Three nematodes, Turgida turgida, Cruzia americana, and Didelphostrongylus hayesi, have been documented to cause morbidity and mortality in the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). The present study was designed to determine the frequency of infection of these nematodes in opossums at 2 study sites in California and to determine if there are risk factors associated with shedding of eggs or larvae in the feces. Turgida turgida and C. americana adults were found in 84.4% (stomach; n = 45) and 62.5% (intestinal wash and feces; n = 16) of sampled opossums. Eggs were present in opossum feces (n = 105) less frequently (40% T. turgida and 35.2% C. americana). Didelphostrongylus hayesi larvae were found in 79.0% of opossum feces examined (n = 105). Adult age and wet season (December through April) were significant predictive factors for the presence of T. turgida eggs, whereas the dry season (May through November) was significantly associated with the presence of C. americana eggs in feces. Adult opossums were more likely to have eggs and larvae from all 3 nematodes in the feces.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
October 2008
RESEARCH NOTES|
October 01 2008
Evaluation of Cruzia americana, Turgida turgida, and Didelphostrongylus hayesi Infection in the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and Risk Factors Along the California Coast
Amy E. Nichelason;
Amy E. Nichelason
aSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616
Search for other works by this author on:
Dan Rejmanek;
Dan Rejmanek
aSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616
Search for other works by this author on:
Haydee A. Dabritz;
Haydee A. Dabritz
bCalifornia Department of Public Health, Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, E-361, Richmond, California 94804
Search for other works by this author on:
Ann C. Melli;
Ann C. Melli
aSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616
Search for other works by this author on:
Melissa Miller;
Melissa Miller
cMarine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, California Department of Fish and Game, Department of Oil Spill Prevention and Response, 1451 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, California 95060
Search for other works by this author on:
Patricia A. Conrad
Patricia A. Conrad
dTo whom correspondence should be addressed. [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
J Parasitol (2008) 94 (5): 1166–1168.
Citation
Amy E. Nichelason, Dan Rejmanek, Haydee A. Dabritz, Ann C. Melli, Melissa Miller, Patricia A. Conrad; Evaluation of Cruzia americana, Turgida turgida, and Didelphostrongylus hayesi Infection in the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and Risk Factors Along the California Coast. J Parasitol 1 October 2008; 94 (5): 1166–1168. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-1363.1
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionCiting articles via
SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN ONE-HUMPED CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS) IN QATAR
Sonia Boughattas, Hashim Alhussain, Ahmed Gawish, Nahla O. Eltai
SCOLICIDAL POTENCY OF BILE AGAINST ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS
İsa Caner Aydın, Noyan İlhan, Ahmet Şeker, Cem Batuhan Ofluoğlu, Fırat Mülküt, Nuri Emrah Göret, Kenan Çetin, Erdal Polat, Gökhan Aygün, Hasan Fehmi Kücük
SYNONYMIZATION OF PLACOBDELLA PICTA (VERRILL, 1872) (HIRUDINEA: GLOSSIPHONIIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES REVEALED BY MOLECULAR SPECIES DELIMITATION
Anna J. Phillips, Dennis J. Richardson, Charlotte I. Hammond, Brett C. Gonzalez, Eric A. Lazo-Wasem, William E. Moser
A RE-EVALUATION OF ZYGOCOTYLE (DIGENEA, PARAMPHISTOMOIDEA) BASED ON NEW GENETIC DATA SUPPORTS ITS SYNONYMIZATION WITH WARDIUS
Tyler J. Achatz, Dawn W. Cleveland, Sarah A. Orlofske, Robert C. Jadin, Jason Block, Lisa K. Belden, Hudson A. Pinto, Vasyl V. Tkach
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GYRINICOLA YAMAGUTI, 1938, FROM THE MONTEZUMA FROG, RANA MONTEZUMAE, IN THE TRANSITION ZONE BETWEEN THE NEARCTIC AND NEOTROPICS
Matthew A. Walker, Rogelio Aguilar-Aguilar, Virginia León-Règagnon, F. Agustín Jiménez