<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Virginia opossum, <italic>Didelphis virginiana</italic>, is a synanthropic mammal associated with peridomestic areas of Yucatán, However, little is known about the gastrointestinal parasite infections of this species. The infection prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites, in opossums captured in the peridomestic areas were estimated in six rural localities of Yucatán, Mexico. Eighty-four faecal samples were processed by flotation technique. McMaster test was used to estimate the number of helminth eggs and protozoa oocysts per gram of feces. Seven genera of gastrointestinal parasites were identified, and then infection prevalence was estimated as follows: Protozoa <italic>Eimeria</italic> sp. (51.9 %) and <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. (1 %); nematodes <italic>Ancylostoma</italic> sp. (80.56 %), <italic>Cruzia</italic> sp. (62.04 %), <italic>Trichuris</italic> sp. (60.19 %), <italic>Capillaria</italic> sp. (29.63 %), <italic>Turgida</italic> sp. (23.15 %), <italic>Toxocara</italic> sp. (11.11 %), and <italic>Ascaris</italic> sp. (1.85 %); and one acanthocephalan: <italic>Oligacanthorhynchus</italic> sp. (14.81 %). This is the first study on the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in Virginia opossums, and first evidence about the potential role of opossums in the transmission of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in peridomestic areas of Yucatán, Mexico.</p></abstract>

Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana, is a synanthropic mammal associated with peridomestic areas of Yucatán, However, little is known about the gastrointestinal parasite infections of this species. The infection prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites, in opossums captured in the peridomestic areas were estimated in six rural localities of Yucatán, Mexico. Eighty-four faecal samples were processed by flotation technique. McMaster test was used to estimate the number of helminth eggs and protozoa oocysts per gram of feces. Seven genera of gastrointestinal parasites were identified, and then infection prevalence was estimated as follows: Protozoa Eimeria sp. (51.9 %) and Sarcocystis sp. (1 %); nematodes Ancylostoma sp. (80.56 %), Cruzia sp. (62.04 %), Trichuris sp. (60.19 %), Capillaria sp. (29.63 %), Turgida sp. (23.15 %), Toxocara sp. (11.11 %), and Ascaris sp. (1.85 %); and one acanthocephalan: Oligacanthorhynchus sp. (14.81 %). This is the first study on the diversity of gastrointestinal parasites in Virginia opossums, and first evidence about the potential role of opossums in the transmission of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in peridomestic areas of Yucatán, Mexico.

Prevalence, abundance and intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites in the opossum <italic>Didelphis virginiana</italic> Kerr, 1792 in Yucatan, Mexico

Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”

Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalence, abundance and intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites in the opossum  Kerr, 1792 in Yucatan, Mexico

Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana, is a synanthropic mammal associated with peridomestic areas of Yucatán, However, little is known about the...

Prevalence, abundance and intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites in the opossum Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792 in Yucatan, Mexico

Published Online: Apr 26, 2018

Page range: 119 - 126

Received: Jul 04, 2017

Accepted: Jan 26, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2018-0008

Keywords
Gastrointestinal parasites, Yucatán, Mexico

© 2018 R. A. Aragón-Pech et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Prevalence, abundance and intensity of eggs and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites in the opossum Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792 in Yucatan, Mexico

Published Online: Apr 26, 2018

Page range: 119 - 126

Received: Jul 04, 2017

Accepted: Jan 26, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2018-0008

KeywordsGastrointestinal parasites, Yucatán, Mexico

© 2018 R. A. Aragón-Pech et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Gastrointestinal parasites, Yucatán, Mexico