Risk factors for gastrointestinal parasite infections of dogs living around protected areas of the Atlantic Forest: implications for human and wildlife health / Fatores de risco para infecções parasitárias gastrointestinais em cães do entorno de áreas protegidas da Mata Atlântica: implicações para a saúde humana e da vida selvagem

Abstract Despite the ubiquity of domestic dogs, their role as zoonotic reservoirs and the large number of studies concerning parasites in urban dogs, rural areas in Brazil, especially those at the wildlife-domestic animal-human interface, have received little attention from scientists and public health managers. This paper reports a cross-sectional epidemiological survey of gastrointestinal parasites of rural dogs living in farms around Atlantic Forest fragments. Through standard parasitological methods (flotation and sedimentation), 13 parasite taxa (11 helminths and two protozoans) were found in feces samples from dogs. The most prevalent were the nematode Ancylostoma (47%) followed by Toxocara (18%) and Trichuris (8%). Other less prevalent (<2%) parasites found were Capillaria, Ascaridia, Spirocerca, Taeniidae, Acantocephala, Ascaris, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris, and the protozoans Cystoisospora and Eimeria. Mixed infections were found in 36% of samples, mostly by Ancylostoma and Toxocara. Previous deworming had no association with infections, meaning that this preventive measure is being incorrectly performed by owners. Regarding risk factors, dogs younger than one year were more likely to be infected with Toxocara, and purebred dogs with Trichuris. The number of cats in the households was positively associated with Trichuris infection, while male dogs and low body scores were associated with mixed infections. The lack of associations with dog free-ranging behavior and access to forest or villages indicates that infections are mostly acquired around the households. The results highlight the risk of zoonotic and wildlife parasite infections from dogs and the need for monitoring and controlling parasites of domestic animals in human-wildlife interface areas.

Resumo Apesar da ubiquidade dos cães domésticos, de seu papel como reservatório de doenças, e do grande número de estudos sobre parasitas de cães urbanos, as áreas rurais no Brasil, especialmente aquelas na interface entre animais silvestres - animais domésticos - humanos, tem recebido pouca atenção de cientistas e gestores de saúde pública. Este artigo relata um estudo epidemiológico seccional de parasitas gastrointestinais de cães rurais em propriedades no entorno de fragmentos de Mata Atlântica. Através de métodos parasitológicos como flutuação e sedimentação, 13 táxons de parasitas (11 helmintos e dois protozoários) foram encontrados em amostras de fezes dos cães. O mais prevalente foi o nematóide Ancylostoma (47%), seguido por Toxocara (18%) e Trichuris (8%). Outros parasitas menos prevalentes (<2%) encontrados foram Capillaria, Ascaridia, Spirocerca, Taeniidae, Acantocephala, Ascaris, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris, e os protozoários Cystoisospora and Eimeria. Infecções mistas foram detectadas em 36% das amostras, a maioria por Ancylostoma e Toxocara. Vermifugações prévias não foram associadas a infecções, indicando que esta medida preventiva está sendo realizada incorretamente pelos proprietários. Com relação aos fatores de risco, cães com menos de um ano tiveram maior probabilidade de infecção por Toxocara, e os cães de raça pura por Trichuris. O número de gatos na propriedade foi associado positivamente com a infecção por Trichuris, enquanto cães machos e baixos escores corporais foram associados a infecções mistas. A ausência de associações com comportamento de vida livre e acesso a florestas ou vilas pelos cães indica que as infecções estão sendo predominantemente adquiridas nas propriedades. Os resultados destacam o risco de infecções parasitárias zoonóticas e para animais silvestres a partir dos cães, e a necessidade de monitorar e controlar os parasitas de animais domésticos em áreas de interface entre humanos e a vida selvagem.

Risk factors for gastrointestinal parasite infections of dogs living around protected areas of the Atlantic Forest: implications for human and wildlife health.

Despite the ubiquity of domestic dogs, their role as zoonotic reservoirs and the large number of studies concerning parasites in urban dogs, rural areas in Brazil, especially those at the wildlife-domestic animal-human interface, have received little attention from scientists and public health managers. This paper reports a cross-sectional epidemiological survey of gastrointestinal parasites of rural dogs living in farms around Atlantic Forest fragments. Through standard parasitological methods (flotation and sedimentation), 13 parasite taxa (11 helminths and two protozoans) were found in feces samples from dogs. The most prevalent were the nematode Ancylostoma (47%) followed by Toxocara (18%) and Trichuris (8%). Other less prevalent (<2%) parasites found were Capillaria, Ascaridia, Spirocerca, Taeniidae, Acantocephala, Ascaris, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris, and the protozoans Cystoisospora and Eimeria. Mixed infections were found in 36% of samples, mostly by Ancylostoma and Toxocara. Previous deworming had no association with infections, meaning that this preventive measure is being incorrectly performed by owners. Regarding risk factors, dogs younger than one year were more likely to be infected with Toxocara, and purebred dogs with Trichuris. The number of cats in the households was positively associated with Trichuris infection, while male dogs and low body scores were associated with mixed infections. The lack of associations with dog free-ranging behavior and access to forest or villages indicates that infections are mostly acquired around the households. The results highlight the risk of zoonotic and wildlife parasite infections from dogs and the need for monitoring and controlling parasites of domestic animals in human-wildlife interface areas.

