Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ()

First report of Sapajus cay naturally infected by Trypanosoma cruzi in San Pedro Department, Paraguay

  • Nidia Acosta,
  • Jorge Miret,
  • Elsa López,
  • Alicia Schinini

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612016052
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 3
pp. 327 – 332

Abstract

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Abstract To verify the occurrence of natural Trypanosoma cruzi infection in non-human primates from a rural endemic area of the east region of Paraguay, xenodiagnosis was performed in 35 animals belonging to two species. For genotyping and T. cruzi discrete typing unit (DTU) assignment, a combination of four markers was used, including amplification products of the small (18S) and large (24Sα) subunits of ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene, the intergenic region of mini-exon gene and the heat shock protein 60 Eco-RV polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (HSP60/EcoRV-PCR-RFLP). One specimen of Sapajus cay was found positive and infected by the DTU TcII. This result constitutes the first record of natural T. cruzi infection in a sylvatic monkey in Paraguay, harbouring a DTU associated with severe Chagas disease in humans.

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