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. 2022 Nov 28;31(4):e011722.
doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612022059. eCollection 2022.

Litomosoides brasiliensis (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) infecting chiropterans in the Legal Amazon region, Brazil

Thaliane França Costa  1 , Danielle Jordany Barros Coutinho  1 , Ana Karoline Sousa Mendes Simas  1 , Gabriella Vieira Dos Santos  1 , Rita de Maria Seabra Nogueira  1 , Francisco Borges Costa  1 , Maria Claudene Barros  2 , Elmary da Costa Fraga  2 , Andréa Pereira da Costa  1
Affiliations

Litomosoides brasiliensis (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) infecting chiropterans in the Legal Amazon region, Brazil

Thaliane França Costa et al. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Chiropterans play an important role in the maintenance of the environmental balance, since they are pollinators, seed dispersers and predators. They contribute to transmission and spreading of microorganisms such as helminths, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and virus. The aim of the present study was to investigate natural filariid infection among bats in the Legal Amazon region, Brazil, by means of parasitological and molecular analyses. Blood samples were collected from 82 bats for blood smears and for DNA extraction via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Microfilariae were observed in blood smears from Carollia perspicillata (2), Artibeus lituratus (1), Artibeus fimbriatus (2), Dermanura gnoma (2) and Glossophaga soricina (1). Five positive samples were detected through the PCR assay and four of these were also positive in blood smears. From genome sequencing and comparative analysis with sequences deposited in GenBank, one sample showed 99.31% similarity to the species Litomosoides brasiliensis. The present study expands the geographical distribution of L. brasiliensis, to include the state of Maranhão as an area of occurrence of this species and includes D. gnoma and A. fimbriatus as hosts in Brazil.

Os quirópteros desempenham um papel importante na manutenção do equilíbrio ambiental, pois são polinizadores, dispersores de sementes e predadores. Contribuem para a transmissão e disseminação de microrganismos, como helmintos, fungos, protozoários, bactérias e vírus. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a infecção natural por filariídeos em morcegos na região da Amazônia Legal, Brasil, por meio de análises parasitológicas e moleculares. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas de 82 morcegos para confecção de esfregaços e para extração de DNA para a Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR). Microfilárias foram observadas em esfregaços sanguíneos de Carollia perspicillata (2), Artibeus lituratus (1), Artibeus fimbriatus (2), Dermanura gnoma (2) e Glossophaga soricina (1). Cinco amostras positivas foram detectadas por meio do ensaio de PCR, e quatro destas também foram positivas em esfregaços de sangue. A partir do sequenciamento do genoma e análise comparativa com sequências depositadas no GenBank, uma amostra apresentou 99,31% de similaridade com a espécie Litomosoides brasiliensis. O presente estudo expande a distribuição geográfica de L. brasiliensis, abrangendo o estado do Maranhão como área de ocorrência desta espécie, e inclui D. gnoma e A. fimbriatus como hospedeiros no Brasil.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflit of interest: There is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Municipalities of Turiaçu, Cândido Mendes, Godofredo Viana and Carutapera, in the Gurupi microregion of the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Microfilariae in blood smears from bats, state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. (A) [x400] and (B) [x1000].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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