Isolation and identification of fungi from vaginal flora in three species of captive Leontopithecus

Abstract

The ability to reproduce in captivity is an essential component of lion tamarin (Leontopithecus) conservation programs. However, infections such as vaginitis, cervicitis, and endometritis are important diseases that may influence the reproduction of these animals. Therefore, it is important to detect continuous or occasional vaginal microbial populations, and to understand their potential role as an endogenous source of infection [Collins, 1964; Blue, 1983; Pugh et al., 1986]. Vaginal swabs were collected from 25 female tamarins of the three currently available species (L. rosalia, L. chrysopygus, and L. chrysomelas) at the Center of Primatology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The swabs were processed according to standard mycological protocols, and isolates were biochemically characterized. Fungal isolates were recovered from 16 animals (64.0%). The results showed that 70.6% of the isolated microorganisms consisted of yeast, including three species of Candida (mainly C. glabrata). We suggest that this species is a resident member of the normal vaginal flora in Leontopithecus. Filamentous fungi (mainly from Trichosporon, Aspergillus, and Penicilliumgenera) constituted 29.4% of the isolates, and were considered to be transitory contaminants of the genital area. We suggest that colonization of the vaginal environment is related to the endocrine pattern associated with the reproductive status of these animals, but not to parity.

Presence and distribution of yeasts in the reproductive tract in healthy female horses

“…, C. zeylanoides was recorded as the most frequent yeast in the genital mycoflora of healthy female camels. In accordance with the present results, other Candida species, such as C. glabrata and C. famata , were isolated from the genital tracts of healthy lion tamarins , camels , dogs and cats . The lack of recovery of C. albicans in the current study was unexpected.…”

“…neoformans and Prototheca zopfii in female camels [3], C. albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, Cr. neoformans, G. candidum, R. rubra and Trichosporon cutaneum in sheep and goats [4] and Candida glabrata, Candida famata, C. guilliermondii and T. beigelii in lions [5]. Fungal infections of the vagina, cervix and endometrium can result in stillbirth and neonatal death in cows, buffaloes, dogs and cats [6][7][8][9], and abortion in horses [10][11][12][13][14].…”

Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

“…Fungal infections are generally considered less common than those caused by bacteria, but also have an important role as opportunistic agents and may cause significant impairment or death ( Chalmers et al , 1983 , Megaki 1986 , Kalter 1989 , Nordstrom et al , 1989 ). Candida is well known to be an important inhabitant of the intestinal tract of captive primates, and has been reported to cause glossitis, esophagitis, gastritis and septicaemia ( Stone et al , 1974 , Chalmers et al , 1983 , Nordstrom et al , 1989 ); it has also been identified in the vaginal microbiota of clinically healthy Black lion tamarins ( Moraes et al , 2004 ). Mycelian fungi are known to be occasionally present in the skin, vagina and intestinal microbiota of free-ranging and captive primates without causing disease [ Daniel et al , 1976 , Nordstrom et al , 1989 , Benno et al , 1987 , Moraes et al , 2004 ], but Aspergillus is recognized to cause respiratory disease in immunologically impaired primates ( Migaki, 1986 , Haustein et al , 2008 ).…”

“…Information on the microbiota of callithrichids is scarce and limited to captive animals. To our knowledge the only report on this topic for the genus Leontopithecus was made by Moraes et al (2004) who investigated the fungal vaginal microbiota of captive lion tamarins ( L. chrysomelas , L. chrysopygus and L. rosalia ). Considering the lack of information on the Leontopithecus microbiota, the aim of this study was to screen for opportunistic and potential pathogenic aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacterial and fungal microbiota from the oral and nasal cavities and rectum of asymptomatic free-ranging and captive Black lion tamarins.…”

Analysis of Antibacterial Activity of Antibiotics to Anaerobes of Female Genital Tract in Vitro

“…Normal flora has an important role in the part of defense mechanism such as to decompose sugar, to produce acid and to inhibit dwelling of pathogens and so on. Once dysbacteriosis it can lead to infection diseases in female genital tract [1][2][3]. There has been a lack of appreciation of the significant role anaerobes play in obstetric and gynecologic infections.…”