RESUMO
In the New World genus Leishmania parasites are etiological agents of neglected zoonoses known as leishmaniasis. Its epidemiology is very complex due to the participation of several species of sand fly vectors and mammalian hosts, and man is an accidental host. Control is very difficult because of the different epidemiological patterns of transmission observed. Studies about Leishmania spp. infection in bats are so scarce, which represents a large gap in knowledge about the role of these animals in the transmission cycle of these pathogens, especially when considering that Chiroptera is one of the most abundant and diverse orders among mammals. Leishmaniasis in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil are remarkably frequent, probably due to the abundance of its regional mastofauna. The recent record of L. braziliensis in bats from this state indicates the need to clarify the role of these mammals in the transmission cycle. In this study we evaluated the presence of Leishmania parasites in the skin of different species of bats, using PCR directed to Leishmania spp. kDNA for screening followed by PCR/RFLP analysis of the hsp70 gene for the identification of parasite species. Leishmania species identification was confirmed by PCR directed to the G6PD gene of L. braziliensis, followed by sequencing of the PCR product. Samples from 47 bats were processed, of which in three specimens (6.38%) was detected the presence of Leishmania sp. kDNA. PCR/RFLP and sequencing identified the species involved in the infection as L. braziliensis in all of them. This is the first report of Leishmania braziliensis in bats from Pantanal ecosystem and the first record of this species in Platyrrhinus lineatus and Artibeus planirostris, bats with a wide distribution in South America. These results reinforce the need to deepen the knowledge about the possibility of bats act as reservoirs of Leishmania spp. especially considering their ability of dispersion and occupation of anthropic environments.
Assuntos
Quirópteros/parasitologia , Leishmania braziliensis/isolamento & purificação , Leishmaniose Cutânea/veterinária , Animais , Brasil/epidemiologia , DNA de Cinetoplasto/genética , Humanos , Leishmania braziliensis/genética , Leishmaniose Cutânea/parasitologia , Áreas Alagadas , ZoonosesRESUMO
Fluctuating asymmetry is a biological phenomenon defined by directionally departures from perfect symmetry and is hypothesized to indicate the inability of an organism to maintain precise development. Furthermore, its measurement permits evaluation of levels of stress during development of organisms, since asymmetric patterns indicate a stressful environment during ontogeny. This study aimed to assess whether there is significant difference between body sides in two bat species adapted to urban environments and if there is significant difference in levels of asymmetry in various body regions. Bats, Artibeus planirostris (n = 89) and Sturnira lilium (n = 36), were studied. In most body parts, there was no significant difference between sides, suggesting that species adapted to a human environment were not hampered. Moreover, we observed that bat forelimbs had the lowest levels of asymmetry (p 0.05 between the hindlimb and forelimb, and p 0.01 between the head and forelimb, on females of S. lilium). Some studies suggest a ranking of importance of body parts based on the degree of asymmetry. This study highlighted the importance of the forelimbs in bats and suggested that they are not hampered by adaptation to human environments.
Assuntos
Animais , Adaptação Biológica , Adaptação a Desastres , Quirópteros/anatomia & histologia , Quirópteros/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Área UrbanaRESUMO
Fluctuating asymmetry is a biological phenomenon defined by directionally departures from perfect symmetry and is hypothesized to indicate the inability of an organism to maintain precise development. Furthermore, its measurement permits evaluation of levels of stress during development of organisms, since asymmetric patterns indicate a stressful environment during ontogeny. This study aimed to assess whether there is significant difference between body sides in two bat species adapted to urban environments and if there is significant difference in levels of asymmetry in various body regions. Bats, Artibeus planirostris (n = 89) and Sturnira lilium (n = 36), were studied. In most body parts, there was no significant difference between sides, suggesting that species adapted to a human environment were not hampered. Moreover, we observed that bat forelimbs had the lowest levels of asymmetry (p 0.05 between the hindlimb and forelimb, and p 0.01 between the head and forelimb, on females of S. lilium). Some studies suggest a ranking of importance of body parts based on the degree of asymmetry. This study highlighted the importance of the forelimbs in bats and suggested that they are not hampered by adaptation to human environments.(AU)
Assuntos
Animais , Quirópteros/anatomia & histologia , Quirópteros/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Adaptação Biológica , Adaptação a Desastres , Área UrbanaRESUMO
A raiva é uma zoonose causada por vírus da família Rhabdoviridae, gênero [Lyssavirus], que é considerada um dos grandes problemas da saúde animal e da saúde pública, não somente no Brasil, como em grande parte do mundo. É uma doença exclusivamente de mamíferos e é transmitida basicamente pela mordedura de animais infectados, principalmente por carnívoros domésticos e silvestres, primatas e morcegos (Kotait et al. 2007).[...]
RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to reevaluate the diagnostic characters of the fourspecies of the subgenus Artibeus, A. fimbriatus, A. lituratus, A. obscurus, and A. planirostris, that occurs inParaíba and Pernambuco States, Brazil, describing the inter-specific variation in the material available in thecollections of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba and Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. A total of 254specimens were examined, 12 of A. fimbriatus, 41 of A. lituratus, 35 of A. obscurus and 166 of A. planirostris.For each species, descriptions of external characters and skull are supplied as well as eight cranial measurementsthat express the differences among the species observed with naked eye. With the discriminant canonicalanalysis, the four species can be distinguished. Mahalanobis distances showed a larger similarity between A.planirostris and A. obscurus as well as between A. fimbriatus and A. lituratus. The largest distance was observedbetween the last two species and A. obscurus. We conclude that in Paraíba and Pernambuco occurred fourspecies of the subgenus Artibeus that may be distinguished morphologically as well as through multivariateanalyses.
O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma reavaliação dos caracteres diagnósticos das quatro espécies de grande porte do gênero Artibeus: A. fimbriatus, A. lituratus, A. obscurus e A. planirostris, que ocorrem em Paraíba e Pernambuco, Brasil, estudando a variação interespecífica do material disponível nas coleções da Universidade Federal da Paraíba e da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Foram examinados 254 exemplares, 12 de A. fimbriatus, 41 de A. lituratus, 35 de A. obscurus e 166 de A. planirostris. Para cada uma das espécies são fornecidas descrições de caracteres externos e do crânio bem como oito medidas cranianas que expressaram as diferenças entre as espécies observáveis a olho nu. Pela análise discriminante canônica, pôde-se separar as quatro espécies. A distância de Mahalanobis mostrou que existe uma maior semelhança entre A. planirostris e A. obscurus, bem como entre A. fimbriatus e A. lituratus. A maior distância se deu entre estas duas últimas espécies e A. obscurus. Podemos concluir que na Paraíba e em Pernambuco existem quatro espécies do subgênero Artibeus que são distinguíveis tanto morfologicamente como através de análise multivariada.
RESUMO
A raiva é uma zoonose causada por vírus da família Rhabdoviridae, gênero [Lyssavirus], que é considerada um dos grandes problemas da saúde animal e da saúde pública, não somente no Brasil, como em grande parte do mundo. É uma doença exclusivamente de mamíferos e é transmitida basicamente pela mordedura de animais infectados, principalmente por carnívoros domésticos e silvestres, primatas e morcegos (Kotait et al. 2007).[...]
RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to reevaluate the diagnostic characters of the fourspecies of the subgenus Artibeus, A. fimbriatus, A. lituratus, A. obscurus, and A. planirostris, that occurs inParaíba and Pernambuco States, Brazil, describing the inter-specific variation in the material available in thecollections of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba and Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. A total of 254specimens were examined, 12 of A. fimbriatus, 41 of A. lituratus, 35 of A. obscurus and 166 of A. planirostris.For each species, descriptions of external characters and skull are supplied as well as eight cranial measurementsthat express the differences among the species observed with naked eye. With the discriminant canonicalanalysis, the four species can be distinguished. Mahalanobis distances showed a larger similarity between A.planirostris and A. obscurus as well as between A. fimbriatus and A. lituratus. The largest distance was observedbetween the last two species and A. obscurus. We conclude that in Paraíba and Pernambuco occurred fourspecies of the subgenus Artibeus that may be distinguished morphologically as well as through multivariateanalyses.
O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma reavaliação dos caracteres diagnósticos das quatro espécies de grande porte do gênero Artibeus: A. fimbriatus, A. lituratus, A. obscurus e A. planirostris, que ocorrem em Paraíba e Pernambuco, Brasil, estudando a variação interespecífica do material disponível nas coleções da Universidade Federal da Paraíba e da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Foram examinados 254 exemplares, 12 de A. fimbriatus, 41 de A. lituratus, 35 de A. obscurus e 166 de A. planirostris. Para cada uma das espécies são fornecidas descrições de caracteres externos e do crânio bem como oito medidas cranianas que expressaram as diferenças entre as espécies observáveis a olho nu. Pela análise discriminante canônica, pôde-se separar as quatro espécies. A distância de Mahalanobis mostrou que existe uma maior semelhança entre A. planirostris e A. obscurus, bem como entre A. fimbriatus e A. lituratus. A maior distância se deu entre estas duas últimas espécies e A. obscurus. Podemos concluir que na Paraíba e em Pernambuco existem quatro espécies do subgênero Artibeus que são distinguíveis tanto morfologicamente como através de análise multivariada.