Calodium hepaticum (Trichinellida: Capillaridae) is a parasitic nematode of mammals distributed worldwide. Although this parasite can infect the liver of a wide diversity of mammals (including humans), it is mostly associated with Muroidea hosts. Sigmodontinae rodents were recently recognized as important hosts of this parasite in Argentina, but the impact of this parasitism on these hosts has not been established. Here we report results of histopathological analyses of 40 livers of Akodon azarae infected with C. hepaticum. Lesions were classified into 4 categories: level 0, absence of lesions; level 1, with focal granulomatous hepatitis; level 2, presence of multifocal granulomatous hepatitis, fibrosis and focal necrosis with neutrophils, and level 3, absence of intact adult parasites, diffuse distribution, necrosis, and fibrosis. Most samples presented lesions of level 2 (55%), but all categories of lesions were found. This is the first study to describe the lesions caused by C. hepaticum in the liver of Sigmodontinae rodents, and the results suggest that infection by this parasite is costly to A. azarae populations.
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6 February 2019
Calodium hepaticum (Trichuroidea: Capillariidae) Infection in Akodon azarae: First Description of Histopathological Lesions in Sigmodontinae
M. C. Fantozzi,
A. Sanchez,
A. L. Scartascini Ciorciari,
F. E. Peña,
A. Canal,
P. M. Beldomenico
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Journal of Parasitology
Vol. 105 • No. 1
January 2019
Vol. 105 • No. 1
January 2019
Akodon azarae
Argentina
Calodium hepaticum
disease ecology
hepatic fibrosis
hepatitis
Histopathological Analyses