Ceylon Journal of Science 45(1) 2016: 83-96 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v45i1.7367 RESEARCH ARTICLE Coprological survey of gastrointestinal parasites of mammals in Dehiwala National Zoological Gardens, Sri Lanka A.J.M. Kethmini Aviruppola1,*, R.P.V. Jayanthe Rajapakse2 and Rupika S. Rajakaruna1 1 Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 2 Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Received: 18 April 2016; Accepted: 20 May 2016 Abstract: A cross sectional, coprological survey on applying a more targeted approach to manage the gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of captive mammals in pathogenic species. This study provides baseline data the Dehiwala National Zoological Gardens was on the GI parasites of all the mammal orders at carried out in 2014. Fresh faecal samples from all the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens. mammal species belonging to nine orders: Primates, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, Proboscidea, Keywords: Captive mammals, GI parasites, Erinaceomorpha, Lagomorpha, Rodentia and Helminths, Protozoans, Sri Lanka, Zoological Diprotodontia were analyzed. Intensity of parasite Gardens. infections was determined using the McMaster technique. Of the 70 samples, 44 (62.9%) were INTRODUCTION positive for one or more GI parasites. A total of 13 types of GI parasite eggs, cysts and/or oocysts of Zoological gardens play an important role in the Trichuris sp., Strongyloides sp., Toxocara sp., promotion of animal biodiversity by protecting Spirometra sp., Moniezia sp., Nematodirus sp., endangered species (Kelly and English, 1997). Giardia sp., Blastocystis sp., Balantidium sp., Since animals are kept in confined areas, Entamoeba spp., strongyle type eggs, hookworm, and coccidian oocyts were observed. The most common parasitic diseases constitute one of the major stage was strongyle type egg (17.1%) followed by problems in zoological gardens around the world cysts of Entamoeba spp. (14.3%). Of the infected due to high environmental contamination (Rao individuals, 25% had mixed infections. A higher and Acharjyo, 1984). Unlike in the wild, stress prevalence of helminths (81.8%) compared to conditions caused by captivity can diminish the protozoans (47.7%) was observed but this difference resistance to parasite diseases (Geraghty et al., was not statistically significant (Chi square test; 1982; Gracenea et al., 2002; Cordon et al., p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the 2008). Occurrence of parasites in captive animals prevalence of infection among the captive bred, in zoological gardens might vary according to imported or wild caught individuals (Chi square test; husbandry practices, disease prophylactic p>0.05). Mammals of seven orders were infected with GI parasites but lagomorphs and diprotodonts did not measures, parasite-host interactions and have any parasites. Among the herbivores, strongyle treatment administrated (Lim et al., 2008). type, Moneizia, Entamoeba and coccidian infections Captive animals do not show alarming signs of were common while Nematodirus sp. in a porcupine parasitism, if regular de-worming practices are and Spirometra sp. in a flying squirrel were rare. carried out in zoological gardens (Parsani et al., Common parasites of carnivores were, Toxocara and 2001). However, Parsani et al., 2001 further Entamoeba but Blastocystis sp. in coati was a rare argue that some captive animals do show clinical infection. Trichuris and Giardia infections were signs due to parasites even if they are regularly common in Primates. High worm burden was dewormed and some will have no clinical signs evidenced in silver leaf monkey, Hamadryas baboon, even if they are never dewormed and this African lion, black rhino, pony, porcupine and flying squirrel. Although regular deworming is carried out, depends more on the parasite host interactions results of this survey highlight the importance of than deworming practices. Parasites can be faecal analysis before administering deworming and brought into a zoological garden by many ways: *Corresponding Author’s Email: [email protected] 84 Ceylon Journal of Science 45(1) 2016: 83-96 through animal food, (contaminated fruits and the GI parasites of all the mammal orders in vegetables, infected meat or fish, etc), Dehiwala Zoo. intermediate and paratenic hosts (snails, ants, cockroaches and other insects, rodents, etc.), MATERIALS AND METHODS newly acquired parasitized animals and through infected zoo staff and visitors (Pencheva, 2013). Study site and study animals Many species of helminths and protozoans At the time of survey, Dehiwala National are known to infect mammals. Helminths such as Zoological Gardens comprised 70 species of Strongyloides, strongyles, Trichuris, mammals belonging to nine orders: 18 primates, Nematodirus, Toxocara, Moniezia and protozoan 19 carnivores, six perissodactyles, 18 parasites such as Giardia, Balantidium, artiodactyles, two proboscideans, one lagamorph Entamoeba and coccidians are GI parasites and one diprodont, one erinaceomorph and four