Epidemiology and Integrative Taxonomy of Helminths of Invasive Wild Boars, Brazil.

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) are a significant invasive species in Brazil. We evaluated the helminth diversity of 96 wild boars in São Paulo state. Helminth infection descriptors were calculated, the species were identified and their 18S, 28S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were amplified for phylogenetic analyses. Ascarops strongylina, Strongyloides ransomi, Globocephalus urosubulatus, Oesophagostomum dentatum, Trichuris suis, Metastrongylus salmi, Metastrongylus pudendotecus, Ascaris suum and Stephanurus dentatus and Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus were identified. Globocephalus urosubulatus had the highest prevalence and mean abundance, and most animals had mixed infections with three parasite species. There was no association between parasite intensity and prevalence and host sex and body condition index (p > 0.05). Novel DNA sequences were obtained from G. urosubulatus, A. strongylina, and S. dentatus. This is the first study on the helmint diversity of non-captive wild boars in Brazil, and the first report of the occurrence of M. hirudinaceus, G. urosubulatus and S. dentatus in Brazilian wild boars. Non-captive wild boars of São Paulo State did not act as capture hosts for native helminth species but maintained their typical parasites, common to domestic pigs. They may act as parasite dispersers for low-tech subsistence pig farming and for native Tayassuidae.

Description of a new species of Moniliformis (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae) from Peromyscus hylocetes (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in Mexico.

Moniliformis ibunami n. sp., is described from the intestine of the transvolcanic deermouse Peromyscus hylocetes Merriam 1898 (Cricetidae) from Parque Nacional Nevado de Colima "El Floripondio", Jalisco, Mexico. The new species can be distinguished morphologically from the other 18 congeneric species of Moniliformis by a combination of morphological and molecular characters including the number of hooks on the proboscis (12 longitudinal rows, each one with six to eight transversally arranged unrooted hooks), the proboscis length (230-270 µm), the female trunk length (159-186 mm) and egg size (40-70 × 20-40). For molecular distinction, nearly complete sequences of the small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) of the mitochondrial DNA of the new species were obtained and compared with available sequences downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses inferred with the three molecular markers consistently showed that Moniliformis ibunami n. sp. is sister to other congeneric species of Moniliformis. The genetic distance with cox 1 gene among Moniliformis ibunami n. sp., M. saudi, M. cryptosaudi, M. kalahariensis, M. necromysi and M. moniliformis ranged from 20 to 27%. Morphological evidence and high genetic distance, plus the phylogenetic analyses, indicate that acanthocephalans collected from the intestines of transvolcanic deer mice represent a new species which constitutes the seventh species of the genus Moniliformis in the Americas.

Pathological and parasitological characterization of Prosthenorchis elegans in a free-ranging marmoset Callithrix geofroyi from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest / Caracterização patológica e parasitológica de Prosthenorchis elegans em Callithrix geoffroyi primate de vida livre da Mata Atlântica

Prosthenorchis elegans is an acanthocephalan intestinal parasite reported in neotropical primates. Despite parasitism by P. elegans having already been described in wild marmosets in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, there are no reports of this infection in wild Geoffroy's marmoset (Callithrix geofroyi). The aim of this study is to report one case of P. elegans parasitism in a free-ranging C. geoffroyi from Brazilian Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo state, and characterize the pathological and parasitological findings of this infection. One Geoffroy's marmoset necropsied at the Vila Velha University's Veterinary Pathology Laboratory presented intense chronic transmural ulcerative enteritis associated with twenty cylindrical helminths present in the jejunum and ileum. We can conclude that parasitism by P. elegans occurs in free-ranging groups of Geoffroy's marmosets. Its infection produced severe intestinal lesions even in free-ranging marmoset and therefore is a threat to this animal's survival in wildlife and can have some impact on primate conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.(AU)

