Gastrointestinal parasites among felids inhabiting the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Published in: Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 131 - 140
• Main Authors: Dib, Laís Verdan, Cronemberger, Cecília, Pereira, Fabiane de Aguiar, Bolais, Paula Forain, Uchôa, Claudia Maria Antunes, Bastos, Otilio Machado Pereira, Amendoeira, Maria Regina Reis, Barbosa, Alynne da Silva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinária 01.04.2018; Colégio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria
• Subjects: Animals; Brazil; Feces - parasitology; Felidae - parasitology; Felídeos silvestres em vida livre; Gastrointestinal Tract - parasitology; helmintos; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - veterinary; PARASITOLOGY; Parks, Recreational; protozoário; tricologia; VETERINARY SCIENCES; Brazil; tricologia; Felídeos silvestres em vida livre; Free-living wild felids; helmintos; protozoário; helminths; protozoa; trichology
• ISSN: 0103-846X; 1984-2961; 1984-2961
• DOI: 10.1590/S1984-296120180016

This study aimed to investigate the species of felids that inhabit the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (Parnaso) and gastrointestinal parasites at various stages of their life cycles in the feces of these animals. Between 2013 and 2015, felid feces were collected from trails in Parnaso. The sampling points were georeferenced. A total of 82 fecal samples were processed, of which 79 were collected on the ground, two from captured felids and one from a necropsied animal. All samples underwent coproparasitological techniques. Samples collected from the environment underwent additional trichological analysis. Fur patterns corresponding to Leopardus guttulus, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii and Puma yagouaroundi were observed in 32 of the samples collected on the soil. High frequency of potentially parasitic evolving forms (88.6%) was observed in felid feces, particularly eggs of the family Diphyllobothriidae (68.6%). Besides, were also detected, eggs of superfamily Ascaridoidea (42.9%), nematode larvae (28.6%), eggs of order Strongylida (28.6%), Capillaria sp. (8.6%), Trichuris sp. (8.6%), eggs of order Spirurida (2.9%), unsporulated coccidian oocysts (8.6%) and Eimeria sp. (2.9%). Felid feces presented higher frequency of polyparasitism (60%) than monoparasitism (28.6%).