Morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular characterization of intestinal tetratrichomonads isolated from non-human primates in southeastern Brazil.

Non-human primates are our closest relatives and represent an interesting model for comparative parasitological studies. However, research on this topic particularly in relation to intestinal parasites has been fragmentary and limited mainly to animals held in captivity. Thus, our knowledge of host-parasite relationships in this species-rich group of mammals could be considered rudimentary. The current study combined morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular analyses to characterize isolates of intestinal tetratrichomonads recovered from the feces of three species of South American, non-human primates. Fecal samples were collected from 16 animals, representing 12 distinct species. Parabasalid-like organisms were evident in five samples (31%) of feces: two from Alouatta sara, two from Callithrix penicillata, and one from Sapajus apella. The five samples presented morphologies consistent with the description of Tetratrichomonas sp., with four anterior flagella of unequal length, a well-developed undulating membrane, and a long recurrent flagellum. Sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region demonstrated that the isolates from A. sara, and C. penicillata were closely related and highly similar to isolates of Tetratrichomonas brumpti, recovered previously from tortoises (Geochelone sp.). The flagellate recovered from S. apella demonstrated a similar morphology to those of the other isolates, however, sequence analysis showed it to be identical to an isolate of Tetratrichomonas sp. recovered from white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari). The findings of this study extend and enhance our knowledge of parasitism of non-human primates by members of the genus Tetratrichomonas and indicate that the host range of these parasites is broader than previously believed.

Coccidial dispersion across New World marsupials: Klossiella tejerai Scorza, Torrealba & Dagert, 1957 (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) from the Brazilian common opossum Didelphis aurita (Wied-Neuwied) (Mammalia: Didelphimorphia).

Klossiella tejerai Scorza, Torrealba & Dagert, 1957 is a primitive coccidian parasite reported from the New World marsupials Didelphis marsupialis (Linnaeus) and Marmosa demerarae (Thomas). The current work describes K. tejerai from the Brazilian common opossum Didelphis aurita (Wied-Neuwied) in Southeastern Brazil, evidencing the coccidial dispersion across opossums of the same family. The sporocysts recovered from urine samples were ellipsoidal, 20.4 × 12.7 µm, with sporocyst residuum composed of scattered spherules and c.13 sporozoites per sporocyst, with refractile bodies and nucleus. Macrogametes, microgametes, sporonts, sporoblasts/sporocysts were identified within parasitophorous vacuoles of epithelial cells located near the renal corticomedullary junction. Didelphis marsupialis should not have transmitted K. tejerai to D. aurita because they are not sympatric; however M. demerarae is sympatric with D. marsupialis and D. aurita. Therefore, D. aurita becomes the third host species for K. tejerai in South America.