Sorologia para o vírus da língua azul em bovinos de corte, ovinos e veados campeiros no Pantanal sul-mato-grossense / Bluetongue virus serosurvey in beef cattle, sheep, and pampas deer from Brazilian Pantanal

This investigation was carried out in beef cattle (n=219), sheep (n=55), and pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) (n=49) from Nhecolândia, sub region of Brazilian Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. It was aimed to assess the seropositivity of these species to bluetongue virus (BTV) by agar gel immunodiffusion test. Seropositivity rates were 42.0% for cattle and 10.9% for sheep. The pampas deer showed to be all seronegative. In cattle, seropositivity to BTV significantly increased with age (P<0.001). These data, the favorable environmental conditions to development of BTV vectors, and the bovine reproductive disorders reported by farmers may indicate that BTV infection occurrs in herds of Brazilian Pantanal, and probably induces to economical losses.

Transferability of microsatellite loci from Cervidae species to the endangered Brazilian marsh deer, Blastocerus dichotomus

Blastocerus dichotomus, the marsh deer, is the largest Brazilian Cervidae species. The species is endangered because of hunting and loss of its natural habitat, i.e., flood plain areas, because of hydroelectric power station construction and agricultural land expansion. In the present study, we tested 38 microsatellite loci from four Cervidae species: Odocoileus virginianus (7), Rangifer tarandus (17), Capreolus capreolus (7), and Mazama bororo (7). Eleven loci showed clear amplification, opening a new perspective for the generation of fundamental population genetic data for devising conservation strategies for B. dichotomus.