The present study reports field data of ticks infesting wild carnivores captured from July 1998 to September 2004 in Brazil. Additional data were obtained from one tick collection and from previous published data of ticks on carnivores in Brazil. During field work, a total of 3437 ticks were collected from 89 Cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox), 58 Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf), 30 Puma concolor (puma), 26 Panthera onca (jaguar), 12 Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon), 4 Speothos venaticus (bush dog), 6 Pseudalopex vetulus (hoary fox), 6 Nasua nasua (coati), 6 Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), 2 Leopardus tigrinus (oncilla), 1 Leopardus wiedii (margay), 1 Herpailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi), 1 Oncifelis colocolo (pampas cat), 1 Eira barbara (tayara), 1 Galictis vittata (grison), 1 Lontra longicaudis (neotropical otter), and 1 Potus flavus (kinkajou). Data obtained from the Acari Collection IBSP included a total of 381 tick specimens collected on 13 C. thous, 8 C. brachyurus, 3 P. concolor, 10 P. onca, 3 P. cancrivorus, 4 N. nasua, 1 L. pardalis, 1 L. wiedii, 4 H. yagouaroundi, 1 Galictis cuja (lesser grison), and 1 L. longicaudis. The only tick-infested carnivore species previously reported in Brazil, for which we do not present any field data are Pseudalopex gymnocercus (pampas fox), Conepatus chinga (Molina's hog-nosed skunk), and Conepatus semistriatus (striped hog-nosed skunk). We report the first tick records in Brazil on two Felidae species (O. colocolo, H. yagouaroundi), two Canidae species (P. vetulus, S. venaticus), one Procyonidae species (P. flavus) and one Mustelidae (E. barbara). Tick infestation remains unreported for 5 of the 26 Carnivora species native in Brazil: Oncifelis geoffroyi (Geoffroy's cat), Atelocynus microtis (short-eared dog), Pteronura brasiliensis (giant otter), Mustela africana (Amazon weasel), and Bassaricyon gabbii (olingo). Our field data comprise 16 tick species represented by the genera Amblyomma (12 species), Ixodes (1 species), Dermacentor (1 species), Rhipicephalus (1 species), and Boophilus (1 species). Additional 5 tick species (3 Amblyomma species and 1 species from each of the genera Ixodes and Ornithodoros) were reported in the literature. The most common ticks on Carnivora hosts were Amblyomma ovale (found on 14 host species), Amblyomma cajennense (10 species), Amblyomma aureolatum (10 species), Amblyomma tigrinum (7 species), Amblyomma parvum (7 species), and Boophilus microplus (7 species).

ABSTRACT:Serum samples from 18 pumas (Puma concolor), one ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), and two little spotted cats (Leopardus tigrinus) collected from free-ranging animals in Brazil between 1998 and 2004 were tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) for antibodies to feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV 1), calicivirus (FCV), coronavirus (FCoV), parvovirus (FPV), Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Bartonella henselae. Serum samples also were tested, by Western blot and ELISA, for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) specific antibodies and antigen, respectively, by Western blot for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and by indirect ELISA for antibodies to puma lentivirus (PLV). Antibodies to FHV 1, FCV, FCoV, FPV, FeLV, FIV, PLV or related viruses, and to B. henselae were detected. Furthermore, high-titered antibodies to E. canis or a closely related agent were detected in a puma for the first time.

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Context. The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is difficult to observe, capture, and study. To date, indirect evidence and opportunistic field observations have been the primary sources of information about the species' ecology. Field data are urgently needed to clarify the species' ecological requirements, behaviour and movement patterns.Aims. The present study uses 13 months of telemetry data from a group of bush dogs to begin to address questions about area requirements, habitat preferences and movement patterns of this difficult-to-study species.Methods. We tracked a group of bush dogs (two adults, one juvenile, four young) in an area of intact and altered Cerrado (woodland-savanna biome) in eastern Mato Grosso, Brazil (Nova Xavantina District).Key results. The group had a total home range of 140 km 2 (fixed kernel 95%), with smaller seasonal 'subareas' (areas used for 1-2 months before moving to another area, with repetition of some areas over time) and demonstrated a preference for native habitats.Conclusions. The bush dog's home range is greater than that of other canids of the same size, even correcting for group size. Patterns of seasonal movement are also different from what has been observed in other South American canids.Implications. From our observations in the Brazilian savanna, bush dogs need large tracks of native habitat for their longterm persistence. Although the present study is based on a single pack, it is highly relevant for bush dog conservation because it provides novel information on the species' spatial requirements and habitat preferences.

