BackgroundThe role of bats as reservoirs of zoonotic agents, especially pathogenic bacteria such as Bartonella and Coxiella, has been discussed around the world. Recent studies have identified bats as potential hosts of species from the proteobacteria phylum. In Brazil, however, the role of bats in the natural cycle of these agents is poorly investigated and generally neglected. In order to analyze the participation of bats in the epidemiology of diseases caused by Bartonella, Coxiella, Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia, we conducted a descriptive epidemiological study in three biogeographic regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.ResultsTissues of 119 bats captured in preserved areas in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Santa Catarina from 2014 to 2015 were submitted to molecular analysis using specific primers. Bartonella spp. was detected in 22 spleen samples (18.5%, 95% CI: 11.9–26.6), whose phylogenetic analysis revealed the generation of at least two independent clusters, suggesting that these may be new unique genotypes of Bartonella species. In addition, four samples (3.4%, 95% CI: 0.9–8.3) were positive for the htpAB gene of C. burnetii [spleen (2), liver (1) and heart (1)]. Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma and Ehrlichia were not identified. This is the first study reporting C. burnetii and Bartonella spp. infections in bats from the Atlantic Forest biome.ConclusionsThese findings shed light on potential host range for these bacteria, which are characterized as important zoonotic pathogens.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-018-1603-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ametrida centurio Gray, 1847 is a small fruit-eating bat endemic to the Neotropics. In Brazil, its known distribu­tion is limited to the Amazon basin. We report the first record of A. centurio in the Atlantic Forest and extend its distribu­tion in approximately 1,500 km from the previously known easternmost locality. The record was made in the Guaribas Biological Reserve, located in the state of Paraíba, north­eastern Brazil. We intended to evaluate whether this record is accidental or might correspond to an emerging pattern for northeastern Brazil’s canopy.

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A lista mais recente dos mamíferos que ocorrem no Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO), com 79 registros, consta no seu segundo Plano de Manejo, publicado em 2008. O presente estudo teve como objetivo atualizar a lista de espécies de mamíferos do PARNASO, inserindo novos registros de espécies obtidos através de dados primários e revisão bibliográfica, considerando o período de 2002 a 2018. A revisão da lista do Plano de Manejo resultou em 75 registros válidos. Destes, três espécies foram consideradas localmente extintas (Panthera onca, Tayassu pecari e Tapirus terrestris) e não foram incluídas na presente lista. Desse modo, listamos aqui 100 espécies com registros recentes no PARNASO, o que representa um acréscimo de 28 espécies. As ordens com maior riqueza de espécies foram Rodentia e Chiroptera, com 32 e 23 espécies, respectivamente. Das espécies registradas, quatro são invasoras (Callithrix jacchus, C. penicillata, Rattus norvegicus e R. rattus), três são domésticas (Bos taurus, Canis familiaris e Felis catus), e 26 são ameaçadas de extinção. A análise da distribuição espacial da riqueza de espécies mostrou que apenas metade da área do parque possui ao menos um registro, e que os registros estão concentrados onde há infraestrutura para a pesquisa. A presença de espécies domésticas e invasoras, bem como as extinções locais detectadas, indicam a necessidade de ações de manejo no interior do parque. Esse grande acréscimo de espécies à lista evidencia o desenvolvimento da pesquisa com mamíferos nesta Unidade de Conservação e a necessidade de compilações mais frequentes dos resultados devido aos vários projetos em curso. O PARNASO tem papel de destaque na conservação de mamíferos ao ainda manter uma das maiores riquezas de espécies do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, e grande importância para a pesquisa, abrigando uma ampla gama de estudos e projetos de longa duração.

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In developing countries, outbreaks of zoonotic diseases (ZDs) result from intertwined ecological, socioeconomic, and demographic processes that shape conditions for (i) increased contact between vulnerable human population and wildlife in areas undergoing environmental degradation and (ii) the rapid geographic spread of infections across socially vulnerable regions. In Brazil, recent increases in environmental and social vulnerabilities, amplified by economic and political crises, are potential triggers for outbreaks. We discuss Brazilian features that favor outbreaks and show a novel quantitative method for zoonotic risk assessment. Using data on nine ZDs from 2001 to 2019, we found that the most significant causal variables were vegetation cover and city remoteness. Furthermore, 8 of 27 states presented low-level risk of ZD outbreaks. Given the ZD-bushmeat connection, we identified central hunted mammals that should be surveilled to prevent spillover events. The current challenge is to coordinate intersectoral collaboration for effective One Health management in megadiverse countries with high social vulnerability and growing environmental degradation like Brazil.

This study presents the first record of Trinycteris nicefori Sanborn, 1949 from the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. The specimens were collected in the municipalities of Recife and São Lourenço da Mata in fragments of the Atlantic Forest. Three females were collected. The measurements and coloration pattern of these specimens are consistent with the diagnosis of the species. This record establishes a new limit for the known distribution of T. nicefori in Brazil, extending this range approximately 450 km to the most northeastern part of the Atlantic Forest.

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