BIOMEDICAL EVALUATION OF A BROWN LEMUR (EULEMUR FULVUS SPP.) POPULATION FROM MBOUZI ISLET, MAYOTTE ISLAND.

The brown lemur population (Eulemur fulvus spp.) in Mbouzi islet is not native, and was introduced in 1997. Since then, the population has grown. In 2012 the National Council for Protection of Nature of Mayotte requested to remove this population of lemurs from Mbouzi, as they were suspected to be a threat to the protected endemic flora of the islet. The Association Francophone des Vétérinaires de Parcs Zoologiques (French-speaking Zoo Veterinarians Association, AFVPZ) was asked to conduct a biomedical evaluation of the population. Fifty-two animals were captured, anesthetized, and weighed. They all underwent a general physical examination. Feces were sampled for bacterial and parasitological screening. Hair was sampled for genetic studies and blood was sampled for hematology, biochemistry, viral serology, and haemoparasitology. Results showed that three individuals had a positive feces culture for Salmonella enterica and six had Lemuricola or Callistoura parasite infestations. Blood analyses for hematology and biochemistry showed 46 animals with elevated transferrin, 42 with low ferritin levels, 19 with hyperglycemia, and 10 with neutrophilia. Finally, 10 were positive for Toxoplasma serology, one was positive for α herpesvirus, five for pox virus, five for simian virus 40, and two for flavivirus. This publication reports the first complete biomedical evaluation of lemurs on Mayotte Island.

Ectoparasitism in Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs ( Varecia variegata) in Southeastern Madagascar.

We documented ectoparasites found on wild black-and-white ruffed lemurs ( Varecia variegata) in the southeastern rain forests of Madagascar and describe trends in parasitism. In this study, 235 mesostigmatid mites (1 male, 87 females, 147 nymphs) identified as Liponyssella sp., in the acarine family Macronyssidae, were collected during 87% (34/39) of lemur examinations (mean number/host=7.9). The only other ectoparasite collected was the louse fly ( Allobosca crassipes; 3 males, 8 females) in the dipteran family Hippoboscidae, which was collected during 26% (10/39) of lemur examinations (mean number/host=1.1). The lemur most heavily parasitized by mites was an adult female with 29 adult females and 17 nymphs, all collected from the face.

Echinococcus and Taenia spp. from captive mammals in the United Kingdom.

Taeniid tapeworms which include Echinococcus and Taenia spp. are obligatory parasites of mammals with pathogenicity usually related to the larval stages of the life cycle. Two species (or genotypes) of Echinococcus, E. granulosus sensu stricto and E. equinus, as well as several Taenia spp. are endemic in the UK. Here we report on the occurrence of larval cystic stages of Echinococcus and Taenia spp. in captive mammals in the UK. Using molecular techniques we have identified E. granulosus (G1 genotype) in a guenon monkey and a Philippine spotted deer; E. equinus in a zebra and a lemur; E. ortleppi in a Philippine spotted deer; E. multilocularis in a macaque monkey and Taenia polyacantha in jumping rats. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of E. multilocularis in a captive primate translocated to the UK. As far as we know these are the first reports of E. equinus in a primate (lemur) and in a zebra; as well as E. granulosus (G1 genotype) and E. ortleppi in a cervid translocated to the UK. These infections and implications of the potential establishment of exotic species of cestodes are discussed.

Timing the origin of human malarias: the lemur puzzle.

BACKGROUND: Timing the origin of human malarias has been a focus of great interest. Previous studies on the mitochondrial genome concluded that Plasmodium in primates, including those parasitic to humans, radiated relatively recently during a process where host switches were common. Those investigations, however, assumed constant rate of evolution and tightly bound (fixed) calibration points based on host fossils or host distribution. We investigate the effect of such assumptions using different molecular dating methods. We include parasites from Lemuroidea since their distribution provides an external validation to time estimates allowing us to disregard scenarios that cannot explain their introduction in Madagascar. RESULTS: We reject the assumption that the Plasmodium mitochondrial genome, as a unit or each gene separately, evolves at a constant rate. Our analyses show that Lemuroidea parasites are a monophyletic group that shares a common ancestor with all Catarrhini malarias except those related to P. falciparum. However, we found no evidence that this group of parasites branched with their hosts early in the evolution of primates. We applied relaxed clock methods and different calibrations points to explore the origin of primate malarias including those found in African apes. We showed that previous studies likely underestimated the origin of malarial parasites in primates. CONCLUSIONS: The use of fossils from the host as absolute calibration and the assumption of a strict clock likely underestimate time when performing molecular dating analyses on malarial parasites. Indeed, by exploring different calibration points, we found that the time for the radiation of primate parasites may have taken place in the Eocene, a time consistent with the radiation of African anthropoids. The radiation of the four human parasite lineages was part of such events. The time frame estimated in this investigation, together with our phylogenetic analyses, made plausible a scenario where gorillas and humans acquired malaria from a Pan lineage.

