Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(1), 2009, pp. 174–183 # Wildlife Disease Association 2009

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Mariella Superina,1,4,5 Michael M. Garner,2 and Roberto F. Aguilar3 1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148-0001, USA 2 Northwest ZooPath, 654 W. Main, Monroe, Washington 98272, USA 3 Institute of Veterinary, and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston, New Zealand 4 Current address: Laboratorio de Reproduccio´n y Lactancia, Instituto de Medicina y Biologı´a Experimental del Cuyo, CCT Mendoza-CONICET, Casilla de Correos 855, 5500 Mendoza, Argentina 5 Corresponding author (email: [email protected])

ABSTRACT: The health of free-ranging and captive pichis (Zaedyus pichiy) was assessed in Mendoza Province, Argentina, between November 2001 and December 2006. Postmortem examinations of 150 confiscated and vehicle-killed pichis and clinical examinations of 139 wild-caught individuals suggest that the wild populations are currently in good health. Lesions and scars were observed in a large proportion of wild-caught pichis. The most common lesions were associated with parasitism or parasite larva migration. Sarcocystis cysts were relatively common in the skeletal muscle, and Besnoitia cysts were observed in the lungs of 24 evaluated . Elevated ambient humidity levels often caused moist dermatitis with epidermal detachment in captive pichis. This report constitutes the first health evaluation of free-ranging and captive Z. pichiy. It will be a starting point for future health studies and will be beneficial for the captive management of this species. Key words: Besnoitia, histopathology, parasitology, pathology, serology, Trypanosoma cruzi, wildlife health.

INTRODUCTION doza, but the potential role of diseases in these population reductions remains un- The pichi (Zaedyus pichiy) is a small defined. Although wild specimens of other (approximately 1 kg body mass) semifos- species have been screened for sorial armadillo species endemic to Ar- specific pathogens and parasites, such as gentina and Chile that enters hibernation Leptospira (Carillo et al., 1972), Salmo- during winter months (Superina and nella (Quevedo et al., 1978), or Sarcocystis Boily, 2007; Superina, 2008). Pichis are (Lindsay et al., 1996), only one study diurnal and opportunistic with (Mazza et al., 1935) included pichis. The a preference for insects. Although neither purpose of this study was to describe the historic nor current census data are lesions affecting wild and captive pichis of available, lower encounter rates in Men- Mendoza Province, Argentina. These doza Province, in central west Argentina, baseline data are a starting point for future suggest that wild populations have de- health studies and will contribute to the creased considerably in the past years. investigation of the causality between This depletion of wild populations has human encroachment into wildlife habitat recently led to the inclusion of Z. pichiy in and disease occurrence. Furthermore, the the International Union for Conservation information presented here will be bene- of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened ficial for the captive management of this Species, where it is listed as ‘‘near species. threatened’’ (Fonseca and Aguiar, 2004). The apparent population declines may MATERIALS AND METHODS have been partially caused by poaching Project location and sample and data collection and disease epidemics. There have been Samples from free-living pichis were col- unconfirmed reports of disease outbreaks lected across vehicle, walking, and horseback of unknown etiology severely affecting transects of varying length in randomly chosen wild populations in some areas of Men- areas of Mendoza Province, Argentina