commonly found in captive mammals rodent species. These mammals were distributed worldwide. The presence of these parasites in the throughout the zoo enclosure providing host may induce morbidity and even mortality maximum possible space per individual. (Nath et al., 2012). They can also act as the Climatically, Dehiwala comes under the wet reservoir of parasites for the domestic mammals zone of Sri Lanka (6°51’-24°5″N and 79°52’- and some of these infections can be zoonoses 22°4″E) with a mean annual temperature of which can spread to the humans (Bogale et al., 27°C. 2014). De-worming is carried out once in every The Dehiwala National Zoological three months and the food given to each animal Gardens (referred to as Dehiwala Zoo here is subjected to regular inspections by veterinary onwards) was established during the early years surgeons (personal communication with the of the 20th century and is one of the oldest zoos Chief Veterinarian at Dehiwala Zoo). in Asia. It is a pioneer institute that possesses, Background information about each mammal manages and conserves wild animals and was collected using a questionnaire, which displays the animal collections to the public. The gathered information on the age, sex, physical Zoo is located in the heart of Colombo city, the location of the animal in the Zoo, details on de- largest city and the commercial capital of Sri worming (last date of deworming and type of Lanka with a population of 4.6 million in the drugs given), and a brief history of the animals’ metropolitan area. Though the apparent objective origin (whether the animal was brought from of setting up this Zoo was to exhibit animals, it is another zoo/country or born at the Zoo). The now treated as an animal welfare facility, physical condition (fur coat, lethargy, appetite of involved in educating the community and an ex the animals) at the time of sampling was also situ conservation center for endangered species noted. Samples of the mammals living in groups (Dehiwala National Zoological Garden website). (eg. monkeys) were taken randomly without Because of the space limitation, many captive considering a particular individual, assuming that animals are caged in close proximity to one if there is a single infected individual in that another and therefore they may succumb to group the others were infected as well. parasitic infections. In a previous study, faecal samples of 13 species of captive primates at Collection of samples Dehiwala Zoo had been examined and reported Fresh faecal samples from all the captive many GI parasites including many protozoans: mammal species at the Dehiwala National Cryptosporidum sp., Balantidium sp., Blastocyst Zoological Gardens were collected from March sp., Entamoeba sp., Giardia sp., and coccidian to October 2014. Approximately 10 g of faeces and nematodes: the larvae of hook worm and the was collected in the morning about 8.00 am eggs of Ascaris, strongyle and Trichuris before the cages were cleaned by the keepers. (Gunasekara et al., 2012). A few years earlier in Each animal was sampled once during the study 2009, Fernando and Udagama-Randeniya studied and if they lived in groups (eg. monkeys, deer) the GI parasites and ectoparasites of captive one sample from the group was taken. For reptiles at Dehiwala zoo. The present herbivores and other less aggressive animals, the coprological survey was carried out to determine faecal sample was collected directly from the rectum. Samples from carnivores and other Aviruppola et al. 85 aggressive mammals were directly picked up off species were identified and number of eggs in the ground with the help of the caretaker. The 0.5 ml was estimated and the number of eggs per samples were collected into small plastic seal gram of faeces (EPG) was calculated assuming bags. During a visit about 20 samples were the method had concentrated all the eggs in the 3 collected at random whenever there was a fresh g of faeces into 0.5 ml. sample of a particular mammal was available and the sampling was done in every month until a Sheather’s sucrose floatation method final target of all the mammal species in Dehiwala Zoo was reached. Samples were Protozoan cyst and oocysts isolation was done by brought to the laboratory in a cooler and were Sheather’s sucrose floatation method. Saturated stored at 4°C until analysis. Processing of the sucrose was prepared and same steps of the samples was completed within a week in the modified salt floatation method mentioned above parasitology laboratory, in the Department of were followed replacing the floatation fluid by Veterinary Pathobiology at the Faculty of saturated Sheather’s sucrose solution. Cysts and Veterinary Medicine at University of Peradeniya oocysts of particular protozoan species in each using a modified salt floatation method, sample were calculated as cysts per gram (CPG) Sheather’s sucrose floatation method, direct or oocysts per gram (OPG) of faeces. saline and iodine mounts. Nematode cultures Quantitative analysis were set up for some species to obtain DNA for molecular analysis to identify up to species level.