Mortality of cebus apella by molineus torulosus parasitism in midwestern Brazil
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2013
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Background: Wild and captivity monkeys are infested by several parasites species, mainly, Strongyloides sp. and Acanthocephala
sp, which has been identifi ed as the major causes of illness and death. However, Molineus torulosus is a
pathogenic nematode found in Neotropical New World Primates and causes severe illness in small primates due to severe
gastrointestinal injury. In South America, the parasite was described in Cebus apella and C. olivecaeus from French Guyana
and were verifi ed the occurrence in tropical forests. Thus, it is the fi rst report about M. torulosus infestation in capitivity
capuchin monkeys in Brazil.
Case: Two capuchin monkeys were presented for necropsy. According to veterinarian the monkeys had about fi ve years
old and weighed 0.9 kg and lived in a particular park in urban with 20 to 30 capuchin monkeys group. The veterinarian
described that six capuchin monkeys were found dead in two months period. One of the monkeys were found dead and another
one had respiratory disturbance, apathy, prostration, cyanotic mucosa, feces with green coloration and death after four
days in observation and isolation of the group. Necropsy confi rmed emaciation and moderate splenomegaly, great amount
of fi brin on the intestine and presence of multifocal 1 to 2 cm nodules in small intestine with numerous parasites mainly
initial portion. In the small intestine, were found several free helminthes in the feces. No parasite was attached in the gut
wall. The parasites in the nodules were submitted to a standard nematode key identifi cation, confi rming the infestation
by M. torulosus. The parasites were small, slender, pale red, of 4 to 6 mm length. There were no signifi cant macroscopic
fi ndings in the other organ systems. The histological examination of nodules sections revealed an intense granulomatous
infl ammatory response surrounded by proliferating fi brous connective tissue and the central portion contained a mass of
nematode parasites and their eggs surrounded by eosinophilic debris. The small intestine revealed the presence of eggs and
larvae at the villi, epithelium and crypts necrosis areas, villi atrophy and congestion, mononuclear infl ammatory reaction.
Discussion: There are no reports of Molineus torulosus parasitism in captivity capuchin monkeys in Brazil. The clinical
signs described in the present case were unspecifi c and the parasite identifi cation was a necropsy found. However, the
infestation with M. torulosus was associated with enteritis and diarrhea. The parasite causes hemorrhagic or ulcerative
enteritis, sometimes associated with diverticula of the intestinal wall. Furthermore, the capuchin monkeys death in the
present case was assigned with a fi brinous peritonitis and septicemia because a gut wall necrosis caused by M. torulosus
infestation. Thus, the high density of M. torulosus in the small intestine is believed to be responsible for the death of these
capuchin monkeys. The present report identifi es the nematode M. torulosus and associated with capuchin monkey mortality.
Thus, the present case also highlights the importance of performing a complete necropsy on monkeys, including thorough
examination of the gastrointestinal system, and stresses the value of saving fresh tissues for diagnostic procedures including
parasite recovery and identifi cation.
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Capuchin monkey, Cebus apella, Molineus torulosus, Enteritis, Nematode, Parasitic granuloma
Citação
MIGUEL, Marina Pacheco; DUARTE, Sabrina Castilho; SANTOS, Adriana Silva; MATOS, Moema Pacheco Chediak; SOUZA, Marcos de Almeida. Mortality of cebus apella by molineus torulosus parasitism in midwestern Brazil. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, Porto Alegre, v. 41, supl. 1, p. 1-1, 2013.