Endoparasites in a wild boar population (Sus scrofa) from Bahía Samborombón, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

In Argentina little is known about the parasitofauna in wild pigs. This work discloses parasitic species in a wild population of Sus scrofa in the Bahía Samborombón protected area. Fecal samples were taken from 30 individuals and their viscera were prospected. The total prevalence (P) was 90%, with a specific richness of 11. In the coprological analysis were detected: Eimeria sp. (P = 18.5%), Isospora sp. (P = 22%) (Coccidia), Iodamoeba sp. (P = 52%) (Amoebidae), Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus (P = 33%) (Acanthocephala), Ascaris suum (P = 22%), Oesophagostomum dentatum (P = 4%), Globocephalus sp. (P = 7.5%), Metastrongylus sp. (P = 7.5%), Hyostrongylus sp. (P = 18.5%), and Trichuris sp. (P = 4%) (Nematoda). In the helminthological prospections were observed juveniles and adults of M. hirudinaceus (P = 33%) and A. suum (P = 23%); O. dentatum (P = 3%) and hydatid cysts of Echinococcus sp. (P = 20%) (Cestoda, Taeniidae). The association values of the Fager index were not significant except for the pair Isospora sp.-Eimeria sp. The present study shows that the population of wild pigs of Samborombón Bay presents a high richness of parasitic species, many of which have zoonotic importance such as Eimeria sp., Isospora sp., Macracanthorhynchus sp., Ascaris sp., and Echinococcus sp.