Botelho e Rafael Novaes. À profa. Jane Megid e à residente Susan Allendorf pelo auxílio na realização da sorologia para o parvovírus. À Biovet, especialmente ao Dr. Antonio Roberto Alves Corrêa, ao José Domingues de Ramos Filho, ao Hugo Scanavini Neto e aos funcionários do Controle de Qualidade, por todo o auxílio na realização da sorologia para cinomose.

Rabies virus is a pathogen of major concern in free-ranging wild carnivores in several regions of the world, but little is known about its circulation in Brazilian wild carnivores. Sera from 211 free-ranging wild carnivores, captured from 2000 to 2006 in four locations of two Brazilian biomes (Pantanal and Cerrado), were tested for rabies antibodies. Twenty-six individuals (12.3%) had neutralizing antibody titers ≥0.10 IU/ml. The four sampled locations had antibody-positive animals, suggesting that Rabies virus circulates in all of these regions. Results underscore the risk posed by rabies for conservation of Brazilian carnivores and the possibility of the animals acting as reservoirs for the Rabies virus.

Diversos surtos epidêmicos causados por agentes patogênicos provocaram severo declínio em populações de carnívoros selvagens nas últimas décadas. Além deste impacto às populações silvestres, há a preocupação da transmissão de alguns destes agentes à população humana e de animais domésticos. De fato, as alterações ambientais têm provocado mudanças na relação patógeno-hospedeiro. Desta forma, o monitoramento da saúde de animais silvestres é importante componente no estabelecimento de programas de controle e erradicação de doenças e na elaboração de políticas de saúde pública e animal e de manejo e conservação de espécies selvagens. Considerando o papel dos mamíferos da ordem Carnivora na cadeia trófica, estes podem ser usados como "sentinelas", sendo alvos estratégicos em programas de vigilância para detecção de patógenos. Neste artigo serão revisados estudos de caso dos principais patógenos que acometem carnívoros selvagens, com ênfase nas espécies da fauna brasileira. Os métodos laboratoriais utilizados nos estudos de exposição dos carnívoros brasileiros a patógenos serão discutidos e considerações sobre estratégias para minimizar seus impactos sobre a fauna silvestre, bem como os possíveis métodos para controle de patógenos causadores de zoonoses em carnívoros. Palavras-chave: Ordem Carnivora; medicina da conservação; zoonoses; epidemiologia; manejo de fauna. ABSTRACT OCCURRENCE OF PATHOGENS IN BRAZILIAN WILD CARNIVORES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH. Several outbreaks caused by pathogens caused declines in wild carnivore populations in the last decades. In addition to the negative impact to wild populations, there is a concern about the transmission of some of these agents to humans and domestic animals. In fact, environmental alterations have resulted in changes in the pathogen-host relation. Therefore, monitoring health of wild animals is considered an important component in programs for control or eradication of diseases and in the public and animal health politics and for the management and conservation of wild species. Considering the role of mammals of the order Carnivora in the trophic chain, they might be used as "sentinels", working as strategic targets in programs of surveillance of important pathogens for public and animal health. We review in this paper case-studies of the main pathogens that occur in wild carnivores,

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease affecting most mammals and is distributed throughout the world. Several species of domestic and wild animals may act as reservoirs for this disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the exposure of free-ranging wild carnivores, horses and domestic dogs on a private reserve located in the northern Pantanal (Brazil) and the surrounding areas to Leptospira spp from 2002-2006, 75 free-ranging wild carnivores were captured in the Pantanal and serum samples were collected. In addition, samples from 103 domestic dogs and 23 horses in the region were collected. Serum samples were tested for the presence of Leptospira antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test. Thirty-two wild carnivores (42.7%) were considered positive with titres ≥ 100, and 18 domestic dogs (17.5%) and 20 horses (74.1%) were also found to be positive. Our study showed that horses, dogs and several species of free-ranging wild carnivores have been exposed to Leptospira spp in the Pantanal, suggesting that the peculiar characteristics of this biome, such as high temperatures and an extended period of flooding, may favour bacterial persistence and transmission. In this region, wild carnivores and horses seem to be important hosts for the epidemiology of Leptospira species.