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BACKGROUND: Ticks are important vectors of many pathogens that have contributed to the morbidity and mortality of humans and domestic animals worldwide. Wildlife species have also been implicated as reservoir hosts of a variety of tick-borne pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine which tick-transmitted pathogens were present in the animals harvested from the forest in Trinidad for human consumption. METHODS: Thin blood smears from 43 neotropical animals were examined microscopically for tick-borne pathogens. Additionally, DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene were used for amplification of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia while the gltA gene was used for Bartonella, and Rickettsia spp. and the 18S rRNA gene for Babesia, Hepatozoon and Theileria species. RESULTS: Pathogen DNA was amplified from four samples (a deer, collared peccary and two agoutis). Sequencing of the amplified products from the deer and collared peccary revealed 99.8% homology to Anaplasma bovis and 98.8% homology to Ehrlichia canis, respectively. Sequences from two agoutis revealed 90.4% homology to Theileria spp. DNA of Hepatozoon spp., Bartonella spp. Babesia spp. and Rickettsia spp. was not detected in any of the screened samples. An incidental finding in this study was the presence of bacteria in the blood of animals. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the DNA of tick-transmitted pathogens is present at a frequency of about 10% in the study population and suggests that neotropical mammals may serve as a source for the potential transmission of tick-borne pathogens to domestic animals and humans. In addition, physicians and hunters should be aware of the symptoms associated with zoonotic tick-borne pathogens so that these infections can be recognised, diagnosed and treated promptly. Bacteria present in carcasses can pose a food safety hazard and hunters should be trained in proper harvesting and handling of carcasses.

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Hunters are at a higher risk for exposure to zoonotic pathogens due to their close interactions with wildlife and arthropod vectors. In this study, high throughput sequencing was used to explore the viromes of two tick species, Amblyomma dissimile and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, removed from hunted wildlife in Trinidad and Tobago. We identified sequences from 3 new viral species, from the viral families Orthomyxoviridae, Chuviridae and Tetraviridae in A. dissimile.

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Rabies virus is recognized as one of the most fatal zoonotic agents affecting all mammals. Wild boars (Sus scrofa), classified as a large-size exotic invasive species in Brazil with nationwide hunting permitted, may serve as an extra blood source for the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). Our aim was to document wild boar exposure to vampire bats to determine the seroprevalence of rabies virus antibodies in wild boars and to determine the immune status of hunters in southern and central-western Brazilian regions. Serum samples were collected from 80 wild boars and 49 hunters from natural and degraded areas of the Atlantic Forest biome of southern Brazil and in degraded areas of the Cerrado biome of central-western Brazil. The rabies-modified rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test was performed to detect the presence of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies in wild boars and considered seropositive when ≥0.10 IU/mL. The simplified fluorescence inhibition microtest was used for samples from hunters with a titer of ≥0.50 IU/mL and considered indicative of seroconversion. While 11% (9/80) of wild boars had serum titers for rabies exposure (≥0.10 IU/mL), 88% (43/49) of corresponding hunters lacked immune protective titers (<0.50 IU/mL). Wild boars showed serum titers for rabies likely due to contact with contaminated saliva of vampire bats or from infected carcass consumption. Additionally, Brazilian wild boars can be exposed to rabies and may play an important role in the sylvatic rabies cycle by providing a blood supply for vampire bats, highlighting the possibility of direct transmission of rabies virus to hunting dogs and hunters. These findings suggested hunters are a potential risk group for contracting rabies, and the World Health Organization may consider adding this occupation to their recommendations of who should receive the pre-exposure rabies vaccination.

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Abstract Middens are archaeological sites dating between 8,000 and 1,000 years before present and are commonly found on the Brazilian coast. Data were collected from 68 middens allowing an inventory of 142 fish species, most of them recorded in no more than five sites. Conversely, Micropogonias furnieri and Pogonias cromis had the highest frequencies of occurrence. The biogeographic, ecological and economic data showed that most of the identified fish are widely distributed in the Western Atlantic (59.72%) and inhabit estuarine environments (53.99%), while most species have a demersal habit (35.92%) and exhibit oceanic migratory behaviour (28.87%). Lastly, the surveyed fish are predominantly carnivorous (72.54%) with some commercial value (96.48%). Chi-squared tests comparing midden inventory and current ichthyofauna checklists failed to show significant differences between them (p > 0.99). Thus, the results indicate that zoo-archaeological fish remains are key evidence of Holocene biodiversity and may help the establishment of more complete baselines.

Resumo Sambaquis são sítios arqueológicos, datando entre 8,000 e 1,000 anos antes do presente, encontrados na costa brasileira. Neste trabalho, dados ictiológicos referentes a 68 sambaquis da costa Sudeste do Brasil foram compilados e construído um inventário de referência no qual constam 142 espécies, a maioria das quais com registro em não mais que cinco sítios. Por outro lado, as espécies Micropogonias furnieri e Pogonias cromis apresentaram alta frequência de ocorrência nos sambaquis. Os dados biogeográficos, ecológicos e econômicos mostraram que a maioria das espécies registradas nos sambaquis são de ampla distribuição no Atlântico Ocidental (59.72%), habitam ambientes estuarinos (53.99%), tem um hábito demersal (35.92%) e comportamento oceânico migratório (28.87%). A maioria dos registros diz respeito a peixes carnívoros (72.54%) e com algum valor comercial (96.48%). A comparação da lista de ictiofauna registrada para os sambaquis com uma lista construída com base em inventários atuais de peixes para mesma região não mostrou diferenças significativas (teste de qui-quadrado, p> 0.99). Dessa forma, os resultados apresentados indicam que os vestígios de ictiofauna encontrados em sambaquis constituem uma amostra relevante da biodiversidade do Holoceno podendo ser muito úteis na construção de inventários de referências mais completos da fauna ictiológica da costa brasileira.