Detection of Hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. in white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) from Southern Brazil.
Paula Fernanda MassiniRicardo Nascimento DrozinoFlávio Haragushiku OtomuraAnna Claudia Baumel MongruelJessica Damiana Marinho ValenteMax Jean de Ornelas ToledoThiago Fernandes MartinsOdilon VidottoThállitha Samih Wischral Jaime VieiraRafael Felipe da Costa VieiraPublished in: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria (2020)
Opossums are marsupials from the New World of the genus Didelphis and known as synanthropic animals due to their proximity with human beings. To date, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemodidelphis' has been solely found infecting the North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Accordingly, the aim of this study was to screen eight white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris) from a public park in Maringa city, Paraná State, southern Brazil, for hemoplasma infection. Blood samples were taken from caudal venipuncture, and DNA was extracted and further screened by a pan-hemoplasma PCR assay. Seven out of eight (87.50%; CI 95%: 47.35-99.68%) white-eared opossums were positive for Mycoplasma spp. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA fragment showed 98,97% identity with 'Ca. M. haemodidelphis' detected in the USA. Three out of eight (37.50%; CI 95%: 8.52-75.51%) white-eared opossums were infested by Amblyomma dubitatum ticks. This is the first report on detection of a potentially novel hemotropic Mycoplasma sp. infecting opossums from South America.