Host-parasite relationship in urban environments: A network analysis of hemoparasite infections in Nasua nasua Linnaeus (South American coati)

Parasite relationships are influenced by host size, behavior, population
density, and location, and can affect the ecological dynamics of their
hosts. Urban environments provide new contexts for host-parasite
interactions, often leading to changes in infection dynamics when compared
with the natural environment. This study focuses on the relationship
between five genera of hemoparasites (Anaplasma Theiler,
EhrlichiaMoshkovski, Hepatozoon Miller, hemotropic Mycoplasma Nowak, and
Neorickettsia Philip) found in the South American coati Nasua nasua
Linnaeus (Carnivora: Procyonidae), a carnivore highly adaptable to urban
areas. Here, we used network analysis to verify the interaction between N.
nasua and hemoparasites. Also, we used General Linear Model to investigate
the influence of biotic and abiotic variables and hemoparasite infections
on the functional roles of N. nasua individuals, considering weight, age,
sex, and tick infestation (number of immature ticks collected). The
network revealed low modularity, and none of the biotic variables,
immature stages of ticks, and location of sampling had any influence on
the functional role of N. nasua. The most important hemoparasite in the
network was hemotropic Mycoplasma, identified as a key non-hub connector,
probably spreading efficiently through frequent agonistic social
interactions from N. nasua. These findings underscore the complex
interplay between host behavior, environmental factors, and parasite
ecology in urban environments, offering insights into managing urban
wildlife diseases.