Incidental findings of Cysticercus tenuicollis metacestodes in five oryx species

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Stephen Chege, Arshad Toosy, Ahmed Sakr, Ahmed Shawki, Sean O'Sullivan, Ana Perez de Vargas, Tatiana Cavero, Amir Islam
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016
• Subjects: Al Ain Zoo; Arabian oryx; Beisa oryx; Cysticercus tenuicollis; Fringe-eared oryx; Gemsbok; Mortality records; Scimitar-horned oryx; Taenia hydatigena; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.09.018; https://doaj.org/article/80eb0f34cf284b49828275e6013ea45b

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Cysticercus tenuicollis (C. tenuicollis) metacestodes in five oryx species kept in Al Ain Zoo animal collection. Methods: This study was based on a retrospective analysis of post-mortem records covering a four year period (July 2010 to July 2014). Results: A total of 213 individual animals were recorded dead during the four year period (July 2010 to July 2014). Out of this, 12 (5.6%) were recorded with C. tenuicollis. More females (8) than males (4) were recorded to have C. tenuicollis, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.3737). Conclusions: This study shows that, Arabian oryx, beisa oryx, fringe-eared oryx, gemsbok and scimitar-horned oryx are susceptible to C. tenuicollis. Based on the epidemiology and the life cycle of this parasite, it is possible that these captive animals ingested the parasite through contaminated feed which could have happened in the pasture land or stray dogs and wild canidae (e.g. fox) visited the zoo contaminating the oryx feed. Stray dogs and wild canidae should be prevented from visiting pasture land and a captive animal facility.