Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of marsupials (Mammalia: Didelphimorphia) in southern Bahia, Brazil / Eimeria spp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) de marsupiais (Mammalia: Didelphimorphia) na região sul da Bahia, Brasil

Abstract The occurrence of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 in mammals of the order Didelphimorphia indicates the infection-predisposition of these animals, which in turn is mainly determined for their eating habits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitism of Eimeria spp. in marsupials of the Atlantic Forest of the southern region of Bahia. Fecal samples were collected from marsupials captured in the regions of Ilhéus, Una, Belmonte and Mascote, with traps of the Sherman model (23 × 8 × 9 cm), Tomahawk (50 × 17 × 17 cm) and pitfall and analyzed by Sheather's modified centrifugal-flotation method. Oocysts were identified by microscopical evaluation of their morphology and morphometry. Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826, Gracilinanus agilis Burmeister, 1854, Monodelphis americana Müller, 1776, Marmosa demerarae O. Thomas, 1905 and Marmosa murina Linnaeus, 1758 were parasitized by Eimeria philanderi Lainson & Shaw, 1989 and Eimeria gambai Carini, 1938. Mixed parasitism for these two coccidia was observed in two of the 56 marsupials sampled. In conclusion, this work registers new hosts for E. philanderi and E. gambai, as well as the state of Bahia as a new distribution site for these coccidia.

Resumo A ocorrência de Eimeria Schneider, 1875 em mamíferos da ordem Didelphimorphia, indica a predisposição à infecção desses animais, que, por sua vez, é determinada principalmente por seus hábitos alimentares. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o parasitismo por Eimeria spp. em marsupiais da Mata Atlântica da região Sul da Bahia. Amostras fecais foram coletadas de marsupiais capturados nas regiões de Ilhéus, Una, Belmonte e Mascote, com armadilhas do modelo de Sherman (23 × 8 × 9 cm), Tomahawk (50 × 17 × 17 cm) e queda e analisado pelo método de centrífugo flutuação modificado de Sheather. Os oocistos foram identificados pela avaliação microscópica de sua morfologia e morfometria. Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826, Gracilinanus agilis Burmeister, 1854, Monodelphis americana Müller, 1776, Marmosa demerarae O. Thomas, 1905 e Marmosa murina Linnaeus, 1758 foram parasitados por Eimeria philanderi Lainson & Shaw, 1989 e Eimeria gambai Carini, 1938. Parasitismo misto para esses dois coccidios foi observado em dois dos 56 marsupiais amostrados. Em conclusão, este trabalho registra novos hospedeiros para E. philanderi e E. gambai, bem como o estado da Bahia como um novo local de distribuição para esses coccidios.

Zoonotic parasites associated with felines from the Patagonian Holocene

Feline coprolites were examined for parasites with the aim of studying ancient infections that occurred in the Patagonian region during the Holocene period. Eggs compatible to Trichuris sp., Calodium sp., Eucoleus sp., Nematodirus sp., Oesophagostomum sp. (Nematoda), Monoecocestus sp. (Cestoda) and Eimeria macusaniensis (Coccidia) were recovered from faecal samples. The results obtained from the analysis provide evidence of consumption by felids of the viscera of both rodents and camelids. This knowledge allows for improved explanations as to the distribution of parasitism and its significance to the health of humans and animals inhabiting the area under study during the Middle Holocene.

Observations on Eimeria species of Dasyprocta leporina (Linnaeus, 1758)(Rodentia: Dasyproctidae) from the state of Pará, North Brazil

Redescriptions are given of the mature oocysts of Eimeria aguti Carini 1935, E. cotiae Carini, 1935 and E. paraensis Carini, 1935, in the faeces of five specimens of the rodent Dasyprocta leporina (Rodentia: Dasyproctidae) from the state of Pará, North Brazil. New information is provided on the sporulation time of these parasites and the prepatent period in experimentally infected D. leporina. Some endogenous stages of E. cotiae are described in the epithelial cells of the ileum, and the absence of any oocysts in the gall-bladder contents of the infected animals indicates that the intestine is also the site of development of E. aguti and E. paraensis. Difficulties in separating E. cotiae and E. paraensis on morphology of the oocysts are discussed. The oocysts of both parasites share many structural features and have a wide size range. It is concluded that although it is at present best to maintain these names, the possibility exists that they were separately given to oocysts of smaller dimensions (E. cotiae) and larger dimensions (E. paraensis) of a single parasite. Location of an endogenous site of development for E. paraensis that is distinctly separate from that of E. cotiae might establish more definitely the separate specific status of the two parasites.

A new Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), possessing mitra-shaped oocysts, from the Neotropical chelid turtle Batrachemys heliostemma (Testudines: Chelidae), and its comparison with Eimeria mitraria (Laveran & Mesnil 1902)

Eimeria jirkamoraveci sp. n. is described from faeces of two specimens of the toad-headed, side-necked turtle Batrachemys heliostemma collected at Iquitos in Peru. Oocysts are ovoid to almost spherical, 10.6 (8-12) Î 8.9 (7-10) mum, without micropyle, polar granule and oocyst residuum. One conically stretched end and three blunt conical tubercles at the opposite end of oocyst give it mitra-like appearance. Sporocysts are elongated, ellipsoidal, 7.2 (6-8) Î 4.1 (4-4.5) mum, with a small, knob-like Stieda body and sporocyst residuum composed of fine granules. To avoid possible conspecificity, the described new species is thoroughly compared with the most similar coccidium, E. mitraria, collected from its type host, Chinemys reevesii.

