Ovarian Filariasis in a Wild Southern Tamandua (Tamanduatetradactyla; Mammalia: Myrmecophagidae)

Autor: Lilja Fromme, Débora Regina Yogui, Mario Henrique Alves, Josué Díaz-Delgado, Arnaud Leonard Jean Desbiez, André Luis Quagliatto Santos, Juliana Mariotti Guerra, Marion Langeheine, Ursula Siebert, Ralph Brehm, José Luiz Catão-Dias, Pedro Enrique Navas-Suárez
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Pathogens, Vol 11, Iss 8, p 918 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2076-0817
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080918
Popis: Knowledge of reproductive health in wild southern tamanduas (Tamandua tetradactyla; Mammalia: Myrmecophagidae) is fragmentary. During necropsies of roadkill xenarthran species in Brazil, a case of ovarian filariasis in an adult female southern tamandua was observed. Macroscopically, both ovaries were irregularly enlarged and had numerous smooth protuberances. Histologically, the affected ovarian parenchyma presented adult nematodes (including females with microfilaria) surrounded by pleocellular inflammatory infiltrates. The morphological characteristics of the nematodes were consistent with the superfamily Filarioidea (order Spirurida). The adjacent ovarian parenchyma had developing and atretic follicles at different stages of maturation. Filarial nematodes were not observed in other tissues. The cause of death of this tamandua was fatal acute polytrauma as a consequence of the motor vehicle collision. This case adds to a prior report of ovarian filariasis in two southern tamanduas in Nicaragua and Guatemala, dating back almost 100 years, and suggests filarial infections could potentially have an impact on reproductive success in southern tamanduas and possibly other xenarthrans. Several xenarthran species are under different levels of threat and knowledge of their basic reproductive health is crucial for conservation programs.
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