Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China
The burden of gastrointestinal parasites in zoo animals has serious implications for their welfare and the health of veterinarians and visitors. Zhuyuwan Zoo is located in the eastern suburb of Yangzhou city in eastern China, in which over 40 species of zoo animals are kept. In order to understand t...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| author | Weimin Cai Yu Zhu Feiyan Wang Qianqian Feng Zhizhi Zhang Nianyu Xue Xun Xu Zhaofeng Hou Dandan Liu Jinjun Xu Jianping Tao |
| author_facet | Weimin Cai Yu Zhu Feiyan Wang Qianqian Feng Zhizhi Zhang Nianyu Xue Xun Xu Zhaofeng Hou Dandan Liu Jinjun Xu Jianping Tao |
| author_sort | Weimin Cai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The burden of gastrointestinal parasites in zoo animals has serious implications for their welfare and the health of veterinarians and visitors. Zhuyuwan Zoo is located in the eastern suburb of Yangzhou city in eastern China, in which over 40 species of zoo animals are kept. In order to understand the infection status of GI parasites in Zhuyuwan Zoo, a total of 104 fresh fecal samples collected randomly from birds (<i>n</i> = 19), primates (<i>n</i> = 19), and non-primate mammals (<i>n</i> = 66) were analyzed using the saturated saline flotation technique and nylon sifter elutriation and sieving method for eggs/oocysts, respectively. Two <i>Ascaris</i> species were molecularly characterized. The results showed that the overall prevalence of parasitic infection was 42.3% (44/104). The parasitic infection rate in birds, primates, and non-primate mammals were 26.3% (5/19), 31.6% (6/19), and 50.0% (33/66), respectively. A total of 11 species of parasites were identified, namely, Trichostrongylidae, <i>Capillaria</i> sp., <i>Trichuris</i> spp., <i>Strongyloides</i> spp., <i>Amidostomum</i> sp., <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i>, <i>Parascaris equorum</i>, <i>Paramphistomum</i> spp., <i>Fasciola</i> spp., and <i>Eimeria</i> spp. <i>Paramphistomum</i> spp. eggs were first detected from the captive Père David’s deer, and <i>Fasciola</i> spp. eggs were first reported from sika deer in zoo in China. A sequence analysis of ITS-2 and <i>cox</i>1 showed that the eggs isolated from the African lion (<i>Panthera leo</i> Linnaeus, 1758) were <i>T. leonina</i>, and the eggs from the brown bear (<i>Ursus arctos</i> Linnaeus, 1758) were <i>B. transfuga</i>. The public health threat posed by these potential zoonotic parasitic agents requires attention. These results lay a theoretical foundation for prevention and control of wild animal parasitic diseases at zoos in China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:01:11Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-07c69faa84ec4ea4945515d6a42c185b2024-02-09T15:06:23ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-01-0114337510.3390/ani14030375Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern ChinaWeimin Cai0Yu Zhu1Feiyan Wang2Qianqian Feng3Zhizhi Zhang4Nianyu Xue5Xun Xu6Zhaofeng Hou7Dandan Liu8Jinjun Xu9Jianping Tao10College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaYangzhou Zhuyuwan Zoo, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaThe burden of gastrointestinal parasites in zoo animals has serious implications for their welfare and the health of veterinarians and visitors. Zhuyuwan Zoo is located in the eastern suburb of Yangzhou city in eastern China, in which over 40 species of zoo animals are kept. In order to understand the infection status of GI parasites in Zhuyuwan Zoo, a total of 104 fresh fecal samples collected randomly from birds (<i>n</i> = 19), primates (<i>n</i> = 19), and non-primate mammals (<i>n</i> = 66) were analyzed using the saturated saline flotation technique and nylon sifter elutriation and sieving method for eggs/oocysts, respectively. Two <i>Ascaris</i> species were molecularly characterized. The results showed that the overall prevalence of parasitic infection was 42.3% (44/104). The parasitic infection rate in birds, primates, and non-primate mammals were 26.3% (5/19), 31.6% (6/19), and 50.0% (33/66), respectively. A total of 11 species of parasites were identified, namely, Trichostrongylidae, <i>Capillaria</i> sp., <i>Trichuris</i> spp., <i>Strongyloides</i> spp., <i>Amidostomum</i> sp., <i>Toxascaris leonina</i>, <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i>, <i>Parascaris equorum</i>, <i>Paramphistomum</i> spp., <i>Fasciola</i> spp., and <i>Eimeria</i> spp. <i>Paramphistomum</i> spp. eggs were first detected from the captive Père David’s deer, and <i>Fasciola</i> spp. eggs were first reported from sika deer in zoo in China. A sequence analysis of ITS-2 and <i>cox</i>1 showed that the eggs isolated from the African lion (<i>Panthera leo</i> Linnaeus, 1758) were <i>T. leonina</i>, and the eggs from the brown bear (<i>Ursus arctos</i> Linnaeus, 1758) were <i>B. transfuga</i>. The public health threat posed by these potential zoonotic parasitic agents requires attention. These results lay a theoretical foundation for prevention and control of wild animal parasitic diseases at zoos in China.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/375wildlifeparasiteinvestigation<i>Toxascaris leonina</i><i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i>phylogenetics |
| spellingShingle | Weimin Cai Yu Zhu Feiyan Wang Qianqian Feng Zhizhi Zhang Nianyu Xue Xun Xu Zhaofeng Hou Dandan Liu Jinjun Xu Jianping Tao Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China Animals wildlife parasite investigation <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> phylogenetics |
| title | Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China |
| title_full | Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China |
| title_short | Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Zoo Animals and Phylogenetic Characterization of <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> (Linstow, 1902) and <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> (Rudolphi, 1819) in Jiangsu Province, Eastern China |
| title_sort | prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in zoo animals and phylogenetic characterization of i toxascaris leonina i linstow 1902 and i baylisascaris transfuga i rudolphi 1819 in jiangsu province eastern china |
| topic | wildlife parasite investigation <i>Toxascaris leonina</i> <i>Baylisascaris transfuga</i> phylogenetics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/375 |
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