Occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild animals living in the Cascavel city park, Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

Digestive and respiratory tracts parasite’s protozoan, Cryptosporidium spp. now-a-days is a major zoonotic agent, it causes self-limiting diarrhea, remaining in the body passively until the moment immune system decreases, leading to an increase in its multiplication in the mucosa and appearance of clinical signs. As there are few studies on cryptosporidiosis in wild free-living and captive animals, especially in Brazil, this study aimed to identify the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in feces of captive animals in Cascavel, PR Municipal Zoo. Between 2011 and 2012 there have been four collections of bird feces and five mammalian feces totaling 65 and 118 samples respectively. Samples were sent to the laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Federal University of Parana. The feces were diluted, centrifuged and the pellets were used to make blades which were stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen modified method and observed under a microscope with 1000X magnification. Then the blades containing the oocysts were observed under a capture microscope, where they were measured. Mammals showed 49.15% and birds 44.61% of positivity. Oocysts’ sizes ranged from 3,54?m to 5,81?m with an average of 4,32?m for birds and 3,11?m to 5,60?m averaging 4,63?m to mammals. As of yet, there isn’t effective treatment against this parasite and considering that it’s a zoonotic disease, preventive measures should be taken to prevent transmission to humans.

Keywords

• Cryptosporidium
• Wild animals
• Ziehl-Neelsen
• Zoonosis.