Documentamos aquí por primera vez los mamíferos del Pleistoceno tardío de la localidad de El Hatillo en la península de Azuero en Panamá, originalmente reportado por C. L. Gazin en 1957. Los siguientes taxa están presente: Hoplophorinae?, Glyptotherium floridanum, Eremotherium laurillardi, Paramylodon harlani, Equus conversidens, Platygonus sp., Odocoileus sp., Mixotoxodon larensis y Cuvieronius hyodon. Este es un conjunto característico de mamíferos del Pleistoceno Tardío de Centroamérica destacado por fósiles de Eremotherium en asociación con fósiles de Mixotoxodon y Equus. Me refiero a este tipo de asociación como montaje EME y postulo que la mayoría de estos montajes de Centroamérica son de edad del Pleistoceno Tardío. Los montajes EME representan una fauna mixta de pasteadores y ramoneadores que eran muy común en toda Centroamérica durante uno o más de los fines interestadiales del Pleistoceno.

Late Pleistocene mammals from the El Hatillo locality on the Azuero Peninsula in Panama, originally reported by C. L. Gazin in 1957, are documented here for the first time. The following taxa are present: Hoplophorinae?, Glyptotherium floridanum, Eremotherium laurillardi, Paramylodon harlani, Equus conversidens, Platygonus sp., Odocoileus sp., Mixotoxodon larensis and Cuvieronius hyodon. This is a characteristic assemblage of late Pleistocene mammals from Central America that is dominated by fossils of Eremotherium in association with fossils of Mixotoxodon and Equus. I refer to such associations as EME assemblages and posit that most of these assemblages from Central America are of Late Pleistocene age. EME assemblages represent a mixed fauna of grazers and browsers that was common across Central America during one or more of the Late Pleistocene interstadials.

Com o objetivo de analisar a resposta sorológica à leptospirose, utilizando-se da técnica de Soroaglutinação Microscópica (SAM), no período de 2008 a 2009, foram avaliadas 72 amostras de soros de mamíferos silvestres pertencentes ao Parque Zoológico Municipal de Bauru. Destes, 60 (83,3%) foram reagentes aos seguintes sorovares: Pyrogenes (15,2%); Pomona (9,4%); Autumnalis (8,9%); Whitcombi (6,8%); Tarassovi (6,3%); Hardjo (5,7%); Butembo e Bratislava (4,7%); Wolffi (4,2%); Copenhageni (3,7%); Javanica, Hardjobovis e Hardjo prajitno (3,1%); Hebdomadis e Australis (2,6%); Canicola, Cynopteri e Djasiman (2,1%); Icterohaemorraghiae e Hardjominiswajezak (1,6%); Castellonis, Bataviae, Sentot, Gryppotyphosa e HardjoCTG, (1,0%); Panamá e Andamana, (0,5%). Além dos animais silvestres, foram analisados 50 soros de roedores sinantrópicos, capturados no interior do Parque, onde 48 (96%) foram reagentes à leptospirose. Os sorovares prevalentes foram: Bratislava (14,1%); Cynopteri (11,4%); Butembo (10,3%); Autumnalis (9,2%); Pyrogenes (8,7%); Hardjo miniswajezak (7,6%), Australis (5,4%), Hardjo (4,9%); Hardjo prajitno (3,8%), Djasiman e HardjoCTG (3,3%), Whitcombi, Copenhageni e Tarassovi (2,7%), Pomona e Shermani (2,2%), Canicola (1,1%), Castellonis, Bataviae, Gryppotyphosa, Panama, Wolffi, Andamana, Patoc e Hardjobovis (0,5%). Os resultados obtidos demonstraram a necessidade do monitoramento sorológico contínuo dos animais do zoo, e adoção de medidas de controle frente à leptospirose, tais como a verificação de pontos de alagamento nos recintos e o controle de roedores, visando a não disseminação desta zoonose no ambiente do parque.

