Chiacchio Rosely Gioia-Di, Prioste Fabiola Eloisa Setim, Vanstreels Ralph Eric Thijl, Knöbl Terezinha, Kolber Milton, Miyashiro Samantha Ive, Matushima Eliana Reiko
1 Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology (LAPCOM), Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, 05508-270, São Paulo, Brazil.
J Wildl Dis. 2014 Jul;50(3):496-504. doi: 10.7589/2013-05-109. Epub 2014 Apr 29.
Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the world's largest rodents and play an epidemiologic role in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens, including the causative agents of Brazilian spotted fever, leptospirosis, and others. We surveyed the health of 31 free-ranging capybaras at the Alberto Löfgren State Park, São Paulo, Brazil using a variety of diagnostic methods. Hematology and serum chemistry were consistent with mild malnutrition and parasitism but did not indicate severe physiologic imbalance or disease. All animals were serologically negative for Rickettsia rickettsii, Leishmania spp., and Trypanosoma sp., but antibodies against rabies virus (71%), Leptospira sp. (26%), and Toxoplasma sp. (23%) were detected. Salmonella sp. was not cultured from fecal samples. Frequently cultured enterobacteria included Escherichia coli (61%), Enterococcus casseiflavus (35%), Enterococcus faecalis (35%), Enterobacter aerogenes (32%), Klebisella pneumoniae (32%), and Serratia marcescens (32%). No potentially pathogenic fungi were cultured from hair samples. Fecal parasitology revealed infection by Protozoophaga sp. (58%), Viannella spp. (23%), Strongyloides spp. (10%), and Ancilostomatidae (10%). A total of 218 ticks was retrieved from the animals: Amblyomma sp. larvae and nymphs (43%), A. dubitatum adults (52%), and A. cajennense adults (5%). The capybaras were free from most potentially zoonotic pathogens evaluated; however, the presence of Amblyomma spp. ticks (potential vectors of Rickettsia spp.) and indirect evidence of exposure to the rabies virus, Leptospira sp., and Toxoplasma sp. warrant the maintenance of public health programs and wildlife health monitoring.
水豚（Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris）是世界上最大的啮齿动物，在人畜共患病原体的传播中发挥着流行病学作用，包括巴西斑疹热、钩端螺旋体病等病原体。我们使用多种诊断方法对巴西圣保罗阿尔贝托·洛夫格伦州立公园的31只自由放养水豚的健康状况进行了调查。血液学和血清化学检查结果与轻度营养不良和寄生虫感染相符，但未显示出严重的生理失衡或疾病。所有动物对立氏立克次体、利什曼原虫属和锥虫属的血清学检测均为阴性，但检测到针对狂犬病病毒（71%）、钩端螺旋体属（26%）和弓形虫属（23%）的抗体。粪便样本中未培养出沙门氏菌属。经常培养出的肠杆菌包括大肠杆菌（61%）、黄色肠球菌（35%）、粪肠球菌（35%）、产气肠杆菌（32%）、肺炎克雷伯菌（32%）和粘质沙雷氏菌（32%）。毛发样本中未培养出潜在致病真菌。粪便寄生虫学检查发现感染了原生动物食虫菌属（58%）、维亚内拉属（23%）、类圆线虫属（10%）和钩口科线虫（10%）。从动物身上共采集到218只蜱：钝缘蜱幼虫和若虫（43%）、可疑钝缘蜱成虫（52%）和卡延钝缘蜱成虫（5%）。水豚未感染大多数评估的潜在人畜共患病原体；然而，存在钝缘蜱属蜱（立克次体属的潜在传播媒介）以及接触狂犬病病毒、钩端螺旋体属和弓形虫属的间接证据，因此有必要维持公共卫生计划和野生动物健康监测。
