Daniel González-Acuña

• Dr. med. vet. (Germany)
• Professor (Full) at University of Concepción

Resumen.-El nuco (Asio flammeus) es un depredador tope en el ecosistema terrestre del archipiélago de Juan Fer-nández, pero su dieta es escasamente conocida allí. Durante marzo de 2005 recolectamos 19 regurgitados de nuco en un pastizal de la isla Robinson Crusoe. El análisis de los regurgitados reveló que los nucos depredaron sobre conejos europeo...

Between 2005 and 2009, we studied the breeding biology of Many-colored Rush-Tyrants (Tachuris rubrigastra) in a 2-ha tall-rush patch in south-central Chile. We monitored the nesting activity by visiting 59 active nests at 2˗3 days intervals. Nesting was markedly seasonal, concentrating during spring months. Tyrants built pensile, conical open-cup n...

The tick Amblyomma tigrinum inhabits areas with diverse climatic conditions, with adult stages parasitizing wild canids, such as chilla (Lycalopex griseus) and culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) foxes. We described the infestation loads in wild foxes captured at three sites (periurban, rural and wild) through an anthropization gradient in north-central Ch...

The divergence between the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) and the South American gray fox (L. griseus) represents a recent speciation event in South America. These taxa are partially sympatric and share biological, morphological, and ecological traits. Previous studies failed to recover reciprocal monophyly, suggesting the occurrence of introgress...

30 captive Black-chested Buzzard-Eagles (Geranoetus melanoleucus) from the Raptors Rehabilitation Center of the Union of Ornithologists of Chile, were used to determine reference values. Packed cell volume (PCV), total protein plasma (TPP), and total and differential leukocyte counts were measured. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl t...

Background The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has become the most devastating zoonotic event in recent times, with negative impacts on both human and animal welfare as well as on the global economy. Although SARS-CoV-2 is considered a human virus, it likely emerged from animals, and it can infect both domestic and wild animals....

The Gigantolaelaps mites (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) are easily recognized by their large size. In Chile, Gigantolaelaps wolffsohni is the only recognized species Gigantolaelaps and it has only been reported from four localities, always in association with Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. Our research study aimed to contribute to the severely limited inf...

We assessed 4 lizard species in Chile for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, and 1 species for its ability to transmit the protozoan to uninfected kissing bugs. All lizard species were infected, and the tested species was capable of transmitting the protozoan, highlighting their role as T. cruzi reservoirs.

Abstract: The aim of the present review was to evaluate the state of knowledge of trematodes (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) in Chile, covering taxonomy, biology, geographic distribution, and a checklist of all taxa reported in the country. A total of 277 articles published between 1849 and December 2020, have been analyzed. A total of 215 taxa belong...

Background: A series of abiotic and biotic modifications occur in an anthropogenic landscape which influence the ecology and physiology of wild hosts and their parasites. How these changes affect the parasitism is highly context-dependent, based on the host-parasite system and the type of perturbation. We aimed to investigate the differences in inf...

Explicamos la ecología y distribución de dos especies de ácaros (G. wolffsohni y M. microspinosus) en Chile, ambos ectoparásitos del raton colilargo O. longicaudatus. We explain the ecology and distribution of two mite species in Chile (G. wolffsohni y M. microspinosus) where both are ectoparasites of long-tailed pygmy rat O. longicaudatus.

Ectoparasites of 18 free-living Cuban Ground Doves, Columbina passerina insularis (Columbiformes: Columbidae), captured in the National Zoological Park, Havana, Cuba, were identified. The collected ectoparasites included two species of lice (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera): Columbicola passerinae (77.1%), and Physconelloides eurysema (50%), as well as fo...

The species and subspecies of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Amblycera, Ischnocera) parasitic on Chilean birds are listed and annotated, based on records published until October 2021 and from our examination of collections. The current scientific name, its taxonomic history, data on type material, type host, other hosts, geographic distributi...

Background For the genus Thylamys , the rivers have been reported as barriers to dispersal, limiting current and historical distribution of its lineages. We hypothesized that the Maipo river has affected the genetic structure of northern and southern lineages of Thylamys elegans , recovering a phylogenetic relationships with reciprocally monophylet...

