title: Hepatozoon SPP. Infect Free-Ranging Jaguars (Panthera onca) in Brazil.
abstract: This study investigated the presence of Hepatozoon spp. in jaguars ( Panthera onca ) and domestic animals in the Cerrado, Amazon, and Pantanal biomes of Brazil. Between February 2000 and January 2010, blood samples were collected from 30 jaguars, 129 domestic dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris), and 22 domestic cats ( Felis catus ) for molecular tests. All of the jaguars from the Pantanal (n = 22) and Cerrado (n = 4) and 3 of 4 jaguars from the Amazon were positive for Hepatozoon spp. Domestic dogs (62.8%) and cats (31.8%) were also positive for the agent. Hepatozoon nucleotide sequences from jaguars and domestic cats grouped with other Hepatozoon felis, whereas Hepatozoon from domestic dogs showed high similarity to Hepatozoon canis. Different species of Amblyomma were identified as parasitizing the jaguars and may act as vectors for Hepatozoon spp. Jaguars from the 3 sites were healthy and did not seem to be threatened by the hemoparasite within its population or environments. Most likely, jaguars play an important role in the maintenance of Hepatozoon spp. in nature.
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Malzoni
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Betina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anah Tereza
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: de Almeida Jácomo
authors.forename: Marcelo Bahia
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
authors.forename: Thiago Fernandes
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Lucia Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: O'Dwyer
authors.forename: Karina Dos Santos
authors.initials: KDS
authors.lastname: Paduan
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Grasiela E O
authors.initials: GEO
authors.lastname: Porfírio
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sollmann
authors.forename: Sueli Akemi
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
authors.affiliation: *   Jaguar Conservation Fund/Instituto Onça-Pintada, Caixa Postal 193, 75830-000, Mineiros-GO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natália Mundim
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Tôrres
authors.forename: José Soares Ferreira
authors.initials: JSF
authors.lastname: Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D017753:Ecosystem; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000145:classification / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D046009:Panthera / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S