Endemic infections of Parastrongylus (=Angiostrongylus) costaricensis in two species of nonhuman primates, raccoons, and an opossum from Miami, Florida.

Abstract

Parastrongylus (=Angiostrongylus) costaricensis was first reported in the United States from cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus, in Texas in 1979. Here, we report the findings of P. costaricensis in a siamang (Hylobates syndactylus) from the Miami MetroZoo, in 2 Ma's night monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) from the DuMond Conservancy located at Monkey Jungle in Miami, in 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor) trapped near the MetroZoo, and in an opossum (Didelphis virginiana) trapped at the MetroZoo. These records are the first records of P. costaricensis from all 4 species of hosts. All of the primates were zoo-born, and the raccoons and opossum were native, indicating that this parasite is now endemic at these 2 sites.