Eimeria lepidosirenis n.sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) of the South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa (Osteichthyes: Dipnoi) from Amazonian Brazil

The mature oocysts of Eimeria lepidosirenis n.sp. are described in faeces removed from the lower region of the intestine of a single specimen of the South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa, from Belém, state of Pará, Amazonian Brazil. Oocysts with endogenous sporulation: spherical to slightly subspherical, 30.8 Î 30.3 µm (28.1 Î 25.9 -33.3 Î 31.8), shape-index (ratio length/width) 1.0, n = 25. Oocyst wall a very thin, single layer approximately 0.74 µm thick, smooth, colourless, with no micropyle and rapidly breaking down to release the sporocysts. Oocyst residuum a bulky ovoid to spherical mass of approximately 20.0 Î 15 µm , composed of fine granules and larger globules and enclosed by a very fine membrane: no polar bodies seen. Sporocysts 15.5 Î 9.0 µm (14.5 Î 8.0 16.0 Î 9.0), shape index 1.7 (1.6-1.8), n = 30, ovoid, with one extremity rather pointed and with a very delicate Stieda body but no sub-Stieda body: sporocyst wall a single extremely thin layer with no valves. Sporocyst residuum a spherical to ovoid mass of approximately 5.0 Î 4.0 µm, composed of fine granules and small globules and enclosed by a very fine membrane. Sporozoites strongly recurved at their ends and apparently with only a single refractile body. Site of development in the host uncertain: no evidence of endogenous stages was found in fresh scrapings and stained smears of the intestinal epithelium.

Morfobiologia e patogenicidade da Eimeria falciformis var. pragensis Cerná, Sénaud, Mehlhorn & Scholtyseck, 1974 em camundongo (Mus musculus) / Morphobiology and pathogenicity of Eimeria falciformis var. pragensis Cerna, Seraud, Mehlhorn & Scholtyseck, 1974 in mouse

Identificou-se, com base em características morfobiológicas, uma das espécies de Eimeria provenientes de camundongos de um biotério comercial e purificada pela técnica do oocisto único. Os oocistos eram sub-esféricos ou ovóides, medindo 21,3 x 16,9 *m, (n=780), com membrana dupla, lisa, incolor, sem micrópila, sem corpo residual oocístico e com 1 a 4 grânulos polares. Esporocistos eram elipsóides, com corpúsculo de Stieda, mediram 11,5 x 6,3 *m (n= 678) e continham corpo residual esporocístico. Todo o ciclo endógeno ocorreu no intestino grosso, com pelo menos 4 geraçöes assexuadas. Merontes maduros de 1ª geraçäo de 10,3 x 10,6 *m, com 8 a 25 merozoítas de 5,0-10,0 x 1,0-3,0 *m foram vistos inicialemtne às 24 horas pós-inoculaçäo (HPI). Merontes de 2ª geraçäo de 14,4 x 8,1 *m, com 8 a 20 merozoítas de 11,0-16,0 x 2,0 - 3,0 *m surgiram a partir de 48 HPI. Entre 72 e 96 HPI havia muitos merontes maduros de 3ª geraçäo, de dois tipos: um medindo 13,9 x 8,3 *m, com merozoítas de 17,0-19,0 x 2,0-4,0 *m e outro 7,3 x 10,4 *m, com 6 a 10 merozoítas de 8,0-13,0 x 1,0-3,0 *m. Merontes de 4ª geraçäo, de 10,4 x 11,9 *m e com 26 a 48 ou mais merozoítas de 8,0-13,0 x 2,0-3,0 *m foram vistos a partir de 132 HPI, bem como gametócitos imaturos e, às 144, já havia gametócitos maduros. O período de pré-patência foi de 6 1/2 a 7 dias pós-inoculaçäo (DPI) e a patência de 6 a 13 dias. A 23-24-C, em Dicromato de Potássio a 2,0%, 72,0% dos oocistos esporularam em 216 horas. Os camundongos infectados apresentaram, em geral, apatia, anorexia, perda de peso, diarréia ou disenteria entre o 6§ e o 10§ DPI. A mortalidade ocorreu entre o 8§ e o 13§ DPI, principalmente no 9§, e nos grupos que receberam doses mediana de oocistos. As lesöes se restringiram ao intestino grosso e se traduziram por uma enterite necrótica evoluindo depois para regeneraçäo e cura. Com base nas características morfológicas da Eimeria estudada, concluiu-se tratar da E. falciformis var. pragensis

Eimeria vitellini n. sp. (Apicomplexa: eimeriidae) from the brazilian toucan Rhamphastos vitellinus vitellinus Lichtenstein (Aves: Picicformes: Rhamplastidae)

Eimeria vitellini n. sp. is described from the faeces of the Rhamphastos v. vitellinus. Oocysts broadly ellipsoidal to oval (egg-shaped), 22,6 x 18.3 (20.0-25.0 x 16.3-22.5) micronm, shapeindex (length/width) 1.2 (1.1-1.1). Oocyst wall a single colourless layer about 0.5 micronm thick, becoming thinner at one ectremity, at which point the oocyst usually ruptures. No oocyst residuum, but 1 or 2 small polr bodies of about 1.0-1.5 x 0.5-1.0 micronm. Sporocysts ellongated ellipsoid (pearshaped), 14.3 x 7.5 (13.8-15.0 x 6.9-7.5) micronm, shape-index (1.9 (1.8-2.0), with a thin colourless wall bearing a very delicate Stieda body: a conspicuous sub-Stieda body is present. Sporozoites with anterior and posterior regractile bodies and strongly recurved around a bulky, compact sporocyst residuum composed of relatively fine granules and spherules