174 SUPERINA ET AL.—HEALTH EVALUATION OF ZAEDYUS PICHIY 175

(32u009–37u309S, 66u309–70u009W). The ture was measured no later than 5 min after southern part of Mendoza Province belongs capture, and blood samples were extracted to the Patagonian steppe ecoregion (Olson et within 15 min. All pichis were released at their al., 2001). The arid climate and the poor capture site within 45 min. volcanic soil, covered with sands of variable Captive pichis included wild-caught and depth, together determine the scarce vegeta- captive-born pichis that were maintained 1– tion (Candia et al., 1993), which is composed 26 mo in a private facility in Luja´n de Cuyo, of with isolated shrubs, areas with Mendoza, Argentina (33u019S, 68u559W). The open bush communities, and basaltic steps enclosure consisted of individual pens made of (Candia and Dalmasso, 1995). Trees are wire mesh and sheet metal, 231.532.5 m absent from this region. The arid northeastern each; soil to a depth of 2 m was provided as a part of Mendoza is part of the Low Monte natural substrate for digging. Food, consisting ecoregion (Olson et al., 2001). The dry climate of a varying mixture of fruits, vegetables, meat, and sandy grounds favor the growth of the dry cat food, rice, and a vitamin-mineral characteristic monte vegetation, which consists supplement, was offered once daily; water of small trees, shrubs, and scarce pasture was provided ad libitum. Pichis were visually (Peralta de Galmarini and Martinez Carretero, inspected at feeding time; individuals present- 1995). ing lesions or signs of disease were removed Transect sampling was performed in all from the enclosure and maintained separately seasons and at all times of day between until their recovery. November 2001 and December 2006. In total, Dead wild pichis were obtained from 139 wild-caught pichis (87 males, 52 females) collaborating inspectors and rangers of the were captured by hand. Capture sites were Mendoza Department of Natural Renewable registered with a handheld global positioning Resources; confiscated carcasses were refrig- system (GPS), and environmental temperature erated prior to submission. Necropsies were was measured with a digital thermometer. performed on vehicle-killed animals (12 males, Thirty-three animals were considered juve- four females) and confiscated pichis (58 males, niles, 22 were classified as yearlings, and 84 82 females, five of unknown sex), as well as on were adults based on their body mass, captive pichis that died during the study carapace length and width, the presence and period (seven males, five females). The absence of scars, and capture date. Physical animals were classified as juveniles, yearlings, examinations and sample collections were or adults based on morphologic features, such carried out under manual restraint. Clinical as carapace length and width, and the examinations focused on body condition, presence or absence of scars. They were visible external lesions and scars, signs of examined for macroscopic lesions, and repre- pathologic processes, ectoparasite load, and sentative tissue samples of reproductive or- reproductive status. The animals were mea- gans, heart, lungs, liver, kidney, diaphragm, sured, weighed with a spring scale (Pesola AG, skeletal muscle, skin, intestine, lymph nodes, Baar, Switzerland), and their rectal tempera- adrenal glands, and any macroscopic lesion ture was registered with a digital thermometer were collected when available. Not all organs (TES Electrical Electronic Corp., Taipei, could be sampled from all individuals because Taiwan). Ticks and fleas were collected and they often were eviscerated at the time of stored in 96% ethanol for identification. Fecal confiscation. Tissues were stored in 10% samples were collected for parasitology and neutral-buffered formalin. kept refrigerated. Blood samples were ob- tained by venipuncture of the medial coccy- Sample and data analysis geal vein. Due to the small size of this vein and rapid coagulation, blood was collected directly Hematologic and serum chemistry analyses from the needle into heparin-coated and were performed in collaboration with Labor- uncoated microcapillaries (Biocap S.A., Bue- atorio Mera, Mendoza, Argentina, using rou- nos Aires, Argentina), which were subsequent- tine laboratory techniques as described by ly sealed with plasticine (Critoseal, Oxford Superina and Mera y Sierra (2008). All Labware, St. Louis, Missouri, USA). Thin examined pichis were considered clinically smears of fresh blood were air-dried. Coated healthy, and blood values were used to microcapillaries were stored in a cool box with establish reference values (Superina and Mera cold packs and transported to the laboratory, y Sierra, 2008). Microbiologic samples from while uncoated microcapillaries were first kept captive pichis were inoculated in sheep blood at 30 C until coagulation and retraction of the agar, MacConkey Agar, and Sabouraud Agar blood clot occurred, after which they were and cultured aerobically at 37 C. Identification transferred to the cool box. Rectal tempera- of isolates was done with routine microbiologic 176 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 45, NO. 1, JANUARY 2009 techniques (Finegold and Baron, 1986). Com- possible that it was elevated because of mercial test kits based on indirect hemagglu- stress related to capture and handling. The tination were used to test for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma cruzi temperature of one adult male sampled (Toxotest HAI, Wiener Laboratory, Rosario, during hibernation was 18.9 C, similar to Argentina; and Chagas HAI, Polychaco the temperature measured within its S.A.I.C., Buenos Aires, Argentina, respective- burrow (18 C). ly). Samples were considered positive if Clinical signs were observed in 25 of agglutination was present at dilutions $1:16. Ectoparasites and fecal samples were submit- 139 animals and included emaciation, ted to the Centro de Parasitologı´a y Vectores, apathy, dehydration, decalcified carapace La Plata, Argentina, for analysis and were border, pale mucosa, inflammation and identified based on morphologic characteris- abscesses on the penis, and infected tics. Fecal samples were analyzed by means of wounds. Lesions were observed on 31 the modified McMaster method and Willis flotation technique with Sheather solution pichis and included skin lesions, missing (Hawken, 1983; Hendrix, 1998). Tissues for or worn out scutes, or fractured scutes. histopathologic analysis were fixed in Bouin’s Males and females were equally affected fluid, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at (23% vs. 21%; Mann-Whitney U-test, m 5 m, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin P.0.05). The prevalence of lesions was (HE). Histologic slides were screened by light microscopy for signs of pathologic alterations not significantly different in adults, year- and presence of pathogens. lings, and juveniles (24%,36%, and 9%, Data analyses were performed with a respectively; Kruskal-Wallis test, P.0.05). statistical software program (SPSS, version Scars were observed in 64 animals and 11.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). The affected mainly the bands, head shield, ectoparasite load of male and female pichis, and of individuals of different age classes, was carapace border, and tail. Forty-six per- compared with an analysis of variance (AN- cent of all males, and an identical per- OVA). Fisher’s exact and chi-square tests were centage of females, had one or more scars. used to compare the prevalence of histopath- No significant difference in the prevalence ologic lesions per affected organ in juveniles, of scars was observed among age classes yearlings, and adults, and in males and females, respectively. A Kruskal-Wallis test (51% adults; 50% yearlings; 30% juve- was used to compare the prevalence of scars niles; Kruskal-Wallis test, P.0.05). Four among age classes. Calculated P values #0.05 individuals had leukocytosis with neutro- were considered statistically significant. philia. This project was approved by the Institu- tional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Fecal analyses were performed on 53 University of New Orleans and the Direccio´n animals, and intestinal parasites were de Recursos Naturales Renovables of Men- detected in 93% of the samples. Aspido- doza Province, Argentina. Histologic slides dera spp. were detected in 79% of these were shipped to the US with export permits animals, followed by Eimeria oocysts ´ from the Direccion de Fauna Silvestre of % % Argentina and under a US Fish and Wildlife (64 ), Trichostrongylidea eggs (26 ), Service Import License. Mathevotaenia sp. (9%), Cyclobulura sp. (6%), and Trichuris sp. (4%). Fleas of the RESULTS species Malacopsylla grossiventris or Phthiropsylla agenoris were found on 84 Live wild-caught pichis of 139 examined . Amblyomma The average rectal temperature outside pseudoconcolor was found on a single of the hibernation season was 35.261.2 C. pichi from northern Mendoza. Males had Rectal temperature was highly variable similar burdens of ticks and fleas as (range 32.2–38.3 C, n589), but this vari- females, but significantly more yearlings ability was not related to environmental than juveniles were infested (ANOVA, temperature or age. Although rectal tem- P50.045). No blood parasites were ob- perature was measured as soon as possible served. All of the 24 tested wild pichis, and after the animals were captured, it is all of the 11 evaluated captive pichis, were SUPERINA ET AL.