Lung Lesions in an Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) Associated with Capillaria didelphis Author(s): Daniel E. Snyder, Amir N. Hamir, Cathleen A. Hanlon, and Charles E. Rupprecht Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 27(1):175-177. Published By: Wildlife Disease Association DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-27.1.175 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.7589/0090-3558-27.1.175

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Journal

Lung

Lesions

in an Opossum

Associated

with

Capillaria

(Dideiphis

of Wildlife

Diseases,

1991,

27(1),

pp.

175-177

virginiana)

dideiphis

Daniel E. Snyder,’ Amir N. Hamir,2 Cathleen A. Hanlon,3 and Charles E. Rupprecht,3 ‘U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasite Research Laboratory, POB 952, Auburn, Alabama 36831, USA; 2 University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348-1692, USA; 3The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, 3601 Spruce St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA

(Dideiphis virgion Parramore Island, Virwith the lung parasite Capillaria dideiphis. Lung lesions associated with this parasite were extensive and consisted of flumerous areas with central necrosis deep within the parenchyma. Necrotic foci were present around airways and consisted of a mixture of inflammatory cells and cellular debris, adult nematodes and many bipolar eggs. This parasite causes severe verminous pneumonia in the opossum. Key words: Capillanla dideiphis, nematode, ABSTRACT: An nl,ana) live-trapped ginia was infected

opossum,

Dideiphis

monary,

Virginia,

opossum

virginiana,

case

pathology,

line

data

collection

plete

necropsy

Except

been

found

in

the

or

organs

turgida,

spaces and within foci of the lungs virginiana)

or necrotic (Didelphis

southeastern

and

and

eosin

examination

eastern

in

pulmonary

sive

and

within

the

crotic

foci,

a mixture

and and

cellular many

proposed didelphis,

2).

Necrotic and

C.

Harkema,

a new species name, for this parasite, in

aerophilia

that

Capillaria contrast

is commonly

the trachea and bronchi vulpes) and other wild

1970;

found

of red fox carnivores.

to

ways

in

fected could

(Vulpes A pre-

phostrongylus wood et a!.,

1977).

hayesi This

The ramore

opossum Island,

75#{176}38’W) in

was August

of

an

live-trapped

Virginia 1989

tory

(USA: as part

Par-

sue

37#{176}32’N,

were

prominent action.

of base175

necrosis In

the

ne-

of inflammatory sections eggs were

cells

of nematodes, seen (Figs.

foci were present in some of the less

around severely

1, airaf-

bronchi ulcerated

3). Elsewhere in the lung, at from the necrotic foci, bron-

and

filled

marked rounding vessels.

opossum infected on

cells,

sized

central

parenchyma.

debris, bipolar

exten-

variably

areas, outlines of dilated be identified with focally

eggs

and

quite

many with

chioles were dilated, cosa, and a mixture

infections (Prestreport further de-

scribes lesions in the lung naturally and monospecifically with C. didelphis.

3 mm)

mucosa (Fig. some distance

vious report described the histopathologic lesions in the lung of opossum associated with concomitant C. didelphis and Didel-

sectioned microscopy.

were

of

deep

and

major

buffered

hematoxylin

lesions

Chitwood and Lichtenfels, 1972; Feldman et a!., 1972; Nettles et a!., 1975; Pnestwood et a!., 1977; Gandiner, 1982; Brown, 1988). Butterworth and Bevenley-Bunton (1977)

(Miller

of all

lesions were seen in the stomach tissue sections.

the

(1

States

the

gross lecarcass.

the

in

by light

areas

United

Turgida

neutral

with

consisted to

in

and

in paraffin,

stained

The

species

sections

in 10%

animal

other

seen

embedded

at 5 sm

Histopathologic lungs and

alveolar

gnanulomata of opossum

in the

have

fixed

vac-

to euthanasia.

no

were

tissue

for

The

prior

americana

parasites

were

rabies

et al., 1986). by an intraand a com-

nematode

Representative

pul-

sp.

two Cruzia

(Physaloptera) sions

as Cap-

bronchioles,

to oral

performed.

normal

for

stomach,

fonmalin, identified Capillaria

was

clinically

was

report.

Capi!lariid parasites illaria aerophili.a or

prior

cine field trials (Ruppnecht The animal was euthanized venous barbituate overdose

had hyperplastic muof mucus, inflamma-

bipolar

the

plugged

lumina.

nematode

There

was

also

hyperplasia of smooth muscle surbronchioles and associated blood Bronchus-associated lymphoid tispresent;

however,

feature Endogenous

of

the lipid

this

was

pulmonary pneumonia

not

a reas

176

JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES, VOL. 27, NO. 1, JANUARY

FIGURE

delphis

1.

of parasites,

and

Low

induced

cellular

magnification

pulmonary eggs,

debris.

and

a mixture

Bar

of

lesion

=

200

di-

Capillanla

containing

1991

sections

of inflammatory

cells FIGURE

m.

3.

bris.

Dilated

bronchiole

didelphis

Capillanla

Mucosa

ulcerated.

and

of the Bar

=

described by with verminous in this

dilated

50

consisted

mucosal necrosis

Gastric

granulomata containing of adult

were

lung

tures

and

measurements

and

are FIGURE 2. Caplllanla dideiphis adults, eggs, inflammatory cells and cellular debris within monary parenchyma. Bar = 50 Mm.

and pul-

were

dissected

morphologic of these

corresponded

to the

given by (1977).

feaparasites

description

Buttenworth Representative

and

a porparasites National

Collection (Beltsvil!e, Maryland USA; accession number 81194). microscopic lesions described above

similar

to those

et a!. (1977). inflammatory didelphis

subareas of nema-

specimens of C. didelphis, including tion of formalin fixed lung with in situ, are deposited in the U.S. Parasite 20705, The

minor

eosinophilic

worms

fixed

eggs

of de-

is partially

with central degenerating

the

of C. didelphis Beverley-Burton

and

in opossums was not seen

lesions

a few

from and

bronchiole

Brown (1988) pneumonia of

todes. Portions

eggs

cells

m.

opossum.

and

containing

inflammatory

causes

reported

As these reaction extensive

by Prestwood

authors noted, the in response to C. damage

to the

SHORT

pulmonary

panenchyma.

monic

by this

damage

comitant sites can

burden be lethal

opossum animal

et

1969;

Vaki!zadeh

1979).

Opossum

may

harbor

and

associated

scribed aware their

in

has been used in several studies

C.

in the by

1971;

are

wild

other

pulmonary

lesions

D.

Hayes

for

field.

This

work

the

Jurcaught

Animal

as

C.

parasites erinary

was

Pennsylvania

debe

supported

News

Society

C. C.

BROWN,

1988.

in opossums Diseases

Endogenous

from

24:

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