The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), an inhabitant of the Brazilian savanna, is considered the largest canid of South America and is classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp., and -Ehrlichia canis in free-ranging maned wolves in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Of the 17 serum samples tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), 88.2% (15/17), 17.6% (3/17) and 52.9% (9/17) showed anti-T. gondii, -Leishmania spp., and -E. canis antibodies, respectively. None of the studied maned wolves tested positive for N. caninum antibodies. Our results indicated the exposure of free-ranging maned wolves to the agents in question. The presence of industrial complexes, extensive agriculture and habitat fragmentation in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo puts these wild animals in proximity to urban areas, possibly contributing to the transmission of diseases between wild and domestic animals and human beings.

Serum samples from 83 free living wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from the Nhecolândia region, Pantanal do Mato Grosso, Brazil, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Neospora caninum by means of the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) with a cut off of 50. Antibodies were present in 10.8%, with titers of: 1:200 in one animal, 1:400 in four and 1:800 in four. Analysis using the χ2 test showed an association between sex and presence of antibodies, with females showing occurrence of 20.5% and males 2.3% (p = 0.017). No association was found between age and occurrences of antibodies against this parasite. This was the first observation of N. caninum antibodies in Brazilian wild pigs from Pantanal.

Blood samples from 99 domestic dogs were collected in the urban area (n = 33) and rural area (n = 66) of the municipality of Lábrea, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Among the rural samples, 40 were collected in riverine communities and 26 were collected in Indian communities, both along the Purus River. During the sampling, a questionnaire was applied to obtain information relating to sex, age, living in dryland or seasonally flooded areas, access to the streets (for urban dogs) and access to forests. The presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Leishmania infantum chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis was detected by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with cutoffs of 16, 50, 40 and 40, respectively. The association of each qualitative variable, with each parasite and positivity for each of them, were evaluated using the χ2 test (p < 0.05). T. gondii, N. caninum and L. amazonensis antibodies were found, respectively, in 61.6%, 7.1% and 8.1% of the animals examined. None of the samples were positive for L. infantum chagasi. The variable of living in an urban area (p = 0.041) presented an association with occurrence of T. gondii and the positivity for T. gondii increased with age of the dogs (p = 0.0006). The variable of male sex presented an association with N. caninum (p = 0.018) and no variable presented any association with L. amazonensis. The antibody titers against T. gondii ranged from 64 to 32,768; against N. caninum from 100 to 800; and against L. amazonensis from 40 to 640. Both T. gondii and L. amazonensis are important zoonotic agents and are active in this region. The municipality studied, and especially its riverine communities, has geographic, social and ecological peculiarities. This region requires greater attention from the authorities for controlling these agents.

Toxoplasmosis and neosporosis are diseases that may affect production animals and cause significant economic losses. Given the importance of this fact, risk factors and occurrence of antibodies anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum were determined for 81 sheep in seven farms of the Guarapuava region, state of Paraná, Brazil. Indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) showed antibody frequency of 40.74% for T. gondii and 3.70% for N. caninum. The risk factors evaluated were: for T. gondii, direct contact of sheep with cats and for N. caninum, with dogs; abortion in the herd; and access of other animal species to the same water tank used by the sheep. CI (95%), Odds Ratio, and p value were determined by Fisher Exact Test. No statistical difference was observed between the occurrence of antibodies and risk factors associated with the presence of antibodies against both parasites. It may be stated that the protozoa T. gondii and N. caninum are found in the sheep herds of this region.