; de Oliveira, C. E. ; Machado, R. Z. ; Andre, M. R.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE; v. 22, p. 6-pg., 2023-12-01.

Abstract

Coatis (Nasua nasua) are wild carnivorous well adapted to anthropized environments especially important because they act as reservoirs hosts for many arthropod-borne zoonotic pathogens. Information about filarioids from coatis and associated Wolbachia spp. in Brazil is scant. To investigate the diversity of filarial nematodes, blood samples (n = 100 animals) were obtained from two urban areas in midwestern Brazil and analyzed using blood smears and buffy coats and cPCR assays based on the cox1, 12S rRNA, 18S rRNA, hsp70 and myoHC genes for nematodes and 16S rRNA for Wolbachia. When analyzing coati blood smears and buffy coats, 30% and 80% of the samples presented at least one microfilaria, respectively. Twenty-five cox1 sequences were obtained showing 89% nucleotide identity with Mansonella ozzardi. Phylogenetic analyses clustered cox1 sequences herein obtained within the Mansonella spp. clade. Sequences of both myoHC and two hsp70 genes showed 99.8% nucleotide identity with Mansonella sp. and clustered into a clade within Mansonella sp., previously detected in coatis from Brazil. Two blood samples were positive for Wolbachia, with a 99% nucleotide identity with Wolbachia previously found in Mansonella perstans, Mansonella ozzardi and Mansonella atelensis and in ectoparasites of the genus Pseudolynchia, Melophagus and Cimex. The study showed a high prevalence of Mansonella sp. in the coati population examined, suggesting that this animal species play a role as reservoirs of a novel, yet to be described, species within the Onchocercidae family. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/12037-0 - Diversity of piroplasmids in wild birds and mammals from Brazil
• Grantee: Marcos Rogério André
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/02753-0 - ISOLATION AND GENOTYPING OF Bartonella spp. IN DOMESTIC AND WILD RESERVOIR MAMMALS IN BRAZIL
• Grantee: Marcos Rogério André
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/14244-5 - Investigation of filariids in blood, ectoparasites and skin samples from coatis (Nasua nasua) in Campo Grande
• Grantee: Lívia Perles
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/15150-4 - Genetic diversity of vector-borne agents in coatis (Nasua nasua) in a periurban region of Central-Western Brazil
• Grantee: Lívia Perles
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate