Prevalence of intestinal parasites infecting free-ranging non-human primates in Colombia

INTRODUCTION. Neotropical non-human primates (NHP) have been found infected with a diversity of intestinal zoonotic protozoan and metazoan parasites of public health concern (Solórzano-García and Pérez-Ponce de León, 2018 Int J Primatol. 39: 155-82). Ecosystem transformation increases contact between humans and NHP (Trejo-Macías et al., 2007 Int J Primatol. 28: 931-45), leading to zoonotic parasite transmission. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites in free-ranging NHP, living in five forest fragments in Colombia and to perform parasite identification to the lowest possible taxonomic level. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In 2019 and 2020, fecal samples were collected from NHP immediately after defecation, and stored in 10% formalin solution and 96% ethanol. Faecal smears with 1% iodine solution and 0.85% saline solution were performed (Botero and Restrepo, 2012 Parasitosis humanas. Quinta edición). In this study, samples microscopically classified as positive for Ascarididae and Blastocystis sp. were processed for molecular characterization (Cavallero et al., 2013 PLosNegl Trop Dis. 7: e2170; Mattiucci et al., 2016 Epidemiol Infect. 144: 635-46). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. Overall, 160 fecal samples were collected from individuals from six platyrrhine genera: Alouatta seniculus (n=46), Ateles hybridus (n=13), Aotus griseimembra (n=5), Cebus versicolor (n=20), Saimiri cassiquiarensis (n=73), and Sapajus sp. (n=3). Around 90% of the samples were positive for intestinal parasites. Protozoans (Blastocystis sp., Balantiididae, Dientamoeba sp., Entamoebidae, Giardia sp.), cestodes (Hymenolepis sp.), trematodes (Controrchis sp.), nematodes (Ascarididae, Trichuridae, Strongyloides sp., Trypanoxyuris sp., Ancylostomatidae), and acanthocephalans were observed. Ascaris lumbricoides and Blastocystis hominis (ST8) were identified using molecular biology techniques. The finding of parasites with zoonotic potential suggests epidemiological implications in NHP conservation and human health, particularly in highly transformed ecosystems

Parasites of Free‐Ranging and Captive American Primates: A Systematic Review

The diversity, spread, and evolution of parasites in non-human primates (NHPs) is a relevant issue for human public health as well as for NHPs conservation. Although previous reviews have recorded information on parasites in NHPs (Platyrrhines) in the Americas, the increasing number of recent studies has made these inventories far from complete. Here, we summarize information about parasites recently reported in Platyrrhines, attempting to build on earlier reviews and identify information gaps. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), and following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Ninety-three studies were included after the screening process. Records for 20 genera of NHPs, including 90 species were found. Most of the studies were conducted on captive individuals (54.1%), and morphological approaches were the most used for parasite identification. The most commonly collected biological samples were blood and stool, and Protozoa was the most frequent parasite group found. There is still scarce (if any) information on the parasites associated to several Platyrrhine species, especially for free-ranging populations. The use of molecular identification methods can provide important contributions to the field of NHPs parasitology in the near future. Finally, the identification of parasites in NHPs populations will continue to provide relevant information in the context of pervasive habitat loss and fragmentation that should influence both human public health and wildlife conservation strategies

Molecular identification of bot flies (Cuterebra baeri) infesting grey-legged night monkeys (Aotus griseimembra) and howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) in Colombia

Myiasis is a neglected parasitosis caused by infection with the larval stages of some fly species. In neotropical non- human primates (NHP) three bot fly species causing cutaneous myiasis have been reported: Cuterebra baeri in Alouatta belzebul, Aotus trivirgatus, Alouatta seniculus, and Alouatta palliata (Guimarães, 1971; De Thoisy et al. 2001; Cristobal- Azkarate et al. 2012), Cochliomyia hominivorax in A. seniculus and Pithecia pithecia (Vie & Richard-Hansen, 1997), and Dermatobia hominis in A. palliata and Saguinus mystax (Smith, 1977; Herrera & Heyman, 1998), along with Dermatobia sp. parasitizing Aotus sp. (Tantalean et al. 1990). Studies on myiasis in NHP are scarce and mainly based on larval morphological identification, while molecular approaches have been barely used. In Colombia, Cuterebra sp. has been morphologically identified in Aotus vociferans and Aotus nancymaae, in the Amazon region (Roncancio et al. 2018). This study aimed to molecularly identify bot flies parasitizing two free-ranging primate species living sympatrically in central Colombia. Sampling was conducted in a lowland rainforest fragment in Santander, Colombia. Four bot fly larvae were collected from two grey-legged night monkeys (Aotus griseimembra) and one from a howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Larvae were measured and photographed, and subsequent DNA extraction and PCR amplification of a partial cox1 mitochondrial region were performed (Cavallero et al. 2017). All PCR products were visualized on an agarose gel and good quality amplicons were sequenced. Sequences were manually edited and used for BLAST search and alignment. All specimens were identified as Cuterebra baeri, according to the best match in BLAST showing 98% of identity (accession number AF497777 corresponding to specimens characterized in monkeys from Panama, Otranto et al. 2003). This is the first molecular identification of bot flies infesting NHP in Colombia, and the first record at the species level for A. seniculus and A. griseimembra in the country