Free-living Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in an Urban Area in Brazil - Biochemical and Hematological Parameters

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22456/1679-9216.114437

Abstract

Background: Capybaras have found favorable conditions for survival and reproduction in green urban environments. In recent years, the population of these large rodents has been increasingly abundant in several brazilian cities such as Uberlândia, a municipality of the southeastern region with a Cerrado biome. Capybaras are important in the Brazilian Spotted Fever epidemiological chain, by amplifying infection rates of the vector population. However, knowledge of this host´s physiology is scarce. Thus, the aim of this work was to describe hematological and biochemical parameters of free-living capybaras groups in urbanized areas in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Materials, Methods & Results: Capybaras were captured in 4 different locations of Uberlândia city, Minas Gerais state, including 1 Condominium (P1), 1 Private Market Garden (P2), 1 Private Club (P3) and 1 Municipal Park (P4). The animals were baited into an octagonal iron corral and chemically contained with anesthetic darts. After sedated, blood was collected from the femoral vein in tubes with and without EDTA. Biochemical evaluation, hematological analysis with differential leukocyte counts and search for Dirofilaria sp. were done. The blood count and biochemistry values obtained from animals of different ages, sex and sectors (P1, P2, P3 and P4) were submitted to the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, considering 95% significance. Values that had a normal distribution were subjected to ANOVA tests followed by Student's t-test. Values that did not follow normality were submitted to the Kruskal-Wallis test, to obtain a P-value, with a significance level of 95%. A total of 19 capybaras were captured: 4 in P1, 6 in P2, 4 in P3 and 5 in P4. From the 19 animals, 13 were females (68.42%) and 6 were males (31.57%), 12 adults (63.15%) and 7 juveniles (36.84%). Apart from occasional skin scars and moderate to intense Ambyomma spp. tick infestations, all captured animals were healthy on a broad examination. From 5 animals captured in P4, despite the use of anticoagulant, blood from 4 animals clotted fast. No microfilariae were found in the thick drop test in any of the 19 animals sampled, and in 2 adult female capybaras captured in P1, Kurloff cells were observed. Hematological and biochemical values presented no major differences when comparing sex and age. Nevertheless, differences in liver and kidney profile were observed between the capybara groups, including ALT, alkaline phosphorus, BUN and creatinine.

Discussion: Blood from 4 animals clotted fast, despite the use of EDTA tubes. Blood clotting of samples with anticoagulant in this work could be associated with some physiological features inherent to capybaras. Many attempts were required to obtain enough blood from each individual due to the rapid hemostasis, what come in accordance with reports in literature. Kurloff cells were observed in 2 adult female capybaras captured in P1, which can be found in peripheral blood of female rodents during follicular phase of estrous cycle. Hematological and biochemical values differences in liver enzymes such as ALT and alkaline phosphorus, and kidney profile enzymes including BUN and creatinine could be associated to capture stress or dietetic variation between groups. Despite statistical relevant, the values were still in accordance with other works, although comparisons should be done with caution since various environments exert a diverse array of stimulus upon the animals such as parasitic, infective, stress, nutritional, social and undoubtedly blood parameters mirror them. In conclusion, this work contributes to the standardization of free-living capybaras' physiological parameters in urban areas.

Keywords: capybaras, physiological parameters, enzymatic parameters, green urban environment, capture stress, fauna, biomes.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alho C.J.R. & Rondon N.L. 1987. Habitats, population densities, and social structure of capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris, rodentia) in the Pantanal, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia. 4(2): 139-149.

Benatti H.R. 2020. Comparison of morphometric patterns and blood biochemistry in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) of human-modified landscapes and natural landscapes. 90f. São Paulo, SP. Tese (Doutorado em Ciências) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia Experimental Aplicada à Zoonoses e Saúde Animal, Universidade São Paulo.

Bernal L., Feser M., Martínez-Subiela S., García-Martínez J.D., Cerón J.J. & Tecles F. 2011. Acute phase protein response in the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 47(4): 829-835.

Corredor-Matus J.R. & Rodrígues-Pulido J. 2010. Estudio del perfil hemático y metabólico de chigüiros (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) (LINNAEUS, 1766) em confinamento. Orinoquia. 14(1): 95-109.

Di Chiacchio R.G.M. 2012. Avaliação sanitária de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) de vida livre presentes na região da Cantareira – zona norte de São Paulo. 125f. São Paulo, SP. Dissertação (Mestrado em Ciências). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia. Experimental e Comparada São Paulo: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Experimental e Comparada, Universidade de São Paulo.

