Toxoplasmose em primatas neotropicais: Estudo retrospectivo de sete casos

Abstract

Casagrande R.A., Silva T.C.E., Pescador C.A., Borelli V., Souza Jr J.C., Souza E.R. & Traverso S.D. 2013. [Toxoplasmosis in New World primates: Retrospective study of seven cases.] Toxoplasmose em primatas neotropicais: estudo retrospectivo de sete casos. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 33(1):94-98. Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Lages, SC 88520-000, Brazil. E-mail: casagrande_vet@yahoo.com.br Toxoplasmosis is considered to be a fatal parasitic disease in New World primates. The objective of this report was to describe, through a retrospective study, the toxoplasmosis cases in New World primates. From 1999 to 2009 eighty-six anatomopathological exams was performed in primates and toxoplasmosis was the most common disease (7/86). One case occurred in Black-Tufted-Marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) and six in Brown-Howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba). Two monkeys were found death and five died within few days. The most common clinical signs were apathy and anorexia (5/7), abdominal distension (4/7) and fever (3/7). The main gross lesions were splenomegaly (4/7), hemorrhage in digestory system, lymph nodes and urinary bladder (4/7), reddish lungs (3/7) and hepatomegaly (2/7). Histopathological findings were necrotizing hepatitis (7/7), splenitis (3/7), myocarditis (2/7), enteritis (2/7), lymphadenitis (1/7) and sialitis (1/7), and interstitial pneumonia (4/7). In the liver, lungs, spleen, heart, lymph nodes and salivary gland there were tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii that also detected by immunohistochemistry against T. gondii in liver, spleen and lungs (5/7). Toxoplasmosis can cause high mortality in New World primate colonies and can be a threat to preservation of those species in captivity. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken to avoid the contamination of those animals.