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The reintroduction of captive animals to the wild helps restore endangered species, but it risks pathogen transmission, harming wild populations. Such transmission can impact the genetic diversity and long-term viability of these populations. This study assessed parasite diversity and load in captive Pecari tajacu , a species native to the Americas and culturally significant to Brazilian indigenous culture, prior to reintroduction. Samples from 24 peccaries were analyzed for ectoparasites, hemopathogens, and stool parasites with direct and molecular analysis. Findings showed that various parasites were present. Two peccaries (8.3%) were infested by the adult tick Amblyomma sculptum . Six (25.0%) tested positive for Trypanosoma evansi , four (16.7%) for hemobacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae, twelve (50.0%) for hemotropic Mycoplasma , and seven (29.2%) for Leishmania braziliensis . Stool samples indicated multiple parasites, with sixteen (66.7%) peccaries infected by Strongylida order parasites, Spiruridae in three (12.5%), and Ascaris suum in one (4.2%) animal. Cysts of Balantidium sp. were found in twenty (83.3%), Entamoeba polecki in five (20.8%), and Iodamoeba bütschlii in two (8.3%) peccaries. To our current knowledge, this is the first global report of Leishmania braziliensis , Iodamoeba bütschlii , and Entamoeba polecki in P. tajacu , irrespective of the environment, including both captivity and wild conditions. Some of these parasites are common in domestic animals, and others are zoonotic, indicating potential interspecies pathogen transmission.

Introduction: Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces rapid production of IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies directed to multiple viral antigens that may have impact diverse clinical outcomes., Methods: We evaluated IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies directed to the nucleocapsid (NP), IgA and IgG to the Spike protein and to the receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the presence of neutralizing antibodies (nAb), in a cohort of unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, in the first 30 days of post-symptom onset (PSO) (T1)., Results: This study included 193 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) participants classified as mild, moderate, severe, critical, and fatal and 27 uninfected controls. In T1, we identified differential antibody profiles associated with distinct clinical presentation. The mild group presented lower levels of anti-NP IgG, and IgA (vs moderate and severe), anti-NP IgM (vs severe, critical and fatal), anti-Spike IgA (vs severe and fatal), and anti-RBD IgG (vs severe). The moderate group presented higher levels of anti-RBD IgA, comparing with severe group. The severe group presented higher levels of anti-NP IgA (vs mild and fatal) and anti-RBD IgG (vs mild and moderate). The fatal group presented higher levels of anti-NP IgM and anti-Spike IgA (vs mild), but lower levels of anti-NP IgA (vs severe). The levels of nAb was lower just in mild group compared to severe, critical, and fatal groups, moreover, no difference was observed among the more severe groups. In addition, we studied 82 convalescent individuals, between 31 days to 6 months (T2) or more than 6 months (T3), PSO, those: 12 mild, 26 moderate, and 46 severe plus critical. The longitudinal analyzes, for the severe plus critical group showed lower levels of anti-NP IgG, IgA and IgM, anti-Spike IgA in relation T3. The follow-up in the fatal group, reveals that the levels of anti-spike IgG increased, while anti-NP IgM levels was decreased along the time in severe/critical and fatal as well as anti-NP IgG and IgA in several/critical groups., Discussion: In summary, the anti-NP IgA and IgG lower levels and the higher levels of anti-RBD and anti-Spike IgA in fatal compared to survival group of individuals admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Collectively, our data discriminate death from survival, suggesting that anti-RBD IgA and anti-Spike IgA may play some deleterious effect, in contrast with the potentially protective effect of anti-NP IgA and IgG in the survival group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Servian, Spadafora-Ferreira, Anjos, Guilarde, Gomes-Junior, Borges, Masson, Silva, de Lima, Moraes, Souza, Xavier, de Oliveira, Batalha-Carvalho, Moro, Bocca, Pfrimer, Costa, Feres, Fiaccadori, Souza, Gardinassi, Durigon, Romão, Jorge, Coelho, Botosso and Fonseca.)

