OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND LEPSTOSPIRA SPP. IN MANATEES (TRICHECHUS INUNGUIS) OF THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

Delgado, Patrick Mathews
Silva, Vera M. F. da
Rosas, Fernando C. W.
d'Affonseca Neto, José A.
Lazzarini, Stella M.
Ribeiro, Daniella C.
Dubey, Jitender P.
Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda
Gennari, Solange Maria

Open link

Publication date

January 2012

DOI

10.1638/2011-0178.1

Publisher

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

Journal

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine

Abstract

The presence of Toxoplasma gondii and Leptospira spp. antibodies was investigated in 74 manatees (Trichechus inunguis [Mammalia: Sirenia]) kept in captivity in two rescue units in the northern region of Brazil. Antibodies to T gondii were detected in 29 (39.2%) of 74 animals by using the modified agglutination test (titer, 1:25). For antibodies against Leptospira spp., sera were diluted 1:50 and tested against 24 strains of leptospires by microscopic agglutination microtechnique, and positive samples were end titrated. Twenty-three (31.1%) of 74 animals were reactive to four serovars (Patoc 21/23, Castellonis 2/23, Icterohaemorrhagiae 1/23, and Butembo 1/23), with titers ranging from 100 to 1,600. This is the first report of antibodies agai...