03086nas a2200433   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653001800067653002600085653002600111653002200137653001500159653002500174653002800199653001200227653001100239653001800250653002200268653000900290653003100299653002500330653001800355653003000373653002400403653001900427653001300446100001100459700001100470700001600481700001600497700001500513700001400528245015000542300001100692490000700703520192800710022001402638       2009                            d  c2009 Jun10aAnimals10aAnimals, Wild10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntibodies, Protozoan10aAntibodies, Viral10aArmadillos10aBacterial Infections10aBlood Chemical Analysis10aBolivia10aFemale10aHealth Status10aHematologic Tests10aMale10aParasitic Diseases, Animal10aPhysical Examination10aPublic health10aSeroepidemiologic Studies10aSpecies Specificity10aVirus Diseases10aZoonoses1 aDeem S1 aNoss A1 aFiorello CV1 aManharth AL1 aRobbins RG1 aKaresh WB00aHealth assessment of free-ranging three-banded (Tolypeutes matacus) and nine-banded (Dasypus novemcinctus) armadillos in the Gran Chaco, Bolivia.  a245-560 v403 a<p>The Gran Chaco, Bolivia, has a total of seven species of armadillos with the three-banded (Tolypeutes matacus) and nine-banded (Dasypus novemcinctus) the most commonly hunted by the local Isoseño-Guarani people. Armadillos are known carriers of zoonotic pathogens, including Mycobacterium leprae, Toxoplasma gondii, and Trypanosoma cruzi; thus human handling and consumption of these species may have a significant public health impact. A health assessment that included physical examinations, hematology, plasma biochemical analyses, levels of exposure to selected infectious agents, and endoparasite and ectoparasite identification was performed on nine-banded and three-banded armadillos in the Gran Chaco, Bolivia. Based on clinical findings, the general health of these armadillos was rated as good. However, many of the nine-banded armadillos (64%) had abrasions and wounds, probably related to the capture method. The blood value results from a subset of these armadillos are presented as baseline values for free-ranging populations of both these species in Bolivia. Serologic antibody tests for M. leprae were negative in three-banded (n = 8) and nine-banded (n = 2) armadillos. Three-banded armadillos were antibody positive for Eastern equine encephalitis virus (8/8; 100%) and Saint Louis encephalitis virus (5/8; 62.5%). Two of 12 (16.7%) three-banded armadillos tested were antigen positive for Dirofilaria immitis. Nine-banded armadillos were antibody positive for T. gondii (3/9; 33.3%), Eastern equine encephalitis virus (5/8; 62.5%), and T. cruzi (2/9; 22.2%). Two of eight (25%) nine-banded armadillos were antigen positive for D. immitis. A number of endo- and ectoparasites were identified in/on both species of armadillos. Results from this study support the possibility that the handling and consumption of these species by the local Isoseño-Guarani people may have a public health impact.</p>
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