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. 2024 Jul 22;33(2):e007924.
doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612024038. eCollection 2024.

Absence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil

Julia Somavilla Lignon  1   2 , Diego Moscarelli Pinto  2 , Mariana Accorsi Teles  3 , Maira Aparecida Christello Trindade  4 , Priscila Rockenbach Portela  4 , Silvia Gonzalez Monteiro  5 , Kauê Rodriguez Martins  6 , Rodrigo Casquero Cunha  6 , Felipe Geraldo Pappen  4 , Bianca Conrad Bohm  1 , Fábio Raphael Pascoti Bruhn  1
Affiliations

Absence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil

Julia Somavilla Lignon et al. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet. .

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases transmitted by vectors that affect domestic and wild animals, including humans. Due to its incidence and lethality, this zoonosis is a worrying public health problem, making it essential to identify all links in the transmission chain. Infection of wild mammals by Leishmania spp. remains poorly understood, especially in southern Brazil. Therefore, the objective was to research, using the PCR technique, the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in road-killed wild mammals in Southern Brazil. Carcasses of 96 animals were collected from highways in the Pelotas microregion, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil and subjected to necropsies. Tissue fragments (spleen, skin, liver, kidney, heart, lung, lymph nodes, bone marrow and blood) were collected and genomic DNA was extracted. PCR protocols targeting the ITS1, kDNA and 18S genes were tested. We found no evidence of Leishmania spp. circulation in the studied population. However, epidemiological studies like this one are of great relevance, as they allow monitoring of the occurrence of pathogens and help identify possible risk areas. As these animals act as epidemiological markers for the presence of the microorganism, studies must be carried out continuously to understand whether there are sources of infection in the region.

As leishmanioses são doenças negligenciadas, transmitidas por vetores que acometem animais domésticos e silvestres, incluindo os humanos. Devido a sua incidência e letalidade, essa zoonose consiste em um problema de saúde pública preocupante, sendo fundamental a identificação de todos os elos da cadeia de transmissão. A infecção de mamíferos silvestres por Leishmania spp. permanece pouco compreendida, especialmente no sul do Brasil. Portanto, objetivou-se pesquisar, por meio da técnica de PCR, a presença de DNA de Leishmania spp. em mamíferos silvestres atropelados no Sul do Brasil. Carcaças de 96 animais foram coletadas, em rodovias da microrregião de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, sul do Brasil e submetidas a necropsias. Fragmentos de tecidos (baço, pele, fígado, rim, coração, pulmão, linfonodos, medula óssea e sangue) foram coletados e o DNA genômico foi extraído. Protocolos de PCR visando os genes ITS1, kDNA e 18S foram testados. Não foram encontradas evidências de circulação de Leishmania spp. na população estudada. Porém, estudos epidemiológicos como este são de grande relevância, pois permitem monitorar a ocorrência de patógenos e auxiliam na identificação de possíveis áreas de risco. Como esses animais atuam como marcadores epidemiológicos da presença do microrganismo, estudos devem ser realizados continuamente, para entender se existem fontes de infecção na região.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Run-over points where carcasses of 96 road-killed wild mammals were collected in the Pelotas microregion, southern Brazil.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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