Potential Pathogens Reported in Species of the Family Viverridae and Their Implications for Human and Animal Health

Wicker, L. V.; Canfield, P. J.; Higgins, D. P.

Some of the earliest papers found during this review reported on nematode (roundworm) parasites. Over two centuries of research has reported on nematodes isolated from a very wide range of viverrid species (Table 5) . While many were not identified to species level, nematodes representing 21 genera from 16 families have been reported in 25 published papers. These included Toxocara spp. (Warren, 1972; Maung, 1975; Alvarez et al., 1990; Colon and Patton, 2013; Su et al., 2013) ; Ascaris spp. (Xavier et al., 2000; Ajibade et al., 2010; Pradhan et al., 2011) ; the hookworms Ancylostoma spp. and Uncinaria longespiculum (Baylis, 1933; Chowdhury and Schad, 1972; Coumaranem and Mohan, 2008; Colon and Patton, 2013; Su et al., 2013) ; Strongyloides sp. threadworms (Su et al., 2013) ; Crenosoma sp. lungworms and Viverrostrongylus brauni (Myers and Kuntz, 1969; Asakawa et al., 1986; Colon and Patton, 2013) ; Mammomonogamus sp. (Colon and Patton, 2013) ; Trichuris spp. whipworms (Colon and Patton, 2013; Su et al., 2013) ; Capillaria sp. (Colon and Patton, 2013; Su et al., 2013) ; Rictularia spp. (Baylis, 1928; Chen, 1937; Schmidt and Kuntz, 1967; Kumar et al., 2005; Mahali et al., 2010) , Spirura sp. (Casanova et al., 2000) ; Spirocera sp. and Cyathospirura seurati (Su et al., 2013) ; Physaloptera sp. (Casanova et al., 2000) ; Gnathostoma sp. (probably G. spinigerum) (Colon and Patton, 2013) ; Brugia spp. and Dirofilaria sp. (Edeson and Wilson, 1964; Masbar et al., 1981) ; and Trichinella spp. (Wang et al., 2012) . Nematodes were commonly identified by the examination of morphological features of adult worms, eggs, larvae or oocysts under light microscopy. Only a single reference described the use of molecular diagnostic techniques, in this case PCR and genetic sequencing to accurately identify zoonotic Trichinella spiralis in infected muscle tissue of a Masked palm civet in China (Wang et al., 2012) . Platyhelminthes (flatworms) from two classes (Cestoda and Trematoda), many of which have zoonotic potential, were also reported ( Table 6 ). Cestode tapeworms from four families included Echinococcus sp. and Taenia spp. (Mahannop et al., 1984; Ndiaye et al., 2002; Millan and Casanova, 2007; Lahmar et al., 2009 ); Diplopylidium spp. and Joyeuxiella pasqualei (Casanova et al., 2000; Millan and Casanova,