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º
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Neotropical Helminthology
Neotropical Helminthology, 2024, vol. 18 (2), 107-115
ORIGINAL ARTICLE / ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL
GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITISM BY HELMINTHS AND PROTOZOA
IN WILD BIRDS RESCUED FROM TRAFFICKING IN RIVERSIDE
COMMUNITIES ON THE SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER, SERGIPE, BRAZIL
PARASITISMO GASTROINTESTINAL POR HELMINTOS E
PROTOZOÁRIOS EM A VES SILVESTRES RESGATADAS DO TRÁFICO
EM COMUNIDADES RIBEIRINHAS DO R IO SÃO FRANCISCO,
SERGIPE, BRASIL
PARASITISMO GASTROINTESTINAL POR HELMINTOS Y PROTOZOOS
EN AVES SILVESTRES RESCATADAS DEL TRÁFICO EN COMUNIDADES
RIBERAS DEL RÍO SÃO FRANCISCO, SERGIPE, BRASIL
Anna Luiza Hora dos Santos
1,9
, João Victor Batista dos Santos
1,9
, Sof a Cerqueira Schettino
2
, José
Augusto de Santana Júnior
4
, Elpídio Vicente dos Santos Júnior
5
, Lucas de Oliveira Souza
6
, Aline
Borba dos Santos
3
, André Mota Alves
7,9
& Victor Fernando Santana Lima
1,7,8,9*
ISSN Versión Impresa 2218-6425 ISSN Versión Electrónica 1995-1403
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.62429/rnh20242181784
Universidad Nacional
Federico Villarreal
Volume 18, Number 2 (jul - dic) 2024
Este artículo es publicado por la revista Neotropical Helminthology de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemática, Universidad Nacional Federico
Villarreal, Lima, Perú auspiciado por la Asociación Peruana de Helmintología e Invertebrados Af nes (APHIA). Este es un artículo de acceso abierto,
distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Atribución 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0) [https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
deed.es] que permite el uso, distribución y reproducción en cualquier medio, siempre que la obra original sea debidamente citada de su fuente original.
1
Departamento de Medicina Veterinária do Sertão, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Nossa Senhora da Glória – SE, Brasil.
2
Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão – SE, Brasil.
3
Administração Estadual do Meio Ambiente, Governo do Estado de Sergipe, Aracaju – SE, Brasil.
4
Centro da Terra, Aracaju – SE, Brasil.
5
Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão – SE, Brasil.
6
Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão – SE, Brasil.
7
Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão – SE, Brasil.
8
Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Lagarto – SE, Brasil.
9
Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias dos Animais, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Nossa Senhora da Glória – SE, Brasil.
*
Corresponding author: victor.fslima@gmail.com
Anna Luiza Hora dos Santos:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4031-5045
João Victor Batista dos Santos:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6554-3597
Sof a Cerqueira Schettino:
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5869-1262
José Augusto de Santana Júnior:
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2817-0370
Elpídio Vicente dos Santos Júnior:
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5869-1262
Lucas de Oliveira Souza:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8917-6069
Aline Borba dos Santos:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5472-6822
André Mota Alves:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9150-5287
Victor Fernando Santana Lima:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7255-0664
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ABSTRACT
Illegal wildlife trafcking is a practice that represents a signifcant threat to biodiversity and public health in many
regions of the world. Birds that are victims of trafcking are subjected to conditions of stress and confnement that favor
the proliferation of parasites, compromising animal health and well-being. Furthermore, some of these parasites have
zoonotic potential, posing an additional risk to human health. Terefore, this study aims to identify the gastrointestinal
parasites present in wild birds originating from trafcking in the São Francisco River Basin region, providing important
information about the risks to bird health and human health. Fecal samples were collected from wild birds (n=80) from the
orders Passeriformes, Columbiformes, and Psitaciformes. Te samples were analyzed using two parasitological techniques:
Mini – FLOTAC© and centrifugal-sedimentation with Ziehl-Neelsen staining, to identify the presence of gastrointestinal
parasites. Te results indicate a prevalence of helminths, such as
Capillaria
sp. (1.5%) and Trichostrongylidae (32.8%),
and protozoa, such as
Eimeria
sp. (5%),
Isospora
sp. (53,7%),
Cryptosporidium
sp. (83.7) and
Entamoeba
sp. (44.8%).
