Intestinal helminths of capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, from Venezuela

Salas, Viviana; Herrera, Emílio

doi:10.1590/s0074-02762004000600004

Cited by 27 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…More than 80 endoparasitic species have been identified in capybaras (Salas and Herrera 2004), which may be largely related to the gregarious, amphibious, and territorial habits of the species (Sinkoc et al 1997). The parasites observed in this study were Protozoophaga sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

HEALTH EVALUATION AND SURVEY OF ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS IN FREE-RANGING CAPYBARAS (HYDROCHOERUS HYDROCHAERIS)

Chiacchio

Prioste

Vanstreels

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT:Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the world's largest rodents and play an epidemiologic role in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens, including the causative agents of Brazilian spotted fever, leptospirosis, and others. We surveyed the health of 31 free-ranging capybaras at the Alberto Lö fgren State Park, São Paulo, Brazil using a variety of diagnostic methods. Hematology and serum chemistry were consistent with mild malnutrition and parasitism but did not indicate severe physiologic imbalance or disease. All animals were serologically negative for Rickettsia rickettsii, Leishmania spp., and Trypanosoma sp., but antibodies against rabies virus (71%), Leptospira sp. (26%), and Toxoplasma sp. (23%) were detected. Salmonella sp. was not cultured from fecal samples. Frequently cultured enterobacteria included Escherichia coli (61%), Enterococcus casseiflavus (35%), Enterococcus faecalis (35%), Enterobacter aerogenes (32%), Klebisella pneumoniae (32%), and Serratia marcescens (32%). No potentially pathogenic fungi were cultured from hair samples. Fecal parasitology revealed infection by Protozoophaga sp. (58%), Viannella spp. (23%), Strongyloides spp. (10%), and Ancilostomatidae (10%). A total of 218 ticks was retrieved from the animals: Amblyomma sp. larvae and nymphs (43%), A. dubitatum adults (52%), and A. cajennense adults (5%). The capybaras were free from most potentially zoonotic pathogens evaluated; however, the presence of Amblyomma spp. ticks (potential vectors of Rickettsia spp.) and indirect evidence of exposure to the rabies virus, Leptospira sp., and Toxoplasma sp. warrant the maintenance of public health programs and wildlife health monitoring.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

HEALTH EVALUATION AND SURVEY OF ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS IN FREE-RANGING CAPYBARAS (HYDROCHOERUS HYDROCHAERIS)

Chiacchio

Prioste

Vanstreels

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The trematode T. schistocotyle has been found in the Taim Ecological Reserve, Rio Grande, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with a frequency of 12.5% (SINKOC et al, 2009); in Araçatuba, state of São Paulo, Brazil. with a frequency of 42.86% (SINKOC et al, 2004); in Venezuela with a frequency of 83% (SALAS & HERRERA, 2004); in the Paiaguás region of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, with frequency and intensity of 76.6% and 18.2%, respectively (BONUTI et al, 2002); in Bolivia with frequency of 12% (CASAS et al, 1995); and in Argentina with frequencies between 13 and 19% (CORRIALE et al, 2013). However, no studies correlating any relationship between parasitism and the clinical signs, lesions and mortality were found.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathological and parasitological characterization of infection by trematodes (Paramphistomatidae) in the large intestine of capybaras

Avelar

Silva

Gardiner³

et al. 2015

Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gross and histological lesions caused by an intestinal parasite were described in three capybaras. The parasites presented a mean length of 14 mm and width of 7 mm, were round to oval or piriform, reddish and pedunculated, and adhered strongly to the mucosa of the large intestine. The intestinal mucosa at the parasite attachment site presented loss of surface epithelium and most glands, with replacement by fibrovascular proliferation that protruded from the mucosa and was involuted by the ventral sucker of the parasite. The lamina propria presented cellular debris, eosinophils, macrophages and plasma cells. The morphological characteristics, observed using serial histological sections, made it possible to classify the parasite as a trematode (Paramphistomatidae), compatible with Taxorchis schistocotyle. One capybara also harbored many ciliated protozoa in the large intestine (at the site of attachment of the parasite) and inside the caeca of the trematodes. In conclusion, this study described a multifocal necrotizing colitis associated with T. schistocotyle parasitism in capybaras.Keywords: Wild animals, Taxorchis, capybara, trematode. ResumoLesões macroscópicas e histológicas causadas por um parasita intestinal foram descritas em três capivaras. Os parasitas apresentaram média de 14 mm de comprimento e 7 mm de largura, eram de circulares a ovais ou piriformes, avermelhados, pedunculados e estavam fortemente aderidos à mucosa do intestino grosso. A mucosa intestinal, em que os parasitas estavam aderidos, apresentou perda do epitélio e da maioria das glândulas, sendo substituídos por proliferação fibrovascular que se projetava a partir da mucosa e era envolvida pela ventosa ventral do parasita. A lâmina própria apresentou restos celulares, eosinófilos, macrófagos e plasmócitos. As características morfológicas, utilizando cortes histológicos seriados, proporcionaram a classificação do parasita como um trematoda Paramphistomatidae, compatível com Taxorchis schistocotyle. Uma capivara continha também numerosos protozoários ciliados no intestino grosso (no local de fixação do parasita) e no lúmen do ceco desses parasitos. Em síntese, este estudo demonstrou a ocorrência de colite necrótica associada ao parasitismo por T. schistocotyle em capivaras.

