The triad “dogs, conservation and zoonotic diseases” – An old and still neglected problem in Brazil

Graphical abstract

Highlights

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  The presence of dogs in protected/vulnerable areas affects wildlife in different ways.

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  Domestic dogs transit between wild environments and urban areas.

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  Dogs can transmit various pathogens to wild animals.

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  Wild animals can transmit different pathogens to domestic dogs.

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  Dogs can act as spillover bridges, transferring pathogens from wild animals to humans.

Abstract

The presence of domestic/free-ranging dogs in Brazilian protected areas and native vegetation fragments is an important problem, mainly because these animals pose a threat to wild species that live in such areas. In addition, dogs constantly circulate between wildlife environments and urban regions, acting as “bridges” in spillover events. Dogs are traditionally recognized as vectors of zoonoses, which are correct, but their roles as facilitating agents for the “jump” of pathogens from wild animals to humans (and vice versa) are sparsely debated. In this context, this work briefly describes the different roles of dogs in the dynamics and ecology of infectious diseases, using the Brazilian scenario as a study model.