Trypanosoma cruzi prevalence and epidemiologic trends in lemurs on St. Catherines Island, Georgia.

Lemurs on St. Catherines Island, Georgia were tested for Trypanosoma cruzi infection to develop a better understanding of the epizootiology of the parasite in nonhuman primates in the southeastern United States. Fifty-six ring-tailed (Lemur catta), blue-eyed black (Eulemur macaco flavifrons), and black-and-white ruffed (Varecia variegata variegata) lemurs were tested by hemoculture and serology to determine the prevalence of T. cruzi in the population. Of those tested 3 (5%) were identified as culture positive and 25 (44.6%) as seropositive. When hemoculture results were compared with those from a similar study performed in 1997, prevalence remained unchanged. Genetic characterization of the 3 culture isolates indicated they belong to the T. cruzi IIa group, which is identical to strains previously isolated from raccoons on the island. Despite the occurrence of T. cruzi in the population, there was no evidence that the health of the lemurs was compromised as a result of infection. Based upon prevalence and available breeding records we speculate that both vertical and vector-mediated transmission play significant roles in the epidemiology of T. cruzi on the island. This also represents the first report of autochthonous infection in blue-eyed black and black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

Transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium in primates and herbivores at the Barcelona zoo: a long-term study.

Factors influencing the transmission of Cryptosporidium in primates and herbivores housed at the Barcelona zoo have been analyzed. The relationship between continuous and discontinuous oocyst shedding, both animal housing conditions and abiotic factors (seasonality, humidity, temperature) was examined to explain the epizootiology of the protozoan. Thirty six fecal samples from each of 11 primates (Pongidae, Cebidae, Cercopithecidae and Lemuridae) and 22 herbivores (Elephantidae, Camelidae, Cervidae, Giraffidae and Bovidae) were examined over the period of 1 year. The parasite transmission was based on the chronic infection status of some animals serving as a source of successive reinfection for other animals. The environmental temperature and humidity (seasonality), the physical features of the facilities, the vicinity of the animals and the physiological status induced by captivity contributed to transmission. The long-term character of this study was essential for obtaining these results and interpreting the complex relationships.

Naturally occurring cerebral nematodiasis due to Baylisascaris larval migration in two black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) and suspected cases in three emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae).

During September and October 1992, two black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) were housed in an outdoor wire enclosure at the Tulsa Zoological Park. The following February and April, both lemurs developed head tilt and ataxia, and they were euthanized. Necropsy revealed multifocal malacia of the white matter of the pons, cerebellum, internal capsule, and cerebral and cerebellar peduncles. Nematode larvae consistent with Baylisascaris spp. were observed in the brain of one lemur. A retrospective study revealed three cases of ataxia in emus (Dromaius novaeholloandiae) that were previously housed in the same enclosure. Archival paraffin-embedded tissue from one emu revealed tractlike foci of malacia within the white matter of the cerebellum. Circumstantial evidence, including the observation of numerous raccoons (Procyon lotor) in the vicinity, and the presence of numerous Baylisascaris. procyonis in the intestine of a single trapped raccoon implicate this roundworm as the pathologic agent in the lemurs.

[A new Plasmodium species from a lemur: Plasmodium coulangesi n. sp]. / Une nouvelle espèce plasmodiale chez un lémurien: Plasmodium coulangesi n. sp.

