Finding of Fasciola hepatica in a capybara (hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) in Tandil, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Fasciolosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Fasciola hepatica . The life cycle of thisparasite is indirect, it needs a snail of the Lymnaea family as an intermediate host to complete the cycle and sothe occurrence of cases is limited to the presence of these snails. Most of thestudies of this parasitic disease are in domestic animals and humans. Greateconomic losses are generated by this disease. Wild species are known to act asreservoirs and disseminators of the disease. The south-eastern zone of the province of Buenos Aires has been described with reference to the presence of Fasciola spp. in cattle but it is not yet known whether wild herbivores living in the zone are involved in the biological cycle of this disease. Among the wild species that have been positively reported to Fasciola hepatica the capybara, Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris is a poorly described species. In August of the present year, in the district of Tandil(BsAs), a dead capybara recently run over was found. At the macroscopic inspection the liver was apparently normal. At the magnifying glass inspection of the gall bladder, characteristics yellowish eggs were found. They were photographed with the Leica microscope and it can be seen that due to their morphology, size and location they were compatible with >Fasciola hepatica eggs. PCR was performed in search of the mitochondrial gene ITS1 (species indicator) confirming that the eggs found in the capybara belonged to Fasciola hepatica This is attractive for two main reasons; first, in the area where the animal was found there are no scientific reports of this disease or the presence of the snail, which prompts us to work on a more exhaustive search for cases. And secondly, the study of wild species as transmitters of this disease is not well studied and this ends up being a complication for producers and for the population ingeneral, so we consider that its study is very important.