Filipe Martins Santos

• Doctor of Environmental Sciences
• Postdoctoral fellow at Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB)

Parasite relationships are influenced by host size, behaviour, population density and location and can affect the ecological dynamics of their hosts. Urban environments provide new contexts for host-parasite interactions, often leading to changes in infection dynamics when compared with the natural environment. This study focuses on the relationshi...

Introduction Trypanosomatids are parasites widely distributed in nature, parasitizing several host species in single or co-infections. Campo Grande (CG), capital of Mato Grosso do Sul State, is characterized by several green areas and forest fragments where wild mammals have been reported infected by diverse trypanosomatid species. In this study, w...

Dasypus novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus are common armadillo species in the Brazilian Pantanal. Due to their digging habits, they alter the surroundings providing environmental alternatives that can be used by other organisms. We therefore aimed to identify the animal species that utilize the burrows of these armadillos in the Pantanal Wetla...

The Pantanal region, the largest floodplain in the world, has a huge biodiversity and is an important livestock center. Bovine brucellosis has been reported in the region over the last three decades, posing implications for cattle industry as well as for the maintenance of biodiversity. We aimed to investigate the presence of B. abortus S19 vaccine...

Small mammals have a short lifetime and are strictly associated with their environment. This work aimed to use histopathology to assess the health of Holochilus chacarius in a rice agroecosystem in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul. During necropsy, fragments of the lung, kidney, skin, liver, and reproductive system of 33 animals were collected an...

Bats have been reported as reservoir host of Leishmania spp. worldwide, mostly by molecular detection. However, it is still unclear whether bats act as reservoirs of Leishmania infantum to sandflies vectors. In this sense, the investigation of amastigotes forms in the target organs, and the characterization of their associated inflammation, may hel...

The study of host–parasite interactions is essential to understand the role of each host species in the parasitic transmission cycles in a given community. The use of ecological network highlights the patterns of interactions between hosts and parasites, allowing us to evaluate the underlying structural features and epidemiological roles of differe...

Increasing urbanization and consequent habitat fragmentation and loss call for studies of the influence of urbanization on native fauna. South American Coati (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) live in groups and are common in urban areas of South America. Here, we aimed to understand how coatis occupy and select space, and whether they change their circadi...

Cebines’ unique foraging strategies, including opportunistic hunting, allow them to access food sources unavailable to other primates. Although instances of mammal predation have been documented in Sapajus species, reports of spontaneous food sharing and meat interaction remain rare. This study, using ad libitum observations, reports opportunistic...

Evaluation of free-living mammal physiological responses to natural and anthropogenic stressors constitutes a valuable tool for conservation, especially when it comes to wild mammal species living in anthropized environments. However, studies addressing “normal” physiological parameters are still limited in Brazilian wildlife. In this sense, we acc...

Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected illness affecting approximately seven million individuals, with vector transmission occurring via triatomine bugs. The Rhodniini tribe comprises 24 species, grouped into the Rhodnius and Psammolestes genera. Given the importance of accurately identifying CD vectors, the taxonomy of Psammolestes spp. was revisited...

The species in the genus Neotrichodectes (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) infest carnivores. Neotrichodectes (Nasuicola) pallidus (Piaget, 1880), which has been primarily found parasitizing Procyonidae mammals, has been recorded in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) in the Brazilian states of Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and...

Even though previous works showed molecular evidence of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (hemoplasmas) in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) from Brazil, Bartonella sp. has not been reported in these mammals so far. The present study aimed to detect the above-mentioned agents in coatis’ blood and associated ectoparasites, assessing the association between...

Surfactants are among the main chemical contaminants in greywater (GW) and can cause severe health issues in humans and aquatic organisms. We assessed the performance of a multistage constructed wetland system (EvaTAC) for GW treatment and capacity of the microbial community in linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) biodegradation. Physicochemical an...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1050339.].

South American opossums (Didelphis spp.) are definitive hosts of Sarcocystis neurona, Sarcocystis speeri, Sarcocystis lindsayi and Sarcocystis falcatula. In Brazil, diverse studies have demonstrated a high frequency of Sarcocystis falcatula-like in sporocysts derived from opossums, and high genetic diversity has been observed in surface antigen-enc...

Introduction The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Leishmania infantum in South American coatis inhabiting two forest fragments in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Midwest region of Brazil, an endemic area of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Material and methods A total of 110 South American coatis were sa...

