Biovigilância em capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) no Estado do Maranhão: estudo de poxvírus, doenças reprodutivas e endoparasitas.

Abstract

Nowadays, with the prospect of new diseases in humans emerging from animais, the capybara is important in biosurveillance as it is a reservoir of zoonotic agents with a multi- professional 'One Health' approach. Therefore, a bibliographical review was carried out in a scientific database on Orthopoxvirus in capybaras. For field research, a convenience sample of blood serum from six capybaras from Santa Inês, MA were tested for the detection of anti-Leptospira spp agglutinins by the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), as well as detection of anti-Brucella abortus antibodies by the Acidified Plate Antigen (BPA) technique. In the same period, in another approach, 20 DNA samples extracted from capybara feces originating in the municipalities of Porto Franco and Balsas were the targets of an evaluation of specific gene fragments of Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus and Coxiella burnetii by Polymerase Chain Reaction. And for endoparasite research, a third field collection was carried out, obtaining 37 fresh fecal samples from four municipalities in Maranhão, Balsas, Caxias, Itapecuru Mirim and Lima Campos, which were sent for parasitological analysis, using, the Willis-Mollay (1921) and Faust (1939) methods. And finally, the “DISCONTOOLS” tool was also sought to compare the results of this research regarding ecoepidemiology and the impacts on ‘One Health With the results, the first evidence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in capybaras from Maranhão is observed. There were no seroreactive samples for anti-Brucella abortus antibodies. No fecal samples were positive for Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus and Coxiella burnetii. In parasitological analyses, eggs of Trichostrongyloidea and Trichuroidea, and eggs of Strongyloides sp., as well as oocysts of Eimeria, were detected. According to the classification criteria of the DISCONTOOLS tool, regarding the reproductive and parasitic diseases evaluated, brucellosis presented the highest score and impact on public health, while leptospirosis presented a need for improvements in control tools. As for endoparasites, nematodes showed greater resistance to anthelmintics, greater diversity of hosts and species, low immunological defense and absence of effective vaccines. In this context, the capybara is a zoonotic bioindicator, which must be monitored in rural areas with effects on animal health and public health.