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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]

Background: Wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) usually are found in conserved forests near the zoo and the urban areas of Brasília city, Brazil. In this study, some capuchin monkeys were captured using traps, followed by safe biological procedures for their overall health analysis, based on specific haematological and biochemical tests of blood samples. Methods: Blood was collected from a total of 17 monkeys for the determination of parameters, namely packed cell volume (PCV), leucocytes, erythrocytes, platelets and triglycerides. Statistical analyses for average values, median, standard deviation and range were performed. Results: These parameters were set based on the minimum and maximum values obtained from the blood tests. Data are presented in tabulated form. Conclusions: Capture procedures were based on animal safety analysis for free‐living animals and would help future studies on wild animals. The collected samples used in this study suggested the animals to be apparently healthy in their habitat. [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 YFVPA-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. [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]