The mango weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae (Fabricius) (Curculionidae), pest present in Brazil and is restricted to some municipalities in the Rio de Janeiro State. This curculionid attacks the mango crop exclusively and puts mango production globally at risk, especially those destined for export. Using ecological modeling tools, this study is the first to map the potential risk of S. mangiferae in Brazil. We aimed to identify the potential distribution of this pest in Brazilian states, drawing up thematic maps of regions that present suitable and unsuitable climatic conditions for the establishment of the pest using the MaxEnt ecological niche model. The average annual temperature, the annual precipitation, the average daytime temperature range, and the annual temperature range were the variables that contributed most to the selected model. The MaxEnt model predicted highly suitable areas for S. mangiferae throughout the Brazilian coast, especially on the northeast coast. The region responsible for more than 50% of mango production in Brazil, the São Francisco Valley, was classified by the model with suitability for the pest; it can impacts exportations due to the imposition of phytosanitary barriers. This information can be used in strategies to prevent the introduction and establishment of this pest in new areas and monitor programs in areas with recent occurrence. In addition, the model results can be used in future research plans on S. mangiferae in worldwide modeling studies and climate change scenarios., (© 2023. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

Severe manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and mortality have been associated with physiological alterations that provide insights into the pathogenesis of the disease. Moreover, factors that drive recovery from COVID-19 can be explored to identify correlates of protection. The cellular metabolism represents a potential target to improve survival upon severe disease, but the associations between the metabolism and the inflammatory response during COVID-19 are not well defined. We analyzed blood laboratorial parameters, cytokines, and metabolomes of 150 individuals with mild to severe disease, of which 33 progressed to a fatal outcome. A subset of 20 individuals was followed up after hospital discharge and recovery from acute disease. We used hierarchical community networks to integrate metabolomics profiles with cytokines and markers of inflammation, coagulation, and tissue damage. Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) promotes significant alterations in the plasma metabolome, whose activity varies according to disease severity and correlates with oxygen saturation. Differential metabolism underlying death was marked by amino acids and related metabolites, such as glutamate, glutamyl-glutamate, and oxoproline, and lipids, including progesterone, phosphocholine, and lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPCs). Individuals who recovered from severe disease displayed persistent alterations enriched for metabolism of purines and phosphatidylinositol phosphate and glycolysis. Recovery of mild disease was associated with vitamin E metabolism. Data integration shows that the metabolic response is a hub connecting other biological features during disease and recovery. Infection by SARS-CoV-2 induces concerted activity of metabolic and inflammatory responses that depend on disease severity and collectively predict clinical outcomes of COVID-19. IMPORTANCE COVID-19 is characterized by diverse clinical outcomes that include asymptomatic to mild manifestations or severe disease and death. Infection by SARS-CoV-2 activates inflammatory and metabolic responses that drive protection or pathology. How inflammation and metabolism communicate during COVID-19 is not well defined. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate small biochemical compounds (<1,500 Da) in plasma of individuals with COVID-19 and controls. Age, sex, and comorbidities have a profound effect on the plasma metabolites of individuals with COVID-19, but we identified significant activity of pathways and metabolites related to amino acids, lipids, nucleotides, and vitamins determined by disease severity, survival outcome, and recovery. Furthermore, we identified metabolites associated with acute-phase proteins and coagulation factors, which collectively identify individuals with severe disease or individuals who died of severe COVID-19. Our study suggests that manipulating specific metabolic pathways can be explored to prevent hyperinflammation, organ dysfunction, and death.

