Zoonoses em populações quilombolas e seus cães

Abstract

Brazilian quilombola communities are semi-isolated rural remnants of former black slaves and their descendants, who traditionally sustained themselves through archaic livestock and agriculture practices and historically lacked specific public health policies. This study assessed the exposure of humans and dogs to zoonotic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii in four different quilombos in southern Brazil. It was observed that 44.7% of individuals and 63.0% of dogs were seropositive for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies, with a human-dog seropositivity ratio of 0.71. Quilombola individuals consuming game meat were 2.43 times more likely to be seropositive. No risk factors associated with seropositivity in dogs were found, suggesting random exposure. The high seroprevalence among dogs may indicate interaction with wildlife, scavenging discarded food, or surface water contaminated with oocysts. Hence, future studies should consider sampling water, soil, wildlife, and domestic animal tissues to fully establish the infection source in dogs. Toxocariasis is one of the most neglected parasitic diseases globally, with approximately one fifth of the world population exposed, especially those living in poverty. Quilombola communities in Brazil historically have high rates of vulnerability and poverty, characterized by lack of healthcare assistance, low quality of life, and food insecurity. This study, also investigated, the seroprevalence of Toxocara spp. in quilombola individuals, their dogs, and soil. A high seroprevalence of 82.7% among individuals was observed, with factors such as male gender, educational level, and water source associated with seropositivity. Additionally, soil contact increased the likelihood of seropositivity. Although Toxocara spp. eggs were found only in a small proportion of dog feces, they were detected in a significant proportion of soil samples. These results underscore the need for a One Health approach for detection, monitoring, and prevention of Toxocara spp. infection in both human and canine populations.