Sada Jovêncio Mateus, Kluyber Danilo, Lee Daniel Antônio Braga, Calchi Ana Cláudia, Alves Mario Henrique, Machado Dália Monique Ribeiro, Werther Karin, Machado Rosangela Zacarias, Desbiez Arnaud Leonard Jean, André Marcos Rogério
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (FCAV/UNESP), Jaboticabal Campus, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Rural Zone, Jaboticabal, SP, CEP: 14884-900, Brazil.
Ph.D Student at the Research and Development Institute IRD, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France; Associate Researcher Naples Zoo at the Caribbean Gardens, FL, USA.
Acta Trop. 2024 Dec;260:107477. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107477. Epub 2024 Nov 30.
Armadillos and anteaters exhibit a wide range of interactions with various pathogens and ectoparasites, which, along with their physiological and ecological characteristics, contribute to their potential as hosts for a broad variety of pathogens with zoonotic potential. However, there has been limited research into the occurrence and diversity of vector-borne agents in this group of mammals. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence and molecular identity of Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp. and hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) in free-ranging armadillos and anteaters sampled in the southeast and central-west regions of Brazil. To this purpose, 167 biological samples (139 blood and 28 spleen) from Xenarthra mammals sampled in the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul were analyzed: 48 from six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus), 29 from giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), 4 from nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), 1 from naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous unicinctus), 79 from giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and 6 from southern tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla). Screening PCR assays were performed for Ehrlichia spp. based on the dsb gene, nested PCR for Anaplasma spp. and PCR for hemotropic mycoplasmas based on the 16S rRNA gene, and qPCR for Bartonella spp. based on the 16-23S rRNA intergenic region (ITS). The positive samples were additionally subjected to PCR assays targeting different molecular markers for molecular characterization. As a result, 1/48 (0.59%) blood sample from E. sexcintus was positive for Anaplasma spp., and 1/79 (0.59%) blood sample from M. tridactyla was positive for Ehrlichia spp. The 16S rRNA sequence of Anaplasma sp. detected in E. sexcintus clustered within the same clade as 'Candidatus Anaplasma brasiliensis', previously detected in T. tetradactyla. The dsb sequence of Ehrlichia sp. detected in M. tridactyla clustered within the same clade as Ehrlichia minasensis. In the PCR tests for hemoplasmas, 31/46 (64.5%) E. sexcinctus, 9/29 (65.5%) P. maximus, 2/4 (50%) D. novemcinctus, 33/79 (41.7%) M. tridactyla, and 2/6 (33.3%) T. tetradactyla tested positive. The 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA sequences of hemoplasmas found in E. sexcinctus clustered within the same clade as 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematomaximus', which was previously detected in P. maximus in Brazil. High positivity rates were also observed for Bartonella spp., with 23/48 (47.9%) E. sexcinctus, 1/4 (25%) D. novemcinctus, 9/29 (31%) P. maximus, 21/79 (26.5%) M. tridactyla, and 3/6 (50%) T. tetradactyla showing positive results. The ftsZ sequences of Bartonella sp. detected in E. sexcinctus clustered with 'Candidatus Bartonella washoensis subsp. brasiliensis', previously identified in six-banded armadillos in Brazil. These findings reinforce the presence of 'Candidatus Anaplasma brasiliensis' and 'Candidatus Bartonella washoensis subsp. brasiliensis' in armadillos, and Ehrlichia minasensis in anteaters. This is the first report of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematomaximus', a hemoplasma previously described in giant armadillos, in six-banded armadillos. The zoonotic potential and real significance of infection by these agents in xenarthrans' health and conservation efforts are yet to be investigated.
犰狳和食蚁兽与各种病原体和外寄生虫表现出广泛的相互作用，这些相互作用连同它们的生理和生态特征，使它们有可能成为多种具有人畜共患病潜力的病原体的宿主。然而，对于这组哺乳动物中媒介传播病原体的发生情况和多样性的研究有限。本研究旨在调查在巴西东南部和中西部地区采集的野生犰狳和食蚁兽中埃立克体属（Ehrlichia spp.）、无形体属（Anaplasma spp.）、巴尔通体属（Bartonella spp.）和嗜血性支原体（血支原体）的发生情况和分子特征。为此，对在圣保罗州和南马托格罗索州采集的贫齿目哺乳动物的167份生物样本（139份血液和28份脾脏）进行了分析：来自六带犰狳（Euphractus sexcinctus）的48份、大犰狳（Priodontes maximus）的29份、九带犰狳（Dasypus novemcinctus）的4份、裸尾犰狳（Cabassous unicinctus）的1份、大食蚁兽（Myrmecophaga tridactyla）的79份和小食蚁兽（Tamandua tetradactyla）的6份。基于dsb基因对埃立克体属进行筛选PCR检测，对无形体属进行巢式PCR检测，基于16S rRNA基因对嗜血性支原体进行PCR检测，基于16 - 23S rRNA基因间隔区（ITS）对巴尔通体属进行qPCR检测。对阳性样本另外进行针对不同分子标记的PCR检测以进行分子特征分析。结果，来自六带犰狳的1/48（0.59%）血液样本无形体属呈阳性，来自大食蚁兽的1/79（0.59%）血液样本埃立克体属呈阳性。在六带犰狳中检测到的无形体属的16S rRNA序列与先前在小食蚁兽中检测到的“巴西无形体（Candidatus Anaplasma brasiliensis）”聚类在同一进化枝内。在大食蚁兽中检测到的埃立克体属的dsb序列与米纳斯埃立克体（Ehrlichia minasensis）聚类在同一进化枝内。在血支原体的PCR检测中，六带犰狳的31/46（64.5%）、大犰狳的9/29（65.5%）、九带犰狳的2/4（50%）、大食蚁兽的33/79（41.7%）和小食蚁兽的2/6（33.3%）检测呈阳性。在六带犰狳中发现的血支原体的16S rRNA和23S rRNA序列与先前在巴西大犰狳中检测到的“嗜血症原体（Candidatus Mycoplasma haematomaximus）”聚类在同一进化枝内。巴尔通体属的阳性率也很高，六带犰狳的23/48（47.9%）、九带犰狳的1/4（25%）、大犰狳的9/29（31%）、大食蚁兽的21/79（26.5%）和小食蚁兽的3/6（50%）检测结果呈阳性。在六带犰狳中检测到的巴尔通体属的ftsZ序列与先前在巴西六带犰狳中鉴定的“巴西瓦肖巴尔通体（Candidatus Bartonella washoensis subsp. brasiliensis）”聚类在一起。这些发现进一步证实了犰狳中存在“巴西无形体”和“巴西瓦肖巴尔通体”，食蚁兽中存在米纳斯埃立克体。这是“嗜血症原体（Candidatus Mycoplasma haematomaximus）”在六带犰狳中的首次报道，该血支原体先前在大犰狳中被描述。这些病原体感染在贫齿目动物健康和保护工作中的人畜共患病潜力和实际意义还有待研究。
