Gastrointestinal Parasites Of Semi-Captive Orang Utans (Pongo Pygmaeus Pygmaeus) At Orang Utan Island, Bukit Merah, Perak, Malaysia
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Date
2014-07
Authors
Salleh, Noorkhairiah
Journal Title
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
A total of 338 faecal samples were collected from 16 semi-captive orang utans (5 adults, 5 sub-adults and 6 juveniles) from December 2010 to October 2011. They were screened for gastrointestinal parasites using methods of direct smear, faecal flotation, faecal sedimentation, faecal culture and McMaster’s technique. Five nematodes of Strongyloides fulleborni, Strongyloides stercoralis, Oesophagostomum cf. aculeatum, Trichostrongylus sp. and Trichuris trichuria and one protozoa of Balantidium coli were recovered. For nematodes, S. fulleborni prevalence was significantly higher throughout the study period compared to other nematodes, regardless of the age of the orang utans. Sub-adult orang utans gave the highest prevalence for S. stercoralis larvae, while juveniles gave the highest for S. fulleborni eggs. However, the occurrence of strongylids and T. trichuria were at low prevalence throughout the study period. For the protozoa, sub–adults gave the highest prevalence for Balantidium cysts and juveniles for the trophozoites. The seasonal difference occurred only in juvenile orang utans where the number of total egg per gram of S. fulleborni was significantly higher during the wet season compared to the dry season. Infections with S. stercoralis and Balantidium were observed with clinical symptoms of diarrhoea, weaknesses and loss of appetite mostly in the juveniles. This may be due to immature system of the youngs compared to the adults. In addition to juveniles’ behaviour of ground dwelling, high social interactions and coprophagy habits have increased the susceptibility to the parasitic infections. The habitat of warm and moist soil had been an added advantage on increasing the survival of the parasites to be readily infective. Anthelmintic efficacy tests were also done to the parasitic infections of the orang utans. The percent efficacy tested that ivermectin with 98.9%, albendazole with 99.3% and mebedazole with 23.2% of percent eggs reduction. However, orang utans tested with ivermectin had the lowest mean at 25 epg until the fourth week. Also, two species of nematodes were identified until the species level using the 18s rDNA for Strongyloides spp. and ITS-2 rDNA for Oesophagostomum spp. Sequencing results revealed that the larvae cultured had 100% similarity of S. fulleborni and 99% similarity of O. cf. aculeatum.
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Keywords
Gastrointestinal parasites , of semi-captive orang utans