show abstract

“…Furthermore, because of its large size and conspicuousness in dominant males, Moreira, Macdonald and Clarke (1997) have suggested that the morrillo may act as a visual sign of dominance. The size of this gland also significantly correlates with testosterone titer in blood (Costa & Paula, 2006).Capybaras carry many species of intestinal helminths and blood parasites (Mones, 1982;Salas & Herrera, 2004). Among the intestinal helminths, the intensities of infestation by Monoecocestus macrobursatum and Viannella hydrochoeri have been found to correlate negatively with the physical condition of the host, as assessed by the residuals of the body weight-body length regression (Salas & Herrera, 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Capybaras carry many species of intestinal helminths and blood parasites (Mones, 1982;Salas & Herrera, 2004). Among the intestinal helminths, the intensities of infestation by Monoecocestus macrobursatum and Viannella hydrochoeri have been found to correlate negatively with the physical condition of the host, as assessed by the residuals of the body weight-body length regression (Salas & Herrera, 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among the intestinal helminths, the intensities of infestation by Monoecocestus macrobursatum and Viannella hydrochoeri have been found to correlate negatively with the physical condition of the host, as assessed by the residuals of the body weight-body length regression (Salas & Herrera, 2004). The effects of blood parasites, such as the protozoon Trypanosoma evansi, are little known.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Rodentia: Hydrochoeridae): prevalence, effect and sexual selection

Herrera¹,

Castro²

2017

RBT

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Parasites play a crucial role in the ecology of animals. They also appear to be important in mechanisms underlying sexual selection processes. In this article we study the prevalence, effect and potential role in sexual selection of the protozoon Trypanosoma evansi in capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. We collected our samples from the annual capybara cull of a ranch in Venezuela, using the volume of the snout scent gland as an indicator of dominance; the residuals of body weight as indicators of condition; and the residuals of the spleen mass as indicators of immune function. Overall prevalence was 30.9 % (N= 97) with no difference between males and females, and no relation between infection with T. evansi and condition. However, we found that infected animals had larger spleens (residuals), indicating an immunological cost of the infection. Furthermore, males with larger snout scent glands (more dominant) were less likely to be infected than males with smaller glands (less dominant), suggesting that by choosing males with a large glands, females may be using the gland as an indicator of health, which is consistent with the "good genes" view of sexual selection. Rev. Biol. Trop. Parasites are important factors in the dynamics of their host's populations (Pedersen & Greives, 2008) by affecting their survival, reproduction (Albon et al., 2002) and behavior (Berdoy, Webster, & Macdonald, 2000). However, suspected parasites can often be commensals or even mutualistic symbionts (Ewald, 1987). Even when clear phenotypic effects of a parasitic infection are not apparent, an infection can carry a significant immunological cost (Lochmiller & Deerenberg, 2000). Parasites have also been hypothesized as central role players in the process of sexual selection. Thus, Hamilton and Zuk (1982) have argued -and presented evidence-that it is advantageous for a male bird to advertise his lack of parasites by developing and showing off bright coloration in his plumage. Such a display, being costly, would be an honest signal of condition which females could use to choose good quality males (Grafen, 1990;Keyser & Hill, 2000). In mammals, other features such as antlers or manes may play the same role as do colors in birds. In particular, the development of a scent gland and scent marking behavior may be subject to sexual selection (e.g. bats, Voigt et al., 2008; review by Penn & Potts, 1998) and may function as honest signals of health (Zala, Potts, & Penn, 2004).Capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1758), large (50 kg), grazing rodents, are common in the savannahs and wetlands of tropical and subtropical South America (Ojasti, 1973), where they live in stable social groups composed of both males and females, with an average of 3-4 male and 6-7 female adults per group (Herrera & Macdonald, 1987;Herrera, Salas, Congdon, Corriale, & Tang-Martínez, 2011). In these groups, a clear-cut and long-lasting dominance hierarchy is evident among the males: the dominant male is usually able to win all encounters against m...

show abstract

Intestinal helminths of capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, from Venezuela

Cited by 27 publications

References 9 publications

HEALTH EVALUATION AND SURVEY OF ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS IN FREE-RANGING CAPYBARAS (HYDROCHOERUS HYDROCHAERIS)

HEALTH EVALUATION AND SURVEY OF ZOONOTIC PATHOGENS IN FREE-RANGING CAPYBARAS (HYDROCHOERUS HYDROCHAERIS)

Pathological and parasitological characterization of infection by trematodes (Paramphistomatidae) in the large intestine of capybaras

Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Rodentia: Hydrochoeridae): prevalence, effect and sexual selection

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About