The splenectomy of a female Lemur macaco macaco, showing a scanty blood infection by Haemosporidians and a Trypanosome was followed by a dramatic increase of the rate of intra-erythrocytic parasitaemia. Three species of Plasmodium where then identified. The first species was unknown; it is described in this paper and named Plasmodium coulangesi n. sp. It is characterised by--the low (6). constant number of merozoites in mature schizonts,--the disposition of the pigment, well apart from the parasitic mass to which it is linked by a tiny wisp of cytoplasm,--the normal host erythrocyte, the shape, size and colour of which are unaltered. The second species was provisionaly designated as Plasmodium sp.; it was previously seen in the same host by Garnham and Uilenberg in 1975 and designated by these authors as Plasmodium girardi Buck, Coudurier et Quesnel, 1952. Only gametocytes of the last species were found; they are similar to those of Plasmodium lemuris Huff and Hoogstraal, 1963.

[Plasmodia of lemurs in Madagascar]. / Plasmodies de lémuriens malgaches.

Lemur macaco macaco from Ambanja region was found polyparasitized by four different species of Plasmodium: --Plasmodium coulangesi recently described by lepers et al. (1989). --P. bucki n. sp.: its main differential characterisitics are the large numvber (32) of merozoites produced in mature schizonts and the stippling, resembling Maurer's dots, in an hypertrophied pinkish erythrocyte. --P. percygarnhami n. sp. (= P. girardi sensu Uilenberg, 1970 pro parte and sensu Garnham et Uilenberg, 1975 pro parte) producing 20 merozoites in mature schizonts and developing inside a deformed corpuscle (holly leaf-shaped or sometimes sea-urchin-shaped) which may also become decolourized when parasitized by older stages. --(?) Plasmodium lemuris: gametocytes are very large (11 microns x 7 micron); the parasitized erythrocyte is much hypertrophied (+/- 10 microns), distored and of a pinkish colour; one schizont only, possibly exo-erythrocytic, was found. The authors hypothesized this parasite to be a Haemoproteid. The analysis of published data led the authors to make the following modifications to the nomenclature previously established: --Plasmodium girardi Buck et al., 1952, sensu Garnham, 1966, sensu Uilenberg, 1970 parte and sensu Garnham and Uilenberg, 1975 pro parte, is refered to as Plasmodium sp., for stages developing in the blood of Lemur fulvus fulvus. The taxon P. percygarnhami is to be employed for stages developing in L. m. macaco and P. girardi Buck et al., 1952 for those developing in Lemur fulvus rufus. --Plasmodium foleyi Buck et al., 1952, sensu Garnham and Uilenberg, 1975 in L. f. fulvus is named Plasmodium uilenbergi n. sp., P. folleyi being a parasite of L.f. rufus. Excluding P. lemuris which probably does not belong to the genus Plasmodium, the morphological analysis led to individualize 7 species, in the three species of Lemurs studied. A phenomenon of "vicariance" thus appears, similar to what is known for the african Rodent Plasmodia, but with a more pronounced speciation. The vicariant species form a pair constituted of: --on the one hand a small species developing in a red blood cell of normal size, P. girardi in L.f. rufus, P. sp. in L.f. fulvus, P. percygarnhami, with also, P. coulangesi, in L. m. macaco; --on the other hand a large species determining an hypertrophy of the erythrocyte, P. foleyi in L.f. rufus, P. uilenbergi in L.f. fulvus and P. bucki in L.m. macaco.

[Discovery of a protist parasite, apparently akin to Acrasiae, in the genital tract and various organs of primates]. / Découverte d'un protiste parasite, paraissant apparenté aux Acrasiés, dans l'appareil génital et certains organes de primates.

Microcysts were first observed in histological sections of the placenta of a gibbon, the uterus of a Microcebus, showing a pyometra, the placenta, spleen and lung of a new born mangabey which died soon after birth from an interstitial pneumonia. Plasmodial forms were also discovered in the sections, either encysted or infiltrating the tissues. Cultures from all the above mentioned pathological material were attempted on a special medium, the composition of which will be given later. All cultures shew myxamoeba-like organisms aggregating and merging into pseudoplasmodial forms that produced microcysts. Attention is drawn to the pathogenic rôle of this new kind of parasites in order that they should be searched for, in every case of genital troubles not ascribable to other causes.