Giardia duodenalis is a widespread intestinal protozoan that can infect humans and animals, both domestic and wild. Independent of host, infections present with the same symptoms. However, based on host specificity, Giardia isolates have been grouped into genotypes A to G. Parasites of assemblage A and B are known to infect humans, in addition to primates and a wide variety of mammals. In Brazil, hitherto Giardia genotypes were defined only for humans and domestic animals. To evaluate the genotypes of different Giardia present among other animals, fecal samples from 28 Southern Brown Howler Monkeys (Alouatta clamitans) kept in captivity from South Brazil were screened for G. duodenalis using parasitological methods. All of them were asymptomatic, but positive for Giardia. The genotype of the G. duodenalis circulating among these animals was ascertained by molecular typing, performed using amplification and sequencing of the beta-giardin gene. Sixteen of 28 samples were successfully amplified by PCR and sequencing of this gene s revealed that all of them were of the genotype A1. These findings suggest that A. clamitans represent a potential risk of environmental contamination of a G. duodenalis genotype that also infect humans, and therefore can be considered a potential reservoir for G. duodenalis of a genotype that can also infects humans. Therefore, these results highlight a potential public health problem due to the epidemiological and molecular evidence for anthropozoonotic transmission.
Urbanization and deforestation impose severe challenges to wildlife, particularly for forest-living vertebrates. Understanding how the peri-urban matrix impacts their survival is critical for designing strategies to promote their conservation. We investigated the threats faced by brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in peri-urban regions of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC) states, southern Brazil, by compiling conflicts reported over more than two decades. We assessed the major conflicts, their distribution among age-sex classes, and the predictors of conflict-related mortality using GLMMs. After 20+ years of monitoring, we compiled 540 conflicts (RS=248 and SC=292). Electrocution in power lines was the most frequent cause of death or injury (37%), followed by dog attack (34%), run over (17%), and human mistreatment (12%). The occurrence of lethal injuries ranged from 5% to 69% depending on the type of conflict and state. The overall post-conflict mortality was 56%. Adult males and females were the major victims in both states. The minimal adequate GLMM explained 83% of the variation in conflict-related mortality. State, conflict type, and age-sex class were the main predictors of mortality. Overall, mortality was lower in SC and after human mistreatment, and higher among adult females than in the other classes. We found that the survival of brown howlers in the forest-urban interface is constrained by both the urban infrastructure and the growing interactions with humans and domestic and stray dogs. We propose the placement of aerial bridges, road signs and speed bumps in areas of frequent animal crossing, the sterilization of stray dogs, and the sensitization of local inhabitants on the importance of respecting and protecting wildlife to reduce their conflicts with humans and domestic animals in the forest-urban interface.Graphical AbstractHIGHLIGHTSWe investigated the threats faced by brown howler monkeys in peri-urban regions of southern Brazil.After 20+ years of monitoring, we compiled 540 conflicts between monkeys and humans in the two study regions.The main conflicts were electrocution (37%), dog attack (34%), run over (17%), and mistreatment (12%).Lethal injuries ranged from 5% to 69% depending on conflict type.State, conflict type, and age-sex class explained 83% of the variation in conflict-related mortality.
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