Molecular Survey of Hemotropic <i>Mycoplasma</i> spp. and <i>Bartonella</i> spp. in Coatis (<i>Nasua nasua</i>) from Central-Western Brazil
Lívia Perles,
Wanessa Teixeira Gomes Barreto,
Filipe Martins Santos,
Leidiane Lima Duarte,
Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo,
Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti,
Heitor Miraglia Herrera,
Rosangela Zacarias Machado,
Marcos Rogério André
Affiliations
Lívia Perles
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
Wanessa Teixeira Gomes Barreto
Post-Graduation of Ecology and Conservation, Mato Grosso do Sul Federal University, Campo Grande 13471-410, Brazil
Filipe Martins Santos
Laboratory of Parasitic Biology, Environmental Sciences and Farming Sustainability, Dom Bosco Catholic University, Campo Grande 13471-410, Brazil
Leidiane Lima Duarte
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil
Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo
Laboratory of Parasitic Biology, Environmental Sciences and Farming Sustainability, Dom Bosco Catholic University, Campo Grande 13471-410, Brazil
Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
Heitor Miraglia Herrera
Post-Graduation of Ecology and Conservation, Mato Grosso do Sul Federal University, Campo Grande 13471-410, Brazil
Rosangela Zacarias Machado
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
Marcos Rogério André
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Zona Rural, Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
Even though previous works showed molecular evidence of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (hemoplasmas) in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) from Brazil, Bartonella sp. has not been reported in these mammals so far. The present study aimed to detect the above-mentioned agents in coatis’ blood and associated ectoparasites, assessing the association between these infections and red blood parameters. Between March 2018 and January 2019, coati (n = 97) blood samples, Amblyomma sp. ticks (2242 individual ticks, resulting in 265 pools), and Neotrichodectes pallidus louse (n = 59) were collected in forested urban areas from midwestern Brazil. DNA extracted from coatis’ blood, and ectoparasite samples were submitted to quantitative PCR (qPCR) (16S rRNA) and conventional PCR (cPCR) (16S rRNA and 23S rRNA) for hemoplasmas and qPCR (nuoG gene) and culturing (only blood) for Bartonella spp. Two different hemoplasma genotypes were detected in blood samples: 71% coatis positive for myc1 and 17% positive for myc2. While 10% of ticks were positive for hemoplasmas (myc1), no louse was positive. The estimated bacterial load of hemoplasmas showed no association with anemia indicators. All coatis were negative for Bartonella sp. in qPCR assay and culturing, albeit two Amblyomma sp. larvae pools, and 2 A. dubitatum nymph pools were positive in the qPCR. The present work showed a high occurrence of hemoplasmas, with two distinct hemoplasma genotypes, in coatis from forested urban areas in midwestern Brazil.
