The Skunk Conepatus chinga as New Host of Trypanosoma cruzi in Argentina

Pietrokovsky, Silvia; Schweigmann, Nicolás; Riarte, Adelina; Alberti, Andrea C.; Conti, Osvaldo; Montoya, Sandra Fabiana; Wisnivesky‐Colli, Cristina

doi:10.2307/3283177

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…We compared our results with data collected similarly in the study area between 1984(Wisnivesky-Colli et al, 1992Pietrokovsky et al, 1991;Schweigmann et al, 1999). The overall prevalence of T. cruzi in opossums fell significantly from 31.9% (1984-1987, n = 72) and 35.9% (1988-1991, n = 409) to 7.9% in 2002-2004 (χ 2 -test, d.f.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Long-term reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in sylvatic mammals following deforestation and sustained vector surveillance in northwestern Argentina

et al. 2006

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Long-term variations in the dynamics and intensity of sylvatic transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi were investigated around eight rural villages in the semiarid Argentine Chaco in 2002-2004 and compared to data collected locally in 1984-1991. Of 501 wild mammals from 13 identified species examined by xenodiagnosis, only 3 (7.9%) of 38 Didelphis albiventris opossums and 1 (1.1%) of 91 Conepatus chinga skunks were infected by T. cruzi. The period prevalence in opossums was fourfold lower in 2002-2004 than in 1984-1991 (32-36%). The infection prevalence of skunks also decreased five-fold from 4. 1-5.6% in 1984-1991 to 1.1% in 2002-2004. Infection in opossums increased with age and from summer to spring in both study periods. The force of infection per 100 opossum-months after weaning declined more than six-fold from 8. . The striking decline of T. cruzi infection in opossums and skunks occurred in parallel to community-wide insecticide spraying followed by selective sprays leading to very low densities of infected Triatoma infestans in domestic and peridomestic habitats since 1992; to massive deforestation around one of the villages or selective extraction of older trees, and apparent reductions in opossum abundance jointly with increases in foxes and skunks. These factors may underlie the dramatic decrease of T. cruzi infection in wild reservoir hosts.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Long-term reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in sylvatic mammals following deforestation and sustained vector surveillance in northwestern Argentina

et al. 2006

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“…We note that Trypanosoma freitasi was unknown at that time; other trypanosomes have been isolated from the bloodstream of Didelphis sp., and Trypanosoma rangeli has not been found in the Gran Chaco as yet. A longitudinal xenodiagnosis survey in Santiago del Estero recorded much more frequent T. cruzi infections in D. albiventris (22–43%) than in skunks (4.1–5.5%) between 1984 and 1991 (Pietrokovsky et al, 1991; Wisnivesky-Colli et al, 1992; Schweigmann et al, 1999), and a substantial decline in the infection prevalence of both hosts (7.9% and 1.1%, respectively) between 2003 and 2006 (Ceballos et al, 2006). In a dry section of Chaco province, T. cruzi infections were frequently documented in D. albiventris (35.7%) but not in armadillos examined by xenodiagnosis (Diosque et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The sylvatic transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in a rural area in the humid Chaco of Argentina

Alvarado-Otegui¹,

Ceballos²,

Orozco³

et al. 2012

Acta Tropica

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Little is known about the sylvatic transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in the Gran Chaco ecoregion. We conducted surveys to identify the main sylvatic hosts of T. cruzi, parasite discrete typing units and vector species involved in Pampa del Indio, a rural area in the humid Argentinean Chaco. A total of 44 mammals from 14 species was captured and examined for infection by xenodiagnosis and polymerase chain reaction amplification of the hyper-variable region of kinetoplast DNA minicircles of T. cruzi (kDNA-PCR). Ten (22.7%) mammals were positive by xenodiagnosis or kDNA-PCR. Four of 11 (36%) Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossums) and six of nine (67%) Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillos) were positive by xenodiagnosis and or kDNA-PCR. Rodents, other armadillo species, felids, crab-eating raccoons, hares and rabbits were not infected. Positive animals were highly infectious to the bugs that fed upon them as determined by xenodiagnosis. All positive opossums were infected with T. cruzi I and all positive nine-banded armadillos with T. cruzi III. Extensive searches in sylvatic habitats using 718 Noireau trap-nights only yielded Triatoma sordida whereas no bug was collected in 26 light-trap nights. Four armadillos or opossums fitted with a spool-and-line device were successfully tracked to their refuges; only one Panstrongylus geniculatus was found in an armadillo burrow. No sylvatic triatomine was infected with T. cruzi by microscopical examination or kDNA-PCR. Our results indicate that two independent sylvatic transmission cycles of T. cruzi occur in the humid Chaco. The putative vectors of both cycles need to be identified conclusively.