Mayaro virus (MAYV, Togaviridae) and Oropouche orthobunyavirus (OROV, Peribunyaviridae) are emerging enzootic arboviruses in Latin America. Outbreaks of febrile illness associated with MAYV and OROV have been reported among humans mainly in the northern region of Brazil since the 1980s, and recent data suggest these viruses have circulated also in...

This review was performed to gather knowledge about brucellosis in livestock and wildlife in the Brazilian Pantanal, a biome with a huge biodiversity and extensive livestock production. Following the preferred reporting items for narrative review guidelines and using the terms “Brucella” and “Pantanal,” we explored the PubMed, SciELO, Jstor, Scienc...

Kinetoplastids include species economically important in agriculture, livestock, and human health. We evaluated the richness of kinetoplastids that infect small mammals in patches of unflooded forests in the Pantanal biome, an area where we hypothesize that its diversity is higher than currently recognized. Hemocultures (HC) and Next Generation Seq...

Background Rickettsia of the spotted fever group (SFG) has been reported in ticks and domestic animals in Campo Grande (CG), Midwest Brazil. Methods We searched for Rickettsia in the SFG in capybaras and their ticks in an urban park in the CG. Results The seropositivity rate was 88.2% (15/17). Although 87.7% of the capybaras sampled showed infest...

White-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) are well adapted to anthropized areas. The increased contact with domestic animals and humans mediates the transmission of arthropod-borne pathogens. Despite the worldwide occurrence of tick-borne Anaplasmataceae and Hepatozoidae species in a variety of vertebrates, few studies reported serological evide...

We evaluated the epidemiological, hematological, and pathological data of Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Platynosomum illiciens, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infections and the coinfections in stray cats of an endemic area for leishmaniasis. The diagnosis was performed by serological tests and necropsy....

Parasites are important components of the immense n-dimensional trophic network that connects all living beings because they, among others, forge biodiversity and deeply influence ecological evolution and host behavior. In this sense, the influence of Trypanosomatidae remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine trypanosomatid infection...

Parasitism is a dynamic ecological phenomenon that is constantly influenced by the environment and intrinsic factors of the host. We aimed to evaluate the influence of vegetation, environmental temperature, reproductive conditions, sex, and body condition (BC) on the detection of Trypanosoma spp. in the blood of Thrichomys fosteri in the Pantanal r...

Small mammals not only play an important role in biodiversity, but also act as dynamic hosts and reservoirs for a variety of parasites that are of public health importance. Furthermore, host–parasite associations are driven by complex ecological interactions, and the parasite species dynamics are explained by several factors. In this work we aim to...

The order Piroplasmida encompasses tick-borne pathogens of veterinary and medical importance positioned in two main families: Babesiidae and Theileriidae. Even though previous studies carried out in Brazil recorded the occurrence of piroplasmid species circulating in small mammals, 18S RNA gene sequences were only partially sequenced, preventing th...

The emergence of tick-borne diseases has been reported as a serious problem in public health worldwide and many aspects of its epidemiology and effects on the health of its hosts are unclear. We aimed to perform an epidemiological study of tick-borne zoonotic Rickettsia, Borrelia, and Anaplasmataceae in horses from Midwestern Brazil. We also evalua...

Background: Brucellosis is an important public health disease and a great problem in the cattle production. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory efficiency of a commercial postbiotic in Nellore calves immunized with the Brucella abortus S19 vaccine. Methods: We used 40 calves negative for Brucella spp. organizated...

In nature, parasitic infections must be addressed as complex systems involving parasite-host relationships on a temporal and spatial scale. Since the parasites cover a great biological diversity, we can expect that wildlife are exposed simultaneously to different parasites. In this sense, the objective of this work was to determine the relationship...

Urbanization results in loss of natural habitats and, consequently, reduction of richness and abundance of specialist to the detriment of generalist species. We hypothesized that a greater richness of trypanosomatid in Didelphis albiventris would be found in fragments of urban forests in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, that presented a la...

Assessing and monitoring the welfare of free-living mammals is not a usual process due to the logistical complications associated with their capture and sedation, collection and storage of biological samples and their release. In this context, non-invasive methods for monitoring wildlife constitute a good alternative approach for in situ conservati...

This study aimed to report an interspecific association between brown-nosed coatis (Nasua nasua) and capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in an urban area of Brazil. We recorded N. nasua feeding on ectoparasites (ticks) attached to H. hydrochaeris, which in turns, did not show any reaction of discomfort with the situation. Thus, we report an unpre...

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropica...

