Due to the ecological changes and imbalance in their natural habitat, capybaras have been found in both urban and rural areas in Brazil, which may favor the transmission of pathogens with zoonotic potential. Furthermore, in the northeastern region, there are no studies about the pathogens of free-ranging capybaras. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the role of capybaras as bioindicators of the presence of zoonotic pathogens and Neospora caninum in three Atlantic Forest remnants. For this, blood samples of 21 free-ranging capybaras were collected for the molecular detection of Leishmania infantum and serological detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii, anti-N. caninum, and anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies. The molecular prevalence of L. infantum was 38.09%, while serological prevalence of T. gondii was 33.3%. The anti-Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae (47.6%) and anti-L. borgpetersenii serovar Tarassovi antibodies (4.8%) were also detected. These pathogens were detected in animals in all three study areas, but no anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in any of the animals studied. The results obtained show the role of free-ranging capybaras as bioindicators of zoonotic pathogens, which points to the need for surveillance programs to watch for the emergence of Visceral Leishmaniasis, Toxoplasmosis, and Leptospirosis in human and animal populations in the studied areas. The information from this study may support public policies for the conservation of capybaras and the ecosystems where these animals live, as well as for epidemiology and control of diseases within the One Health approach.

由于生态变化和自然栖息地的不平衡，在巴西的城市和农村地区都发现了水豚，这可能有利于传播具有人畜共患病潜力的病原体。此外，在东北地区，没有关于自由放养的水豚病原体的研究。这项研究的目的是证明水豚作为生物指示物在三种大西洋森林残余物中存在人畜共患病原体和犬新孢子虫的作用。为此，收集了21个自由活动水豚的血样，用于婴儿利什曼原虫的分子检测以及抗弓形虫，犬新孢子虫和抗钩端螺旋体的血清学检测spp。抗体。婴儿乳杆菌的分子患病率为38.09％，而弓形虫的血清学患病率为33.3％。还检测到了抗问号钩端螺旋体血清型出血性出血热（47.6％）和抗博氏乳杆菌血清型Tarassovi抗体（4.8％）。在所有三个研究区域的动物中均检出了这些病原体，但没有抗犬新孢子虫在所研究的任何动物中均检测到抗体。获得的结果表明自由放养的水豚作为人畜共患病原体生物指标的作用，这表明需要进行监测计划，以观察研究区域内人和动物种群内脏利什曼病，弓形体病和钩端螺旋体病的出现。这项研究提供的信息可能会支持公共政策，以保护水豚和这些动物所生活的生态系统，以及在“一种健康”方法下进行流行病学和疾病控制。