Resumen de Identification of helminths in Didelphis marsupialis (Didelphidae) and Rattus rattus (Muridae) in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, Colombia

Jesús Antonio Betancourt Echeverri, Andrés Pereira Patiño, Wendy Quintero García, Paola López Rueda, Nelson Uribe Delgado

• español

  Objetivo. Evaluar la presencia de helmintos en Didelphis marsupialis y Rattus rattus en zonas de invasión del Caracol Gigante Africano Achatina fulica en el área metropolitana de Bucaramanga, Santander. Metodología. Se capturaron ejemplares de Didelphis marsupialis y de Rattus rattus, los cuales se analizaron para presencia de helmintos en órganos internos. Resultados. El nematodo Angiostrongylus sp. no se halló en los vasos sanguíneos de las dos especies de mamífero examinadas. En el tracto digestivo de Didelphis marsupialis se hallaron los nematodos Physaloptera sp., Aspidodera sp., Travassostrongylus sp., Cruzia sp., Trichuris sp. y Capillaria sp., además del trematodo Rhopalias sp. En el tracto gastrointestinal de Rattus rattus se encontraron los nematodos Nippostrongylus sp., Heterakis sp., los cestodos Hymenolepis sp. y un estrobilocerco de Taenia taeniaeformis, este último en hígado. En las heces de Didelphis marsupialis se detectaron huevos Tipo Strongylida, Ascaroidea, Spiruroidea y Trichuroidea y en las de las ratas, se observaron huevos Tipo Strongylida, Ascaroidea e Hymenolepididae. Conclusiones. Las zarigüeyas (D. marsupialis) y las ratas (R. rattus) del área metropolitana de Bucaramanga parecen estar parasitadas por una amplia variedad de helmintos en su sistema digestivo, a juzgar por los hallazgos de varios géneros de nematodos, cestodos y trematodos, solamente con haber procesado dos ejemplares de cada especie de mamífero. Los autores recomiendan adelantar estudios similares en la región, con un mayor número de animales y examinando, además del tracto digestivo, órganos como el corazón y la vesícula biliar.

• English

  Objective. To investigate on the presence of helminths in Didelphis marsupialis and Rattus rattus in zones invaded by the African Giant Snail Achatina fulica in the Metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, Santander. Methodology. Specimens of Didelphis marsupialis and Rattus rattus, were captured and examined for the presence of helminths in internal organs. Results. Angiostrongylus sp. was not found in the blood vessels of the two mammal species examined. The following adult nematodes were observed in the gastrointestinal tract of Didelphis marsupialis: Physaloptera sp., Aspidodera sp., Travassostrongylus sp., Cruzia sp., Trichuris sp., and Capillaria sp., besides the trematode Rhopalias sp. In the digestive tract of Rattus rattus, two nematodes (Nippostrongylus sp. and Heterakis sp.) and two cestodes (Hymenolepis sp. and a strobilocercus of Taenia taeniaeformis), the latter in liver, were found. Strongylid Type eggs, as well as Ascaroidea, Spiruroidea and Trichuroidea, were observed in Didelphis marsupialis feces. In Rattus rattus feces, Strongylid Type, Ascaroidea and Hymenolepididae eggs, were detected. Conclusions. Possums (D. marsupialis) and rats (R. rattus) from the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga seem to be parasitized by a wide variety of helminths in their digestive system, judging by the findings of several genera of nematodes, cestodes and trematodes, only with having processed two specimens of each species of mammal. The authors recommend further similar studies in the region including a larger number of animals and the examination of more organs like the heart and the gall bladder in addition to the digestive tract.