—HEALTH EVALUATION OF ZAEDYUS PICHIY 177 seronegative for Toxoplasma gondii. Two had extensive destruction of the carapace out of 25 tested wild individuals were due to dog bites (poached individuals) or seropositive for Trypanosoma cruzi, with because they were hit by a car. Many skin titers of 16 and 64. samples had burn artifacts, such as edema and clots, associated with poaching; Captive pichis poachers often hold eviscerated pichis Health problems were observed in only over an open flame to avoid decomposi- a few captive pichis. One captive adult tion. Nevertheless, these burn artifacts did male was affected by a severe acute not significantly impede the microscopic hepatitis with subcutaneous hemorrhages interpretation of skin samples. Macroscop- and anemia. Antibiotic treatment was ic lesions on internal organs were rarely supplemented with intramuscular (IM) observed. Several lactating females and injections of 2 mg/kg menadione (Mestil- one adult male had enlarged adrenal Ka, Fada Pharma, Buenos Aires, Argen- glands. The liver was yellowish or ocher tina) for 5 days. Two males required in five adults and one yearling. An isolation and antibiotic treatment of in- enlarged, sometimes granulated spleen fected lesions during the reproductive was observed in seven animals. Three season. Six animals that had been tempo- adult males and one juvenile female had rarily maintained in 200-l barrels filled macroscopic lesions on the heart consist- with sand developed reddened, moist ing of a whitish apex or a whitish spot on cutaneous lesions and skin detachment the ventricle. The heart was dilated in on paws, abdomen, and face. The affected three adults. One juvenile male, which animals were kept in a dry environment had been rescued from a cattle guard, had during treatment with antiseptics and a circular lesion of 0.931.3 cm with antibiotics. Menadione was administered myiasis on the right leg. One juvenile IM for 5 days due to prolonged bleeding female had a subcutaneous abscess caudal after IM injections. All affected animals to the right elbow that was associated with fully recovered and were released in their Klebsiella and filamentous bacteria related enclosures after 2 to 3 wk of treatment. to a penetrating wound. Finally, one adult female had a cecal perforation that led to Dead pichis peritonitis, lymphadenitis of the mesen- Tissue samples were collected from 173 teric lymph node, and sepsis. dead pichis; 18 of these were not analyzed Histopathologic analysis revealed mi- histologically due to advanced autolysis. croscopic lesions in almost all studied The gender of five individuals could not pichi lungs (98% of studied animals) and be determined because reproductive or- over 75% of all examined skeletal muscles, gans had been removed; these were hearts, and gastrointestinal tracts, while excluded from further analyses. Conse- female reproductive organs and spleens quently, results are reported for 150 pichis rarely had microscopic lesions (Table 1). (87% of sampled dead animals). Of these, In general, the prevalence of affected 120 had been confiscated from poachers, organs was similar in male and female 10 were hit by cars, 10 drowned in captive pichis, as well as in individuals of different conditions after intense rainfall that flood- age classes. Lesions of the adipose tissue ed their enclosures, and 10 died for other were more common in adult males than in reasons, including lack of adaptation to females of the same age class (P,0.0001, captive conditions (one juvenile male), Fisher’s exact test), while the latter had hypothermia (one adult female), and significantly more hepatic lesions than the unknown causes (eight individuals). former (P,0.05). Hepatic lesions were Animals were not examined for macro- also more common in yearling females scopic external lesions because most pichis than in males of the same age class 178 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 45, NO. 1, JANUARY 2009