Ferraz K.M.P.M.B., Ferraz S.F.B., Moreira J.R., Couto H.T.Z. & Verdade L.M. 2007. Capybara (Hidrochoerus hydrochaeris) distribution in agroecosystems: a cross-scale habitat analysis. Journal of Biogeography. 34: 223-230.

Hamouzova P., Cizek P., Jekl V., Gozdziewska-Harlajczuk K. & Kleckowska-Nawrot J. 2021. Mast cells and Kurloff cells - Their detection throughout the oestrous cycle in normal guinea pig ovaries and in guinea pigs with cystic rete ovarii. Research in Veterinary Science. 136: 512-518.

Heijden K.M., Szabó M.J.P., Matushima E.R., Veiga M.L., Santos A.A. & Egami M.I. 2003. Valores Hematológicos e identificação morfo-citométrica de células sanguíneas de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris) parasitadas por carrapatos e capivaras livres de infestação. Acta Scientiarum Animal Sciences. 25(1): 143-150.

Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente (IBAMA). 2006. Diagnóstico populacional da capivara. 8p. Ministério Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente. Available at <http://www.compras.mg.gov.br/images/stories/arquivoslicitacoes/2017/SEPLAG/15.09.2017/gpfaf-tr-09-capivaras-ibama-diagnostico-populacional-da-capivara.pdf>.

Intituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). 2018. Censo populacional. Available at < https://cidades.ibge.gov.br>.

Labruna M.B. 2013. Brazilian spotted fever: the role of capybaras. In: Moreira J.R., Ferraz K.M.P.M.B., Herrera E.A. & Macdonald D.W. (Eds). Capybara: Biology, use and Conservation of an Exceptional Neotropical Species. NewYork: Springer Science Business Media, pp.371-383.

Leitão D.P.S., Polizello A.C.M. & Rothschild Z. 2000. Coagulation and fibrinolysis in capybara (Hidrochaeris hydrochaeris), a close relative of the guinea-pig (Cavia porcellus). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 125: 113-120.

Luz H.R., Costa F.B., Benatti H.R., Ramos V.N., Serpa M.C.A., Martins T.F., Costa I.C.L.A., Ramirez D.G., Muñoz-Leal S., Ramirez-Hernandes A., Binder L.C., Carvalho M.P., Rocha V., Dias T.C., Simeoni C.L., Brites Neto J., Brasil J., Nievas A.M., Monticelli P.F., Moro M.E.G., Lopes B., Aguiar D.M., Pacheco R.C., Souza C.E., Piovezan U., Juliano R., Ferraz K.M.P.M.B., Szabó M.J.P. & Labruna M.B. 2019. Epidemiology of capybara-associated Brazilian spotted fever. Plos Negleted Tropical Diseases. 13(9): 1-24.

Pajuaba-Neto A.A., Limongi J.E., Silva V.P. & Szabó M.P.J. 2019. Knowledge, atitudes and practices about capybara in anthropic areas: perception of society. Revista Brasileira de Geografia Médica e da Saúde (Hygeia). 15(34): 35-52.

Pascoli G.V. 2014. Carrapatos e riquétsias em parque urbano de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais: ecologia e biodiversidade associadas. 160f. Uberlândia, MG. Tese (Doutorado em Biologia) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação do Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia.

Queirogas V.L., Del Claro K., Nascimento A.R.T. & Szabó M.P.J. 2012. Capybaras and ticks in the urban areas of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: ecological aspects for the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases. Experimental and Applied Acarology. 57: 75-82.

SEPLAN. 2019. Secretaria Municipal de Planejamento Urbano - Núcleo de Pesquisa Estatística e Banco de Dados. Banco de Dados Integrados de Uberlândia - DBI. Available at <https://www.uberlandia.mg.gov.br/prefeitura/secretarias/planejamento-urbano/servicos-online/>.

Souza D.S., Yang S. G.N.S., Alves A.C.A., Pontes R.M., Carvalho C.C.D., Soares P. C. & Oliveira J.B. 2020. Perfil hematológico e bioquímico sérico de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) de vida livre nos biomas Mata Atlântica e Caatinga. Arquivos Brasileiros de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. 72(2): 461-470.

Published

2021-01-01

How to Cite

Vieira, R. B. K., Rodrigues, V. S., Rezende, L. M., Martins, M. M., Queiroz, C. L., Szabó, M. J. P., Almosny, N. R. P., & da Cunha, N. C. (2021). Free-living Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in an Urban Area in Brazil - Biochemical and Hematological Parameters. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 49. https://doi.org/10.22456/1679-9216.114437

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)