Mesocestoides sp. (Eucestoda, Mesocestoididae) parasitizing four species of wild felines in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Leopardus colocolo, Leopardus geoffroyi, Leopardus tigrinus and Puma yagouaroundi are wild feline species endangered mainly due to habitat destruction and vehicle run overs. Seventeen felines hit on the roads were collected in Southern Brazil and examined for parasites. Cestodes were identified as Mesocestoides sp. The parasites were found in the small intestine of the hosts with a prevalence of 66.7% (L. colocolo and L. tigrinus), 60% (P. yagouaroundi) and 50% (L. geoffroyi). Rodents and lizards were found in the stomach contents and they possibly were intermediate hosts of Mesocestoides sp. This is the first report of Mesocestoides sp. in wild felines in Brazil.

Occurrence of Mesocestoides canislagopodis (Rudolphi, 1810) (Krabbe, 1865) in mammals and birds in Iceland and its molecular discrimination within the Mesocestoides species complex

“…Second intermediate hosts are insectivorous vertebrates (mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles) harboring a metacestode stage (tetrathyrida) in the body cavity. The adult tapeworm primarily parasitizes carnivorous mammals (canids, felids, and mustelids) that prey upon infected second intermediate hosts; humans and birds rarely act as definitive hosts (McAllister andConn 1990, Loos-Frank 1991;Rausch 1994;Sato et al 1999;Padgett and Boyce 2004;Conn et al 2011;Gallas and Silveira 2011;Cho et al 2013;Tokiwa et al 2014). Peritoneal cestodiasis, caused by proliferative Mesocestoides tetrathyridia, is reported from dogs (Canis familiaris), cats (Felis domestica), and primates, indicating that some definitive hosts can also serve as intermediate hosts (reviewed by Padgett et al 2013).…”

Pathologies of Oligacanthorhynchus pardalis (Acanthocephala, Oligacanthorhynchidae) in Leopardus tigrinus (Carnivora, Felidae) in Southern Brazil

“…The oncilla (L. tigrinus), an endangered feline, occurs in all Brazilian biomes (SUNQUIST; SUNQUIST, 2002 fauna of this species is poorly known, although six parasite species (one cestode, three nematodes and two acanthocephalans) have been identified (DIESING, 1851apud BELDOMENICO et al, 2005TRAVASSOS, 1917;PETROCHENKO, 1971;HUNGRIA, 1978;SANTOS et al, 2009;GALLAS;SILVEIRA, 2011 Acanthocephalan species cause damage to their hosts in the area where the proboscis is attached, which may cause formation of nodules, granulomas and inflammations, and may predispose towards secondary infections (NICKOL, 1985;RICHARDSON;BARNAWELL, 1995;KENNEDY, 2006). Babero (1957) and Richardson and Barnawell (1995) …”

A Rare Case of Peritoneal Larval Cestodiosis by Mesocestoides from Aydın Region in Turkey

“…Some cases of Feline peritonal larval cestodiosis by Mesocestoides had been reported (Crosbie et al, 1998;Gallas et al, 2011). This is the first report from Aydin in Turkey.…”

“…occurs mainly in foxes and only rarely in cats and dogs. Adult worms live in the small intestine of carnivores and rarely in birds and humans (Foronda et al, 2007;Gallas et al, 2011). Immature form (Tetrathyridia) of Mesocestoides sp., are found in the abdominal cavity of a great variety of intermediate hosts such as rodents, small reptiles and birds (Eberhard 1999;Padgett and Boyce 2005).…”