Levantamento de helmintos em quatis Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766 (Carnivora: Procyonidae) do Parque das Mangabeiras, Belo Horizonte - MG

Abstract

The coati (Nasua nasua) is a medium-sized carnivore, a member of the Procyonidae family that has a wide geographic distribution, gregarious and anthropophilic habits. Common in conservation units, N. nasua commonly reaches high population densities in urban areas, presenting close association with humans and / or domestic animals. These animals can be parasitized by various species of helminths. However, in Brazil, there are few studies on the occurrence and morphological description of the parasitological fauna of these animals. The objective of this study was to identify morphologically and / or molecularly the helmintofauna recovered from necropsy of quatis, adults and pups of both sexes, found dead by trampling, in the Mangabeiras Park and its surroundings, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. From August 2016 to August 2018, the animals were necropsied at the Veterinary Helminthology Laboratory of the Department of Parasitology of the ICB / UFMG. The helminths were collected and the nematodes were fixed in 10% formaldehyde at 80 ° C and diaphanized in Amann's lactophenol solution. The cestodes were compressed and fixed in 10% formaldehyde, stained in carmine solution, dehydrated in an increasing series of alcohol, diaphanized in beech creosote and mounted in Canada balsam. The helminths were quantified, selected and the morphological structures photographed, measured and identified according to taxonomic keys, as well as analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Gongylonema sp. were submitted to molecular analysis, through DNA extraction, PCR reaction amplification and 1% agorose gel reading to detect the amplified products. Fecal samples were centrifuged with 10% formaldehyde and ether and then analyzed under an optical microscope. Of the 34 necropsied animals, 100% were parasitized and 94.1% (32/34) presented more than one helminth species. Physaloptera semilanceolata were found in the esophagus and stomach of 44.1% (15/34); Toxocara alienata in 20.5% (7/34), Uncinaria bidens in 11.7% (4/34), Molineus nasuae in 50% (17/34) and Capillaria sp. in 20.6% (7/34) in the small intestine; Capillaria feliscati in 14.7% (5/34) in the kidneys and bladder; Gongylonema sp. in 41.2% (14/34) in the lung and lumen of the esophagus. Cestodeans in 70.6% (24/34) and pseudophilids in 8.82% (3/34) parasitizing the small intestine and acanthocephals in 70.6% (24/34) parasitizing the large intestine of the animals. From the coproparasitological examinations, 8.82% (3/34) indicated the presence of eggs in the feces, being these, of the phylum Acanthocephala, of the order Spirurida and of the genus Capillaria. This study contributes to the knowledge about the diversity of helminth parasites present in the quatis of Mangabeiras Park.