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Restraint and threat of predation are possibly the most stressful events in wild animals' lives. Management techniques should, therefore, be improved to avoid or minimize suffering in such situations. Body mass and variation in behavior influence the techniques used during containment. Automatic traps are mostly used for small primates living in the lower canopy, while remotely delivered chemical immobilization is the recommended technique for larger primates, which live in the upper canopy. For both methods, careful physical restraint after the capture of the animal is essential. The use of equipment and materials that ensure biosecurity is imperative, as is choosing the most appropriate location for the collection of biological samples. Storage and transport must also be carried out in an adequate manner so as not to impair the samples. Here, therefore, we seek to describe capture, containment, and biological sample collection techniques with the intention of minimizing risks and increase success in the capture of Neotropical primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the hematology and serum biochemistry values for 26 free-ranging Panamanian white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) in Costa Rica. Howell-Jolly bodies and microfilariae were observed in some animals. This baseline information is a tool for health assessment and species conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-hundred-nine free ranging non-human primates from 31 locations throughout Costa Rica were captured and released between 1993 and 2012, and blood samples, sera or plasma were collected, to detect antigens and antibodies, and so assess the distribution of active and passive flavivirus infections over time. A competitive enzyme-linked immunoassay for the detection of antibodies was used to determine the distribution of past flavivirus infections over time, while Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect active West Nile Virus (WNV) and Dengue virus (DENV) infections. The first serological evidence of flavivirus in these animals was determined in 1993, at the same time when DENV re-emerged in humans from Costa Rica. An increase in the number of seropositive wild monkeys to flavivirus was determined over time in the country (11.3% seropositivity in 1993–1996, 20.7% in 2001–2008, and finally 52.9% in 2010–2012). Furthermore, the presence of DENV2 was detected in samples from four howler monkeys collected in 2001–2002, whereas DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4 were found in samples from four white-faced monkeys, and WNV in three howler monkeys living in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica during 2010–2012. The habitat where the positive PCR individuals lived were characterized as fragmented forests, having temperatures ranging from 26°C to 28°C, altitudes below 250 meters above sea level, high precipitation during 7 to 9 months (1500–4000 mm), and a marked dry season of 3 to 5 months. All these animals were living near mangroves; however, they did not show clinical signs of illness at the time of sampling. Results obtained show that the number of seropositive wild non-human primates to flavivirus were increasing during time in the country, longitudinal studies are needed to investigate their role as sentinels of these viruses and to determine if flavivirus infections can affect these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2021 re-emergence of yellow fever in non-human primates in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southernmost Brazil, resulted in the death of many howler monkeys (genus Alouatta) and led the state to declare a Public Health Emergency of State Importance, despite no human cases reported. In this study, near-complete genomes of yellow fever virus (YFV) recovered from the outbreak were sequenced and examined aiming at a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships and the spatio-temporal dynamics of the virus distribution. Our results suggest that the most likely sequence of events involved the reintroduction of YFV from the state of São Paulo to RS through the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, by the end of 2020. These findings reinforce the role of genomic surveillance in determining the pathways of distribution of the virus and in providing references for the implementation of preventive measures for populations in high risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, waves of yellow fever virus (YFV) from the Amazon Rainforest have spread and caused outbreaks in other regions of Brazil, including the Cerrado, a savannah-like biome through which YFV usually moves before arriving at the Atlantic Forest. To identify the vectors involved in the maintenance of the virus in semiarid environments, an entomological survey was conducted after confirmation of yellow fever (YF) epizootics at the peak of the dry season in the Cerrado areas of the state of Minas Gerais. In total, 917 mosquitoes from 13 taxa were collected and tested for the presence of YFV. Interestingly, mosquitoes of the Sabethes genus represented 95% of the diurnal captured specimens, displaying a peak of biting activity never previously recorded, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Molecular analysis identified three YFV-positive pools, two from Sabethes chloropterus -from which near-complete genomes were generated-and one from Sa. albiprivus , whose low viral load prevented sequencing. Sa. chloropterus was considered the primary vector due to the high number of copies of YFV RNA and the high relative abundance detected. Its bionomic characteristics allow its survival in dry places and dry time periods. For the first time in Brazil, Sa. albiprivus was found to be naturally infected with YFV and may have played a role as a secondary vector. Despite its high relative abundance, fewer copies of viral RNA were found, as well as a lower Minimum Infection Rate (MIR). Genomic and phylogeographic analysis showed that the virus clustered in the sub-lineage YFV PA-MG , which circulated in Pará in 2017 and then spread into other regions of the country. The results reported here contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology and mechanisms of YFV dispersion and maintenance, especially in adverse weather conditions. The intense viral circulation, even outside the seasonal period, increases the importance of surveillance and YFV vaccination to protect human populations in affected areas.

Background: In Brazil, the yellow fever virus (YFV) is maintained in a sylvatic cycle involving wild mosquitoes and non-human primates (NHPs). The virus is endemic to the Amazon region; however, waves of epidemic expansion reaching other Brazilian states sporadically occur, eventually causing spillovers to humans., Objectives: To report a surveillance effort that led to the first confirmation of YFV in NHPs in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Southeast region, in 2021., Methods: A surveillance network was created, encompassing the technology of smartphone applications and coordinated actions of several research institutions and health services to monitor and investigate NHP epizootics., Findings: When alerts were spread through the network, samples from NHPs were collected and YFV infection confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and genome sequencing at an interval of only 10 days. Near-complete genomes were generated using the Nanopore MinION sequencer. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that viral genomes were related to the South American genotype I, clustering with a genome detected in the Amazon region (state of Pará) in 2017, named YFVPA/MG sub-lineage. Fast YFV confirmation potentialised vaccination campaigns., Main Conclusions: A new YFV introduction was detected in MG 6 years after the beginning of the major outbreak reported in the state (2015-2018). The YFV strain was not related to the sub-lineages previously reported in MG. No human cases have been reported, suggesting the importance of coordinated surveillance of NHPs using available technologies and supporting laboratories to ensure a quick response and implementation of contingency measures to avoid YFV spillover to humans.