Prosthenorchis elegans é um acantocéfalo intestinal descrito em primatas neotropicais. Apesar do parasitismo por P. elegans já ter sido descrito de saguis da Mata Atlântica brasileira, não há relatos da infecção em saguis-da-cara-branca (Callithrix geofroyi) de vida livre. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar um caso de parasitismo por P. elegans em um C. geoffroyi de vida livre proveniente da Mata Atlântica brasileira no Estado do Espírito Santo e caracterizar os achados patológicos e parasitológicos dessa infecção. Um sagui-da-cara-branca foi necropsiado no Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade de Vila Velha, onde foi observada intensa enterite ulcerativa transmural crônica associada a vinte helmintos cilíndricos presentes no jejuno e íleo. Conclui-se que o parasitismo por P. elegans ocorre em grupos livres de saguis-da-cara-branca e a sua infecção leva a lesões intestinais graves; portanto, este parasita pode prejudicar a sobrevivência deste animal na vida selvagem e pode ter algum impacto na conservação de primatas na Mata Atlântica brasileira.(AU)

Pathological and parasitological characterization of Prosthenorchis elegans in a free-ranging marmoset Callithrix geofroyi from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest / Caracterização patológica e parasitológica de Prosthenorchis elegans em Callithrix geoffroyi primate de vida livre da Mata Atlântica

Prosthenorchis elegans is an acanthocephalan intestinal parasite reported in neotropical primates. Despite parasitism by P. elegans having already been described in wild marmosets in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, there are no reports of this infection in wild Geoffroy's marmoset (Callithrix geofroyi). The aim of this study is to report one case of P. elegans parasitism in a free-ranging C. geoffroyi from Brazilian Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo state, and characterize the pathological and parasitological findings of this infection. One Geoffroy's marmoset necropsied at the Vila Velha University's Veterinary Pathology Laboratory presented intense chronic transmural ulcerative enteritis associated with twenty cylindrical helminths present in the jejunum and ileum. We can conclude that parasitism by P. elegans occurs in free-ranging groups of Geoffroy's marmosets. Its infection produced severe intestinal lesions even in free-ranging marmoset and therefore is a threat to this animal's survival in wildlife and can have some impact on primate conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.(AU)

Prosthenorchis elegans é um acantocéfalo intestinal descrito em primatas neotropicais. Apesar do parasitismo por P. elegans já ter sido descrito de saguis da Mata Atlântica brasileira, não há relatos da infecção em saguis-da-cara-branca (Callithrix geofroyi) de vida livre. O objetivo deste estudo é relatar um caso de parasitismo por P. elegans em um C. geoffroyi de vida livre proveniente da Mata Atlântica brasileira no Estado do Espírito Santo e caracterizar os achados patológicos e parasitológicos dessa infecção. Um sagui-da-cara-branca foi necropsiado no Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade de Vila Velha, onde foi observada intensa enterite ulcerativa transmural crônica associada a vinte helmintos cilíndricos presentes no jejuno e íleo. Conclui-se que o parasitismo por P. elegans ocorre em grupos livres de saguis-da-cara-branca e a sua infecção leva a lesões intestinais graves; portanto, este parasita pode prejudicar a sobrevivência deste animal na vida selvagem e pode ter algum impacto na conservação de primatas na Mata Atlântica brasileira.(AU)

Community structure of metazoan parasites of silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis (Pisces, Atherinopsidae) from Argentina

Las comunidades de helmintos del pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), procedentes de dos lagunas argentinas fueron estudiadas y comparadas a nivel de comunidad componente e infracomunidad. Se hallaron nueve especies de helmintos, cinco digeneos (Austrodiplostomum cf. mordax, Ascocotyle (Phagicola) cf. diminuta, Ascocotyle sp., Thometrema bonariensis y Saccocoelioides sp.); dos nematodes (Hysterothylacium sp. y Contracaecum sp.); un acantocéfalo (Wolffhugelia matercula) y un cestode (Cangatiella macdonaghi). Odontesthes bonariensis es reportado como un nuevo hospedador para cinco de estas especies. La riqueza específica, la diversidad y la carga parasitaria fueron mas elevadas en la laguna Salada Grande que en la Laguna Lacombe. Esto podría estar relacionado con atributos del cuerpo de agua (tamaño, abundancia de moluscos y aves ictiófagas) y del hospedador (talla y dieta de los pejerreyes capturados en cada laguna). En la laguna Salada Grande, la comunidad de helmintos fue dominada por una especie alogénica y generalista, A. cf. mordax; mientras que en la laguna Lacombe fue dominada por un a especie autogénica y especialista intermedia, C. macdonaghi. El sexo del hospedador no estuvo correlacionado con la riqueza específica, diversidad y carga parasitaria, mientras que la talla del hospedador presentó correlación positiva con estos atributos, excepto la diversidad en la laguna Salda Grande.