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“…Considering a previous study that describes a Conepatus chinga as a Trypanosoma cruzi host [22], this infection should be hypothetically considered capable of result in DCM. However, cardiomyopathies or clinical changes were not reported on those animals hosting the parasite [22]. Skunks experimentally infected with T. cruzi showed evidence of chronic granulomatous myocarditis, but minimal clinical signs [24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Approach for Treating Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Hog-nosed Skunk (Conepatus chinga)

Pascon

Mestieri

Crivelaro³

et al. 2021

Acta Scientiae. Vet.

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Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a multifactorial disease characterized by systolic dysfunction of myocardium, affecting domestic animals like dogs, cats, and ferrets. It was sporadically described in non-domestic species, generally as a necropsy observation. The hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) is a small mammal, carnivore, belonging to the Mephitidae family, found in southern South America, and considered as concerned in a conservation status of the species. The goal of this issue is report the first clinical approach of dilated cardiomyopathy in a young hog-nosed skunk, elucidating the challenging aspects of the diagnostic, therapy, and clinical outcome. Case: A newborn hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) was found in a farm of southern Brazil in poor nutritional and behavioral conditions. Thirty days of nutritional supplementation based on cow's milk, fruits and insects were necessary to recover its body weight score and activity level. However, 2 months after adoption, the skunk showed acute dyspnea and abnormal breath sound, decreased appetite, and loss of weight. Firstly, these signs were associated with a possible pulmonary infection or other respiratory disease. However, the general cardiomegaly and pulmonary edema pattern observed on the thoracic radiography, changed the clinical approach, conducting the presumptive diagnosis to congestive heart failure (pulmonary edema) caused by an unknown cardiac disease as a dilated cardiomyopathy (CDM). An adequate physical, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic, and hematological evaluation was possible only after chemical restraint by sevofluorane. Systolic heart murmur and pulmonary cracking sounds were detected on thoracic auscultation. These findings associated to the echocardiography features of four chamber dilatation, systolic (fractional shortening-FS = 9% and ejection fraction-EF= 22%) and diastolic (mitral E/A ratio = 4.93) dysfunctions, and bilateral ventriculoatrial regurgitation (mitral and tricuspid) were highly correlated with DCM. Considering the etiologies of CDM described in domestic species and the poor nutritional condition previously observed in the case, nutritional and idiopathic etiologies of DCM were considered for this case. Therapy was based on furosemide at hospital (4 mg/kg subcutaneous, single doses) and home (2 mg/kg orally, BID), enalapril maleate (0.5 mg/kg orally, every 48 h), taurine supplementation (100 mg orally, SID), and pimobendan (0.5 mg/kg orally, BID). Clinical improvement was already observed on the second day of treatment, and monitored for 5 months, when the skunk was completely revaluated. The second echocardiographic exam showed improvement in systolic (FS = 20% and EF = 43%) and diastolic functions (mitral E/A ratio = 2.05), tricuspid regurgitation was not observed, and decrease the left atrial and ventricular dimensions were seen. Due to good clinical outcome, furosemide was gradually reduced until complete withdrawal without any clinical complications or worsening. After 30 months of therapy of pimobendan, taurine, and enalapril maleate, the skunk has good quality captive life without congestive heart failure recurrence. Discussion: The lack of information about DCM in hog-nosed skunk turns the clinical diagnosis and therapy challenging. However, the radiographic and echocardiographic features seamed to lead the same domestic animal patterns. The therapy based on decrease the cardiac overload, increase the myocardial inotropic function (pimobendan and taurine) resulted on excellent clinical and echocardiographic outcome. Although the etiologies of DCM in this species are not stablished, the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches applied resulted on excellent clinical results, and therefore may provide useful information about this cardiac condition in skunk species. Keywords: cardiovascular, disease, Mephitidae, therapy, wild animals.

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The Skunk Conepatus chinga as New Host of Trypanosoma cruzi in Argentina

Cited by 13 publications

References 8 publications

Long-term reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in sylvatic mammals following deforestation and sustained vector surveillance in northwestern Argentina

Long-term reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in sylvatic mammals following deforestation and sustained vector surveillance in northwestern Argentina

The sylvatic transmission cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in a rural area in the humid Chaco of Argentina

Clinical Approach for Treating Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Hog-nosed Skunk (Conepatus chinga)

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