DELAYED-HYPERSENSITIVITY TEST WITH PARACOCCIDIOIDIN IN CAPTIVE LATIN-AMERICAN WILD MAMMALS

Citation
Eo. Costa et al., DELAYED-HYPERSENSITIVITY TEST WITH PARACOCCIDIOIDIN IN CAPTIVE LATIN-AMERICAN WILD MAMMALS, Journal of medical and veterinary mycology, 33(1), 1995, pp. 39-42
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Mycology
ISSN journal
02681218
Volume
33
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
39 - 42
Database
ISI
SICI code
0268-1218(1995)33:1<39:DTWPIC>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
The aim of this investigation was to study epidemiological aspects of paracoccidioidomycosis, the main endemic systemic mycosis in Brazil. T his study was carried out using the paracoccidioidin delayed hypersens itivity test in 96 Latin American wild mammals, including 49 arboreal animals (primates): 33 Cebus apella (weeping-capuchin), 16 Callithrix jacchus (marmoset); and 47 terrestrial animals (carnivora): 37 Nasua n asua (coatimundi), and 10 Felidae [Panthera onca (jaguar), Felis parda lis (ocelot), Felis wiedii (margay), Felis tigrina (wild cat) and Feli s geoffroyi (wild cat)], taking their behaviour and habitat into consi deration. When the levels of paracoccidioidin positive reactions were examined, terrestrial animals showed significantly higher rates (82.98 %) while arboreal animals showed lower reactivity (22.45%) (P<0.01). T he data are relevant because there are quite a few papers regarding do mestic and wild animals and this study may help the understanding of s ome aspects of the parasite ecology. These results point to the soil a s the most probable reservoir of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and th is is possibly the ecological niche of the saprophytic phase in nature .