To date, there have been no studies that have evaluated small mammal utilization of the understory of forests. In this study, we described the use of vertical strata by small mammals in patches of unflooded forests, known as "cordilheiras", in the Nhecolândia sub-region of the Pantanal, Brazil. We collected all species using the ground and understo...

The Greater Bonneted Bat, Eumops perotis (Schinz, 1821), is widely distributed in Brazil, but valid records of its occurrence in Mato Grosso do Sul, Central-West Region, are still scarce and limited to the Pantanal portion of the state. Here, we report the first record of E. perotis from the Cerrado portion of Mato Grosso do Sul, based on specimens...

Worldwide, Bartonella species are known to infect a wide range of mammalian and arthropod hosts, including humans. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in synanthropic mammals captured in peri-urban areas from Central-Western and Southern Brazil and their ectoparasites. For this aim, 160 mammals belonging to four...

Azaras’s capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay) is a poorly studied species in ecological aspects. We investigated behavioral activities and diet of a group of S. cay in a remnant of the Brazilian Cerrado. We sought to identify the most frequent behavior that the group engaged in, as well as to verify possible differences in behavioral patterns and diet bet...

Zika virus (ZIKV) was first discovered in 1947 in Uganda but was not considered a public health threat until 2007 when it found to be the source of epidemic activity in Asia. Epidemic activity spread to Brazil in 2014 and continued to spread throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Despite ZIKV being zoonotic in origin, info...

Globally, hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) comprise an emerging or remerging bacteria group that attaches to red blood cells of several mammal's species and in some cases, causing hemolytic anemia. Herein, we assessed the occurrence, genetic diversity, the factors coupled to mammals infection, and the phylogeographic distribution of hemoplasmas...

Distinct species of Trypanosoma have been documented sharing the same hosts in different environments in intricate transmission networks. Knowing this, this study investigated the role of different hosts in the transmission cycles of Trypanosoma species in the Pantanal biome. The mammals were sampled from November 2015 to October 2016. We sampled a...

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influência do sexo, da sazonalidade e de infecções por Trypanosoma cruzi e Trypanosoma evansi nos valores hematológicos de lobinhos (Cerdocyon thous) que habitam o Pantanal Sul-Mato-Grossense. Entre novembro de 2015 e outubro de 2016, foram amostrados 48 lobinhos. Os valores hematológicos mensurados foram as con...

Considered ecologically generalist, Didelphis albiventris is reported as reservoir for different species of parasites, especially Trypanosoma cruzi. However, the knowledge about the influence of T. cruzi on hematological parameters of free-living opossum remains scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of T. cruzi on hematological...

Brazilian Pantanal is the world ́s largest wetland ecosystem, where cattle’s ranching is the most important economic activity. The objective of this study was to compile some epidemiological features on equine pir- oplasmids from the Nhecolândia sub-region of Pantanal wetland through the evaluation of the patterns of T. equi and B. caballi infectio...

Canine brucellosis is an infectious disease that produces reproductive disease in both males and females. Although Brucella canis is more common, the infection by Brucella abortus is more frequent in dogs sharing habitats with livestock and wild animals. We decided to investigate the role of dogs in the maintenance of Brucella spp. in the Pantanal...

RESUMO: Os padrões de atividade podem ser um componente importante na partição de nicho entre espécies simpátricas, especialmente quando essas espécies têm hábitos semelhantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os padrões de atividade, a influência da sazonalidade na atividade e testar a partição temporal de nicho entre duas espécies simpátric...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201357.].

The genus Psammolestes within the subfamily Triatominae and tribe Rhodniini comprises the species Psammolestes arthuri, Psammolestes coreodes, and Psammolestes tertius, all potential vectors of Chagas disease. A feature of Psammolestes is their close association with birds, which makes them an interesting model for evolutionary studies. We analyzed...

Domestic dogs are considered reservoirs hosts for several vector-borne parasites. This study aimed to evaluate the role of domestic dogs as hosts for Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma evansi and Leishmania spp. in single and co-infections in the Urucum settlement, near the Brazil-Bolivian border. Additionally, we evaluated the involvement of wild mamm...

Cães domésticos são considerados hospedeiros reservatórios para várias espécies de parasitas transmitidos por vetores artrópodes. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o papel de cães domésticos como hospedeiros mantenedores de Trypanosoma cruzi , T. evansi e Leishmania spp. no assentamento Urucum, localizado próximo à fronteira Brasil-Bolí...

JAIREMARINHO@HOTMAIL.COM Vários gêneros de flagelados são parasitas sanguíneos de vertebrados, sendo transmitidos por vetores hematófagos. Dentro desse grupo temos os representantes do gênero Trypanosoma com mais de 500 espécies descritas. Acredita-se que os representantes da família Trypanosomatidae surgiram a partir da evolução de formas aquátic...

The occurrence of Trypanosoma spp. in wild carnivore populations has been intensively investigated during the last decades. However, the impact of these parasites on the health of free-living infected animals has been largely neglected. The Pantanal biome is the world’s largest seasonal wetland, harboring a great diversity of species and habitats....

Path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma evansi of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). Results of path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma evansi in ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) infected with T. evansi and coinfected with T. evansi/Trypanosoma cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October...

Path analysis on anemia indicators of coatis (Nasua nasua). Results of path analysis on anemia indicators of coatis (Nasua nasua) infected with Trypanosoma evansi and coinfected with T. evansi/Trypanosoma cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 2016. (TIF)

Path analysis on infection responses of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous). Results of path analysis on infection responses of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 2016. (TIF)

Path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma cruzi of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous). Results of path analysis on immune investment against T. cruzi in crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 a...

Path analysis on infection responses of coatis (Nasua nasua). Results of path analysis on infection responses of coatis (Nasua nasua) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 2016. (TIF)

Path analysis on anemia indicators in ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). Results of path analysis on anemia indicators in ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) infected with Trypanosoma evansi and coinfected with T. evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 2016. (TIF)

Path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma cruzi of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). Results of path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma cruzi in ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) infected with T. evansi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 20...

Path analysis on immune investment of coatis (Nasua nasua). Results of path analysis on immune investment of coatis (Nasua nasua) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015 and October 2016. (TIF)

Path analysis on immune investment against Trypanosoma evansi of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous). Results of path analysis of immune investment against T. evansi in crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and coinfected with Trypanosoma evansi/T. cruzi in the sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, between November 2015...

Collection Data Set. Data of coatis (Nasua nasua), crab-eating-foxes (Cerdocyon thous) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) infected for Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma evansi in the Pantanal. Samples were collected from November 2015 up to October 2016. (XLSX)

The present work aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of Bartonella in mammals and ectoparasites in Pantanal wetland, Brazil. For this purpose, 31 Nasua nasua, 78 Cerdocyon thous, 7 Leopardus pardalis, 110 wild rodents, 30 marsupials, and 42 dogs were sampled. DNA samples were submitted to a quantitative real-time PCR assay (qPCR). Positive s...

Despite the great diversity of coccidians, to our knowledge, no coccidian infections have been described in Oecomys spp. In this context, we examined Oecomys mamorae Thomas (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from the Brazilian Pantanal for infections with enteric coccidia. Nine individuals were sampled, and one was found to be infected. The oöcysts were recove...

The echimyid rodents Thrichomys fosteri and Clyomys laticeps are among the most commonly recorded small mammals in the Pantanal wetland of Brazil. These species play important ecological roles since they are the basis of the food chain of some predators and are parasitized by some pathogens. Knowledge of the eimerians that parasitize echimyid roden...

Although primarily arboreal, the capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay) descends to the ground for several reasons. We used terrestrial records obtained by camera-trapping surveys to investigate seasonality in the terrestriality of capuchin monkeys, reasons to descend to the ground, and periods of the day when terrestriality was more pronounced. We carried...

Hemotropic mycoplasmas are known to cause anemia in several mammalian species. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence of Mycoplasma spp. in wild mammals, domestic dogs and their respective ectoparasites, in southern Pantanal region, central-western Brazil. Between August 2013 and March 2015, 31 Nasua nasua, 78 Cerdocyon thous, seven L...

Hepatozoon parasites comprise intracellular apicomplexan parasites transmitted to vertebrate animals by ingestion of arthropods definitive hosts. The present work aimed to investigate the occurrence of Hepatozoon spp. in wild animals, domestic dogs and their respective ectoparasites, in southern Pantanal region, central-western Brazil, by molecular...

INTRODUCTION: The transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Brazilian Pantanal region has been studied during the last decade. Although considerable knowledge is available regarding the mammalian hosts infected by T. cruzi in this wetland, no studies have investigated its vectors in this region. This study aimed to investigate the presence of...

O presente trabalho relata um surto de mortalidade de tambacus (Colossoma macropomum x Piaractus mesopotamicus) criados em tanques escavados da Fazenda-Escola da UCDB. Os peixes apresentaram sintomas clínicos de letargia, anorexia, aumento da produção de muco, nado desordenado e comportamento de buscar a superfície da água. Ao exame necroscópico de...