Gastrointestinal parasites in the opossum Didelphis aurita: Are they a potential threat to human health?

Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Neo-Tropical Rodents and Marsupials: Is There Any Zoonotic Potential?

“…The opossum is a generalist species that can be found in a variety of different habitats in the neo-tropics [ 48 ]. The opossum is often described as a synanthrope, as it is frequently sighted near human dwellings in the region [ 1 , 49 ]. The omnivorous diet of this species is described as wide, diverse, and opportunistic, ranging from fruits to small animals to fecal matter [ 50 , 51 ].…”

“…Many studies have identified this species as a host or reservoir vector species for a plethora of endoparasites and infectious agents that can cause disease [ 1 , 49 , 52 , 53 ], including the two protozoan species Cryptosporidium and Giardia , which have both been reported in Didelphis opossums D. albiventris [ 7 ], D. virginiana [ 54 ], and D. aurita [ 1 ]. The opossums’ ability to act as a host for these two infectious parasites, combined with its varied diet and synanthropic behavior, make it a likely candidate for the spread of zoonotic parasites.…”

“…It is estimated that of the emerging diseases affecting humans, 60% of these are zoonotic, with greater than 71% of these zoonotic diseases resulting from wildlife [ 1 , 2 ]. Two parasitic diseases with zoonotic potential are giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis.…”

Gastrointestinal parasites in marsupials from Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil

“…may facilitate the sharing of pathogens with domestic species (Roque et al, 2013). For instance, the black-eared opossum (D. aurita) captured in an urban area of Southeastern Brazil presented a high prevalence of Ancylostoma caninum (Bezerra-Santos et al, 2020), a common species to domestic dogs. Additionally, to helminths, gastrointestinal (Eimeria spp.)…”

“…Unfortunately, in this study the identification at level species of parasites was not achieved. However, recently the retrieval of A. caninum in D. albiventris sounded as an alert, indicating the strict sharing of this nematode species between wild and domestic animals (Bezerra-Santos et al, 2020).…”