Study of the gastrointestinal parasites in felines from Itaipu Binacional wild animal nursery, Brazil

Resumo

The felines are animals that have great importance for the ecosystem, because they do the control of several species, like small mammals, birds, insects and so on. These predators have been threatened due to the destruction of their habitats and a way to preserve them is their breeding in captivities. This study aims to discover what kinds of intestinal parasites infected the felines (Leopardus pardalis, L. wiedii, L. tigrinus, Herpailurus yagouarondi, Panthera onca) of the Itaipu Binacional wild animal nursery (CASIB). Two methods were processed in the feline’s faecal samples: Sedimentation (HPJ) and Rithie. Among the forty-two felines’ enclosures analyzed, 38.09% (16/42) were positive and 61.90% (26/42) negative for intestinal parasites. The genus of parasites found were: Isospora, Toxocara, Ancylostoma, Toxoplasma (like oocysts), Taenia, Toxoascaris and Spirometra, in spite of the control of hygiene in the company. This can be due to the visit of intermediate hosts infected in the felines’ enclosures.