ABSTRACT
The Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), located in Manaus, the capital of the State of Amazonas (Western Brazilian Amazon), is a pioneering institution in this region regarding the syndromic surveillance of acute febrile illness, including arboviral infections. Based on the data from patients at the FMT-HVD, we have detected recurrent outbreaks in Manaus by the four dengue serotypes in the past 15 years, with increasing severity of the disease. This endemicity has culminated in the simultaneous circulation of all four serotypes in 2011, the first time this has been reported in Brazil. Between 1996 and 2009, 42 cases of yellow fever (YF) were registered in the State of Amazonas, and 71.4% (30/42) were fatal. Since 2010, no cases have been reported. Because the introduction of the yellow fever virus into a large city such as Manaus, which is widely infested by Aedes mosquitoes, may pose a real risk of a yellow fever outbreak, efforts to maintain an appropriate immunization policy for the populace are critical. Manaus has also suffered silent outbreaks of Mayaro and Oropouche fevers lately, most of which were misdiagnosed as dengue fever. The tropical conditions of the State of Amazonas favor the existence of other arboviruses capable of producing human disease. Under this real threat, represented by at least 4 arboviruses producing human infections in Manaus and in other neighboring countries, it is important to develop an efficient public health surveillance strategy, including laboratories that are able to make proper diagnoses of arboviruses.
Subject(s)
Animals , Melanosis/genetics , Pigmentation/genetics , Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1/genetics , Sciuridae/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Evolution, Molecular , Genetic Association Studies , Genetic Variation , Molecular Sequence Data , Pedigree , Sciuridae/classification , Sequence Deletion/geneticsABSTRACT
Knowledge of ecological impacts of exotic beach almond (Terminalia catappa) in the central Pacific of Costa Rica are little known, but studies have found this species to be a potentially important food source for endangered scarlet macaws (Ara macao). In this study, reproductive phenology and seed predation by variegated squirrels (Sciurus variegatoides) and scarlet macaws were measured during March and April 2011 on beaches of central Pacific coastal Costa Rica. Seed productivity and predation levels were quantified on a weekly basis for 111 beach almond trees to assess the importance of beach almond as a food source for scarlet macaws and the extent of resource partitioning between seed predators. Seed production of the trees was great (about 194 272 seeds) and approximately 67% of seeds were predated by seed predators. Macaws consumed an estimated 49% of seeds while squirrels consumed 18%. Additionally, evidence of resource partitioning between squirrels and macaws was found. Scarlet macaws preferred to feed on the northern side and edge of the canopy while squirrels preferred to feed on the southern and inside parts of the canopy. Both species ate most seeds on the ocean side of the tree. Despite the status of this tree as an exotic species, the beach almond appears to be an important resource for scarlet macaw population recovery. The resource produced by this tree should be taken into account as reforestation efforts continue in Costa Rica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (3): 929-938. Epub 2014 September 01.
El conocimiento de los impactos ecológicos del almendro de playa exótico (Terminalia catappa) en el Pacífico Central de Costa Rica son poco conocidos, pero los estudios han encontrado que esta especie es una fuente de alimento potencialmente importante para la lapa roja (Ara macao), en peligro de extinción. En este estudio, se midieron la fenología reproductiva y la depredación de semillas por las ardillas (Sciurus variegatoides) y lapas rojas durante marzo y abril 2011 en las playas de la costa Pacífica Central de Costa Rica. Los niveles de productividad y depredación de semillas se cuantificaron semanalmente para 111 almendros de playa, para evaluar la importancia del almendro de playa como fuente de alimento para la lapa roja y el grado de repartición de recursos entre los depredadores de semillas. La producción de semillas de los árboles fue alta (cerca de 194 272 semillas) y aproximadamente el 67% de las semillas fueron comidas por los depredadores, las lapas rojas consumen un estimado de 49% de las semillas, mientras que las ardillas consumen el 18%. Adicionalmente, se encontró evidencia de la repartición de recursos entre las ardillas y las lapas. Las lapas rojas prefieren alimentarse en el lado norte y el borde de la copa, mientras que las ardillas prefieren las regiones del sur y el interior de la copa. Ambas especies se comieron la mayoría de las semillas en la parte del árbol con lado al mar. A pesar de la situación de este árbol como una especie exótica, la playa de almendras parece ser un recurso importante para la recuperación de la población de lapas rojas. El recurso que produce este árbol debe tomarse en cuenta para continuar con los esfuerzos de reforestación en Costa Rica.
