Abstract
Medium sized opossums (Didelphis spp.) are among the most fascinating mammals of the Americas, playing important ecological roles (e.g., dispersal of seeds and control of insect populations) in the environment they inhabit. Nevertheless, as synanthropic animals, they are well adapted to human dwellings, occupying shelters within the cities, peripheral areas, and rural settings. These marsupials can harbor numerous pathogens, which may affect people, pets, and livestock. Among those, some protozoa (e.g., Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii), helminths (e.g., Ancylostoma caninum, Trichinella spiralis, Alaria marcianae, Paragonimus spp.) and arthropods (e.g., ticks, fleas) present substantial public health and veterinary importance, due to their capacity to cause disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here, we reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors, and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the risks of pathogens transmission due to the direct and indirect interaction of humans and domestic animals with Didelphis spp. in the Americas.
Highlights
Opossums’ ability to thrive in different environments enabled them to become synanthropic species, benefiting from resources available in human-modified areas (Olifiers et al 2005; Jansen and Roque 2010). These marsupials are compatible hosts and suggested reservoirs of important parasites (e.g., Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi) that cause human disease, and along with domestic animals, opossums are involved in the epidemiological cycle of such parasites within urban and periurban environments (Muller et al 2005; Horta et al 2010; Pena et al 2011; Carreira et al 2012)
Several pathogens present in wildlife are still unknown to science, and in many countries the illegal consumption of these animals exposes humans to infectious agents harbored by wildlife (Chomel et al 2007; Júnior et al 2010; BezerraSantos et al 2021a, b)
We reviewed the role played by opossums on the spreading of zoonotic parasites, vectors and vector-borne pathogens, highlighting the veterinary and public health consequences that the direct and/or indirect contact with these animals may bring for people and domestic animals
Summary
Over history, uncontrolled environmental changes promoted by humans have led to irreversible outcomes, affecting natural resources and the biotic populations of the modified landscape (Acevedo-Whitehouse and Duffus 2009; Dantas-Torres 2015). The impact of Section Editor: Lihua Xiao. Opossums’ ability to thrive in different environments enabled them to become synanthropic species, benefiting from resources (e.g., food and shelter) available in human-modified areas (Olifiers et al 2005; Jansen and Roque 2010). These marsupials are compatible hosts and suggested reservoirs of important parasites (e.g., Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi) that cause human disease, and along with
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