Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Viçosa, Av. PH Rolfs, s/n, University Campus, Vicosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil.
University of the State of Minas Gerais, Av. Juca Stockler, 1130, Nossa Sra. das Gracas, Passos, MG, 37900-106, Brazil.
Parasitol Res. 2020 Jul;119(7):2343-2346. doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06708-1. Epub 2020 May 21.
Marsupials of the genus Didelphis, such as black-eared opossums (Didelphis aurita), are common synanthropic animals in urban areas of Brazil. These marsupials are frequently parasitized by numerous helminth species, including ancylostomatid nematodes. This study aimed to report the occurrence of Ancylostoma caninum in black-eared opossums captured in an urban environment of Southeastern Brazil and discuss the potential impact of these findings for public health. From January to June 2019, we collected fecal samples from 49 restrained opossums and evaluated by a simple flotation method; Helminth eggs were observed at different magnifications and identified according to morphological and morphometric features. Genomic DNA was extracted from Ancylostomatidae eggs and screened by duplex PCR for Ancylostoma spp. and Necator americanus using primers that amplify a region of internal transcribed spacer 2 and the 28S ribosomal RNA (ITS2-28S rRNA). Ancylostoma spp. eggs were detected in 65.3% (32/49) of the animals. Sequence analysis revealed 100% homology with A. caninum sequences from GenBank. Our results demonstrate a new host-parasite interaction for A. caninum, suggesting that black-eared opossums may participate in the zoonotic cycle of this parasite in urban areas of Brazil.
袋鼬属的有袋动物，如黑耳负鼠（Didelphis aurita），是巴西城市地区常见的共生动物。这些有袋动物经常被多种寄生虫物种寄生，包括旋尾线虫。本研究旨在报告在巴西东南部城市环境中捕获的黑耳负鼠中出现的犬钩口线虫，并讨论这些发现对公共卫生的潜在影响。2019 年 1 月至 6 月，我们从 49 只被束缚的负鼠中收集粪便样本，并通过简单的漂浮法进行评估；在不同放大倍数下观察到寄生虫卵，并根据形态学和形态计量学特征进行鉴定。从旋尾线虫卵中提取基因组 DNA，并使用扩增内部转录间隔区 2 和 28S 核糖体 RNA（ITS2-28S rRNA）区域的引物，通过双重 PCR 对Ancylostoma spp.和美洲板口线虫进行筛选。在 65.3%（32/49）的动物中检测到 Ancylostoma spp.卵。序列分析显示与 GenBank 中的犬钩口线虫序列完全同源。我们的结果表明犬钩口线虫有一个新的宿主-寄生虫相互作用，表明黑耳负鼠可能参与巴西城市地区这种寄生虫的人畜共患循环。