Subject(s)
Animals , Ecosystem , Feeding Behavior/physiology , Parrots , Seeds , Sciuridae/physiology , Terminalia , Conservation of Natural Resources , Costa Rica , Sciuridae/classification , Sciuridae/growth & developmentABSTRACT
The tribe Sciurini comprehends the genera Sciurus, Syntheosiurus, Microsciurus, Tamiasciurus and Rheinthrosciurus. The phylogenetic relationships within Sciurus have been only partially done, and the relationship between Mesoamerican species remains unsolved. The phylogenetic relationships of the Mesoamerican tree squirrels were examined using molecular data. Sequence data publicly available (12S, 16S, CYTB mitochondrial genes and IRBP nuclear gene) and cytochrome B gene sequences of four previously not sampled Mesoamerican Sciurus species were analyzed under a Bayesian multispecies coalescence model. Phylogenetic analysis of the multilocus data set showed the neotropical tree squirrels as a monophyletic clade. The genus Sciurus was paraphyletic due to the inclusion of Microsciurus species (M. alfari and M. flaviventer). The South American species S. aestuans and S. stramineus showed a sister taxa relationship. Single locus analysis based on the most compact and complete data set (i.e. CYTB gene sequences), supported the monophyly of the South American species and recovered a Mesoamerican clade including S. aureogaster, S. granatensis and S. variegatoides. These results corroborated previous findings based on cladistic analysis of cranial and post-cranial characters. Our data support a close relationship between Mesoamerican Sciurus species and a sister relationship with South American species, and corroborates previous findings in relation to the polyphyly of Microsciurus and Syntheosciurus paraphyly. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (2): 649-657. Epub 2014 June 01.
La tribu Sciurini comprende los géneros Sciurus, Syntheosciurus, Microsciurus, Tamiasciurus y Rheinthrosciurus. Las relaciones filogenéticas de Sciurus han sido resueltas parcialmente mientras que las relaciones de las especies Mesoamericanas permanecen sin resolverse. Las relaciones filogenéticas de las ardillas arborícolas mesoamericanas fueron estudiadas empleando datos moleculares. Datos de secuencias disponibles de forma pública (genes mitocondriales CYTB, 12S, 16S y gen nuclear IRBP) en conjunto con secuencias nuevas para el gen del Citocromo B de 4 especies mesoamericanas del genero Sciurus, fueron analizadas empleando un modelo bayesiano de coalescencia multi-especie. Los análisis filogenéticos del conjunto de datos multilocus mostraron que las especies neotropicales forman un clado monofilético. El género Sciurus resulto ser parafilético debido a la inclusión de las especies de Microsciurus (M. alfari y M. flaviventer). Las especies suramericanas S. aestuans y S. stramineus presentaron una relación de especies hermanas. El análisis de un solo locus basado en el conjunto de datos más compacto y completo (secuencias del gen del citocromo B), apoyó la naturaleza monofilética de las especies suramericanas y recuperó un clado mesoamericano que incluye a S. aureogaster, S. granatensis y S. variegatoides. Estos resultados corroboran los descubrimientos previos que emplearon datos morfológicos craneales y pos-craneales. Nuestros datos apoyan la relación cercana entre las especies de Sciurus Mesoamericanas y la relación hermana de estas con las especies de Suramérica, así como también corroboran la relación polifilética de Microsciurus y parafilética de Syntheosciurus previamente reportadas.