Hepatic Pathological and Anatomopathological Characteristics of Callitrichids From the Wild and Under Human Care in Rio Grande do Norte.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Liver injuries are among the most common and can have a major impact on primates' health. This study aimed to describe the occurrence and frequency of hepatobiliary morphological changes in wild and human-cared non-human primates from the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. METHODS: Histological slides from 37 specimens of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), obtained from the Primatology Center at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte and the Wildlife Rescue Center of Rio Grande do Norte (CETAS-RN), were analyzed. RESULTS: In animals under human care, alterations consistent with parasitism by Platynosomum sp. were predominant, whereas in wild animals, lesions compatible with necrosis, inflammation, and degeneration occurred more frequently. CONCLUSION: Among the most significant findings was parasitic infection caused by Platynosomum sp., present in both captive and wild animals, which in some cases caused chronic liver damage in animals that died without showing clinical signs.