Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-26T03:59:56.210Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gastrointestinal parasite assemblages from the wild rodent capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) inhabiting a natural protected area from Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2023

E. Tietze ,
A. Bellusci ,
V. Cañal ,
G. Cringoli  and
M.O. Beltrame Open the ORCID record for M.O. Beltrame [Opens in a new window]
E. Tietze
Affiliation:
Paleoparasitología. Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP-CONICET, Juan B. Justo 2250, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
A. Bellusci
Affiliation:
Paleoparasitología. Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP-CONICET, Juan B. Justo 2250, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
V. Cañal
Affiliation:
Paleoparasitología. Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP-CONICET, Juan B. Justo 2250, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
G. Cringoli
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
M.O. Beltrame*
Affiliation:
Paleoparasitología. Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP-CONICET, Juan B. Justo 2250, CP 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
*
Corresponding author: M.O. Beltrame; Email: ornelabeltrame@conicet.gov.ar
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Knowledge about parasitic diseases of wildlife will help us to understand the dynamics of parasites and their effects on host populations. The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest living rodent in the world, and its distribution is associated with the presence of tropical and subtropical wetlands in South America. The Los Padres Lake Integral Reserve (LPLIR) is an important conservation zone in the pampean region of Argentina. One of the emblematic species found within the reserve is the capybara. The objective of this study was to determine the gastrointestinal parasites present in wild capybaras of the LPLIR and to compare different coprological methodologies. Free-ranging capybara fresh feces from 57 individuals were randomly collected from the area of LPLIR in the summer of 2022. Three different techniques were applied: spontaneous sedimentation technique (SS), INTA modified McMaster technique (MM), and Mini-FLOTAC (MF) technique. Fifty-six samples from all samples analysed (56/57, 98%) were found to be positive for gastrointestinal parasites. Two species of Strongylida, Protozoophaga obesa, Echinocoleus hydrochaeris, one unidentified nematode, one unidentified spirurid, and at least two morphotypes of Eimeria spp. oocysts were recorded. There were found significant differences in the proportion of positive samples and in richness by technique, but no significant differences were found in parasite counting. In conclusion, the choice of methodology depends on the specific objectives of the study. This is the first parasitological study of capybaras from the LPLIR and represents an exploration of parasite communities present in these wild rodents at their southernmost distribution.

Keywords

capybaraparasitesnatural reservecoprological techniques
Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 97 , 2023 , e97
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alvarado-Villalobos, MA, Cringoli, G, Maurelli, MP, Cambou, A, Rinaldi, L, Barbachano-Guerrero, A, Guevara, R, Chapman, CA, and Serio-Silva, JC (2017) Flotation techniques (FLOTAC and mini-FLOTAC) for detecting gastrointestinal parasites in howler monkeys. Parasites & Vectors 10, 586. doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2532-7Google Scholar
Alves, DR and Freitas, CC (2022) Estudo da fauna parasitária gastrintestinal de capivara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Rodentia: Caviidae), do município de Barra Mansa, estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Cadernos UniFOA 17, 139–146. doi: 10.47385/cadunifoa.v17.n48.3640Google Scholar
Assis, JCA, López-Hernández, D, Pulido- Murillo, EA, Melo, AL, and Pinto, HA (2019) A morphological, molecular and life cycle study of the capybara parasite Hippocrepis hippocrepis (Trematoda: Notocotylidae). PLoS ONE 14, e0221662. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221662Google Scholar
