Cetaceans are highly adapted marine mammals whose survival depends on precise auditory and echolocation systems. Therefore, disease processes affecting these systems, including parasitic infections pose significant morbidity and may result in stranding and death. Here, we describe the pathologic and parasitological findings in an adult, male melon-headed whale ( Peponocephala electra ) stranded dead on the Brazilian coast. The...

Purpose Strongyloidiasis is an intestinal helminthiasis that can induce structural alterations in the intestinal mucosa during infection. The present study evaluated histomorphometric alterations of the small intestine in mice experimentally infected with Strongyloides venezuelensis and treated with Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil. Methods Infected animals were treated orally with R. officinalis essential oil (200 or 400...

Leptopanchax itanhaensis is a critically endangered annual killifish endemic to temporary aquatic habitats of the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, yet its biology and ecology remain poorly known. Here, we provide preliminary natural history data based on a 14-month monitoring effort in the Preto River sub-basin, the only region where the species is currently known to occur. We monitored one temporary pool and two roadsi...

Freshwater swamp forests (FSFs) are flood-prone ecosystems on nutrient-rich alluvial soils that provide important ecosystem services, yet remain underrepresented in wetland research and management. This integrative review synthesizes current knowledge on FSFs with emphasis on three interconnected themes: (i) ecological definition, classification, and hydrological dynamics; (ii) the role of microtopography and evapotranspiratio...

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is associated with a broad spectrum of neurological manifestations, including conditions that may precede the development of HTLV-1–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). This analytical, descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection and describe associated sociodemographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and clinic...