Identification of Gastrointestinal Protozoa in Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) in Sabang

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the types of gastrointestinal protozoa that infested long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) in Sabang Municipality. This study could be used as a basis of consideration for controlling zoonotic diseases caused by gastrointestinal protozoa. This research was conducted at the Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala. This study used 60 samples of M. fascicularis faeces collected from two sub-districts, 30 samples of Sukakarya District and 30 samples from Sukajaya District. Samples were examined using the floatation, formol ether, and modified acid-fast ziehl-neelsen method. The results showed that the highest infestation of protozoa in long-tailed macaque from Sukakarya was Cyclospora cayetanensis species (73%), followed by the genus Eimeria sp. (53%), Balantidium sp. (46%) and Cryptosporidium parvum species (43%). Long-tailed macaque from Sukajaya was found to be highly infested by Balantidium (53%), followed by Eimeria sp. (46%), Cyclospora cayetanensis (30%) and Cryptosporidium parvum (13%). The results exhibited that there were 4 genera or species of gastrointestinal protozoa that attack long-tailed macaque in Sabang City, namely Eimeria sp., Balantidium sp., Cyclospora cayetanensis and Cryptosporidium parvum species.