Canastra cheese is the most well-known artisanal cheese produced in Brazil. Although its production includes a step to remove fungi from the cheese surface, in recent years some cheesemakers have preserved the autochthonous fungi grown during ripening due to an interest in the sensory characteristics attributed to these microorganisms. In this work, the mycobiota of artisanal cheeses produced in the Canastra region was characterized based on ITS marker gene analysis. A total of 96 artisanal cheeses from 16 different farms across 9 cities were collected during two different periods (dry and wet seasons). The Canastra cheese mycobiota was significantly impacted by the season, the city of production and the farm but altitude did not affect the fungal community of the cheeses analyzed. Debaryomyces prosopidis was most abundant in the majority of samples across both seasons. During the wet season, Trichosporon asahii, Kluyveromyces lactis and Fusarium solani were the next most abundant species, followed by Torulaspora delbrueckii and Acremonium citrinum. These results highlight the importance of manufacturing practices and seasonality on the fungal composition of Canastra cheeses. These insights are particularly important in light of recent new regulation in Brazil, removing previous obstacles for surface fungi to persist on cheese. These new regulations will allow new approaches to cheese production, and ultimately, novel products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Martin, Silva, César, da Silva, Santana, Veloso, Silva, Ferreira, Leech and Cotter.)

Background: Few studies have explored regional asymmetries and their implications for health policies regarding episodes of falls among the population of ≥80 years old in continental and developing countries like Brazil with deep inequalities and sociocultural differences., Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of falls and their association with functional capacity and nutritional status in the longest oldest-old living in two municipalities in the Northeast and Southeast of Brazil., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, with primary data collection in which were included in the research seniors aged 80 years or more, of both sexes, belonging to two Brazilian municipalities of discrepant socioeconomic aspects. The dependent variable was the occurrence of falls in the last year. The independent variables were grouped into demographic aspects, functional capacity and nutritional status. To identify variables that contribute to the occurrence of falls, the multiple logistic regression model, adopts a significance level of 5%., Results: The sample was composed of 415 oldest-old adults. From the total, 32.3% reported having fallen in the last year, 24.7% in Brejo dos Santos and 37.8% in São Paulo. Among the former population, the mean value of walking speed for those who had falls was 0.27 m/s and for those who had no occurrence of falls was 0.33 m/s; and, among the seniors from São Paulo, the mean values were 0.51 m/s and 0.58 m/s, respectively. Significant correlations between walking speed and falls were verified for both populations, showing that the lower the walking speed, the higher the predisposition to falls. In the final regression model, the occurrence of falls was associated with moderate balance (OR = 5.28; CI: 1.11-25.18) among the longevous people Brejo dos Santos and with very poor functional performance (OR = 16.09; CI:1.46-177.06) among those from São Paulo., Conclusion: The results pointed out a lower prevalence of falls in longevous people from Brejo dos Santos than in those from São Paulo and differences regarding the associated factors, showing heterogeneity between the two populations; indicating the need for public policies and effective programmes aimed at preventing falls based on the maintenance or increase of functional capacity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Among the oldest old, aged 80 years and over, the prevalence of disability is higher than in other age groups and can be considered a predictor of mortality., Objective: To evaluate how psychosocial aspects and support networks influence the disability of these oldest-old individuals, performing a comparison between two longevous populations, one living in one of the poorest regions of Brazil, in the backlands of Paraíba, and another living in one of the largest urban centres in Latin America., Method: A cross-sectional study in which 417 oldest-old persons aged 80 years and older were interviewed, with data collected through the "Health, Welfare and Ageing" survey conducted in two Brazilian cities. Disability was assessed by reporting the need for assistance in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Bivariate and multiple analyses were performed using R statistical software., Results: Food insufficiency in the first years of life had negative repercussions on the disability of oldest old people living in the northeast. On the other hand, in this region, older people have a higher rate of support and live longer with their peers, which may contribute to reducing feelings of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and worse self-perception of health. In the Southeast, financial constraints, subjective poverty, and unmet needs may favour the development of functional limitations between long-lived people., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that regional differences in Brazil may influence the disability of older people aged 80 and older. In northeast Brazil, having no partner may contribute to disability for ADLs and IADLs; while, in the longevous population of São Paulo, having a worse self-rated health may contribute to disability for IADLs., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The aim of this research was to investigate the extent to which socioeconomic and regional differences in Brazil may influence the quality of life. To this end, we examined factors associated with health-related quality of life in two populations of oldest-old people, aged 80 and over: one from the Northeast of Brazil and the other from the Southeast., Methods: 417 participants aged 80 and over were interviewed face-to-face, 179 from Brejo dos Santos, one of the poorest regions in the Northeast; and 238 from São Paulo, one of the largest urban metropolises in Southeast Brazil. Data, which included socioeconomic and demographic factors, health status, and health-related quality of life, were collected using a structured questionnaire. The dependent variable was determined by the completion rate of the 12-item Short Form Survey and analyzed using multiple logistic regression., Results: Although the population of São Paulo had four times as many long-lived women than men, had better literacy levels, used more medications, and presented a greater prevalence of symptoms suggestive of depression in comparison to the Northeast's population, no difference was observed in the proportion of good physical components among the two populations, 54.3% in Brejo dos Santos' oldest-old and 50.4% in São Paulo's ( P = .6272). Quality and quantity of sleep were factors that most affected the health-related quality of life among the oldest-old of Northeast., Conclusion: Factors associated with health-related quality of life were different among the oldest-old people of the two locations, thereby corroborating the heterogeneous nature of the longevous population.