TABLE 1. Histopathologic lesions by system in wild pichis Zaedyus pichiy.

Number of Number of Number of samples individuals affected Affected organ analyzed with histopathologic by predominant system samplesa lesions Predominant lesions lesionsb

Skin 89 45 Dermatitis 39 Abscess 1 Skeletal muscle 145 111 Rhabdomyolysis 97 Sarcocystis cysts 15 Inflammation 9 Adipose tissue 141 5 Inflammation 3 Heart 129 97 Necrosis 87 Myocarditis 11 Lungs 132 129 Inflammation 110 Acute pulmonary shock 105 Microgranuloma 27 Besnoitia cysts 24 Lymph node 59 8 Hemosiderosis 4 Lymphadenitis 2 Liver 106 73 Periportal lymphocytic inflammation 65 Kidney 130 39 Pyelonephritis 18 Tubular mineralization 11 Chronic interstitial nephritis 5 Ureter 53 36 Inflammation 35 Spleen 56 2 Besnoitia cysts 1 Tongue 55 11 Inflammation 9 Sarcocystis cysts 1 Stomach 15 3 Gastritis 3 Intestine 33 27 Enteritis 27 Colon 27 20 Colitis 19 Adrenal glands 84 8 Shock 3 Nodular hyperplasia 2 Testes 30 5 Orchitis 4 Ovary 42 0 Uterus 47 3 Endometritis 2 a Note that not all organs were available for sampling in all 150 examined individuals. b Note that one individual may have had several lesions in one organ.

(P,0.05), and their prevalence was signif- shock; and rhabdomyolysis of the skeletal icantly different among age classes of muscle attributed to stress (Table 1). female pichis, where yearlings were more Capture stress or trauma, such as frequently affected than adults and juve- hunting dog bites, was associated with niles had the lowest prevalence (P,0.05, acute pulmonary shock in 105 evaluated chi-square). The most common micro- animals (Table 1). In the skeletal muscle scopic lesions were hypersensitivity der- and tongue, the acute stress response was matitis; chronic lymphoplasmacytic in- manifested as rhabdomyolysis, while mild flammation of the gastrointestinal tract myocardial necrosis related to stress or attributed to parasitism; varying degrees of shock was the most common finding in the pulmonary granulomatous inflammation cardiac muscles (87 pichis). The acute and peribronchiolar lymphocytic inflam- shock related to capture and killing was mation attributed to Besnoitia sp. infec- manifested as renal tubular necrosis tion; myocardial necrosis and pulmonary caused by hypoxia in three adult pichis congestion, edema, hemorrhage, and atel- and mild congestion or hemorrhage in the ectasis attributed to acute pulmonary adrenal glands of three adults. SUPERINA ET AL.—HEALTH EVALUATION OF ZAEDYUS PICHIY 179

Microgranulomas associated with mi- animals for population studies. First, the grating nematode larvae were noted in sampled animals may not constitute a sections of skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, representative subsample of a wild popu- heart, tongue, lungs, liver, kidney, peri- lation because the reproductive status or ureteral region, and reproductive organs. presence of disease may have changed Several other organ lesions may have been their activity or altered their behavior, related to parasite migration, such as mild thus predisposing them to predation or periportal lymphocytic inflammation (61% poaching. Second, the total quantity and of evaluated livers), inflammation of the temporal distribution of samples may ureter and surrounding connective tissue depend on poaching activity, as well as (66% of evaluated ureters), lymphocytic the frequency and success of antipoaching pyelonephritis (14% of evaluated kidneys), patrols. and eosinophilic inflammation of the Lesions and scars related to trauma testicular and spermatic cord tunics were observed in a large proportion of (10% of evaluated testes). Other types of wild-caught pichis. In males, skin and hepatitis were rare and affected only four carapace lesions and lesions and abscesses animals; they were probably associated on the penis may have been caused by with low-grade sepsis or parasite migra- intraspecific fights during the reproduc- tions. No signs of infection with T. cruzi or tive season. Territorial fights have been T. gondii were observed in any histologi- observed both in wild and captive male cally evaluated pichi, including one of the armadillos and have led to severe injuries individuals that was seropositive for T. of captive pichis. In our study, captive cruzi. males were maintained in individual pens, while other males lived in contiguous DISCUSSION enclosures. While interactions between these captive males were rare outside the This study constitutes the first report of breeding season, gonadally competent a health evaluation in free-ranging and males often reached through the mesh captive populations of Z. pichiy.In fence with their forelegs in an attempt to general, the studied wild populations were fight with a potential rival. Nevertheless, considered to be in good health; they were because males did not have more lesions mainly affected by the consequences of or scars than females, territorial fights are external and internal parasitism. Several probably not the main cause of these organs had lesions that were attributed to trauma-related lesions. Some lesions may the stress and shock caused by the capture have been inflicted by predators; the of pichis by poachers and their dogs. The osseous carapace does not provide com- collected tissues of some individuals had plete protection against predators, and varying stages of autolysis because of an both the teeth of mammalian predators excessively long interval between the time and the claws of raptors can easily fracture of death and confiscation and sampling; it. Lesions also may have been related to not all samples were appropriate for flight behavior as thorny areas are utilized histologic analysis. Nevertheless, the sam- for both shelter and for burrow entrances. pling method is considered to be an Although thorns do not penetrate the ethically justifiable means to perform carapace, they can cause lesions between population studies on endangered species the carapace bands. Indeed, 20% of the that require extraction of tissue samples. lesions and over 25% of scars were located Furthermore, it is often the only legally on carapace bands or skin folds between acceptable means to obtain samples from bands. Finally, a large proportion of scars protected wildlife. Two caveats should be consisted of missing or worn-out scutes on considered, however, when using poached the head shield and its superior border 180 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 45, NO. 1, JANUARY 2009

