Molecular detection of tick-borne bacterial agents in Brazilian and exotic captive carnivores

M. R. André, J. S. Dumler, D. G. Scorpio, R. H.F. Teixeira, S. M. Allegretti, R. Z. Machado

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Scopus citations

Abstract

The present study aims to detect and characterize by molecular techniques, the presence of tick-borne pathogens in wild captive carnivore blood samples from Brazil. Blood was collected from 76 Brazilian felids, 23 exotic felids, 3 European wolves (Canis lupus), and 97 Brazilian canids maintained in captivity in zoos located in São Paulo and Mato Grosso states, Brazil. DNA of each sample was used in PCR reactions for Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Rickettsia identification. The blood from 10/100 (10%) of canids (1 European wolf, 3 bush dogs, and 6 crab-eating foxes) and from 21/99 (21%) felids (4 pumas, 6 little spotted cats, 4 ocelots, 3 jaguarundis, 1 tiger, and 3 lions) contained fragments of 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia spp. Fragments of Anaplasma spp. groESL and 16S rRNA genes were detected in the blood of 1/100 (1%) canids (1 bush dog) and in 4/99 (3%) felids (4 little spotted cats), respectively. Rickettsia species infections were not identified. The present work showed that new strains of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. circulate among wild carnivores in Brazil.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)247-253
Number of pages7
JournalTicks and Tick-borne Diseases
Volume3
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anaplasma
  • Brazil
  • Ehrlichia
  • Rickettsia
  • Wild carnivores

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Insect Science
  • Infectious Diseases

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