Sarcocystid pathogens in captive monkeys from southern Brazil.

Abstract

Non-human primates (NHP) can serve as intermediate or accidental hosts for sarcocystid pathogens, which vary in pathogenicity and relevance to wildlife and public health. This study aimed to detect DNA from the members of the Sarcocystidae family in tissue samples from 22 captive monkeys that died between 2019 and 2023 in a zoo located in southern Brazil. A total of 84 samples were analyzed using nested PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and specific primers to identify Sarcocystis spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora sp., and Hammondia sp. According to our results, the DNA of sarcocystid pathogen was detected in 10 animals (45.45%), including T. gondii (18.18%), Sarcocystis sp. (27.27%) and H. hammondi (4.54%). One capuchin monkey developed fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis caused by an atypical T. gondii genotype, characterized by multilocus PCR-RFLP and submitted to ToxoDB. Additionally, DNA from H. hammondi was detected in a lung sample of a white-tufted marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), suggesting that this species may act as an intermediate host. These findings contribute to the understanding of sarcocystid infections in NHPs under human care and underscore the importance of surveillance in zoological institutions, especially regarding T. gondii diversity in South America.