An undescribed parasite that has characteristics similar to the one that
Local scientists revealed last night [11 December 1997] that from May until
Investigators do not know if the disease was imported along with a giraffe
In May, following the confusion about what might have caused the death of
The Minister of Health and Social Action, Pablo Marquez, acknowledged that
One of the theories proposed by the minister is that the trypanosome is not
It is estimated that most of the animals in the zoo are carriers of the
The death of the last giraffe was sudden. Scientists of the Faculty of
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 22:22:08 -0500
From: "Dave Coder"
Source: El Clarin, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 12 December 1997 [Excerpts]
A new parasite affects two zoo employees. It is found in numerous animals
in the Mendoza zoo, and in dogs, cats, and horses. Scientists still can't
identify it.
--
causes Chagas' disease, may be the cause of the deaths of animals in the
[Mendoza] provincial zoo. Recently, links have been discovered that
implicate the parasite in illnesses in zoo employees as well as in cats,
dogs and horses in greater Mendoza.
now [12 December 1997], one giraffe, 5 alpacas, and 2 llamas, and also one
mare that was housed outside the zoo, have died. In all cases there was a
parasite in the lymphatics in addition to cardiac lesions, and acute anemia
-- all symptoms compatible with parasitic disease.
from the United States that died suddenly, or if the disease originated in
Mendoza. The provincial government admitted that the parasite remains
unidentified. They clarified that the infected zoo employees do not have
clinical symptoms -- they are disease-free at the moment -- and are not
being treated, but are only undergoing tests.
the giraffe, provincial authorities closed the zoo to the public. They
reopened it 20 days later without explanation other than they were
"continuing the investigation."
the trypanosome discovered in Mendoza still has not been classified.
Non-government investigators Roberto Mera, Silvia Diana Brengio and Jose
Luis Sanchez affirmed that none of the universities consulted by them in
Argentina and Kenya, the United States and Brazil, could "give a first and
last name" to the parasite. Yesterday, they sent samples to England.
pathogenic and, as such, does not cause disease. The Federation of
Veterinary Colleges and Councils of Veterinarians of the Republic of
Argentina observed that this is "a nerve-racking situation because of the
inherent risk to public health"...
parasite. The President of the Veterinary College of Mendoza and Dean of
the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Juan Agustin Mazza University,
Alberto Duarte, told this newspaper that they have succeeded in finding the
parasite in guanacos, lions, an Indian buffalo, llamas, goats from the
Island of Juan Fernandez and Somalian sheep, but not in monkeys. Some
veterinarians suspect that one or more of the animals brought in September
of 1994 from the United States may have been carriers of the strange
trypanosome. Among these animals were two giraffes. The male died a few
days after a fall, and the female died May 2nd of [1997].
Medicine of Cuyo National University found "something that wasn't normal"
in the animal's blood, later identifying it as a trypanosome that did not
match any known type, but was morphologically similar to the one that
causes Chagas disease.