logo

VetSRev

Vector-borne zoonotic blood parasites in wildlife from Ecuador: A report and systematic review

Diaz, E. and Hidalgo, A. and Villamarin, C. and Donoso, G. and Barragan, V.

Vet World (2021) 14: 1935–1945

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.1935-1945

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Ecuador is a hugely diverse country, but information on infectious diseases in local wild animals is scarce. The aim of this study was to screen the presence of blood parasites in free-ranging wild animals admitted to the Wildlife Hospital at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, from April 2012 to January 2019. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified blood parasites by microscopic observation of blood smears from free-ranging wildlife species that attended the Wildlife Hospital of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) from April 2012 to January 2019. RESULTS: The microscopic evaluations of animals as potential reservoirs for vector-borne zoonotic blood parasites revealed the presence of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp., microfilaria, Mycoplasma spp., and Trypanosoma spp. in previously unreported wildlife species. In addition, we performed a systematic review to understand the current knowledge gaps in the context of these findings. CONCLUSION: Our data contribute to the knowledge of blood parasites in wildlife from Ecuador. Furthermore, the potential transmission of these parasites to humans and domestic animals, current anthropogenic environmental changes in the region, and the lack of information on this suggest the importance of our results and warrant further investigations on infectious diseases in animals and humans and their relationship with environmental health as key domains of the One Health concept.

Citation

Diaz, E., Hidalgo, A., Villamarin, C., Donoso, G., & Barragan, V. (2021). Vector-borne zoonotic blood parasites in wildlife from Ecuador: A report and systematic review. Vet World, 14(7), 1935–1945. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.1935-1945 systematic review, one health, Ecuador, amazon basin, blood parasites, free-ranging wildlife, hemoparasites, vector-borne zoonotic

Keywords