Objective: To evaluate the association between socioeconomic factors, health status, and Functional Capacity (FC) in the oldest senior citizens in a metropolis and a poor rural region of Brazil., Method: Cross-sectional study of 417 seniors aged ≥80 years, data collected through Brazil's Health, Well-being and Aging survey. FC assessed by self-reporting of difficulties in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using "R" statistical software., Results: Socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in Brazil can influence FC in seniors aged 80 years and older. Comparatively, urban long-lived people had a higher prevalence of difficulties for ADLs and rural ones showed more difficulties for IADLs. Among urban oldest seniors, female gender and lower-income were correlated with difficulties for IADLs. Among rural oldest seniors, female gender, stroke, joint disease, and inadequate weight independently were correlated with difficulties for ADLs, while the number of chronic diseases was associated with difficulties for IADLs., Conclusion: Financial constraints may favor the development of functional limitations among older seniors in large urban centers. In poor rural areas, inadequate nutritional status and chronic diseases may increase their susceptibility to functional decline.

The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) are widespread in Brazil and found in all Brazilian biomes. These hosts frequently use domestic animal environments such as pastures, where tick and related microorganism interchange may occur between hosts. Reports of tick infestations of these animals are scattered and refer to small samples and/or are geographically restricted. We herein present data on a wide geographic distribution of ticks and their Rickettsia collected from 72 giant and 30 collared anteaters, mostly road killed, over a period of 18 years, from Southeast and Central-West Brazil encompassing four States and 46 Municipalities. Overall nine tick species (Amblyomma auricularium, A. calcaratum, A. nodosum, A. ovale, A. parvum, A. sculptum, A. triste, Rhipicephalus microplus and R. sanguineus sensu lato) were collected from anteaters. Amblyomma sculptum, A. nodosum, and A. calcaratum were the most prevalent corresponding to, respectively, 48.8%, 39.3% and 2.7% of all ticks (n = 1775). However, A. nodosum tick numbers on collared anteaters were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those on giant anteaters. At the same time, an abundance of A. sculptum adults on giant anteaters was significantly higher (Z = 2.875; P = 0.004) than that of A. nodosum and only eight A. sculptum nymphs were found on collared anteaters. DNA samples from 20 ticks from nine different animals yielded a visible amplicon in PCR targeting gltA. The PCR products targeting spotted-fever Rickettsia gene (ompA) from five adults of A. nodosum were sequenced and were shown to be 100% identical to Rickettsia parkeri strain NOD (MF737635.1). The product of one nymph and one adult of A. sculptum yielded a sequence 99% identical to R. parkeri strain NOD. Further, Rickettsia bellii genes were found in three A. nodosum adults. Ecological, behavioral and anatomical traits of anteaters are discussed to explain reported tick infestations and Rickettsia DNA found., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)