Filarids (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) in wild carnivores and domestic dogs from the Brazilian Atlantic forest

A study on the Iguaçu National Park, a critical remnant of Brazil's Atlantic rainforest, reveals five filarial nematode species in ring-tailed coatis, including Dirofilaria immitis, potentially indicating spillover from domestic dogs. The research also identified Acanthocheilonema reconditum in domestic dogs, marking a new locality record for this species. Using modified Knott's test and molecular screening of myoHC and hsp70 genes, the study detected microfilariae in 162 samples from seven wild carnivore species and 225 domestic dog samples. Phylogenetic analysis suggested high genetic similarity among undetermined Onchocercidae species and other filarial species like Mansonella, Brugia, and Wuchereria bancrofti. The findings underscore the need for further investigation into filarial parasites in Neotropical wildlife amid increasing anthropogenic pressures.

Figuerêdo Duarte Moraes, M., de Souza Pollo, A., & Lux Hoppe, E. G. (2022). Filarids (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) in wild carnivores and domestic dogs from the Brazilian Atlantic forest. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16(3), e0010213. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010213