Parásitos intestinales en monos congo Alouatta palliata (Primates: Cebidae) de Costa Rica / Intestinal parasites in howler monkeys Alouatta palliata (Primates: Cebidae) of Costa Rica

Fecal samples of 102 howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) from several sites of Costa Rica were studied for intestinal parasites. The zones studied were: Central Valley (San Ramón, Alajuela), Central Pacific (Chomes and Manuel Antonio National Park, Puntarenas), North Pacific (Palo Verde Park and Playa Potrero, Guanacaste), Chira Island in the Nicoya Gulf and Caribean area (Cahuita, Limón). Animals were anesthetized with dards containing Telazol in order to collect the fecal material; some monkeys defecated spontaneously and others by direct stimulation. Samples were studied in saline solution (0.85%) and a Iodine solution, or stained with Haematoxylin. The material was also cultured in Dobell culture medium to determine the presence of amoeba and flagellates. Strongyloides, Controrchis, Trypanoxyuris genera were found in 3.4% of the samples. In addition 16.7% to 80% of the animals showed protozoa infection with Endolimax, Entamoeba, Trichomonas and Giardia. It is discussed the relationships of parasite infection with environmental conditions, animal population and human presence, specially in the monkey conservation programs point of view

Se estudiaron las heces de 102 monos de la especie Alouatta palliata (monos aulladores o congos) de las siguientes regiones de Costa Rica. Valle Central: San Ramón (Alajuela); Pacífico Central: Isla Chira y Parque Manuel Antonio (Puntarenas); Pacífico Norte: Palo Verde, Playa Potrero, Nicoya (Guanacaste) y Caribe: Cahuita (Limón). Los animales capturados fueron anestesiados con dardos conteniendo Telazol®. La mayoría defecaron espontáneamente o se les estimulaba a defecar. Las muestras se estudiaron en el laboratorio en forma directa en solución salina (0.85%) y una solución de yodo o teñidas con hematoxilina para identificar los parásitos correspondientes. El material fue cultivado en el medio de Dobell para determinar la presencia de amebas y flagelados. Se encontraron helmintos de los géneros Trypanoxyuris, Strongyloides y Controrchis y protozoarios de los géneros Endolimax, Entamoeba, Trichomonas y Giardia. Los porcentajes de infección por protozoarios oscilaron entre 16.7% y 80% y se encontraron helmintos en un 3.4% a un 80% de los animales de acuerdo con la zona estudiada. No se encontraron diferencias importantes de parasitosis relacionadas con el sexo pero si existió mayor infección en los animales más jóvenes. Se establece la relación entre los índices de infección y algunos parámetros tales como las áreas estudiadas, el peso de los animales y el contacto con el ser humano

Addendum to the checklist of the helminth parasites of vertebrates in Costa Rica

In this work, we present an addendum to the "Checklist of the helminth parasites of vertebrates in Costa Rica" with a parasite-host list as well as a host-parasite list. This addendum updates the available information on this group of parasites in Costa Rica, since very recently a new input has been made to describe the helminth fauna of vertebrates, particularly at the Area de Conservación de Guanacaste. In this paper, we add 33 records, representing 23 species. This raises the number of helminth species described in vertebrates from Costa Rica to 325, represented by 89 species of digeneans, 23 of monogeneans. 63 of cestodes, 13 of acanthocephalans, and 137 of nematodes. In total, 133 species of vertebrates have been studied for helminths in Costa Rica (31 species of fishes. 7 amphibians, 18 reptiles, 40 birds, and 37 mammals). Currently, 67 species (20.6 %) have been recorded as new species from Costa Rica and most of them are endemic to particular regions. The Colecci6n de Helmintos de Costa Rica, housed at the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), San José, is the depositary of only 23% of the species recorded so far; however this situation is changing and people recognizes.

Checklist of the helminth parasites of vertebrates in Costa Rica

Helminth parasites of vertebrates have been studied in Costa Rica for more than 50 years. Survey work on this group of parasites is far from complete. We assembled a database with all the records of helminth parasites of wild and domestic vertebrates in Costa Rica. Information was obtained from different sources such as literature search (all published accounts) and parasite collections. Here we present a checklist with a parasite-host list as well as a host-parasite list. Up to now, 303 species have been recorded, including 81 species of digeneans, 23 monogeneans, 63 cestodes, 12 acanthocephalans, and 124 nematodes. In total, 108 species of vertebrates have been studied for helminths in Costa Rica (31 species of fishes, 7 amphibians, 14 reptiles, 20 birds, and 36 mammals). This represents only 3.8% of the vertebrate fauna of Costa Rica since about 2,855 species of vertebrates occur in the country. Interestingly, 58 species (19.1%) were recorded as new species from Costa Rica and most of them are endemic to particular regions. Considering the valuable information that parasites provide because it is synergistic with all the information about the natural history of the hosts, helminth parasites of vertebrates in Costa Rica should be considered within any initiatives to accomplish the national inventory of biological resources. Starting with this compilation work, the Colección de Helmintos de Costa Rica (CHCR), hosted at the Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, has re-emerged and it is our hope that it will have the standards of quality to assure that it will become the national depository of helminths in the country.