| Autor: |
Mongruel ACB; Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Theriogenology, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil., Medici EP; Iniciativa Nacional para a Conservação da Anta Brasileira (INCAB), Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil.; Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista 12960-000, SP, Brazil.; Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN SSC), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil., Canena ADC; Iniciativa Nacional para a Conservação da Anta Brasileira (INCAB), Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil., Calchi AC; Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Theriogenology, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil., Machado RZ; Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Theriogenology, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil., André MR; Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Theriogenology, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil. |
| Abstrakt: |
The lowland tapir ( Tapirus terrestris ) is the largest land mammal in Brazil and classified as a vulnerable species, according to the assessment of the risk of extinction. The present study aimed at investigating the occurrence and genetic diversity of hemoplasmas in free-ranging T. terrestris from the Brazilian Pantanal and Cerrado biomes. Blood samples were collected from 94 living and eight road-killed tapirs, totalizing 125 samples Conventional PCR targeting four different genes (16S rRNA, 23S rRNA, RNAse P , and dnaK ) were performed, and the obtained sequences were submitted for phylogenetic, genotype diversity, and distance analyses. The association between hemoplasma positivity and possible risk variables (age, gender, and origin) was assessed. Out of 122 analyzed samples, 41 (41/122; 33.61% CI: 25.84-42.38%) were positive in the 16S rRNA-based PCR assay for hemoplasmas. Positivity for hemoplasmas did not differ between tapirs' gender and age. Tapirs from Pantanal were 5.64 times more likely to present positive results for hemoplasmas when compared to tapirs sampled in Cerrado. BLASTn, phylogenetic, genotype diversity, and distance analyses performed herein showed that the sampled lowland tapirs might be infected by two genetically distinct hemoplasmas, namely ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoterrestris' and ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haematotapirus'. While the former was positioned into " Mycoplasma haemofelis group" and closely related to ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum, the latter was positioned into " Mycoplasma suis group" and closely related to ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haematobos'. The impact of both putative novel species on tapir health status should be investigated. |
