Sugar gliders and hedgehogs are insectivores and

Sugar gliders and hedgehogs are insectivores and actively seek arthropods in nightly forays. It is suspected that Triatoma were not feeding on the sugar gliders and hedgehogs, but rather were being eaten. The oral route of infection is often nonfatal and induces a carrier state in South American didelphid opossums, however sugar gliders and hedgehogs appear to be peracutely affected and infection results in death. PCR testing on archived paraffin-embedded histopathological sections is a useful tool for diagnosis of trypanosomiasis in unusual species of insectivores with unusual presentation and mortality.
DISCUSSION In appropriate geographical locations with potential exposure to reduviid bugs, T. cruzi infections in Old World N-Benzylacetamidine hydrobromide and insectivores may result in peracute death. Oral and periorbital lesions and gross myocardial changes are associated with trypanosomiasis in Old World marsupials and insectivores. In 1 hedgehog no T. cruzi organisms were found using the histopathological method but cardiac tissues were positive by the PCR method, demonstrating the higher sensitivity of the PCR method. Oral and periorbital lesions accompanied by myocardial changes in Old World insectivores and marsupials may indicate the oral route of infection by T. cruzi. Marsupials in South America have been intensively studied in relationship to triatomid/Trypanosoma life cycles. Most New World species appear to be highly resistant to pathological disease, and function primarily as reservoirs of trypanosomes. Hedgehogs and sugar gliders have not been reported as either considered for sampling or positive for T. cruzi, and appear to be peracutely and lethally affected. This is the first report of naturally occurring Chagas’ Disease via oral route in Old World marsupials and hedgehogs. Diagnostics should place Chagas’ Disease on the list of possibilities for peracute deaths associated with cardiac, renal, and gastrointestinal lesions. Successful use of DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks is important because most pathology laboratories routinely archive wax blocks. This archived resource can be used for further studies on the prevalence of this disease. There is evidence of association between Trypanosoma cruzi lineage I (TCI) and opossums (Didelphis sp.), and Trypanosoma cruzi lineage II (TCII) and armadillos (Dasypus sp.), both taxa which occur naturally in the environment where the pet animals were held. Determination of the Discrete Typing Units specificity for tissues types may in the future assist risk assessment and origin of the pathogens. For example, if TCZ1 is predominant in hedgehogs, and TDZ2 in sugar gliders, the terrestrial/arboreal ecologies of T. cruzi would be upheld. Recent studies indicate increasing and widespread diversity of hosts and Discrete Typing Units of T. cruzi.7, 8 Sugar gliders and hedgehogs are fond of insects and actively seek arthropods in nightly forays. It is suspected that Triatoma were not feeding on the sugar gliders and hedgehogs, but rather were being eaten by them. The oral route of infection is often nonfatal and induces a carrier state in South American didelphid opossums, however sugar gliders and hedgehogs appear to be peracutely affected and infection results in death.
CONCLUSIONS Nontraditional pets, exotic animals in collections, and exhibit animals should be considered as potential hosts for Triatoma sp. and trypanosomiasis, and infection via ingestion of the bugs should be suspicious when periorbital swelling and myocardial disease are detected in highly insectivorous species. Old-World insectivores and Australian marsupials may be susceptible and exhibit atypical symptoms from New World trypanosomiasis, and unusual deaths should include trypanosomiasis on the list of possibilities. Routine collection, preparation, and archive of tissues for histolopathological examination can be useful for subsequent PCR studies and characterization of Chagas’ Disease infections.