ABSTRACT
Due to the growing interest in ecology and preservation of wild animals, veterinary doctors have been asked to diagnose and treat nosologic entities pertaining to non-domestic animals that are kept in captivity. In spite of this, very few studies have been published focusing on the microbiota of wild animals. It is known that several saprobic fungus species are isolated from the hide, hair and auditory canal and these can, in specific situations, be potentially pathogenic. This study was aimed at identifying the species of fungus on the hide, hair and auditory canal of clinically healthy howling monkeys (Alouatta caraya), marmosets (Callithrix sp.), and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). The samples were obtained by extraction of hair and cutaneous exfoliation and glass lamina impression on the auricular pavilion of 16 howling monkeys, 12 marmosets, and 27 capuchin monkeys, captured by the Screening and Quarantine Center of the Manso Reservoir in Mato Grosso. At the Microbiology Laboratory of the University of Cuiabá Veterinary Hospital the material was processed for fungus identification. There was fungus development in 7 (43.74%) samples taken from howling monkeys, being, respectively, Curvularia sp. (12.5%), Drechslera sp. (6.25%), Penicillium sp. (6.25%), Cladosporium sp. (6.25), Aspergillus sp. (6.25%) and Fusarium sp. (6.25%). From the samples taken from marmosets, 5 (41.67%) were positive for > Aspergillus sp. (16.65%), Drechslera sp. (8.34%), Rhodotorula sp. (8.34%), > and Curvularia sp. (8.34%). In capuchin monkeys, 7 (25.92%) samples were > positive for Curvularia sp. (14.82%), Aspergillus sp. (7.4%), and > Cladosporium sp. (3.7%). In the cytology for diagnosis of Malassezia > pachydermatis, characteristic yeast cells were found in 1 (8.3%) marmoset, > 3 (18.74%) howling monkeys and 6 (22.23%) capuchin monkeys. Considering > these results, it can be concluded that the fungi isolated are probably > part of the normal biota of the animals. Another finding was the > occurrence of yeast in a large number of the animals.
KEY WORDS:
Fungic microbiota; hide; hair; auditory conduct; monkeys