Diversity of endohelminths parasitizing bred Muscovy ducks Cairina moschata domestica (Anseriformes: Anatidae) from the eastern Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Raising of Muscovy ducks Cairina moschata domestica for subsistence of human populations is common in northern Brazil, although their helminth infections have been poorly investigated, despite the possible presence of helminths with zoonotic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of parasite endohelminths in C. moschata domestica raised in the Marajo ´Island region, state of Para ´, Brazilian Amazon region. Of 33 specimens examined, 90.9% were parasitized by one or more parasite species, for a total of 926 parasites recorded. The species mean richness of endohelminths varied from 0 to 6, and there was a predominance of hosts with 1 to 2 species of parasite endohelminths and low prevalence and low abundance of parasites. This was the first report of larvae of Anisakis sp., Contracaecum sp., Hysterotylacium sp., Raphidascaris sp., Eustrongylides sp., Syngamus sp., Ascocotyle sp. and Athesmia heterolecithodes for C. moschata domestica. The parasitic community of C. moschata domestica was composed of 11 species, with a high species richness for nematode species and a small number of digeneans.

A new nematode of the family Capillariidae identified in Cairina moschata (Linnaeus) on Marajó Island in the Brazilian Amazon

“…On Marajó Island, birds are raised extensively, making these animals generalists in their diet; thus, they can act as paratenic hosts by ingesting infected fish viscera or becoming infected after filtering water containing microcrustaceans parasitized by nematodes or eggs (Carvalho et al, 2020). On Marajó Island, Muscovy ducks are commonly used by the local population for food and commercial purposes (Carvalho et al, 2019(Carvalho et al, , 2021.…”