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de Sousa, K.C.M.; Pugnaghi Fernandes, M.; Herrera, H.M.; Benevenute, J.L.; Santos, F.M.; Rocha, F.L.; Barreto, W.T.G.; Macedo, G.C.; Campos, J.B.; Martins, T.F.; de Andrade Pinto, P.C.E.; Battesti, D.B.; Piranda, E.M.; Cancado, P.H.D.; Machado, R.Z.; Andre, M.R.
Molecular detection of Hepatozoon spp. in domestic dogs and wild mammals in southern Pantanal, Brazil with implications in the transmission route
2017  Veterinary Parasitology (237): 37-46

Hepatozoon parasites comprise intracellular apicomplexan parasites transmitted to vertebrate animals by ingestion of arthropods definitive hosts. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence of _Hepatozoon spp._ in wild animals, domestic dogs and their respective ectoparasites, in southern Pantanal region, central-western Brazil, by molecular techniques. Between August 2013 and March 2015, 31 coatis (_Nasua nasua_), 78 crab-eating foxes (_Cerdocyon thous_), seven ocelots (_Leopardus pardalis_), 42 dogs (_Canis lupus familiaris_), 110 wild rodents (77 _Thichomys fosteri_, 25 _Oecomys mamorae_, and 8 _Clyomys laticeps_), 30 marsupials (14 _Thylamys macrurus_, 11 _Gracilinanus agilis_, 4 _Monodelphis domestica_ and 1 _Didelphis albiventris_), and 1582 ticks and 80 fleas collected from the sampled animals were investigated. DNA samples were submitted to PCR assays for _Hepatozoon spp. _targeting 18S rRNA gene. Purified amplicons were directly sequenced and submitted to phylogenetic analysis. A high prevalence of _Hepatozoon_ among carnivores (_C. thous_ [91.02%], dogs [45.23%], _N. nasua_ [41.9%] and _L. pardalis_ [71.4%]) was found. However, ticks and fleas were negative to _Hepatozoon_ PCR assays. By phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA sequences, _Hepatozoon_ sequences amplified from crab-eating foxes, dogs, coatis and ocelots clustered with sequences of _H. canis_, _H. americanum_ and _H. felis_. The closely related positioning of _Hepatozoon_ sequences amplified from wild rodents and _T. macrurus _marsupial to _Hepatozoon_ from reptiles and amphibians suggest a possible transmission of those _Hepatozoon_ species between hosts by ectoparasites or by predation. _Hepatozoon_ haplotypes found circulating in wild rodents seem to present a higher degree of polymorphism when compared to those found in other groups of animals. Although rodents seem not to participate as source of _Hepatozoon_ infection to wild carnivores and domestic dogs, they may play an important role in the transmission of_ Hepatozoon_ to reptiles and amphibians in Pantanal biome.

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