First Record of Paragonimus miyazakii Infection in Captive Meerkat (<i>Suricata suricatta</i>) in Japan

Abstract

ABSTRA⊂T． Two adult 且ukes were found in a cyst in the left lung of a captive meerkat (suricate ， Suric α ta surica亡 ta) in a zoo in Kochi Prefect し 1re ， Japan ． They have beemdentified as Paragonimus miyazakii Kamo ， Nishida ， Hatsushika et Tomimura， 196Lon the basis of morphological features of the adult flukes and those of 匸 he eggs in the feces ， as well as aribosomal DNA sequence ． The suricate was possibly infected by irlgesting wild Japanese freshwater crab (Geotheiphusa dehaani)wandering into the placeof breeding exhibition ． This is the 且rst confirmed case of P． mtyaz α kii infection in a meerkat imported to a Japanese zoo ． Key words ；lung fluke ， meerkat ， Surica 亡 a surica亡 亡 a ， Paragonimus miy αzakii， zoo anlrnal Jpn． J． Zoo． Wildl ． ル 引 ed ．15(1)：45 − 47 ， 20 ヱ 0