Endemic infections of Parastrongylus (=Angiostrongylus) costaricensis in two species of nonhuman primates, raccoons, and an opossum from Miami, Florida.
Parastrongylus (=Angiostrongylus) costaricensis was first reported in the United States from cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus, in Texas in 1979. Here, we report the findings of P. costaricensis in a siamang (Hylobates syndactylus) from the Miami MetroZoo, in 2 Ma's night monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) from the DuMond Conservancy located at Monkey Jungle in Miami, in 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor) trapped near the MetroZoo, and in an opossum (Didelphis virginiana) trapped at the MetroZoo. These records are the first records of P. costaricensis from all 4 species of hosts. All of the primates were zoo-born, and the raccoons and opossum were native, indicating that this parasite is now endemic at these 2 sites.
Miller
Christine L
CL
HelmWest Laboratory, 2108 Hilda Avenue, Missoula, Montana 59801, USA.
Kinsella
John M
JM
Garner
Michael M
MM
Evans
Sian
S
Gullett
Patricia A
PA
Schmidt
Robert E
RE
D000801:Angiostrongylus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D016645:Aotidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006922:Hylobates / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D009893:Opossums / Q000469:parasitology*; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*