The maned wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus ), the largest canid in South America, inhabits grasslands and dry forests in several countries, including Paraguay, where it faces threats such as habitat loss and fragmentation, roadkill, hunting, diseases transmitted by domestic animals, and fires. The study is aimed at describing the results of health assessments carried out on three wild specimens rescued in Paraguay between 2023 and 2024. The animals were treated at rescue centers or authorized veterinary clinics, where physical, hematological, biochemical, and coproparasitological examinations were performed, in addition to serological and molecular tests to detect agents of zoonotic and conservation relevance. Infections with Brucella spp., Leptospira spp., Dirofilaria immitis , Toxoplasma gondii , Leishmania spp., Ehrlichia spp., Mycoplasma spp., distemper virus, and canine parvovirus were analyzed. Most of the results were negative, except for low titers against Brucella canis (probably a false positive) and reactions to various Leptospira serovars, especially Pomona , Grippotyphosa , and Wolffi . In one case, Dioctophyme renale eggs were recorded, genetically confirmed as the first report for the species in Paraguay. The presence of Cochliomyia hominivorax larvae was also documented for the first time. The findings provide unprecedented information and reinforce the importance of pathogen surveillance for the conservation of the maned wolf.
Vetter et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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