Small mammals in a fragment and adjacent matrix in southeastern Brazil.

Between May 2002 and May 2003, we studied a small mammal community from an Atlantic forest fragment surrounded by a coffee plantation in the municipality of Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. We obtained a total of 300 captures of 114 individuals belonging to 11 mammal species. Seventy three percent of the species captured in the forest also used the coffee plantation, mainly males (90%) and young (80%) individuals of Marmosops incanus. The exceptionally low recapture rate in the coffee plantation suggests that it functions as a corridor between fragments, rather than as a habitat for these species. Understanding the role of matrix habitat use in fragmented landscapes is an important factor in small mammal conservation, as it asymmetrically affects the rate and mode of individual movements of different species.

Small mammals in a fragment and adjacent matrix in southeastern Brazil / Pequenos mamíferos em fragmentos e matriz adjacente no sudeste do Brasil

Between May 2002 and May 2003, we studied a small mammal community from an Atlantic forest fragment surrounded by a coffee plantation in the municipality of Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. We obtained a total of 300 captures of 114 individuals belonging to 11 mammal species. Seventy three percent of the species captured in the forest also used the coffee plantation, mainly males (90%) and young (80%) individuals of Marmosops incanus. The exceptionally low recapture rate in the coffee plantation suggests that it functions as a corridor between fragments, rather than as a habitat for these species. Understanding the role of matrix habitat use in fragmented landscapes is an important factor in small mammal conservation, as it asymmetrically affects the rate and mode of individual movements of different species.

Entre março de 2002 e abril de 2003, estudamos uma comunidade de pequenos mamíferos em um fragmento de Floresta Atlântica cercado por plantação de café no município de Santa Teresa, estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil. Obtivemos um total de 300 capturas de 114 indivíduos pertencentes a 11 espécies de mamíferos. Setenta e três por cento das espécies capturadas na floresta também usaram a plantação de café, principalmente indivíduos machos (90%) e jovens (80%) de Marmosops incanus. A taxa de recaptura excepcionalmente baixa na plantação de café sugere que este possa funcionar como um corredor entre os fragmentos, e não como habitats para as espécies. Entender como é o uso da matriz de habitats em paisagens fragmentadas é um importante fator na conservação de pequenos mamíferos, uma vez que ele afeta assimetricamente a taxa e o modo de movimento de indivíduos de diferentes espécies.

Home range of a Geoffroy's marmoset group, Callithrix geoffroyi (Primates, Callitrichidae) in South-eastern Brazil.

The home range of one group of the Geoffroy's marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) was studied in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil, between February 1993 and January 1994. The total home range was 23.3 ha and the area used in the dry season was significantly larger than that of the wet season. The smallest distance travelled by group was 480 m/day in May and the longest was 1,980 m/day in March, but with no significant differences between seasons. The total home range used for this species agrees with the ecological grouping of the genus Callithrix proposed by Rylands & Faria (1993) and may be associated with the habitat structure, the limit of the fragment and the inexistence of neighbouring groups.

Activity budget of Geoffroy's marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) in an Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil.

This report describes the activity budget of a group of Callithrix geoffroyi in a patch of Atlantic forest on the Brazilian coast, between February 1993 and January 1994, using the scan sampling methods. On average, the group rested for 29% of the daylight hours, fed for 21%, moved for 20%, and foraging and gouging occupied 14% and 13% of this period, respectively. A greater proportion of time was spent resting during the wet seasons (32.1%) than the dry seasons (17.8%), but the reverse observed for time spent foraging (9.7% and 20.6% of the group's daylight hours during wet and dry seasons, respectively). The time allocated to feeding was greater in the first hours of the day. Gum consumption showed two peaks, a larger one in the early morning and a minor one in the afternoon. Animal prey foraging occurred throughout the day, but was more intense during the hottest hours. The increase in foraging and decrease in resting during the dry season was related to a decrease in the availability of insects.