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Hemoplasmas are non-cultivable bacterial parasites of erythrocytes that infect domestic and wild animals, as well as humans. Their means of transmission and pathogenesis remain contentious issues and difficult to evaluate in wild animals. Procyon cancrivorus is a South American carnivore and occurs in all Brazilian biomes. In this study, we aimed to investigate occurrences of hemoplasmas infecting P. cancrivorus and to identify their 16S rRNA gene, in southern Brazil. DNA was extracted from spleen and blood samples of P. cancrivorus (n = 9) from different locations. Hemoplasma DNA was detected in six samples, based on 16S rRNA gene amplification and phylogenetic analysis. Four of the six sequences belonged to the "Mycoplasma haemofelis group", which is closely related to genotypes detected in Procyon lotor from the USA; one was within the "Mycoplasma suis group", closely related to "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum"; and one was within the intermediate group between these clusters. Thus, these sequences showed that the molecular identity of hemoplasmas in the population studied was very variable. In five positive animals, Amblyomma aureolatum ticks and a flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis) were collected. The present study describes the first molecular detection of mycoplasmas in P. cancrivorus.

It has been identified worldwide that amphibians are experiencing massive population declines. This decrease could be further enhanced by the exposure of amphibians to pollutants, which would enhance reactive oxygen species production and cause subsequent alterations in oxidant defense levels. The present study was aimed at understanding the impact of mineral coal on amphibians. For this purpose, chemical elemental contents and oxidative stress indexes in Hypsiboas faber from coal-mining areas and in an unpolluted area in the Catarinense Coal Basin, Brazil, were assessed. The highest contents of sulfur, chlorine, iron, zinc, and bromine were registered in specimens from the coal-mining area, whereas the highest contents of potassium calcium, and silicon were registered in specimens from the control area. It was found that there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the activity of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the animals from the coal-mining area, whereas the level of catalase showed no differences between the animal groups. The levels of TBARS showed no differences between the tested groups. However, carbonylation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in animals from the coal-mining area, and there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the formation of total thiols in animals from the coal-mining area. In conclusion, the antioxidant system of H. faber is sensitive to pollutants present in coal-mining wastes, and its SOD and GPx activity may be a potential biomarker for monitoring the level of contaminants in the environment.

The aims of the study were to determine the heavy metal content in the tissues of Hypsiboas faber from a coal mining area and to compare the DNA damage in the blood cells of these animals with that of animals living in an unpolluted area. The heavy metal content was detected according to the technique of Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and the DNA damage was assessed by the Comet assay. Our results reveal that the specimens of H. faber collected from the coal mining area exhibited elements of order Fe>Cu>Al>Zn>Rb>Mn>Br, independently of the organ. The values of Comet assay parameters (DNA damage index and DNA damage frequency) were significantly higher in specimens collected from the coal mining area than in the reference animals. Our study concludes that the coal mining residues are genotoxic to amphibians and may have adverse effects on soil, water, vegetation and wild animals., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)