The influence of human settlements on the parasite community in two species of Peruvian tamarin

Abstract

Although there is a growing recognition that the transfer of diseases between humans and non-human primates can be of great significance for conservation biology, there have been only a few studies focusing on parasites. In this study, saddleback (Saguinus fuscicollis) and moustached tamarin (Saguinus mystax) from the rainforest of the Peruvian lowlands were used as models to determine helminth parasite associations between canopy-dwelling primate species and a nearby human settlement. The human population showed high prevalences of infestation with a number of nematodes, including Ascaris lumbricoides (88.9%), Trichuris trichiura (37%) and hookworms (55.6%). However, the ova of these geohelminths were not detectable in tamarin faeces. Thus, no direct parasite transfer from humans to non-human primates could be documented. However, tamarin groups with more frequent contact to humans and their facilities had significantly higher prevalences and egg output of Prosthenorchis elegans, an important primate pathogen, than a forest group. In contrast, a cestode was significantly more common with more egg output in sylvatic than in human-associated groups. Human alteration of the habitat is likely to play a major role in determining the occurrence, prevalence and intensity of helminth infestation of wild non-human primates.

Gastrointestinal helminths of resident wildlife at the Federal University of Agriculture Zoological Park, Abeokuta

“…Although it is possible for helminths to coexist with wildlife without obvious pathology (Krief et al, 2010;Ryan et al, 2012) however in some instances, consequent pathology may be more severe (Emikpe et al, 2002;Emikpe et al, 2007;Muller et al, 2010). The stress of captivity and contiguity to humans (Woodford et al, 2002;Wenz et al, 2009) may also contribute to how resistant these animals will be to parasites in captivity. Routine faecal parasitology screening is thus very important in zoological collections.…”

Why Do Tamarins Swallow Such Large Seeds? A Response to Heymann’s Commentary

“…Were proposed two hypotheses: 1) swallowing seeds with adhering pulp or an arilate seed coat is more efficient (increased feeding rate) than attempting to manipulate the seed and remove the pulp orally or manually; and 2) the large volume and ballast of seeds contained in the tamarin gut may serve a mechanical function in dislodging or damaging parasites or in sufficiently irritating the gut lining to facilitate a host-immune response that would aid in eliminating parasites (Garber and Kitron 1997). Heymann (2013, this issue) used data collected from studies by Knogge and Heymann (2003), Müller (2007), and Wenz et al (2010) to test two predictions arising from our hypothesis. First, the incidence of Prosthenorchis elegans infection (P. elegans is an acanthocephalan hookworm commonly reported in the intestinal tracts of both captive and wild tamarins [Dawson 1976;Wenz et al 2010]) is expected to decrease during periods in which tamarin feces contain seeds.…”

“…Heymann (2013, this issue) used data collected from studies by Knogge and Heymann (2003), Müller (2007), and Wenz et al (2010) to test two predictions arising from our hypothesis. First, the incidence of Prosthenorchis elegans infection (P. elegans is an acanthocephalan hookworm commonly reported in the intestinal tracts of both captive and wild tamarins [Dawson 1976;Wenz et al 2010]) is expected to decrease during periods in which tamarin feces contain seeds. Second, tamarins infected with these intestinal parasites should swallow seeds ≥0.5 cm in length more often than uninfected individuals (Heymann 2013).…”

“…These seeds are absolutely larger than the mean length of seeds voided by howlers (Alouatta seniculus : Julliot 1996) Kaplan and Moermond 1998), mountain monkeys (Cercopithecus l'hoesti: Kaplan and Moermond 1998), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fuscicularis: Lucas and Corlett 1998), and other primates that are 5-40 times heavier than tamarins. Relatedly, data from Müller (2007) and Wenz et al (2010) indicate that between 18.4 % and 33.3 % of individual tamarins sampled were infected with Prosthenorchis elegans parasites (based on egg/larvae counts per 100 μl of fecal material), and that 48.6-70.2 % of tamarin fecal samples contained seeds. Heymann (2013) reports, however, that there was no correlation between the proportion of fecal samples that contained Prosthenorchis elegans and the proportion of fecal samples containing seeds ≥0.5 cm in length, and that parasite-infected individuals and noninfected individuals did not differ in their proportion of fecal samples that included seeds ≥0.5 cm in length.…”

Intususcepción ileal generada por Prosthenorchis sp. en un tití gris (Saguinus leucopus) mantenido en un centro de recepción de fauna en Colombia

“…El manejo es complicado, ya que las medidas terapéuti-cas y preventivas no afectan los estadios adultos (5), lo que hace necesaria la remoción quirúrgica del parásito generalmente por enterotomía (14,17), sin contar que el ciclo parasitario se vale de hospederos intermediarios como cucarachas y algunos coleópteros (18,19). Teniendo en cuenta que los Saguinus son susceptibles al parasitismo por Prostenorchis sp., y que es primordial el manejo de este parásito en individuos ex situ (18,20), el objetivo de este estudio es describir el cuadro clínico, junto con el manejo diagnóstico y terapéutico de un Saguinus leucopus mantenido en un centro de recepción de fauna colombiano, que presentó nodulaciones e intususcepción ileal causadas por Prosthenorchis sp.…”