Studies of parasitism in chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) are infrequent and mainly refer to the identification and description of its parasites, with little ecological data. In an attempt to address that lack of knowledge, we collected endo- and ecto-parasites from 326 live and four dead of chinstrap penguins, in three different localiti...

The aim of the present review was to evaluate the state of knowledge of trematodes (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) in Chile to cover taxonomy, biology, geographic distribution, and a checklist of all taxa reported in the country. A total of 277 articles published between 1849 and December 2020, have neen analyzed. A total of 215 taxa belonging to subc...

Aim: Macroecological analyses provide valuable insights into factors that influence how parasites are distributed across space and among hosts. Amid large uncertainties that arise when generalizing from local and regional findings, hierarchical approaches applied to global datasets are required to determine whether drivers of parasite infection pat...

Invasive species impact native wildlife in several ways, as they compete for resources and may transmit their specific pathogens. However, the potential consequences of co-introduced parasites are not fully understood. While the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) was introduced in Chile about a century ago, no data are available regarding its parasi...

Introducción: Las rickettsiosis son enfermedades emergentes transmitidas por vectores artrópodos cuyos agentes etiológicos corresponden a bacterias patógenas del género Rickettsia y Orientia . Bacterias de este género han sido descritas en el norte y sur de Chile. Objetivo: Determinar presencia de Rickettsia spp. en garrapatas colectadas a partir...

Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis are members of the Anaplasmataceae family that cause disease in dogs and are mainly transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus species group ticks. We performed a cross-sectional study on these pathogens across six bioclimatic regions of Chile, including 719 free-ranging rural dogs, 132 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culp...

The specialist versus generalist strategies of hemoparasites in relation to their avian host, as well as environmental factors, can influence their prevalence, diversity and distribution. In this paper we investigated the influence of avian host species, as well as the environmental and geographical factors, on the strategies of Haemoproteus and Pl...

Blood samples of 626 rural dogs, 140 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus), and 83 South American grey foxes (L. griseus) from six bioregions of Chile spanning 3000 km were screened for Mycoplasma DNA by conventional PCR and sequencing. Risk factors of infection were inferred using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and genetic structure by network analys...

Myiopsitta monachus is an invasive psittacine with wide distribution due to the pet trade. Its large communal nests and synanthropic nature contribute to its successful colonization of cities, from where it seems to be expanding in range and numbers. This is relevant with regard to pathogens that invasive species may harbor, especially when host po...

Wild and domestic carnivores share ectoparasites, although molecular evidence is lacking. The goals of this study were to describe tick and flea infestation in sympatric free‐ranging dogs Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Carnivora: Canidae) and Andean foxes Lycalopex culpaeus (Molina, 1782) (Carnivora: Canidae) and to determine whether inte...

Invasive populations are a threat to biodiversity, resulting in the loss of species, and also a threat to human health, participating in the reservoir of diseases. Rodents are among the most important invasive species worldwide. Chile is a country that features island conditions in terms of geography and has been widely invaded by allochthonous rod...

Routine blood analysis indicated the presence of Mycoplasma-like bodies in a guigna (Leopardus guigna). Evidence of infection with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum was found in blood samples using PCR and DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma spp. are documented in cats but their role in the transmission of Mycoplasma to g...

Trichinellosis is a worldwide disease that is considered emerging and neglected. Several hosts have been recognized around the world, however, there is a lack of knowledge of the role of free-range mammals in Chile. Herein we examined 555 individuals among American minks (Neovison vison Schreber, 1777. n = 100) and several myomorph rodent species (...

Background: Trichinellosis is a worldwide distributed disease caused by Trichinella species and also considered neglected and emerging. Trichinella spp. are transmitted by predation or carrion consumption and present a domestic and a sylvatic cycle. Human trichinellosis occurs due to the consumption of raw or poorly cooked infected meat, mainly ass...

Helminths are an important component of biodiversity with over 24,000 species parasitising wild birds globally, with this figure on the rise given the growing interest in wildlife parasitology. The present study aimed to establish an updated baseline of the helminthological surveys on wild birds from Chile. Thus, available publications were reviewe...