Furthermore, these parasites compromise animal health and well-being, causing clinical signs such as diarrhea, loss of
appetite, weight loss, and death. In short, identifying gastrointestinal parasites in wild birds rescued from trafcking in
riverside communities is essential to understanding the risks to bird health and public health in the region.
Keywords:
birdlife – helminths – protozoa – zoonosis
RESUMO
O tráfco ilegal de animais silvestres é uma prática que representa uma ameaça signifcativa para a biodiversidade e
para a saúde pública em muitas regiões do mundo. As aves vítimas do tráfco são submetidas a condições de estresse e
confnamento que favorecem a proliferação dos parasitos, comprometendo a saúde e o bem-estar animal. Além disso,
alguns desses parasitos apresentam potencial zoonótico, sendo um risco adicional para a saúde humana. Diante de
exposto, o objetivo desse estudo é relatar o parasitismo gastrointestinal por helmintos e protozoários em aves silvestres
resgatadas do tráfco de animais em comunidades ribeirinhas do Rio São Francisco, Sergipe, Brasil, fornecendo importantes
informações sobre os riscos à saúde das aves e à saúde humana. Foram coletadas amostras fecais de aves silvestres (n=80)
pertencentes às ordens Passeriformes, Columbiformes e Psitaciformes. As amostras foram analisadas a partir de duas
técnicas parasitológicas: Mini – FLOTAC© e centrífugo-sedimentação com coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen, para identifcar
a presença de parasitos gastrointestinais. Os resultados indicam parasitismo por helmintos, como
Capillaria
sp. (1.5%)
e Trichostrongylidae (32.8%), e protozoários, como
Eimeria
sp. (5%),
Isospora
sp. (53,7%),
Cryptosporidium
sp. (83.7)
e
Entamoeba
sp. (44.8%). Esses parasitos comprometem a saúde e bem-estar animal, ocasionando sinais clínicos como
diarreia, inapetência, perda de peso e morte. Em suma, a identifcação de parasitos gastrointestinais em aves silvestres
resgatadas do tráfco em comunidades ribeirinhas é essencial para compreender os riscos à saúde das aves e à saúde pública
na região. Além disso, destaca a necessidade de medidas de controle e prevenção das parasitoses, visando promover a
conservação da biodiversidade e a sustentabilidade dos ecossistemas ribeirinhos.
Palavras-chave:
avifauna
–
helmintos – protozoários – zoonoses
RESUMEN
El tráfco ilegal de animales silvestres es una práctica que representa una amenaza signifcativa para la biodiversidad y
la salud pública en muchas regiones del mundo. Las aves víctimas del tráfco son sometidas a condiciones de estrés y
confnamiento que favorecen la proliferación de parásitos, comprometiendo la salud y el bienestar animal. Además,
algunos de estos parásitos presentan potencial zoonótico, siendo un riesgo adicional para la salud humana. Ante lo
expuesto, el objetivo de este estudio es reportar el parasitismo gastrointestinal por helmintos y protozoarios en aves silvestres
rescatadas del tráfco de animales en comunidades ribereñas del Río São Francisco, Sergipe, Brasil, proporcionando
información importante sobre los riesgos para la salud de las aves y la salud humana. Se recolectaron muestras fecales de
aves silvestres (n=80) pertenecientes a las órdenes Passeriformes, Columbiformes y Psittaciformes. Las muestras fueron
analizadas mediante dos técnicas parasitológicas: Mini-FLOTAC© y centrifugación-sedimentación con coloración
de Ziehl-Neelsen, para identifcar la presencia de parásitos gastrointestinales. Los resultados indican parasitismo por
helmintos, como
Capillaria
sp. (1,5%) y Trichostrongylidae (32,8%), y protozoarios, como
Eimeria
sp. (5%),
Isospora
sp. (53,7%),
Cryptosporidium
sp. (83,7) y
Entamoeba
sp. (44,8%). Asimismo, estos parásitos comprometen la salud y
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el bienestar animal, ocasionando signos clínicos como diarrea, inapetencia, pérdida de peso y muerte. En resumen, la
identifcación de parásitos gastrointestinales en aves silvestres rescatadas del tráfco en comunidades ribereñas es esencial
para comprender los riesgos para la salud de las aves y la salud pública en la región. Además, destaca la necesidad
de medidas de control y prevención de parasitosis, con el fn de promover la conservación de la biodiversidad y la
sostenibilidad de los ecosistemas ribereños.
