Gastrointestinal parasites of wild carnivores from conservation institutions in the Cerrado of Goiás, Brazil

Abstract

Increased interaction between wild and urban environments owing to human population growth, increased anthropization of biomes, and habitat loss for wild animals increases the spread of infectious and parasitic agents. The present study reports on the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in carnivorous mammals at two conservation institutions in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Fecal samples from 39 adult carnivores were collected after spontaneous defecation and analyzed by flotation and sedimentation. The structure and management data of each institution were recorded. Parasitism prevalence, binomial confidence intervals (CI) at 95%, variables associated with the presence of contact animals, size of the enclosure and type of food were recorded. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in the samples analyzed was 71.8% (CI 55.1–83.0; 28/39). Ancylostomatidae, Toxocara spp., Toxascaris leonina, Strongyloides spp., Calodium hepaticum, and Trematoda eggs, and Cystoisospora spp. oocysts were detected. Environmental conditions were not correlated with parasitism prevalence; however, the parasites found could be managed, considering their biology, such as controlling synanthropic and domestic animals in captivity, feeding with healthy feed.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites, Risk Factors and Zoonotic Aspects in Dog and Cat Populations from Goiás, Brazil

“…is the genus that has high prevalence rates in all Brazilian regions, in addition to emphasizing the relevance of its zoonotic potential [ 37 ]. Other studies from the central-west region of Brazil found this species as the most prevalent in dogs and cats [ 30 , 38 , 39 , 40 ], evidencing the risk in regions of the Brazilian Cerrado (savannah) for humans (due to the zoonotic potential) and animals, including wild animals [ 41 , 42 ]. The high prevalence in Brazil, especially in the Cerrado biome, is related to environmental conditions, mainly in tropical areas, with temperatures between 25 and 30 °C.…”

Gastrointestinal Helminths in Wild Felids in the Cerrado and Pantanal: Zoonotic Bioindicators in Important Brazilian Biomes

“…These helminths are frequently found in both domestic and wild felids, indicating their broad zoonotic potential. Moreira et al [ 41 ] documented the presence of Ancylostomatidae eggs in P. onca and L. pardalis in the Cerrado region of Brazil, underscoring the vulnerability of these wild species to parasites that are typically associated with domestic animals. Similar findings have been reported for other wild felids, such as P. concolor and Leopardus wiedii (margay), further illustrating the widespread nature of these infections [ 42 , 43 ].…”

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive mammals at Khon Kaen Zoo, Thailand

“…Comparable prevalence values have been reported from zoo populations in other countries, such as Nepal (19.5%) [ 33 ], Malaysia (56.3%) [ 34 ], and Bangladesh (60.5%) [ 35 ]. Higher prevalence has been reported in some cases, such as 68.3% in the Rio de Janeiro Zoo [ 36 ], 72.5% in Spain [ 5 ], and 71.8% and 74.2% in Brazil [ 37 , 38 ].…”