RESUMO
Tinamous host the highest generic diversity of lice of any group of birds, as well as hosting representatives of all four avian feather louse ecomorphs. Although the generic diversity of tinamou feather lice is well documented, few attempts have been made to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among these lice. To test whether tinamou feather lice form a monophyletic group as a whole, we used whole-genome sequencing to estimate a higher-level phylogeny of tinamou feather lice, together with a broad diversity of other avian feather louse groups. In total, we analysed sequences from over 1000 genes for 48 genera of avian lice using both concatenated and coalescent approaches to estimate the phylogeny of this diverse group of avian feather lice. Although the body louse ecomorph of tinamou feather lice formed a monophyletic group, they did not strictly form a monophyletic group together with the other three ecomorphs of tinamou feather lice. In particular, a clade comprised of several feather louse genera, mainly from South America, is nested phylogenetically within tinamou lice, which also have their main centre of diversity in South America. These results suggest in situ radiation of these parasites in South America.
Assuntos
Paleógnatas/parasitologia , Animais , Evolução Biológica , Aves/parasitologia , Plumas/parasitologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Ftirápteros , Filogenia , América do SulRESUMO
The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was investigated among 104 ratites: 68 rheas (Rhea americana), 16 emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae), and 20 ostriches (Struthio camelus) in 4 Brazilian states. The prevalence in rheas was 26.5% (18 of 68), and titers were 1:100 (n = 8), 1:200 (n = 1), 1:400 (n = 4), 1:800 (n = 4), and 1:1,600 (n = 1). In emus, the prevalence was 50% (8 of 16), and titers were 1:50 (n = 1) and 1:100 (n = 7). The ostriches were slaughtered for human consumption, and 80% (16 of 20) were seropositive with titers of 1:200 (n = 1), 1:400 (n = 9), and 1:800 (n = 6). Sera were tested with a modified agglutination test, and the results confirmed the distribution of the parasite in ratite species from Brazil. The data obtained in this study show that T. gondii is prevalent among ratites from Brazil, and therefore ratite meat should also be considered a potential source of human infection. This is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in emus.
Assuntos
Doenças das Aves/parasitologia , Paleógnatas/parasitologia , Toxoplasma/imunologia , Toxoplasmose Animal/epidemiologia , Toxoplasmose Animal/imunologia , Testes de Aglutinação/veterinária , Animais , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Doenças das Aves/epidemiologia , Doenças das Aves/imunologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Dromaiidae/parasitologia , Feminino , Masculino , Carne/normas , Prevalência , Reiformes/parasitologia , Distribuição por Sexo , Struthioniformes/parasitologiaRESUMO
Neumannella skorackii, a new species of the feather mite family Dermoglyphidae (Acari, Astigmata) is described from the Red-winged Tinamou Rhynchotus rufescens (Temminck, 1815) (Aves, Tinamiformes) from Paraguay and a key to all known species of the genus is provided. The phylogenetic relationships (MP analysis of 25 morphological characters) between Neumannella species along with the evolutionary history of host-parasite associations revealed by Jungle reconciliation method are reconstructed. Relatively low cospeciation contribution to the recent host-parasite associations is discovered.
Assuntos
Ácaros e Carrapatos/classificação , Ácaros e Carrapatos/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Doenças das Aves/parasitologia , Plumas/parasitologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Infestações por Ácaros/veterinária , Paleógnatas/parasitologia , Ácaros e Carrapatos/anatomia & histologia , Animais , Evolução Biológica , Feminino , Masculino , Microscopia , Infestações por Ácaros/parasitologia , Paraguai , FilogeniaRESUMO
Background: The rhea (Rhea americana) is a Brazilian wild bird that produce meat, leather and feathers of excellent quality. Rhea production has been increasing every day in Brazil due to many favorable conditions for breeding and there are also large native populations in various regions of the country. The incidence of parasites is a limiting factor when raising many animals, and rheas are not an exception. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp in captive rheas in a Brazilian zoo and Spain was described. However, little is known about cryptosporidiosis in rhea, which makes the need for further studies. Thus, this study aimed to detect Cryptosporidium parvum in rheas from the South of Brazil. Case: This study evaluated two properties located in Southern Brazil. Property A was located in Rio Rufi no, Santa Catarina State, Brazil and it had 40 rheas for commercial purposes. Property B was located in Santa Maria, a small town in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil and it had 10 rheas. Fresh fecal samples were collected and kept refrigerated from adult birds (n = 4) and chicks (n = 2) from property A, and chicks (n = 3) of three months of age from property B. Samples were analyzed by the method of direct examination, followed by centrifugal flotation with zinc sulfate. Only the centrifugal flotation technique allowed the observation of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in three adults and one chick. Fecal samples were stored in ethanol and analyzed by PCR for C. parvum, all being positive for this protozoan. Feces contaminated by C. parvum oocysts from one young rhea was used to inoculate two mice orally (BALB/c), previously confirmed protozoan free by faecal examination and PCR. Feces from inoculated mice were collected on days 1, 3 e 5 post-inoculation for analysis by the centrifugal flotation technique. After five days of inoculation all mice presented diarrhea and high numbers of oocysts of protozoan in their feces. Discussion: Cryptosporidiosis can evolve into severe diarrhea, followed by abdominal cramps, anorexia, vomiting, dehydration, nausea and fever in different animals. However the incubation period of this disease in rheas is unknown because this is only the third report of cryptosporidiosis in this wild bird. The Cryptosporidium spp. is an obligate parasite of vertebrates, and its colonization occurs at the periphery of the intestinal cells of the host and it may cause atrophy of these structures and enteritis, but these findings have not been described in rheas yet. The species of Cryptosporidium that are mainly reported in birds are Cryptosporidium meleagridis, Cryptosporidium baileyi and Cryptosporidium galli. In our study, the molecular analysis was performed in order to identify the protozoan, being detected the C. parvum, a zoonotic agent reported in several mammals. The rhea is wild birds with habits similar to ostriches. Already, in studies have reported the occurrence of Cryptosporidium in ostriches; however the species identified were different from that described in this study. Based on these results, we conclude that rhea may be parasitized by C. parvum, an important zoonotic parasite. Prevalence studies should be conducted in this area to estimate the role and impact of rhea as reservoirs and disseminators of this zoonotic parasite.
Assuntos
Animais , Aves/parasitologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/veterinária , Cryptosporidium parvum/parasitologia , Reiformes/parasitologia , Criptosporidiose/genética , Paleógnatas/parasitologia , Fezes/parasitologiaRESUMO
Tinamiphilopsis ariconte n. sp., a syringophilid mite, is described from three tinamou species (Tinamidae), Rhynchotus rufescens (Temminck) and Nothura boraquira (Spix) in Paraguay and N. minor (Spix) in Brazil. These data indirectly support the hypothesis that the cheyletoid-like predatory ancestor of the Syringophilidae switched to parasitism before the divergence of the avian hosts into the two major clades Palaeognathae and Neognathae.