(18%) or on the carapace border (15%). developed moist dermatitis with epider- When foraging or digging, pichis will move mal detachment and infection of the the soil with their head. Sustained contact lesions with bacteria that are commonly of the head shield with sand and stones found in soil, such as Pseudomonas, may lead to abrasion and the worn Citrobacter, and Escherichia coli.The appearance of scutes. Injuries or fracture temporary maintenance of these pichis in of scutes on the loose upper border of the 200-l barrels, in which the substrate may head shield and the sharply pointed hook- have retained humidity due to reduced like scutes of the carapace border may exposure to sunlight and suboptimal occur when these structures get caught in ventilation, seems to have led to an a root or another obstacle while the animal increased permeability of the skin’s stra- is backing up. tum corneum. Skin abrasions may then Infected wounds were rare, although have occurred during intense contact of lesions (often covered in soil) were rela- the compromised stratum corneum with tively common. Other than the abscess the abrasive substrate. Such lesions were noted on the base of the penis of an adult not observed in wild pichis during this male, only one adult male had infected study, but several inhabitants of rural lesions; this individual had been severely areas in Mendoza Province have reported injured by a hunting dog. Most of the that a disease locally known as ‘‘pichi other observed lesions were superficial plague,’’ characterized by red spots on the and probably healed rapidly. Only four skin covering large abscesses, has led to individuals had leukocytosis with neutro- local extinctions. The locals consistently philia, indicating infection. No external associated this disease with extended lesions were observed in three of these periods of rainfall. Consequently, it is animals, while the fourth only had a possible that the ‘‘pichi plague’’ is caused superficial wound on the left front leg; by opportunistic bacterial colonization of the infections thus probably affected one the skin compromised by the effects of or more internal organs. It is possible, excessive moisture. however, that infections occur more fre- The majority of observed enteropara- quently in wild pichis than observed in sites were nematodes, primarily tricho- this study. Infection may induce behavior- strongylids; protozoans and cestodes also al changes that reduce the probability of were observed. The most common species capture or such animals may be rapidly were Aspidodera fasciata and Aspidodera removed from the population by preda- scoleciformis (Heterakoidea). Adult speci- tors. mens of this genus, which are commonly Both excessive humidity and a reduced found in armadillos (Navone, 1986; Fujita availability of water in the pichi’s environ- et al., 1995), were also regularly observed ment have been found to cause negative in fecal matter of Z. pichiy collected for effects in wild pichis. The state of other studies. dehydration observed in one adult male Many histologic lesions were associated and the tubular mineralization of the with parasitism or parasite larva migration. kidneys of 11 adult animals that were The most prominent skin lesions involved evaluated histologically may be explained perivascular inflammation consistent with by the low precipitation rates and absence hypersensitivity that sometimes extended of open water sources in the natural to the adipose tissue, and these were most habitat of pichis. Elevated ambient hu- likely due to parasitism by fleas, ticks, and midity, on the other hand, has been mites. Fleas were commonly observed on reported to cause disease in wild popula- wild pichis, while Amblyomma pseudocon- tions and has caused cutaneous lesions in color was observed for the first time on a captive pichis. Several captive individuals pichi during this study (Superina et al., SUPERINA ET AL.—HEALTH EVALUATION OF ZAEDYUS PICHIY 181

