Frequency of parasites and Salmonella infection in captive maned-wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, kept in Zoos at the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Thirty-one captive maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus, Illiger 1815) from 11 Zoos at the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were screened to investigate the presence of parasites and Salmonella infection by parasitological diagnostic methods and fecal selective culture. The most frequent ecto and endoparasites found were Ctenocephalides felis (56.2%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (12.5%), Ancylostoma caninum (45.1%), Strongyloides sp. (29.0%), Uncinaria stenocephala (3.2%), Capillaria sp. (3.2%), Entamoeba sp. (22.9%), Sarcocystis sp. (29.0%), Cryptosporidium sp. (19.3%), Eimeria sp. (19.3%), Giardia sp. (9.6%) and Isospora sp. (3.2%). Four different serotypes of Salmonella were identified in six animals (25%). Only one infected animal showed clinical signs of diarrhea. The ability to harbor Salmonella spp. as normal nonpathogenic bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract may be a physiological adaptation of this specie.

Keywords

• Maned-wolf
• Chrysocyon brachyurus
• parasite
• Salmonella spp.
• zoo