title: MOLECULAR INVESTIGATION OF HEMOTROPIC MYCOPLASMAS IN HUMAN BEINGS, DOGS AND HORSES IN A RURAL SETTLEMENT IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL.
abstract: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of hemoplasmas in a rural Brazilian settlement's population of human beings, their dogs and horses, highly exposed to tick bites; to identify the tick species parasitizing dogs and horses, and analyze factors associated with their infection. Blood samples from 132 dogs, 16 horses and 100 humans were screened using a pan-hemoplasma SYBR green real-time PCR assay followed by a species-specific TaqMan real-time PCR. A total of 59/132 (44.7%) dog samples were positive for hemoplasmas (21 Mycoplasma haemocanis alone, 12 ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum' alone and 21 both). Only 1/100 (1.0%) human sample was positive by qPCR SYBR green, with no successful amplification of 16S rRNA or 23 rRNA genes despite multiple attempts. All horse samples were negative. Dogs >1 year of age were more likely to be positive for hemoplasmas ( p= 0.0014). In conclusion, although canine hemoplasma infection was highly prevalent, cross-species hemoplasma transmission was not observed, and therefore may not frequently occur despite overexposure of agents and vectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, BR.
authors.forename: Rafael Felipe da Costa
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, BR.
authors.forename: Odilon
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vidotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, BR.
authors.forename: Thállitha Samih Wischral Jayme
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, US.
authors.forename: Ana Márcia Sá
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Guimaraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, US.
authors.forename: Andrea Pires dos
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, US.
authors.forename: Naíla Cannes
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, BR.
authors.forename: Nelson Jesse Rodrigues dos
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, S. Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Thiago Fernandes
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, S. Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Marcelo Bahia
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinics, Surgery and Reproduction, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, S. Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcondes
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, BR.
authors.forename: Alexander Welker
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Biondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, US.
authors.forename: Joanne Belle
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Messick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population