High prevalence of Ancylostoma caninum infection in black-eared opossums (Didelphis aurita) in an urban environment

Bezerra‐Santos, Marcos Antônio; Furtado, Luis Fernando Viana; Rabelo, Élida Mara Leite; Nogueira, Bárbara Cristina Félix; Yamatogi, Ricardo Seiti; Campos, Artur Kanadani

doi:10.1007/s00436-020-06708-1

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Species of the genus Didelphis have twilight and nocturnal habits and are considered synanthropic animals due to the high adaptation to human dwellings, being frequently found on the roof of houses, hollows of trees and other shelters within the cities and peripheral areas (Jansen 2002 ). Due to their circulation in urban and rural environments, opossums are considered potential reservoirs of many infectious agents (e.g., Trypanossoma cruzi , Leishmania infantum , Rickettsia spp., Ancylostoma caninum , Angiostrongylus cantonensis , Angiostrongylus costaricensis ) to humans and domestic animals (Miller et al 2006 ; Horta et al 2009 , 2010 ; Carreira et al 2012 ; Cantillo-Barraza et al 2015 ; Dalton et al 2017 ; Bezerra-Santos et al 2020a ). Additionally, ectoparasites (e.g., ticks and fleas) harbored by these animals have been reported as vectors of important arthropod-borne zoonotic pathogens (e.g., Rickettsia spp.…”

Section: The Genus Didelphis : Ecology and Coexistence With Domestic Animals And Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, by consuming contaminated food from garbage remnants (e.g., garbage contaminated with feces of infected dogs or cats) they may get gastrointestinal parasite infections (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara spp. ), and the ingestion of insect vectors (e.g., kissing bugs) may expose them to blood protozoa such as Trypanosoma cruzi (Schweigmann et al 1995 ; Teodoro et al 2019 ; Bezerra-Santos et al 2020a ).…”

Section: The Genus Didelphis : Ecology and Coexistence With Domestic Animals And Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zoonotic helminths parasitizing opossums of the genus Didelphis have been reported throughout the American continent (Table 3 ), with some species being considered accidental parasitism (e.g., Toxocara cati in D. albiventris ; Pinto et al 2014 ) and others being recently identified with high prevalence rates (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum in D. aurita ; Bezerra-Santos et al 2020a ). Among the helminth species harbored by opossums, Trichinella spiralis , Angiostrongylus cantonensis , Angiostrongylus costaricensis, Paragonimus spp., Alaria marcianae , and Echinostoma spp.…”

Section: Endoparasites Associated With Didelphis Sppmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relationship between opossum and domestic animals has been recorded in several regions where these marsupials occur, with the direct and indirect contact among them, implicating in the transmission of parasites of animal health concern. For example, a high prevalence of A. caninum was detected in D. aurita in southeastern Brazil (Bezerra-Santos et al 2020a ), although the relative importance of opossums in transmitting this parasite to dogs and other susceptible hosts is unclear. Opossums have also been involved in the transmission of parasites of concern to farm animals.…”

Section: Opossums As a Source Of Parasitic Infections To Domestic Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective

et al. 2021

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Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control of insect populations) in the environment they inhabit. Nevertheless, as synanthropic animals, they are well adapted to human dwellings, occupying shelters within the cities, peripheral areas, and rural settings. These marsupials can harbor numerous pathogens, which may affect people, pets, and livestock. Among those, some protozoa (e.g., Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii), helminths (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Alaria marcianae, Paragonimus spp.) and arthropods (e.g., ticks, fleas) present substantial public health and veterinary importance, due to their capacity to cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here, we reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors, and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the risks of pathogens transmission due to the direct and indirect interaction of humans and domestic animals with Didelphis spp. in the Americas.

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Section: The Genus Didelphis : Ecology and Coexistence With Domestic Animals And Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Genus Didelphis : Ecology and Coexistence With Domestic Animals And Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Endoparasites Associated With Didelphis Sppmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Opossums As a Source Of Parasitic Infections To Domestic Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective

et al. 2021

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A longitudinal survey of gastrointestinal parasites of the black-eared opossum Didelphis aurita at an urban-sylvatic interface area in Southeast Brazil: a morphological and ecological characterization based on helminth eggs

et al. 2021

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Parasites Diversity, Abundance, Prevalence, and Richness Infecting Didelphis aurita (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

Chagas,

Monticelli,

Lima

et al. 2024

Pathogens

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Parasites are key players in ecosystems, influencing population sizes and food webs, yet the impact of environmental factors on their diversity is not well understood. The Atlantic rainforest in Brazil, particularly the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI), exemplifies a biodiversity hotspot facing significant deforestation, housing diverse animal species such as the synanthropic Brazilian common opossum (Didelphis aurita), which serves as a reservoir for multiple zoonotic pathogens. In this study, we investigated parasite diversity, abundance, prevalence, and richness in free-living D. aurita in the PEFI, São Paulo, Brazil. From January 2015 to January 2017, 101 fecal samples of D. aurita were collected in two areas of PEFI, at the Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais (IPA) and the Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia (Cientec), and analyzed using three different parasitological methods. In total, 99% of the samples were positive for at least one parasite. The most prevalent parasite belonged to the order Strongylida (82%), followed by Cruzia sp. (77%), the latter having a significantly higher prevalence at IPA. In contrast, Acanthocephala showed greater prevalence at Cientec. Co-infections were common, with some individuals harboring up to seven different parasites. Our findings reveal significant parasite diversity in the D. aurita population at PEFI, including both helminths and protozoan trophozoites, some of which are reported for the first time in this host species. Further research is essential for accurate species identification of the observed parasites.

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High prevalence of Ancylostoma caninum infection in black-eared opossums (Didelphis aurita) in an urban environment

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective

Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas: A One Health perspective

A longitudinal survey of gastrointestinal parasites of the black-eared opossum Didelphis aurita at an urban-sylvatic interface area in Southeast Brazil: a morphological and ecological characterization based on helminth eggs

Parasites Diversity, Abundance, Prevalence, and Richness Infecting Didelphis aurita (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) in the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

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