‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haematonasua’ and tick‐borne pathogens in ring‐tailed coatis ( Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1976) from the Iguaçu National Park, Paraná State, southern Brazil

Researchers have identified a novel haemotropic Mycoplasma species, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematonasua,' in ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) from the Iguaçu National Park, Brazil. This discovery builds on previous findings of a potentially novel Mycoplasma in coatis from central-western and southern Brazil. The study, involving 18 wild coatis, used conventional PCR assays to detect haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., Theileria/Babesia spp., and Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp. While only one coati tested positive for Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of 'Ca. M. haematonasua' in 44.44% of the animals, marking a significant contribution to understanding tick-borne pathogens in this species and their potential implications for wildlife health.

Collere, F. C. M., Delai, R. M., Ferrari, L. D. R., da Silva, L. H., Fogaça, P. L. C., Rodrigues, A. N., Gonçalves, D. D., Baggio, R. A., Moraes, M. F. D., Lux Hoppe, E. G., André, M. R., Vieira, T. S. W. J., & Vieira, R. F. C. (2021). ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haematonasua’ and tick‐borne pathogens in ring‐tailed coatis ( Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1976) from the Iguaçu National Park, Paraná State, southern Brazil. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 68(6), 3222–3229. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14311