Molecular detection and identification of hemoparasites in pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus Linnaeus, 1758) from the Pantanal Brazil.

Hemoparasites were surveyed in 60 free-living pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus from the central area of the Pantanal, known as Nhecolândia, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, through the analysis of nested PCR assays and nucleotide sequencing. Blood samples were tested for Babesia/Theileria, Anaplasma spp., and Trypanosoma spp. using nPCR assays and sequencing of the 18S rRNA, msp4, ITS, and cathepsin L genes. The identity of each sequence was confirmed by comparison with sequences from GenBank using BLAST software. Forty-six (77%) pampas deer were positive for at least one hemoparasite, according to PCR assays. Co-infection occurred in 13 (22%) animals. Based on the sequencing results, 29 (48%) tested positive for A. marginale. Babesia/Theileria were detected in 23 (38%) samples, and according to the sequencing results 52% (12/23) of the samples were similar to T. cervi, 13% (3/23) were similar to Babesia bovis, and 9% (2/23) were similar to B. bigemina. No samples were amplified with the primers for T. vivax, while 11 (18%) were amplified with the ITS primers for T. evansi. The results showed pampas deer to be co-infected with several hemoparasites, including species that may cause serious disease in cattle. Pampas deer is an endangered species in Brazil, and the consequences of these infections to their health are poorly understood.

[Epidemiologic survey of Neospora caninum in bovines of rural settlements in Corumbá, MS]. / Levantamento epidemiológico de Neospora caninum em bovinos deassentamentos rurais em Corumbá, MS.

Neospora caninum, is an obligate intracellular parasite, can infect domestic and wild dogs, equines and ruminants. It was described in 1988, and its economic importance is attributed to costs of abortion, the value of the fetuses, artificial insemination and coverage, the decrease in milk production, the increase in the disposal and replacement of animals. In four rural settlements of the municipality of Corumba, MS (Mato Grande, Paiolzinho, Taquaral and Tamarineiro) was used a combination of qualitative methodologies in 37 semi-structured interviews and group dynamics for analysis with participatory rural producers of 657 animals were raised health problems related to production and disease of the herd, and possible variables of risk for the presence of neosporosis. This study evaluated in 392 samples of bovine serum from the settlements of Corumbá, the presence of animals seropositive for N. caninum, to indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), and prevalence weighted for neospora was 9.17%, ranging from 4.96% to 13.38%. The survey of variables of risk to Neospora investigated in the interviews did not indicate any risk factor for the disease.