Barda, BD, Rinaldi, L, Ianniello, D, Zepherine, H, Salvo, F, Sadutshang, T, Crignoli, G, Clementi, M, and Albonico, M (2013a) Mini-FLOTAC, an innovative direct diagnostic technique for intestinal parasitic infections: experience from the field. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 7(8), e2344. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002344CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barda, B, Zepherine, H, Rinaldi, L, Crignoli, G, Burioni, R, Clementi, M, and Albonico, M (2013b) Mini-FLOTAC and Kato-Katz: helminth eggs watching on the shore of Lake Victoria. Parasites & Vectors 6, 220. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-220CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bonuti, MR, Nascimento, AA, Mapelli, EB, and Arantes, IG (2002) Helmintos gastrintestinais de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) na sub-região de Paiaguás, Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Ciencias Agrarias 23(1), 57–62.Google Scholar
Cañizales, I and Guerrero, R (2013) Chigüire (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) parasites, and parasite diseases. Bol. Acad. C. Fís., Mat. y Nat. 72, 9–22.Google Scholar
Cardoni, DA, Favero, M, and Isacch, JP (2008) Recreational activities affecting the hábitat use by birds in Pampa´s wetlands, Argentina: implications for waterbird conservation. Biological Conservation 141, 797–806.Google Scholar
Carrera-Játiva, PD, Torres, C, Figueroa-Sandoval, F, Beltrami, E, Verdugo, C, Landaeta-Aqueveque, C, and Acosta-Jamett, G (2023) Gastrointestinal parasites in wild rodents in Chiloé Island-Chile. Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Parasitology 32(1), e017022. doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612023002Google Scholar
Casas, MC, Zalles, LM, Patrick, MJ, and Dailey, M (1995) Intestinal helminths of capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) from Bolivia. Journal of the Helminthology Society of Washington 62, 87–88.Google Scholar
Catalano, S, Symeou, A, Marsh, KJ, Borlase, A, Léger, E, Fall, CB, Séne, M, Diouf, ND, Ianniello, D, Crignoli, G, Rinaldi, L, Ba, K, and Webster, JP (2019) Mini-FLOTAC as an alternative, non-invasive diagnostic tool for Schistosoma mansoni and other trematode infections in wildlife reservoirs. Parasites & Vectors 12(1), 439. doi: 10.1186/s13071-019-3613-6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chiacchio, RGD, Prioste, FES, Vanstreels, RET, Knöbl, T, Kolber, M, Miyashiro, SI, and Matushima, ER (2014) Health evaluation and survey of zoonotic pathogens in free-ranging capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50, 496–504. doi: 10.7589/2013-05-109CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coker, SM, Pomroy, WE, Howe, L, MvInnes, K, Vallee, E, and Morgan, KJ (2020) Comparing the Mini-FLOTAC and centrifugal faecal flotation for the detection of coccidia (Eimeria spp.) in kiwi (Apteryx mantelli). Parasitology Research 119, 4287–4290. doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06912-zCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corriale, MJ, Milano, AMF, Gómez-Muñoz, A, and Herrera, EA (2011) Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in a natural population of capybaras Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris in Esteros del Iberá (Argentina). Revista Ibero-latinoamericana de Parasitologia 70(2), 189–196.Google Scholar
Corriale, MJ, Muschetto, E, and Herrera, EA (2013) Influence of group sizes and food resources in home-range sizes of capybaras from Argentina. Journal of Mammalogy 94(1), 19–28.Google Scholar
Costa, CA and Catto, JB (1994) Helminth parasites of capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) on sub-region of Nhecolândia, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul. Revista Brasileira de Biologia 54, 39–48.Google Scholar
Cringoli, G, Maurelli, MP, Levecke, B, Bosco, A, Vercruysse, J, Utzinger, J, and Rinaldi, L (2017) The Mini-FLOTAC technique for the diagnosis of helminth and protozoan infections in humans and animals. Nature Protocols 12(9), 1723–1732. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2017.067CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cueto, G (2012) Diseases of capybara. pp. 168–184 in Moreira, JR, Ferraz, KMPMB, Herrera, EA, and Macdonald, DW (Eds.), Capybara: biology, use and conservation of an exceptional neotropical species. New York, USA, Springer.Google Scholar
Dutra, LAL, de Freitas Almeida, GM, Oliveira, GP, Santos Abrahão, J, Kroon, EG, and de Souza Trindade, G (2017) Molecular evidence of Orthopoxvirus DNA in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) stool samples. Archives of Virology 162, 439–448. doi: 10.1007/s00705-016-3121-3Google Scholar
Eberhardt, AT, Costa, SA, Marini, MR, Racca, A, Baldi, CJ, Robles, MR, Moreno, PG, and Beldoménico, PM (2013) Parasitism and physiological trade-offs in stressed capybaras. PLoS ONE 8(7), e70382. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070382Google Scholar
Eberhardt, MAT (2014) Evaluación de la dinámica de salud en poblaciones de Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris L. 1766 (RODENTIA: Caviidae): intensidad del parasitismo gastrointestinal. Doctoral Thesis. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires.Google Scholar
Eberhardt, AT, Robles, MR, Monje, LD, Beldoménico, PM, and Callejón, R (2019) A new Trichuris species (Nematoda: Trichuridae) from capybaras: morphological-molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships. Acta Tropica 190(2), 244–252.Google Scholar
Fiel, C, Steffan, P, and Ferreira, D (1998) Manual para el diagnóstico de nematodes en bovinos. Técnicas de frecuente utilización en la práctica veterinaria: su interpretación. División de Sanidad Animal de Bayer, Argentina. 57 pp.Google Scholar
Hansen, J and Perry, B (1994) The epidemiology, diagnosis and control of helminth parasites of ruminants. A Handbook, 2nd edn. ILRAD (International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases), Nairobi, Kenya. 171 pp.Google Scholar
Johnson, WL, Reynolds, S, Adkins, CL, Wehus-Tow, B, Brennan, J, Krus, CB, Buttke, D, Martin, JM, and Chelladuraia, JRJJ (2022) A comparison of Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster techniques, overdispersion and prevalence of parasites in naturally infected North American bison (Bison bison) in the USA. Current Research in Parasitology & Vector-Borne Diseases 2, 100103.Google Scholar
Jones, KR, Lall, KR, and Garcia, GW (2019) Endoparasites of selected native non-domesticated mammals in the Neotropics (New World Tropics). Veterinary Sciences 6, 87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lima, VFS, Ramos, RAN, Lepold, R, Borges, JCG, Ferreira, CD, Rinaldi, L, Cringoli, G, and Alves, LC (2017) Gastrointestinal parasites in feral cats and rodents from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinaria 26(4), 521–524. doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612017066CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lobos-Ovalle, D, Navarrete, C, Navedo, JG, Peña-Espinoza, M, and Verdugo, C (2021) Improving the sensitivity of gastrointestinal helminth detection using the Mini-FLOTAC technique in wild birds. Parasitology Research 120, 3319–3324. doi: 10.1007/s00436-021-07267-9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marcer, F, Cassini, R, Parisotto, N, Tessarin, C, and Marchiori, E (2022) A comparative study of Mini-FLOTAC with traditional coprological techniques in the analysis of cetacean fecal samples. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9, 908486. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.908486Google Scholar
Maurelli, MP, Rinaldi, L, Alfano, S, Pepe, P, Coles, GC, and Cringoli, G (2014) Mini-FLOTAC, a new tool for copromicroscopic diagnosis of common intestinal nematodes in dogs. Parasites & Vectors 7, 356. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-356Google Scholar
Moreno, LG, Lord, R, Morales, G, Pino, LA, and Balestrini, C (1999) Parasitismo gastrointestinal de Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris en un hato del Estado de Apure Venezuela. Veterinaria Tropical 24(2), 85–91.Google Scholar
Nielsen, MK (2021) What makes a good fecal egg count technique? Veterinary Parasitology 269, 109509.Google Scholar
Ojasti, J (1973) Estudio biológico del chigüire o capibara. 2nd edn. Caracas, Venezuela, FONAIAP. Caracas.Google Scholar
Ortiz, MI and Rizello, AD (2004) Prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en poblaciones de Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris (Linneaeus, 1766) de la laguna Ibera, provincia de Corrientes. Estado de Avance Universidad del Nordeste. Comunicaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, http://www.unne.edu.ar/Web/cyt/com2004/4-Veterinaria/V-036.pdf.Google Scholar
Periago, MV, Diniz, RC, Pinto, SA, Yakovleva, A, Correa-Oliveira, R, Diemert, DJ, and Bethony, JM (2015) The right tool for the job: detection of soil-transmitted helminths in areas co-endemic for other helminths. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 9, e0003967. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003967Google Scholar
Pozzobon, MV and Tell, G (1995) Estructura y dinámica de la comunidad perifítica sobre Ricciocarpus natans (Hepaticae) de la Laguna de Los Padres (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 30, 199–208.Google Scholar
Preisser, W (2019) Latitudinal gradients of parasite richness: a review and new insights from helminths of cricetid rodents. Ecography 42, 1315–1330. doi: 10.1111/ecog.04254Google Scholar
Preisser, WC, Castellanos, AA, Kinsella, JM, Vargas, R, Gonzalez, E, Fernández, JA, Dronen, NO, Lawing, AM, and Light, JE (2022) Taxonomic scale and community organization impact observed latitudinal gradients of parasite diversity. Journal of Biogeography 49, 617–629. doi: 10.1111/jbi.14322Google Scholar
Team, R Core (2013) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/Google Scholar
Ribeiro, SMB and Amato, SB (2003) Descrição de estruturas associadas com a bolsa copuladora e cone genital de Hydrochoerisnema anomalobursata Arantes and Artigas, 1980 (Trichostrongyloidea, Vianaiidae). Arquivos do Instituto Biológico 70, 165–167.Google Scholar
Ribeiro Fávaro, K, Machado, MS, da Silva Rodrigues Carvalho-Leite, AJ, da Silva, AV, Oda, JY, Machado, AM, and da Silva Rodrigues Machado, AR (2022) Identification of protozoa and helminths in capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) feces that inhabit Lagoa Maior in Tres Lagoas, Brazil, International Journal of Development Research 12(9), 58674–58678.Google Scholar
Robles, MDR, Eberhardt, MAT, Bain, O, and Beldoménico, PM (2013) Redescription of Echinocoleus hydrochoeri (Travassos, 1916) (Nematoda: Trichuridae) from Hydrochoeris hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766 (Rodentia: Caviidae) from Argentina. Journal of Parasitology 99, 624–633. doi: 10.1645/12-64.1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salas, V and Herrera, EA (2004) Intestinal helminthes of capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris from Venezuela. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 99, 563–566.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Santa Cruz, AC, Sarmiento, NF, González, JA, Comolli, JA, and Roux, JP (2005) Parásitos gastrointestinales de carpincho (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) del criadero Marchi-E, Baradero, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Disponible en URL: http://www.unne.edu.ar/Web/cyt/com2005/4-Veterinaria/V-038.pdf.Google Scholar
Santos, FGA, Zamora, LM, and Ribeiro, VMF (2011) Controle de parasitas intestinais de capivaras Hydrochaerus hydrachaeris. criadas em sistema semi-extensivo, no municipio de Senador Guimard Santos, Acre. Acta Veterinaria Brasilica 54, 393–398.Google Scholar
Sinkoc, AL, Müller, G, Brum, JGW, Begrow, A, and Delevatti, C (1995) Helmintos parásitos de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) na Estação Ecológicado Taim, Rio Grande, en: Libro de resúmenes, 19th Congresso Brasileiro da Sociedade de Zoológicos do Brasil, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.Google Scholar
Sinkoc, AL, Brum, FA, Muller, G, and Brum, JGW (2004) Helmintos parásitos de capivara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris L. 1766) na região de Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil. Arquivos do Instituto Biologico (Sao Paulo) 71(3), 329–333.Google Scholar
Sinkoc, AL, Brum, JGW, and Muller, G (2009) Gastrintestinal helminths of capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Linnaeus, 1766) in cattle breeding farm in the area of the ecological reserve of Taim, Rio Grande. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 52(2), 327–333. doi: 10.1590/S1516-89132009000200009Google Scholar
Souza, GTR, Ribeiro, TS, and Antonucci, AM (2015) Endoparasite fauna of wild capybaras Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. Linnaeus, 1766. from the Upper Paraná River Floodplain, Brazil. Aquatic Mammals 41, 213–221.Google Scholar
Souza, SLPD, Benatti, HR, Luz, HR, Costa, FB, Pacheco, RDC, and Labruna, MB (2021) Endoparasites of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) from anthropized and natural areas of Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinaria 30. doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612021049Google Scholar
Uribe, M, Hermosilla, C, Rodríguez-Durán, A, Vélez, J, López-Osorio, S, Chaparro-Gutiérrez, JJ, and Cortés-Vecino, JA (2021) Parasites circulating in wild synanthropic capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris): A one health approach. Pathogens 10, 1152. doi: 10.3390/pathogens10091152Google Scholar
Verdade, LM and Ferraz, KMPMB (2006) Capybaras in an anthropogenic habitat in southeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 66(1b), 371–378.Google Scholar
Wickham, H (2016) ggplot2: elegant graphics for data analysis. New York, Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar