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

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 .