Exposure to selected pathogens in free-ranging owl monkeys (Aotus azarai azarai) in Formosa, Argentina.

RAGO, V.; ACARDI S; LIOTTA DJ; ROTUNDO M; OROZCO MM; GÜRTLER RE; DEGESE F; DÍAZ A; GHIONE I; FERNANDEZ-DUQUE E; UHART M

Conferencia; 61st Annual Conference of the Wildlife Diseases Association 2012; 2012

The owl monkeys (Aotus azarai azarai) of the Argentinean Chaco are an excellent model to evaluate the potential effects of fragmentation on population dynamics and health since they inhabit both continuous gallery forests and forest islands surrounded by human-modified cattle-grazing grasslands. To compare the health status of owl monkey groups living in both habitat types, between February and April 2011, eight adult owl monkeys were immobilized in a gallery forest within our core study site at Estancia Guaycolec in Formosa. Blood samples were collected and screened for selected pathogens. All animals were negative for hemoparasites on blood smears, and microfilaria by Knott test. Evidence of exposure to yellow fever (serology) and Manzonella ozzardi (PCR) was also negative. One animal was positive to Trypanosoma cruzi by kDNA-PCR (kinetoplast DNA) but negative by Sat-DNA-PCR (nuclear DNA). Because the latter method is more specific for T.cruzi, it is possible that a different Trypasonoma spp. was detected. Leishmania Viannia braziliensis DNA was found in four owl monkeys by PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) and sequencing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L.V. braziliensis in this species. Comparisons between these findings and those of owl monkeys in forest islands will shed light on the influence of fragmentation on population health, which will in turn contribute to guide owl monkey conservation strategies.