Os parâmetros de infecção por parasitas pulmonares em dois lagartos simpátricos, Mabuya arajara e Anolis brasiliensis, da floresta úmida da encosta da Chapada do Araripe, Nordeste do Brasil, foram analisados entre setembro de 2009 e julho de 2010. Um total de 202 lagartos foi coletado, sendo 125 espécimes de Mabuya arajara e 77 de Anolis brasiliensis. M. arajara estava infectado pelo pentastomídeo Raillietiella mottae, enquanto A. brasiliensis apresentava infecção pelo nematódeo Rhabdias sp., com prevalência total de 1,6% e 28,6%, respectivamente. A intensidade média de infecção por Rhabdias sp. foi 3,63 ± 2,58 (amplitude 1-15). O tamanho e o gênero dos lagartos não influenciaram a intensidade de infecção por Rhabdias sp. A prevalência também não apresentou diferença entre machos e fêmeas em A.brasiliensis. Ambos, Anolis brasiliensis e Mabuya arajara, representam novos hospedeiros para Rhabdias sp. e Raillietiella mottae, respectivamente.

The parameters of infection by lung parasites from two sympatric lizards, Mabuya arajara and Anolis brasiliensis, from the Atlantic Rainforest of the lower slope of Chapada do Araripe in Northeastern Brazil were analyzed between September, 2009 and July, 2010. A total of 202 lizards were collected. 125 specimens were from Mabuya arajara and 77 from Anolis brasiliensis. M. arajara was infected by the pentastomid Raillietiella mottae while A. brasiliensis was infected by the nematode Rhabdias sp., with an overall prevalence of 1.6% and 28.6%, respectively. The mean intensity of infection by Rhabdias sp. was 3.63 ± 2.58 (range 1-15). The body size and sex of lizards did not influence the intensity of infection by Rhabdias sp. The overall prevalence was also not different between males and females hosts in A. brasiliensis. Both Anolis brasiliensis and Mabuya arajara represent a new host to Rhabdias sp. and Raillietiella mottae, respectively.

The phospholipase A2 superfamily encompasses 15 groups that are classified into: secreted PLA2 (sPLA2); cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2); Ca2+-independent intracellular PLA2 (iPLA2); platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH); and lysosomal PLA2. Currently, approximately 700 PLA2 sequences are known, of which 200 are obtained from the venom gland of Crotalinae snakes. However, thus far, little information is available on cloning, purification and structural characterization of PLA2 from Crotalus durisssus cascavela venom gland. In the present work, we report the molecular cloning of a novel svPLA2 from C. d. cascavella (Cdc), a predominant rattlesnake subspecies in northeastern Brazil. The Cdc svPLA2 cDNA precursor is 689 nucleotides long and encodes a protein of 138 amino acid residues, with a calculated molecular mass of approximately 13,847 Da and an estimated isoelectric point of 5.14. Phylogenetic analysis of Crotalinae PLA2 reveals that Cdc PLA2 clustered with other acidic type IIA PLA2 homologues is also present in the venom of North American rattlesnakes. Hitherto, this study presents a novel PLA2 cDNA precursor from C. d. cascavella and data reported herein will be useful for further steps in svPLA2 purification and analysis.