Vector Control and Parasitic Infection in Animals

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 837

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program in Health and Environment, Biodiversity and Conservation, Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO) from the Center of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
Interests: bactérias; helmintos e protozoários

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite researchers to share their latest discoveries in our Special Issue on parasite control and infectious agents that affect animal health, including those with repercussions for human health. Studies that explore the influence of environmental factors and climate change on the transmission and spread of these parasites are also welcome. The objective of this Special Issue is to contribute to the most recent advances in the diagnosis, epidemiology, and control of parasites that affect wild or domestic animals, with an emphasis on those of zoonotic importance. We seek to promote the exchange of knowledge among researchers from different areas of health, strengthening cooperation in tackling the complexity of diseases that affect both animals and humans.

Dr. Hermes Ribeiro Luz
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • infectious pathogens
  • diagnosis
  • epidemiology
  • zoonosis
  • parasitism

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2308 KiB  
Article
First Record of Leishmania (Viannia) sp. and High Prevalence of Anaplasma marginale and Trypanosoma theileri in Zebu Cattle from Zenú Communities in Northern Colombia
by Daniel Guzmán-Vásquez, Lucas Lisboa Nunes Bonifácio, Kamila Gaudêncio da Silva Sales, Rafaela Lira Nogueira de Luna, Luis Enrique Paternina Tuiran and Filipe Dantas-Torres
Pathogens 2025, 14(4), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040382 - 15 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Colombia has the fourth largest livestock herd on the American continent. Cattle farms are expanding in Colombia, sometimes impacting traditional communities and reserves. This is especially true for the Zenú ethnic group, whose ancestral territory includes the valleys of the Sinú and San [...] Read more.
Colombia has the fourth largest livestock herd on the American continent. Cattle farms are expanding in Colombia, sometimes impacting traditional communities and reserves. This is especially true for the Zenú ethnic group, whose ancestral territory includes the valleys of the Sinú and San Jorge rivers, as well as the Caribbean coast around the Gulf of Morrosquillo, in the departments of Córdoba and Sucre. The present study examined the prevalence of trypanosomatids and Anaplasma spp. in zebu cattle grazing in seven Zenú communities in the Sucre department. Of the 110 cattle sampled, 56 (50.9%) tested positive for trypanosomatids. Forty 18S rRNA gene sequences generated showed >99% identity with Trypanosoma theileri, while one sequence demonstrated 99.6% identity with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis; sequencing of the remaining 15 positive samples was unsuccessful. Regarding Anaplasma spp., 96 (87.3%) samples were positive, and the 14 msp4 gene sequences generated displayed >99% identity with Anaplasma marginale. Thus, T. theileri and A. marginale were prevalent in cattle from all Zenú communities, while Leishmania (Viannia) sp. was found in a cow from the community of La Gallera. Our findings indicate that these agents are common in zebu cattle from Zenú communities, underscoring the need for preventive measures to reduce the infection burden and potential implications for cattle production in these areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector Control and Parasitic Infection in Animals)
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12 pages, 3345 KiB  
Article
Serosurvey of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in Quilombola Communities of Southern Brazil
by Danilo Alves de França, Louise Bach Kmetiuk, Filipe Pereira da Silva, Giovanni Kalempa Panazzolo, Leandro Meneguelli Biondo, Orlei José Domingues, Giovani Marino Fávero, Ana Íris de Lima Duré and Alexander Welker Biondo
Pathogens 2025, 14(4), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040318 - 26 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Although quilombola individuals and their dogs may be exposed to hemoparasites such as A. phagocytophilum, B. microti, and E. chaffeensis, no study to date has been conducted in these populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence [...] Read more.
Although quilombola individuals and their dogs may be exposed to hemoparasites such as A. phagocytophilum, B. microti, and E. chaffeensis, no study to date has been conducted in these populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in humans and dogs from quilombola communities in Brazil. Serum samples from humans and dogs were collected from four rural quilombola communities and analyzed using indirect immunofluorescence assays. The results revealed antibody levels of 8% for A. phagocytophilum, 3% for B. microti, and 1% for E. chaffeensis in humans and 60%, 50%, and 65%, respectively, in dogs. Notably, women were significantly more likely to be seropositive for A. phagocytophilum than men (p = 0.0289). Dogs from the Serra do Apon community more commonly had A. phagocytophilum (p = 0.0477) and B. microti (p = 0.0448) than those from the other areas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report human exposure to A. phagocytophilum and the ocurrence of B. microti in Brazil. The antibody level of vector-borne diseases in humans is a public health concern, particularly in vulnerable populations and rural areas. The dogs were universally hosted Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks, suggesting their possible role in transmission. Thus, further epidemiological surveillance studies should be conducted in vulnerable populations to mitigate the impact of such zoonotic diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector Control and Parasitic Infection in Animals)
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