Trypanosoma cruzi infection in wild mammals of the National Park ‘Serra da Capivara’ and its surroundings (Piauí, Brazil), an area endemic for Chagas disease

Abstract

We studied the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection among eight species of wild small mammals (n=289) in an area where human cases of infection/disease have occurred. Dogs (n=52) and goats (n=56) were also surveyed. The study was carried out inside a biological reserve, the National Park 'Serra da Capivara' and its surroundings in Piaui State, Brazil. The marsupial Didelphis albiventris and the caviomorph rodent Trichomys apereoides were found to be the most important reservoirs in the study area. Trichomys apereoides was the most abundant species (80%) and D. albiventris the most frequently infected (61%). Both T. cruzi I and T. cruzi II genotypes were isolated from these species. One specimen of Tr. apereoides displayed a mixed T. cruzi I/zymodeme 3 infection. Serum prevalence among dogs suggests that they may be involved in the maintenance of the parasite in the peridomestic environment, in contrast to goats, which are not apparently of any epidemiological importance. The distinct distribution and patterns of infection observed in the study areas suggest that even in the same biome, epidemiological studies or determination of control measures must take into account ecological peculiarities.

Coexistence of Trypanosoma cruzi Genotypes in Wild and Periodomestic Mammals in Chile

“…This finding is contrary to results of a previous study in which a closely related species (D. marsupialis) contained the TCI genotype, and T. apereoides contained genotypes TCI and TCII. 43 In * PO < PE ‫ס‬ probability of observed value of the index was significantly less than the expected value by chance (p < 0.05); PO > PE ‫ס‬ probability of the observed value of the index was significantly greater than the expected value by chance (p < 0.05). Number in bold shows statistical significance.…”

Small mammal populations of an agroecosystem in the Atlantic Forest domain, southeastern Brazil

“…Agroecosystems are mosaic landscapes, heterogeneous in space and time, which may cause significant changes in the small mammal assemblage that occupies the area in relation to diversity, demography and habitat use (Utrera et al, 2000). Furthermore, rural environments are of special interest to public health because of the transmission of several zoonoses from wildlife to humans, where small mammal species can act as reservoirs of hantavirus disease (Mills and Child, 1998;Padula et al, 2004;Suzuki et al, 2004), hemorrhagic fevers (Mills et al, 1992b), trypanosomiasis (Herrera et al, 2004;Herrera et al, 2005), leishmaniasis (Oliveira et al, 2005) and schistosomiasis (Rey, 1993;D'Andrea et al, 2000). Moreover, reservoir populations may reach high densities in an "explosive" fashion ("ratada"), making them agricultural pests responsible for heavy economic losses in most of the Neotropics (Rodríguez, 1993).…”

Maintenance and breeding of Thrichomys (Trouessart, 1880) (Rodentia: Echimyidae) in captivity

“…These species are potentially important models for studies of the transmission of Chagas disease since several species of this genus have been shown to be natural reservoirs of its causitive protozooan agent Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) (Herrera et al 2004b(Herrera et al , 2005. They are also involved in the transmission cycle of T. evansi (Steel, 1885), an agent of neurological disease affecting horses and some wild animals (Herrera et al 2004a).…”

“…Punarés often invade peri-domestic area and may play an important role in the transmission of Chagas disease (Herrera et al 2005). Taxo (Thomas, 1904) from Piauí, Ceará and Pernambuco, among others.…”