The helminth communities of silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), from two Argentinean lagoons were studied and compared at component community and infracommunity levels. Nine helminth species were found: five digeneans (Austrodiplostomum cf. mordax, Ascocotyle (Phagicola) cf. diminuta, Ascocotyle sp., Thometrema bonariensis and Saccocoelioides sp.); two nematodes (Contracaecum sp. and Hysterothylacium sp.); one acanthocephalan (Wolffhugelia matercula) and one cestode (Cangatiella macdonaghi). Odontesthes bonariensis is a new host record for five parasite species. Richness, diversity and number of helminths in silversides from Salada Grande lagoon were higher than in those from Lacombe lagoon. This could be related with lagoon size, abundance of mollusks and fish-eating birds, and size and diet of silversides captured in each lagoon. In Salada Grande lagoon the helminth community of silversides was dominated by the allogenic and generalist species A. cf. mordax; while the autogenic and intermediate specialist species C. macdonaghi was dominant in Lacombe lagoon. Host sex did not affect richness, diversity or total abundance, whereas host size was positively correlated with these attributes, except diversity in Salada Grande lagoon.

Community structure of metazoan parasites of silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis (Pisces, Atherinopsidae) from Argentina

Las comunidades de helmintos del pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), procedentes de dos lagunas argentinas fueron estudiadas y comparadas a nivel de comunidad componente e infracomunidad. Se hallaron nueve especies de helmintos, cinco digeneos (Austrodiplostomum cf. mordax, Ascocotyle (Phagicola) cf. diminuta, Ascocotyle sp., Thometrema bonariensis y Saccocoelioides sp.); dos nematodes (Hysterothylacium sp. y Contracaecum sp.); un acantocéfalo (Wolffhugelia matercula) y un cestode (Cangatiella macdonaghi). Odontesthes bonariensis es reportado como un nuevo hospedador para cinco de estas especies. La riqueza específica, la diversidad y la carga parasitaria fueron mas elevadas en la laguna Salada Grande que en la Laguna Lacombe. Esto podría estar relacionado con atributos del cuerpo de agua (tamaño, abundancia de moluscos y aves ictiófagas) y del hospedador (talla y dieta de los pejerreyes capturados en cada laguna). En la laguna Salada Grande, la comunidad de helmintos fue dominada por una especie alogénica y generalista, A. cf. mordax; mientras que en la laguna Lacombe fue dominada por un a especie autogénica y especialista intermedia, C. macdonaghi. El sexo del hospedador no estuvo correlacionado con la riqueza específica, diversidad y carga parasitaria, mientras que la talla del hospedador presentó correlación positiva con estos atributos, excepto la diversidad en la laguna Salda Grande.

The helminth communities of silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), from two Argentinean lagoons were studied and compared at component community and infracommunity levels. Nine helminth species were found: five digeneans (Austrodiplostomum cf. mordax, Ascocotyle (Phagicola) cf. diminuta, Ascocotyle sp., Thometrema bonariensis and Saccocoelioides sp.); two nematodes (Contracaecum sp. and Hysterothylacium sp.); one acanthocephalan (Wolffhugelia matercula) and one cestode (Cangatiella macdonaghi). Odontesthes bonariensis is a new host record for five parasite species. Richness, diversity and number of helminths in silversides from Salada Grande lagoon were higher than in those from Lacombe lagoon. This could be related with lagoon size, abundance of mollusks and fish-eating birds, and size and diet of silversides captured in each lagoon. In Salada Grande lagoon the helminth community of silversides was dominated by the allogenic and generalist species A. cf. mordax; while the autogenic and intermediate specialist species C. macdonaghi was dominant in Lacombe lagoon. Host sex did not affect richness, diversity or total abundance, whereas host size was positively correlated with these attributes, except diversity in Salada Grande lagoon.