title: Occurrence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Lepstospira spp. in manatees (Trichechus inunguis) of the Brazilian Amazon.
abstract: The presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Leptospira spp. antibodies was investigated in 74 manatees (Trichechus inunguis [Mammalia: Sirenia]) kept in captivity in two rescue units in the northern region of Brazil. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 29 (39.2%) of 74 animals by using the modified agglutination test (titer, 1:25). For antibodies against Leptospira spp., sera were diluted 1:50 and tested against 24 strains ofleptospires by microscopic agglutination microtechnique, and positive samples were end titrated. Twenty-three (31.1%) of 74 animals were reactive to four serovars (Patoc 21/23, Castellonis 2/23, Icterohaemorrhagiae 1/23, and Butembo 1/ 23), with titers ranging from 100 to 1,600. This is the first report of antibodies against T. gondii and Leptospira spp. in T. inunguis from the Brazilian Amazon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrick D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Vera M F
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Fernando C W
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: d'Affonseca Neto
authors.forename: Stella M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lazzarini
authors.forename: Daniella C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Jitender P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Silvio A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
authors.forename: Solange M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gennari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D020456:Trichechus inunguis
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan