Detection of infection with Leptospira spp. in manatees (Trichechus inunguis) of the Peruvian Amazon

Authors

  • Patrick Mathews Delgado University of São Paulo
  • Nofre Sanchez Perea Tropical Veterinary Institute Research
  • Claudia Biffi Garcia University Alas Peruanas
  • Carmen Rosa García Davila Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00195

Abstract

The Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) is an aquatic mammal (Family Trichechidae) that inhabits freshwater environments. It is endemic to the Amazon Basin, and occurs from Marajó Island (at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil) to the headwaters of the floodplain in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Little is known of the causes of death or the prevalence of zoonotic organisms in manatees from Peru; however, Leptospira spp. have been reported to cause mortalities in marine mammals. Here we evaluated the presence of Leptospira spp. antibodies in Amazonian manatees. To our knowledge, this is the first report of presence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in aquatic mammals maintained in captivity in the Peruvian Amazon.

Author Biographies

Patrick Mathews Delgado, University of São Paulo

Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Parasitology

Nofre Sanchez Perea, Tropical Veterinary Institute Research

Department of Microbiology

Claudia Biffi Garcia, University Alas Peruanas

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Carmen Rosa García Davila, Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon

Department of Aquatic Ecosystems

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Published

2015-08-24

How to Cite

Mathews Delgado, P., Sanchez Perea, N., Biffi Garcia, C., & García Davila, C. R. (2015). Detection of infection with Leptospira spp. in manatees (Trichechus inunguis) of the Peruvian Amazon. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 10(1), 58-61. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00195

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Notes

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