Aiming to analyze the antibody response to leptospirosis the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used in the period 2008 to 2009. Seventy-two serum samples from wild mammals belonging to the Bauru Municipal Zoological Park, state of São Paulo, Brazil, were tested. Of these, 60 (83.3%) were reactive to the following serovars: Pyrogenes (15.2%), Pomona (9.4%), Autumnalis (8.9%); Whitcomb (6.8%); Tarassovi (6.3%); Hardjo (5.7%); Butembo and Bratislava (4.7%); Wolffi (4.2%); Copenhageni (3.7%), Javanica, Hardjobovis and Hardjo prajitno (3.1%); Hebdomadis and Australis (2.6%); Canicola, Cynopteri and Djasiman (2.1%); Icterohaemorraghiae and Hardjominiswajezak (1.6%); Castellonis, Bataviae, Sentot, Gryppotyphosa and HardjoCTG (1.0%); Andamana and Panama (0.5%). The animals showed no evidence of antibodies to serovars Shermani and Patoc. Besides the wildlife, 50 sera were analyzed from synanthropic rodents captured inside the park, where 48 (96%) were positive to leptospirosis. The reactive serotypes were: Bratislava (14.1%); Cynopteri (11.4%); Butembo (10.3%), Autumnalis (9.2%); Pyrogenes (8.7%); Hardjo miniswajezak (7.6%); Australis (5.4%); Hardjo (4.9%); Hardjo prajitno (3.8%); Djasiman and HardjoCTG (3.3%); Whitcombi, Copenhageni and Tarassovi (2.7%); Pomona and Shermani (2.2%); Canicola (1.1%); Castellonis, Bataviae, Gryppotyphosa, Panama, Wolffi, Andamana, Patoc and Hardjobovis (0.5%). Serovars Sentot, Hebdomadis, Icterohaemorraghiae and Javanica were negative. The results demonstrated the need for serological monitoring of animals in the zoo, and adoption of control measures against this zoonotic disease, such as checking points of flooding and rodent control in order to prevent the spread of this zoonotic disease in the environment of the park.

Introducción. Los ectoparásitos son los principales vectores de rickettsiosis. En Panamá se tienen escasos datos sobre los artrópodos que pudieran considerarse vectores o reservorios. Objetivos. Presentar datos sobre la presencia de Rickettsia spp. en ectoparásitos de fauna silvestre y animales domésticos en la Reserva Natural Privada Cerro Chucantí y poblados vecinos. Materiales y métodos. Se revisaron 9 personas, 95 mamíferos domésticos y 48 silvestres. Los animales domésticos se examinaron con anuencia del propietario, mientras que la fauna silvestre se capturó con trampas Sherman y Tomahawk. Se extrajeron 21 especies de ectoparásitos: pulgas, piojos, garrapatas y otros ácaros, los cuales se preservaron en etanol al 95 %. Se extrajo material genético de garrapatas y pulgas para ser analizado por técnicas moleculares en la detección de Rickettsia spp. Resultados. Se practicaron 425 reacciones de PCR, de las cuales, 270 resultaron negativas y 155 positivas. De las positivas, 86 amplificaron para el gen gltA (55 % de las positivas); de estos también amplificaron 41 (26 %) para ompA. Se encontró material genético de Rickettsia amblyommii, en garrapatas de caballos (Amblyomma cajennense, Dermacentor nitens), de perros (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) y ninfas de Amblyomma recolectadas en el bosque. Además, se detectó ADN de R. felis en pulgas Ctenocephalides felis de perros. Conclusiones. Se pudo detectar la presencia de R. amblyommii y R. felis en garrapatas y pulgas de animales domésticos de los poblados cercanos a Cerro Chucantí, aun cuando no se pudo encontrar material genético de Rickettsia en ectoparásitos de la fauna silvestre.

Introduction. Ectoparasites are the main vectors of rickettsiosis. In Panama, however, limited data are available concerning the arthropod species that serve as vectors or reservoirs. Objectives. Data are presented concerning the presence of Rickettsia in ectoparasites of wildlife and domestic animals in the Cerro Chucantí private nature reserve and in neighboring villages. Materials and methods. Nine humans, 95 domestic mammals and 48 wild mammals were examined. Twenty-one species of ectoparasites were obtained, including fleas, lice, ticks and mites. These were preserved in 95% ethanol. Later, the DNA was extracted from the ticks and fleas and analyzed by molecular techniques to detect presence of Rickettsia. Results. Of a total of 425 PCR reactions, 270 were positive for Rickettsia and 155 negative. Among the positive samples, 86 PCR amplified for the gltA gene (55% of positives) and 41 of these also amplified the ompA gene. DNA of Rickettsiaamblyommii was found in horses ticks (Amblyomma cajennense, Dermacentor nitens), dogs ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) and free living nymphs in the forest. Additionally, DNA of R. felis was found in fleas from dogs Ctenocephalides felis. Conclusions. The presence of R. amblyommii and R. felis was detected in ticks and fleas of domestic animals in villages near Cerro Chucanti; however no Rickettsia DNA was found in ectoparasites of non-domestic wildlife.

