Banca de DEFESA: THAMIRES REZENDE ARAÚJO

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : THAMIRES REZENDE ARAÚJO
DATE: 19/08/2024
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Plataforma Google Meet
TITLE:

Epidemiology, Geospatial Analysis, and Molecular Characterization of Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema recondirum in dog in municipalities of the State of Rio de Janeiro

KEY WORDS:

nematodes, molecular biology, microfilaria 

PAGES: 73
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Medicina Veterinária
SUBÁREA: Medicina Veterinária Preventiva
SPECIALTY: Doenças Parasitárias de Animais
SUMMARY:

Nematodes belonging to the species Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum are arthropod-transmitted parasites, with mosquitoes from the Culicidae family responsible for transmitting D. immitis, while fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides and Pulex, along with the lice Trichodectes canis and Heterodoxus spiniger, are the main vectors for A. reconditum. Dogs are the primary hosts affected by infections caused by these parasites. Diagnostic methods for these filarioids are based on the detection of microfilariae in peripheral blood. However, the similarity of this evolutionary stage between the two species complicates accurate diagnosis. Due to the fact that D. immitis is mainly reported in coastal regions and holds public health significance due to its zoonotic nature, the detection and differential epidemiological analysis between D. immitis and A. reconditum contribute to understanding the distribution of these filarioids and provide insights for precise diagnostics and appropriate clinical management. Thus, this study aimed to determine the frequency, spatial distribution, and epidemiological factors associated with the presence of D. immitis and A. reconditum DNA in dogs in the municipalities of the state of Rio de Janeiro using molecular methods. For this purpose, 378 blood samples were collected from domiciled dogs in the municipalities of Barra do Piraí, Paracambi, Petrópolis, and Teresópolis, during the period from November 2018 to October 2019. DNA from the samples was extracted using a commercial kit, and pathogen detection was performed using species-specific qPCR. From the total of samples collected, five were positive for D. immitis and 40 were for A. reconditum, resulting in an overall prevalence of 1.32% (5/378) and 10.58% (40/378), respectively. In Barra do Piraí, the frequency of A. reconditum was 7.4% (8/108), with no detection of D. immitis. In Paracambi, the obtained frequency was 16.66% (15/90) for A. reconditum and 3.33% (3/90) for D. immitis, with one case of co-infection between the two species. In Petrópolis, the frequency was 5.75% (5/87) for A. reconditum and 1.15% (1/87) for D. immitis. In Teresópolis, the frequency of A. reconditum was 8.60% (12/93), with no detection of D. immitis. Epidemiological analyses were conducted based on positive findings for A. reconditum, as it was not possible to perform them for D. immitis due to the low frequency. The epidemiological analyses demonstrated a significant correlation with variables such as the presence of wild animals, gender, presence of vegetation in the peridomicile, and access to pasture. These results indicate that despite the higher occurrence of these pathogens being described in coastal regions, their presence is also noted in non-endemic areas, possibly due to the movement of animals and the presence of vectors in these regions. Furthermore, the frequency of A. reconditum emphasizes the importance of differential diagnosis to avoid misguided clinical interventions. Therefore, this study demonstrates the occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum in areas considered non-endemic, warranting further investigations regarding the differentiation and distribution of these filarioids in Brazil.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - ***.781.297-** - CARLOS LUIZ MASSARD - UFRRJ
Interna - 3103528 - CLAUDIA BEZERRA DA SILVA
Externa ao Programa - 1159140 - JULIANA MACEDO RAIMUNDO - UFRRJExterna ao Programa - 3324429 - ANDRESA GUIMARAES - UFRRJExterno à Instituição - WENDELL MARCELO DE SOUZA PERINOTTO - UFRB
Externo à Instituição - DANIEL DA SILVA GUEDES JUNIOR - FIOCRUZ
Externa à Instituição - ERICA CRISTINA ROCHA ROIER - UV
Externa à Instituição - NATHALIE COSTA DA CUNHA - UFF