2004). Only a single intrafollicular mite consumers usually eat well-cooked rather was found, but these ectoparasites can be than raw or undercooked pichi meat. difficult to demonstrate histologically, Furthermore, the intermediate as well as especially when they are present in low the definitive hosts of each Sarcocystis numbers. Parasitism was the most proba- species are considered to be specific or ble cause of gastritis and the mild to limited to closely related species (Fayer, moderate, chronic enteritis and colitis 2004). observed in 94% of all pichis. Occasional- Besnoitia cysts were present in the ly, this process was associated with proto- lungs of 24 wild pichis. No other report zoa, mainly coccidian, or nematodes. on Besnoitia infection of any armadillo Lesions associated with migrating nema- species or of a wild species of tode larvae were found in a wide range of Argentina has been found in the literature; tissues. Aspidodera spp. are the most the only previous report of Besnoitia from common intestinal parasites of pichis, but Argentina involved domestic rabbits (Ven- larval migration has not been reported in turini et al., 2002). This study therefore this genus, and none of the other Heter- documents for the first time besnoitiosis in akoidea species studied to date seems to an armadillo and in a wild mammal native have a larval phase outside the gut (Read to Argentina. Although less severe, bes- and Skorping, 1995). Larval migration noitiosis was generally associated with occurs in some, but not all trichostrongylid acute and chronic inflammatory processes nematodes (Read and Skorping, 1995), resembling the lesions of pulmonary but further studies are needed to deter- besnoitiosis in maras (Dolichotis patago- mine whether the life cycle of the num; Juan-Salles et al., 2004), and this trichostrongylids that parasitize armadillos protozoan was the likely cause for the high includes a migratory tissue phase. prevalence of chronic inflammation in the Seven juveniles and eight adults had lungs. Besnoitia cysts were also present in Sarcocystis cysts in the skeletal muscle, the spleen of one adult pichi. The which were sometimes associated with identification of Besnoitia in a relatively mild lymphocytic inflammation in the large proportion of the studied wild pichis muscle, presumably due to rupture of requires further research to evaluate its the cysts. It is probable that the mild clinical significance and to identify its lymphocytic inflammation observed in the definitive host. tongue and the myocardium of nine and In conclusion, this study suggests that 11 animals, respectively, was caused by the wild pichi populations of Mendoza rupture of protozoan cysts, although cysts Province, Argentina, have multiple forms were only noted in the tongue of an adult of parasitism but generally are in good female and in the heart muscle of an adult health. The results reported here lay the male. Several Sarcocystis species have foundation for future health assessments been identified in the skeletal muscle of wild pichi populations. and tongue of North and South American armadillos (Howells et al., 1975; Lindsay ACKNOWLEDGMENTS et al., 1996; Tanhauser et al., 2001), and Many rangers and inspectors at the Direc- the prevalence can be as high as 100% cio´n de Recursos Naturales Renovables of (Lindsay et al., 1996). The nine-banded Mendoza Province collaborated with sample armadillo has been identified as a naturally collection, especially L. Orozco, D. Martı´, and infected intermediate host of Sarcocystis F. Ayala. We thank J. Bustelo, G. Alvarez, C. neurona (Cheadle et al., 2001; Tanhauser Aguilera, R. Mera y Sierra, and G. Navone for their help with sample analyses. Special thanks et al., 2001). The zoonotic potential of the are extended to G. Ferraris for his help with Sarcocystis species affecting wild pichis is capture of wild pichis, confiscation of poached considered to be low because hunters and individuals, and care of captive animals. M.S. 182 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 45, NO. 1, JANUARY 2009

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