Palabras clave
: avifauna – helmintos – protozoarios – zoonosis
INTRODUCTION
Brazil stands out as a country that is home to a signifcant
portion of global biodiversity, due to the vast expanses
that comprise diferent biomes (Charity & Ferreira,
2020). However, among the persistent threats to this
biodiversity, wildlife trafcking stands out (ICMBio,
2018). Te increase in surveillance regarding this practice
in Brazil reveals a notable increase in seizures made by
environmental agencies, concomitantly highlighting the
limitations in efectively combating this illegal activity
(Rabelo
et al
., 2015; Miranda & Dos Anjos, 2022).
In this context, birds stand out as the main targets of
wildlife trafcking, due to their notable diversity of
species, variation in plumage colors, and richness of
songs, combined with their wide geographic distribution
(Ribeiro & Silva, 2007; RENCTAS, 2014). After being
seized and undergoing rehabilitation processes, the
success of their return to their natural habitat is linked to
several factors, such as the expression of natural behaviors,
the genetic characteristics of the rescued species, and the
maintenance of health (De Azevedo
et al
., 2016).
Te susceptibility of wild birds to parasitism is infuenced
by several factors, including their species, contacts,
and the conditions of the environment in which they
live. Furthermore, birds face signifcant challenges in
captivity, where stress becomes an additional catalyst for
the development of parasites (Boll
et al
., 2017).
Gastrointestinal parasites are considerable threats,
resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Clinical
signs associated with these infestations include diarrhea,
loss of appetite, weight loss, and anemia, contributing
to a negative impact on the health and well-being of
birds and, consequently, on the conservation of the
species (Reed
et al
., 2012). Furthermore, some of these
etiological agents have a zoonotic potential and can also
compromise public health, generating social, economic,
and environmental impacts (Saegerman
et al
., 2012).
For laboratory diagnosis, fecal parasitological analysis
methods are used, with the Mini – FLOTAC© technique
being a prominent option. Tis technique makes it
possible to identify parasite eggs, oocysts, and larvae, and
also determine the parasite load (Cringoli
et al
., 2017).
Another method used is centrifugal sedimentation with
Ziehl-Neelsen staining, which can be used to diagnose
infections by the potentially zoonotic protozoan
Cryptosporidium
sp. (Silva
et al.,
2016).
Considering the damage caused by gastrointestinal
parasites, carrying out new studies becomes essential
to contribute to the preservation of threatened species.
Given the above, the present study aims to identify
gastrointestinal parasites in wild birds rescued from
trafcking in riverside communities along the São
Francisco River, Sergipe.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In this work, a retrospective study was carried out on
the medical records of wild birds victims of trafcking
referred and treated by the multidisciplinary team of the
7th stage of the Integrated Preventive Inspection (FPI)
in the state of Sergipe (10°54'40'' S and 37°04'18'' W),
Northeast of Brazil in the year 2023. FPI actions took
place in 14 municipalities in Sergipe in the São Francisco
River Basin: Amparo de São Francisco (10° 9' 58''S and
36° 56' 5'' W), Aquidabã (10° 16' 58'' S and 37° 1' 12''
W), Capela (10° 30' 38'' S and 37° 3' 18'' W), Graccho
Cardoso (10° 13' 42'' S and 37° 12' 9' ' W), Japaratuba
(10° 35' 43'' S and 36° 56' 24'' W), Malhada dos Bois
(10° 20' 53''S and 36° 55' 23'' W), Pirambu ( 10° 40'
42'' S and 36° 52' 25'' W), Nossa Senhora da Glória (10°
13' 0'' S and 37° 25' 27'' W), Monte Alegre (10° 1' 35'' S
and 37° 33' 31'' W), Nossa Senhora de Lourdes (10° 19'
12'' S and 36° 34' 44'' W), Itabi (10° 7' 11'' S and 37° 6'
18'' W), Canhoba (10° 8' 15'' and 36° 59' 16''W), Feira
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Nova (10° 16' 4'' S and 37° 18' 37'' W ) and Muribeca
(10° 25' 39' S and 36° 57' 45'' W).
Te experimental design used in this study is classifed
as cross-sectional with a collection of fecal samples from
birds that were victims of trafcking and identifcation of
gastrointestinal parasites present at a single moment in
municipalities visited during the 7
th
stage of FPI in the
state of Sergipe.
