Endoparasites of Selected Native Non-Domesticated Mammals in the Neotropics (New World Tropics)

Abstract

In this review, information was summarized on endoparasites found in six non-domesticated neotropical animals. These mammals have the potential to be domesticated. The animals included three rodents, agouti ( Dasyprocta leporina), lappe ( Agouti paca), and capybara ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris); a marsupial, manicou ( Didelphis marsupialis insularis); and an artiodactyl, the collared peccary ( Tayassu tajacu/ Peccari tajacu) and a ruminant (the red brocket deer, Mazama americana). While there are many descriptions of the parasites present, the majority of publications failed to note the effect of them on the animals. Most information is available on endoparasites of capybara, while the endoparasites of the red brocket deer were the least reported. The manicou was reported to have had the most number of endoparasites, 44 species of parasites were reported, while there were only 24 endoparasites reported in the lappe. The most common parasites found in these neotropical animals were Paraspidodera uncinata, Strongyloides spp., Eimeria spp., Moniezia benedeni, Trichuris spp., Physocephalus spp., and Giardia spp. A large majority of the studies concluded that these animals were reservoirs for parasites that could affect domesticated livestock. Endoparasites of zoonotic significance were Echinoccocus spp., Trichuris spp., Giardia spp., and Cryptosporidium spp.