Parasitological diagnosis of Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1841 and Lutreolina crassicaudata Desmarest, 1804 (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) of free life in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Authors

  • Sandra Márcia Tietz Marques Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7541-9717

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62429/rnh20251921955

Keywords:

Feces, Marsupials, Opossums, Parasites, Zoonoses

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of gastrointestinal parasites in free-living marsupials received at the Veterinary Clinics Hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Fecal samples from nine white-eared opossums (Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1841) and three thick-tailed opossums (Lutreolina crassicaudataDesmarest, 1804) were processed by the Willis and Lutz methods. Both species of marsupials presented nematode eggs and/or protozoan oocysts in their feces. In white-eared opossums, eggs of Ancylostoma spp. Ercolani, 1859 and Capillaria spp. Zeder, 1800 (4/8 - 50%), Ancylostoma spp. and Cruzia tentaculata (Rudolphi, 1819) Travassos, 1917 (2/8 - 25%), C. tentaculata (2/8 - 25%) and oocysts of Eimeria spp. Schneider, 1875 (1/8 - 12.5%) were identified. The only hatchling presented eggs of Ancylostoma spp., Trichuris spp. Roederer, 1761 and Rhopalia coronatus Stiles and Hassall, 1898. The three opossums presented eggs of Ancylostoma spp. (3/3 - 100%) and two also presented oocysts of Eimeria spp. (2/3 - 66.7%). All animals were dewormed and parasitological tests were repeated until negative results. Parasitological diagnosis is a protocol upon admission so that the response to treatment of the underlying pathology occurs without interference from parasitic diseases.

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Published

2025-07-18

How to Cite

Marques, S. M. T. (2025). Parasitological diagnosis of Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1841 and Lutreolina crassicaudata Desmarest, 1804 (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) of free life in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Neotropical Helminthology, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.62429/rnh20251921955