Pools of fecal samples (n=80) were collected through
spontaneous defecation from 400 wild birds (400/80
= 5 bird/pool), rescued during actions carried out by
the Fauna Team in Integrated Preventive Inspection
(FPI), during the year 2023, in the state of Sergipe.
Te specimens belonged to the following three orders:
Columbiformes (n = 20), Psittaciformes (n = 50), and
Passeriformes (n = 330) (Table 1) (Fig. 1). Te
pools
were
obtained from specimens of diferent species, ages and
sexes, depending on the number of individuals present
in the enclosure. Fecal samples were collected through
spontaneous defecation, with only the fecal material
present on the foor of the cages being collected, after
clinical evaluation of the animals. All samples were
identifed, placed in collection tubes, and refrigerated at
8°C until processing.
Table 1:
Number
of bird species
and wild animals included in the study.
OrderSpecies
Number of
specimens
Columbiformes
Columbina squammata
(Lesson, 1831)20
Passeriformes
Cacicus cela
(Linnaeus, 1758)
, Coryphospingus pileatus
(Wied,
1821)
, Cyanoloxia brissonii
(Lichtenstein, 1823)
, Dolospingus
fringilloides
(Pelzeln, 1870)
, Euphonia chlorotica
(Linnaeus, 1766),
Gnorimopsar chopi
(Vieillot, 1819),
Icterus jamacaii
(Gmelin,
1788)
, Icterus pyrrhopterus
(Vieillot, 1819)
, Mimus gilvus
(Vieillot,
1807)
, Paroaria coronata
(Miller, 1776)
, Piranga fava
(Vieillot,
1822)
, Schistochlamys rufcapillus
(Vieillot, 1817)
Genus
Sicalis
,
Sicalis faveola
(Linnaeus, 1766)
, Sicalis luteola
(Sparrman, 1789)
,
Spinus magellanica
(Vieillot, 1805)
,
Genus Sporophila
, Sporophila
albogularis
(Spix, 1825)
, Sporophila
angolensis
(Linnaeus, 1766)
,
Sporophila
bouvreuil
(Muller, 1776)
, Sporophila lineola
(Linnaeus,
1758)
, Sporophila nigricolis
(Vieillot, 1823)
, Traupis sayaca
(Linnaeus, 1766)
, Turdus rufventris
(Linnaeus, 1766)
, Volatinia
jacarina
(Linnaeus, 1766) and
Zonotrich ia capensis
( Muller, 1776)
330
Psittaciformes
Alipiopsitta xanthops
(Spix, 1824)
, Amazona amazonica
(Linnaeus,
1766)
, Aratinga auricapillus
(Kuhl, 1820)
, Eupsittula aurea
(Gmelin,
1788) and
Primolius maracana
(Vieillot, 1816)
50
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Figure 1
. Wild birds of the Psittaciformes and Columbiformes orders rescued from animal trafcking in
riverside communities on the São Francisco River, Sergipe, Brazil (A) Birds of the species
Eupsittula aurea
(B)
Specimens of the species
Columbina squammata.
To compile the data, the following information was
obtained, analyzed and grouped: general taxonomic
data of the bird, requested examination, parasitological
technique performed, structure and gastrointestinal
parasite detected (Henriksen & Pohlenz, 1981; Cringoli
et al
., 2013). Records with incomplete data were classifed
as "not noteworthy" (NWN) and were not included in
this study. All statistical data were analyzed by InStat
GraphPad software (GraphPad Sotfware, 2000), with a
signifcance level of p<0.05.
Ethical Aspects
Tis study was carried out with ethical aspects since
secondary data from an action by the Public Ministry of
Sergipe (MP) were used, which authorized the analysis
and use of the data.
RESULTS
Overall, 83.7% (67/80) of the samples analyzed were
positive for gastrointestinal parasites, regardless of the
diagnostic technique. Monoparasitism was observed
in 59.7% (n=40), while co-infections were identifed
in 40.3% (n=27) of the animals. Among the positive
samples, 4.5% were in birds of the order Columbiformes,
10.4% in Psittaciformes and 85.1% in Passeriformes.
In the birds rescued during the inspection action, six
types of gastrointestinal endoparasites were identifed,
belonging to the phyla Nematoda and Protozoa. Protozoa
were the most frequent, with emphasis on oocysts of
Isospora
sp. (53.7%),
Eimeria
sp. (5%),
Cryptosporidium
sp. (83.7%), in addition to
Entamoeba
sp. (44.8%).
Regarding the phylum Nematoda, nematode eggs from
the family Trichostrongylidae (32.8%) and the genus
Capillaria
(1.5%) were detected in the samples (Fig. 2).
Figure 2.
Egg and oocysts of gastrointestinal parasites identifed in fecal samples from birds
rescued from trafcking in riverside communities on the São Francisco River (A) Nematode egg
from the Trichostrongylidae Family and (B) Oocysts of the protozoan
Cryptosporidium
sp.
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In passerine birds, the following gastrointestinal
endoparasites were diagnosed: oocysts of
Isospora
sp.
(65.1%),
Cryptosporidium
sp. (86.36%),
Entamoeba
sp. (39.4%) and Trichostrongylidae eggs (28.8%). In
Columbiformes birds (
Columbina squammata
), two types
of gastrointestinal parasites were identifed:
Eimeria
sp.
(75%) and
Cryptosporidium
sp. (25%). Finally, fve types of
enteroparasites were detected in Psittaciformes:
Capillaria
sp. (5.9%),
Eimeria
sp. (36.8%),
Cryptosporidium
sp.
(63.2%),
Entamoeba
sp. (57.3%) and Trichostrongylidae
(19.1%).
Regarding the clinical aspects of birds infected and/or
parasitized by helminths and protozoa, diferent clinical
signs were observed, with emphasis on apathy, diarrhea,
inappetence, cachexia, prostration, and rufed feathers.
DISCUSSION
Parasitic diseases represent one of the most common and
signifcant health issues afecting wild birds. In captivity,
they are exposed to handling conditions that make them
susceptible to gastrointestinal parasites (Boll
et al.,
2017).
Tese conditions include stress, overcrowding, poor
hygiene, malnutrition, and space constraints (Sprenger
et
al
., 2018).
Furthermore, it is important to highlight that
gastrointestinal parasites can occur asymptomatically.
However, when there is a high parasite load, afected
animals show signs such as apathy, diarrhea, rufed
feathers, prostration, loss of appetite, and cachexia
(Cubas
et al
., 2014). Tese changes were observed in
birds evaluated in this study. Other clinical signs resulting
from infection with gastrointestinal parasites include
intussusception, intestinal obstruction, and, in more
severe cases, death (Papini
et al
., 2012; Lima
et al
., 2017).
Regarding the protozoan
Cryptosporidium
sp., a positivity
of 83.75% (67/80) was identifed in samples from the
three orders studied. Passeriformes presented a positivity
rate equal to 86.36% (57/66), a higher result than that
of Psittaciformes, whose positivity was 63.23% (8/9),
and Columbiformes, which was equal to 25% (1/4).
Cryptosporidiosis has been reported in several species of wild
and captive birds around the world (Ryan, 2010). In general,
the infection is asymptomatic, but in immunosuppressed
individuals, it causes enterocolitis, diarrhea, and death.
Considering that cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease, it
is necessary to adopt preventive measures to avoid human
and animal infection (Snak
et al
., 2015).
Te coccidia
Isospora
sp. was detected exclusively in
the fecal samples of the Passeriformes evaluated, with
positivity equal to 65.1% (43/66). According to Knight
et al.
(2018),
Isospora
sp. is the coccidia that has the
highest prevalence in birds of the order Passeriformes,
which reinforces the data obtained in this study. Te
clinical manifestations of isosporiasis in Passeriformes
include weight loss, malabsorption, poor digestion, and
even death, signs observed in the birds treated (Giacomo
et al.,
1997).
Another coccidia,
Eimeria
sp., was identifed in
Columbiformes and Psittaciformes birds, with positivity
equal to 75.0% (3/4) and 11.1% (1/9), respectively.
Tis genus of protozoan is commonly found in
Columbiformes, including the species evaluated in this
study,
Columbina talpacoti
(Jamriska & Modry, 2012). It
is worth highlighting that, in general, coccidiosis causes
clinical signs such as diarrhea, apathy, progressive weight
loss, rufed feathers, lethargy, feces stuck to the cloaca,
dehydration, weakness, and death, especially in young
birds, manifestations commonly observed in the animals
evaluated. in this study (Marietto – Gonçalves
et al
.,
2009; Barreto, 2014).
Te protozoan
Entamoeba
sp. was identifed in the orders
Passeriformes and Psitaciformes, with positivity of 39.4%
(26/66) and 57.3% (4/9), respectively. Studies that
identifed gastrointestinal parasites in the same orders of
birds corroborate these fndings (Sousa
et al
., 2018; Souza
et al
., 2019; Prazeres Júnior
et al
., 2024). According to
Graczyk
et al.
(2008), the high frequency of
Entamoeba
sp.
in birds, indicates a high degree of anthropization in the
environment. Terefore, the presence of this protozoan
in fecal samples from birds that are victims of trafcking
constitutes yet another problem with this illegal activity.
Te nematode
Capillaria
sp. was identifed in fecal
samples from a specimen of
Amazona amazonica
(5.8%).
Santos
et al.
(2022) described the presence of the parasite
in this species in a study also carried out in the state of
Sergipe. Te clinical signs of capillariasis are hemorrhagic
diarrhea, anorexia, loss of appetite, progressive weight
loss, and death (Gómez
et al.,
1993).
Trichostrongylidae eggs were identifed in the Passeri
-
formes and Psittaciformes samples, with positivity of
28.79% (19/66) and 19.11% (2/9), respectively. Te
data corroborate the study carried out by Lima
et al
.
(2017), who identifed this parasite in fecal samples
from captive birds in the state of Sergipe. Trichostron
-
gylidae is one of the most common gastrointestinal
parasites in birds living in captivity, mainly immuno
-
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suppressed Columbiformes and Psittaciformes (Freitas,
2002).
In the present study, the centrifugal-sedimentation
method with Ziehl – Neelsen staining showed a higher
level of positivity (16.2%) compared to the Mini
– FLOTAC© technique (12.5%). Te centrifuge-
sedimentation method is easy to perform, quick, low cost,
and has good sensitivity, being the most used method in
Brazil for the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis (Ortolani,
2000).
Wild animals can be carriers and reservoirs of parasitic
diseases, afecting the health of natural and domestic
ecosystems (Freitas, 2002). Some gastrointestinal parasites
identifed in the seized birds evaluated in this study have
zoonotic potential, such as
Cryptosporidium
sp., which
in immunosuppressed individuals can cause death. It is
crucial to carry out parasitological studies to identify and
control parasites that can afect birds, preventing their
spread to other species, including humans (Papini
et al
.,
2012).
Terefore, the identifcation of gastrointestinal parasites
in wild birds rescued from riverside communities on
the São Francisco River in the state of Sergipe, Brazil
is relevant to understanding the impacts of illegal bird
trafcking on the health of poultry populations and the
public health of these communities. By identifying the
parasites present in birds, especially those with zoonotic
potential, such as nematodes and protozoa, the risks to
human health can be assessed. Furthermore, the study
can contribute to the development of conservation and
environmental education strategies in riverside regions,
protecting local biodiversity and promoting awareness
about the negative impacts of wildlife trafcking.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank the general coordination of Integrated Preventive
Inspection: São Francisco River Basin Committee,
Federal Public Ministry, State Public Ministry of Sergipe,
and Public Ministry of Labor; to Mr. Antônio Luiz dos
Santos and Mr. Jailson Nunes dos Santos; to the Federal
Highway Police and all collaborators of the Fauna Team;
and to other bodies and entities involved in holding FPI/
SE 2023.
Author contributions: CRediT (Contributor Roles
Taxonomy)
ALHS
= Anna Luiza Hora dos Santos
JVBS
= João Victor Batista dos Santos
SCS
= Sofa Cerqueira Schettino
JASJ
= José Augusto de Santana Júnior
EVSJ
= Elpídio Vicente dos Santos Júnior
LOS
= Lucas de Oliveira Souza
ABS
= Aline Borba dos Santos
AMA
= André Mota Alves
VFSL
= Victor Fernando Santana Lima
Conceptualization
: VFSL, JVBS, ALHS, SCS
Data curation
: VFSL, JVBS, ALHS, SCS
Formal Analysis
: VFSL, JVBS, ALHS, SCS
Funding acquisition
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ, LOS,
ABS, AMA
Investigation
: VFSL, JVBS, ALHS, SCS
Methodology
: VFSL, JVBS, ALHS, SCS
Project administration
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ,
LOS, ABS, AMA
Resources
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ, LOS, ABS, AMA
Software
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ, LOS, ABS, AMA
Supervision
: VFSL
Validation
: VFSL
Visualization
: VFSL, AMA
Writing – original draft
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ,
LOS, ABS, AMA
Writing – review & editing
: ALHS, JVBS, JASJ, EVSJ,
LOS, ABS, AMA
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