Emergence of Mansonella sp. in free-ranging primates in southern Brazil.

Mansonellosis is a neglected and emerging tropical disease. Among all zoonotic filarial diseases, it is probably the most prevalent and least studied, with approximately 114 million people infected. The parasites of Mansonella spp. are among the most common blood parasitemias and are widely found in Africa and Latin America. Through molecular analysis of blood samples from free-ranging primates Sapajus nigritus (n 33) and Alouatta guariba clamitans (n 5) in the southern states of Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), we identified samples positive for Mansonella perstans in two specimens of A. guariba clamitans. A fragment of 578 bp from the ITS intergenic region (5.8S-ITS2-28S) was targeted for an initial PCR screening. Subsequently, positive samples were subjected to other PCR assays targeting a fragment of the 12S and the 18S genes. This is the first record of molecular detection of the agent in this host in the Pampa Biome. With a wide distribution across Brazil and Argentina, these primates may represent a potential wild reservoir for the zoonotic agent of mansonellosis. Entomological and transmission studies are essential to avoid the urbanization of mansonellosis and to understand the cycles of agents in different environmental scenarios.

Laboratory and clinical findings and their association with viral and proviral loads in cats naturally infected with feline leukemia virus.

This study was conducted to correlate clinical, laboratory, and bone marrow (BM) changes in cats naturally infected with feline leukemia virus and their association with viral loads in blood and BM and proviral loads in BM. Cats were classified into five groups based on antigenemia, clinical and/or laboratory findings and viral/proviral loads, according to a prospective study: symptomatic progressive (GI); asymptomatic progressive (GII); regressive (GIII); unclassified (GIV); or healthy (GV). |Correlations between these five groups and viral/proviral loads were evaluated. High viral and proviral loads were detected in GI and GII and viral loads were significantly associated with laboratory signs. Proviral loads detected in BM were significantly lower in GIII and GIV. GI cats were more likely to develop hematopoietic disorders than those from the other groups. Hematological and clinical disorders and disease severity are related to higher viral blood and proviral BM loads.