Natural Theileria equi infection in captive Tapirus terrestris (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) in the Brazilian Amazon.

Authors :: de Souza Gonçalves T
de Nazaré Leite Barros F
Inoue LS
de Farias DM
Dos Santos Lima J
Nobre AV
Azenha Aidar ES
Ferreira Diniz RR
Gering AP
Scofield A
Source :: Ticks and tick-borne diseases [Ticks Tick Borne Dis] 2020 Jul; Vol. 11 (4), pp. 101452. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Apr 21.
Publication Year :: 2020
Abstract: The objective of this study was to detect natural Theileria equi infection in captive tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) in the Brazilian Amazon. Samples from 19 captive tapirs were collected from zoological and botanical gardens and conservation parks in the Pará (n = 18) and Amazonas (n = 1) states. Whole-blood samples were collected for subsequent screening of T. equi DNA by PCR using the BEC-UF2 and EQUI-R primer set. Microscopic analyses of blood smears revealed T. equi trophozoites in 37% (7/19) of the animals examined, and T. equi DNA was detected in 58% (11/19) of the blood samples analyzed. Sequencing of amplified PCR products revealed an identity with T. equi isolates obtained from horses and waterbuck available in GenBank. In conclusion, T. equi infection occurs in captive tapirs in the Brazilian Amazon, and these mammals could potentially act as reservoirs.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None.<br /> (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Subjects :: Animals
Animals, Zoo
Brazil epidemiology
Female
Male
Prevalence
Theileriasis parasitology
Perissodactyla
Theileria isolation & purification
Theileriasis epidemiology

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