Evaluation of the main disorders and microbiota of the oral cavity of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) under human care.

BACKGROUND: Although critical to the overall condition of animals under human care, there is still limited information about oral health in neotropical primates. METHODS: We analyzed the main oral conditions and microbiota using mass spectrometry from 13 capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) under human care. The findings were registered on odontograms following the Triadan system. RESULTS: The most prevalent conditions were dental fractures (n = 9), mainly enamel fractures, and periodontal disease (n = 8), mainly grade 1 calculi. When exanimating teeth, alterations were identified in 90 out of the 416 evaluated pieces, being periodontal disease the most common (n = 60), followed by enamel fracture (n = 15) and missing teeth (n = 10). In the oral microbiota analyses, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species were the most prevalent, although no obvious association was observed between isolated organisms and oral conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings hold the potential to prevent oral disorders, including fractures and periodontal diseases, contribute to molecular identification of oral microbiota, and to improve the well-being of primates under human care.

DENTAL DISEASES AND OTHER ORAL PATHOLOGIES OF CAPTIVE JAGUARS (PANTHERA ONCA) FROM BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA.

Dental and oral diseases are prevalent in many mammalian species including wild felids. Determining the dental and oral health status of captive animal populations can help establish preventive and therapeutic strategies, leading to improved welfare and conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of periodontal disease, endodontic disease, tooth resorption, and other clinically relevant dental and maxillofacial abnormalities in a population of captive jaguars (Panthera onca) using clinical, radiographic, and histopathological findings. Fifteen jaguars, ranging from young adult to geriatric, kept at a private zoo in Belize, Central America, had a detailed oral examination under general anesthesia between January 2015 and March 2019. Periodontitis was present in 3.8% (16/423) of examined teeth and 53.8% (7/13) of jaguars that underwent periodontal probing. Endodontic disease secondary to dentoalveolar trauma was found in 21.0% (89/423) of teeth in 73.3% (11/15) of animals. Tooth resorption, which has not been previously documented in jaguars, affected 1.4% (6/423) of teeth in 13.3% (2/15) of jaguars. Other abnormalities included metallic foreign material (gunshot) identified radiographically in 33.3% (5/15) of jaguars and nontraumatizing malocclusion in 9.1% (1/11) of jaguars that had occlusion evaluated. Much of the oral pathology identified in captive jaguars is suspected to arise from capture and/or captivity-associated behaviors, as suggested by gunshot around the oral cavity, fractures of rostral teeth (canine and incisor teeth), and abrasions consistent with cage-biting on canine teeth. Anesthetized oral examination-including full-mouth intraoral radiographs, periodontal probing, and charting-is recommended for jaguars with clinical signs of oral pain, as well as for routine systemic evaluation.

Detection of Vaccinia virus during an outbreak of exanthemous oral lesions in Brazilian equids.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: In August 2014, an outbreak of oral exanthematous disease in equids was reported in Brazil, affecting 11 donkeys and 3 mules. OBJECTIVES: To investigate if Vaccinia virus (VACV) was the aetiological agent in this outbreak. STUDY DESIGN: Investigation of clinical cases using serological, molecular and phylogenetic approaches. METHODS: To analyse the presence of neutralising antibodies against VACV, samples were submitted in triplicate to a plaque-reduction neutralisation test (PRNT50% ). On the basis of previous studies which detected VACV DNA in sera, we submitted extracted DNA samples to different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platforms targeting Orthopoxvirus (OPV) genes (C11R, A56R and A26L). The PCR products were directly sequenced in both orientations using specific primers and capillary electrophoresis. The alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the A26L and A56R nucleotide sequences (maximum likelihood) were prepared with the obtained nucleotide fragments. RESULTS: Serological and molecular data suggested VACV as the aetiological agent. The neutralising antibodies against OPV were detected in 5 (55.5%) of the equids, with titres ≥40 neutralising u/ml. Based on the results obtained from all PCR platforms, all samples were positive for OPV: 9 (100%) for A56R, 4 (44.4%) for C11R and 3 (33.3%) for A26L. The alignment of the nucleotide sequences of the A26L and A56R fragments revealed that the samples were highly similar to the homologous genes from other Brazilian VACV Group 1 isolates (98.8% identity on average). Furthermore, both the A26L and A56R sequences showed signature deletions also present in the sequences of Group 1 VACV isolates from Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: Our data raises questions about the role of equids in the chain of VACV epidemiology. The surveillance of equids in VACV-affected areas worldwide is relevant.

Oral myiasis in a captive hippopotamus.

Causes of dental infections can be related to failed dental eruption, malocclusion, abrasion, fractures with or without exposure of the dental pulp, and periodontal disease. Reports of oral myiasis in megavertebrates in captivity are infrequent, perhaps due to the difficulty in observing the oral cavity in such species. This report describes a case of oral myiasis in an adult male hippopotamus in the gingival area and alveolar mucosa of the left mandibular canine tooth.