In this study, which we carried out between January 2007 and July 2008 on populations of 3 species of wild mammals in Tonosí, Los Santos province, Panama, we report the presence of larvae of Cuterebra sp. parasitizing Zygodontomys brevicauda, Liomys adspersus, and Oligoryzomys fulvescens; the prevalence values recorded in these rodent species were 1.77, 2.15, and 1.17, respectively. This is the first record of Cuterebra sp. as parasite of rodents in Panama, and L. adspersus represents a new host record.

Entre enero 2007 y julio 2008 se desarrolló una investigación en las poblaciones de roedores silvestres de la localidad de Tonosí (Los Santos, Panamá central), encontrándose larvas de Cuterebra spp. parasitando a los roedores Zygodontomys brevicauda, Liomys adspersus y Oligoryzomys fulvescens, con una prevalencia de 1.77%, 2.15% y 1.71%, respectivamente. Este es el primer reporte de Cuterebra sp., parasitando roedores en Panamá, y el primero en presentar a L. adspersus como hospedero.

A epidemiologia da infecção do T. cruzi foi investigada na margem oriental do canal do Panamá, na região central da Republica do Panamá. A informação obtida durante o estudo avaliou fatores de risco da doença de Chagas nesta área. Entre 1999 e 2000, 1110 triatomíneos foram coletados: 1050 triatomíneos (94,6%) em palmeiras, 27 (2,4%) em habitats periurbanos e 33 (3,0%) no interior de casas. Todos os espécimens foram identificados como R. pallescens. Não havia nenhuma evidência de domiciliação do vetor. O exame de glândulas salivares de 380 R. pallescens revelaram taxa de infecção natural por Trypanosoma de 7,6%, mas o conteúdo da ampola rectal de 373 triatomíneos mostrou 45% de positividade. Os perfis de isoenzimas em Trypanosomas isolados demonstraram que 85,4% (n = 88) eram T. cruzi e 14,6% (n = 15) eram T. rangeli. A análise da refeição de sangue de 829 R. pallescens demonstrou comportamento zoofílico do vetor, sendo os gambás a fonte preferencial de sangue. Soroprevalência nos seres humanos de ambos locais de estudo foi menos que 2%. Nossos resultados demonstram que T. cruzi sobrevive na área em associação equilibrada com R. pallescens e com diversas espécies diferentes de mamíferos em seus nichos naturais. Entretanto, a área é um risco eminente de infecção para sua população, pelo que é importante executar um programa educacional na comunidade a respeito das medidas, do conhecimento e do controle da doença.

The eco-epidemiology of T. cruzi infection was investigated in the Eastern border of the Panama Canal in Central Panama. Between 1999 and 2000, 1110 triatomines were collected: 1050 triatomines (94.6%) from palm trees, 27 (2.4%) from periurban habitats and 33 (3.0%) inside houses. All specimens were identified as R. pallescens. There was no evidence of vector domiciliation. Salivary glands from 380 R. pallescens revealed a trypanosome natural infection rate of 7.6%, while rectal ampoule content from 373 triatomines was 45%. Isoenzyme profiles on isolated trypanosomes demonstrated that 85.4% (n = 88) were T. cruzi and 14.6% (n = 15) were T. rangeli. Blood meal analysis from 829 R. pallescens demonstrated a zoophilic vector behavior, with opossums as the preferential blood source. Seroprevalence in human samples from both study sites was less than 2%. Our results demonstrate that T. cruzi survives in the area in balanced association with R. pallescens, and with several different species of mammals in their natural niches. However, the area is an imminent risk of infection for its population, consequently it is important to implement a community educational program regarding disease knowledge and control measures.