Helminths are an important component of biodiversity with over 24,000 species parasitising wild birds globally, with this figure on the rise given the growing interest in wildlife parasitology. The present study aimed to establish an updated baseline of the helminthological surveys on wild birds from Chile. Available publications were reviewed to b...

Myiopsitta monachus is an invasive psittacine with wide distribution due to the pet trade. Its large communal nests and synanthropic nature contribute to its successful colonization of cities, from where it seems to be expanding in range and numbers. This is relevant with regard to pathogens that invasive species may harbor, especially when host po...

Parasitological studies of the Franklin’s gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan, are scarce, and knowledge about its endoparasites is quite limited. In order to describe its parasitic community, a total of 60 Franklin’s gulls were captured in the coastal area in central Chile, using modified Bal-chatri traps. Ectoparasites were collected from all 60 live indi...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pathogen has spread rapidly across the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin with the potential for cross...

Background Rickettsial diseases are considered important in public health due to their dispersal capacity determined by the particular characteristics of their reservoirs and/or vectors. Among the latter, fleas play an important role, since the vast majority of species parasitize wild and invasive rodents, so their detection is relevant to be able...

Conflictos de interes: ninguno que declarar Financiamiento: Proyecto FONDECYT 1170972 Recibido (segunda versión): 15 de noviembre de 2019 / Aceptado: 17 de julio de 2020 Resumen El conocimiento acerca de agentes patógenos presentes en aves silvestres es crucial para la apropiada prevención de eventos de transmisión que puedan afectar a la salud púb...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly to most parts of the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin and with the potential for cross-s...

Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 is one of the most important pathogens affecting both wild and domestic carnivores. Here, we reported the genetic characterization of canine parvovirus strains from a rescued guiña (Leopardus guigna) and domestic dogs from Chile. Guiña sequence was classified as CPV-2c and phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding gen...

Ticks (order: Ixodida) are a highly diverse and ecologically important group of ectoparasitic blood-feeding organisms. One such species, the seabird tick (Ixodes uriae), is widely distributed around the circumpolar regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. It has been suggested that Ix. uriae spread from the southern to the northern circump...

Knowledge about pathogenic agents present in wild birds is pivotal to properly prevent transmission events that might threaten public and animal health. This systematic review organizes all information available about viral and bacterial pathogens of Chilean wild birds, determines which pathogens and avian orders have received attention from the lo...

Comparative studies of parasites in sympatric bird species have been generally scarce. Parasitic infection/transmission can be spread in a number of ways that suggests possible direct and indirect, horizontal transmission between avian hosts. In order to determine whether two sympatric icterids from Central and Southern Chile share their parasite f...

Native foxes face serious threats related to anthropic activities and the uncontrolled pets. However, the transmission of several pathogens such as parasites by domestic dogs is an important conservation issue with limited attention in Chile. The lack of a proper identification of the helminths of wild canids in the country, based mostly in coprolo...

The Neotropic cormorant Nannopterum (Phalacrocorax) brasilianus (Suliformes: Phalacrocoracidae) is widely distributed in Central and South America. In Chile, information about parasites for this species is limited to helminths and nematodes, and little is known about other parasite groups. This study documents the parasitic fauna present in 80 Neot...

Small mammals play an essential role in the transmission and maintenance cycles of Borrelia spirochetes. In Chile, recent studies have characterized novel Borrelia genotypes in ticks collected from small mammals, a fact that suggests these vertebrates are hosts for spirochetes from this genus. Considering this evidence, the goal of this study was t...

Background Fleas are important vectors of pathogenic bacteria that pose public health concerns worldwide, including Rickettsia. Micromammals, and especially rodents, are the main flea hosts, therefore they play a fundamental role in the spread of flea-borne diseases and various species of rodent fleas can also parasitize humans. In addition to this...

Background Rickettsial diseases are considered important in public health due to their dispersal capacity determined by the particular characteristics of their reservoirs and / or vectors. Among the latter, fleas play an important role, since the vast majority of species parasitize wild and invasive rodents, so their detection is relevant to be abl...

Background: Rickettsial diseases are considered important in public health due to their dispersal capacity determined by the particular characteristics of their reservoirs and/or vectors. Among the latter, fleas play an important role, since the vast majority of species parasitize wild and invasive rodents, so their detection is relevant to be able...

Background: Rickettsial diseases are considered important in public health due to their dispersal capacity determined by the particular characteristics of their reservoirs and / or vectors. Among the latter, fleas play an important role, since the vast majority of species parasitize wild and invasive rodents, so their detection is relevant to be ab...

Aim The conservation of biodiversity is hampered by data deficiencies, with many new species and subspecies awaiting description or reclassification. Population genomics and ecological niche modelling offer complementary new tools for uncovering functional units of phylogenetic diversity. We hypothesize that phylogenetically delineated lineages of...

Ticks (order: Ixodida) are a highly diverse and ecologically important group of ectoparasitic blood-feeding organisms. One such species, the seabird tick ( Ixodes uriae ), is widely distributed around the circumpolar regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. It has been suggested that Ix. uriae spread from the southern to the northern circu...

Parasites constitute the most numerous organisms in terrestrial ecosystems, both in magnitude and number of species; however, knowledge of them is fragmentary and scarcely taken into consideration. Performing the right preparation and identification of parasites is vital when a parasitic diversity survey is carried out in wildlife. Thus it is neces...

Androlaelaps fahrenholzi is a mite with a large distribution and associated with a wide range of hosts. To assess morphometric variation of A. fahrenholzi associated with different host species (Phyllotis xanthopygus and Akodon albiventer, both from Putre, Chile) and localities (Las Chinchillas National Reserve, Fray Jorge National Park, and Llanos...

A case of an abscess on the head of a captive Southern pudu (Pudu puda) caused by Trueperella pyogenes is described. A diagnosis was done based on bacterial culture and MALDI-TOF MS identification. Traumatic inoculation of the bacterium in the subcutaneous tissue is speculated.

Critical priority pathogens have globally disseminated beyond clinical settings threatening wildlife. Andean Condors are essentials for ecosystem health and functioning, but their populations are globally near threatened and declining due to anthropogenic activities. During a microbiological and genomic surveillance study of critical priority antib...

Despite its isolation and extreme climate, Antarctica is home to diverse fauna and associated microorganisms. It has been proposed that the most iconic Antarctic animal, the penguin, experiences low pathogen pressure, accounting for their disease susceptibility in foreign environments. There is, however, a limited understanding of virome diversity...

Latitudinal gradients are well-suited systems that may be helpful explaining distribution of haemosporidian parasites and host susceptibility. We studied the prevalence, diversity and drivers of haemosporidian parasites (Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) along a latitudinal gradient (30°–56° S), that encompass the total distribution (~3,0...

The soft tick Ornithodoros peruvianus Kohls, Clifford & Jones, 1969 was described as a parasite of bats in Peru upon the examination of engorged larvae only. Recently, larvae of this tick species were reported on bats from northern Chile. However, the adult and nymphal stages of O. peruvianus have remained undescribed. This study aimed to redescrib...

Biogeography is known to have shaped the diversity and evolutionary history of avian haemosporidian parasites across the Neotropics. However, a paucity of information exists for the temperate Neotropics and especially from nonpasserine hosts. To understand the effect of biogeography in the temperate Neotropics on haemosporidians of nonpasserine hos...

Geographic variation in environmental conditions as well as host traits that promote parasite transmission may impact infection rates and community assembly of vector‐transmitted parasites. Identifying the ecological, environmental and historical determinants of parasite distributions and diversity is therefore necessary to understand disease outbr...

A new argasid (Argasidae) tick is herein described based on morphology and molecular data obtained from larvae parasitizing Octodon degus and from ticks collected inside burrows in northern Chile. Unfed laboratory-reared larvae were mounted in slides for morphometrical and morphological analyses. Larvae of Ornithodoros octodontus n. sp. share morph...

Purpose: Cardiocephaloides is a small genus of strigeid digeneans with an essentially cosmopolitan distribution. Most members of Cardiocephaloides are found in larid birds, however, Cardiocephaloides physalis is an exception and parasitizes penguins in some coastal regions of South America and South Africa. No prior molecular phylogenetic studies...

Despite its isolation and extreme climate, Antarctica is home to diverse fauna and associated microorganisms. It has been proposed that the most iconic Antarctic animal, the penguin, experiences low pathogen pressure, accounting for their disease susceptibility in foreign environments. However, there is a limited understanding of virome diversity i...

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la presencia de parásitos gastrointestinales zoonóticos mediante examen coproparasitológico en hurones (Mustela putorius furo) criados como mascotas y el rol de las variables sexo y edad. Se analizaron las heces de 30 hurones, 16 [53.3%] de tiendas de mascotas y 14 [46.7%] de hogares de la ciudad de Santiago y...

Las pulgas (Siphonaptera) son parásitos hematófagos de mamíferos y aves altamente especializados en estado adulto. En Chile, hasta la fecha se describen 8 familias, 31 géneros y 112 especies (incluyendo subespecies) de pulgas que parasitan a 118 especies, la mayoría de ellas micromamíferos. El objetivo de este estudio es actualizar la lista de espe...

We found evidence of infection and shedding of Leptospira serovars Ballum and Canicola in the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) in Chile. We used PCR to demonstrate the presence of Leptospira DNA and microagglutina-tion tests to identify serovars.

Los parásitos son un grupo rico en especies, los cuales pueden ser estudiados desde diferentes enfoques, dejando como manifiesto la necesidad de grupos diversos y cohesionados de investigadores que puedan abarcarlos. Además, contextualizando con el cambio climático y la fuerte modificación del paisaje ocurrida en los últimos años en el mundo, los p...

This study aimed to assess the association between habitat type, season, and host density, sex, mass, and body condition with the parasitism (i.e., prevalence and abundance) of two taxa of parasitic mites: Ornithonyssus sp. and Androlaelaps sp. (Mesostigmata) parasitising Abrothrix olivacea (Cricetidae). This study considered habitat types, includi...

Background: Rattus rattus is a widely distributed, invasive species that presents an important role in disease transmission, either directly or through vector arthropods such as fleas. These black rats can transmit a wide variety of pathogens, including bacteria of the genus Bartonella, which can cause diseases in humans and animals. In Chile, no...

Information about parasites associated with diurnal raptors from Chile is scarce. Between 2006 and 2017, a total of 15 specimens of the Variable hawk, Geranoaetus polyosoma (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) were collected, 14 of them from different localities in the Biobío region and one specimen from the Valparaíso region. An external examination of the plum...

We found the ear mite parasite (Otodectes cynotis; Acari: Psoroptidae) in two distant insular endangered fox populations in Chile. We identified Otodectes cynotis in both the Darwin's fox (Pseudalopex fulvipes) from Chiloé and the Fuegian culpeo (Pseudalopex culpaeus lycoides) in Tierra del Fuego. These populations are approximately 2,000 km apart....

The American mink, Neovison vison, is an invasive species in Chile. Its impact on native fauna and public health has not been studied in depth in the country. In this study, we searched for gastrointestinal parasites, including helminths and zoonotic Cryptosporidium sp., the presence of Trichinella sp. in muscle, and the renal carriage of pathogeni...

Biogeography is known to have shaped the evolutionary history of avian haemosporidian parasites across the Neotropics. However, a paucity of information exists for the temperate Neotropics and especially from non-passerine hosts. To understand the effect of biogeography in the temperate Neotropics on haemosporidians and their non-passerine hosts we...

A total of thirty Austral thrushes Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Turdidae) carcasses were brought to the Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, to be examined for ecto- and endoparasites. Ectoparasites were found on 20% (6/30) of the thrushes and belonged to species Brueelia magellan...

Ehrlichia spp. are obligatory intracellular microorganisms that infect hematopoietic, endothelial or blood cells of mammals. Ticks are the only vectors of these agents in nature. To date, the role of birds and their associated ticks as reservoirs of ehrlichiae remains almost unexplored. In this study, we performed a molecular screening for bacteria...

Objective. Identify parasites in huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) feces from natural protected areas of south–central Chile and evaluate differences in parasite prevalence between regions and seasons. Materials and methods. 200 fecal samples from huemul were collected during all seasons of the year from different localities of the Ñuble, Aysén and Ma...