Health status of a population of nutria (Myocastor coypus) living in a protected area in Italy E. Bollo a, * , P. Pregel a , S. Gennero b , E. Pizzoni b , S. Rosati c , P. Nebbia c , B. Biolatti a a Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Universit  a degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci, 44, I-10095 Grugliasco (TO), Torino, Italy b Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle dÕAosta, Torino, Italy c Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Universit  a degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy Accepted 31 January 2003 Abstract Ninety trapped nutria (Myocastor coypus) from a protected area of Piedmont (Italy), including the Po river, were examined for the prevalence for lesions in major viscera, selected serum antibodies and enteric bacteria. Coccidial lesions in the liver included cholangitis, calcification and necrosis. Renal lesions were nonsuppurative interstitial nephritis and a single case of renal adeno- carcinoma. The lungs had a 41.1% prevalence of nonsuppurative interstitial pneumonia. Ten of 87 sera (11.5%) had antibodies against Leptospira bratislava, 3 of 87 (3.4%) against Leptospira ichterohaemorrhagiae, 15 of 41 (36.6%) against Toxoplasma gondii, and antibodies against encephalomyocarditis virus were detected in 5 of 78 sera (6.4%). All fecal samples were negative for Sal- monella, Shigella, and Pseudomonas, and growth of enterobacteriaceae was in the normal range. Ó 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Nutria; Myocastor coypus; Pathology; Leptospira; Toxoplasma; Encephalomyocarditis virus 1. Introduction The nutria (Myocastor coypus), a semiaquatic rodent indigenous to South America, has become established throughout Europe (Gosling, 1974; Scaravelli and Mar- tignoni, 1994) and owing to its high reproductive rate and large size, it is causing serious damage to crops, wetland plant communities and drainage networks (Abbas, 1988; Boorman and Fuller, 1981; Ehrlich and Jedynak, 1962; Linscombe et al., 1981; Willner, 1982). In several coun- tries nutria are regarded as a pest, leading to eradication campaigns (Doncaster and Jouventin, 1989; Evans, 1970; Gosling and Baker, 1987; Gosling, 1989). They were first introduced into Italy in 1928 (Lever, 1985) and are now found in most wetlands of northern and central Italy (Cocchi and Riga, 1999; Reggiani et al., 1993). In these areas, nutria are perceived to cause serious damage to agricultureandwetlands(Theirburrowsdamagedraining systems in rice-fields and rivers, they devastate of crops and native plant communities, and compete with native andmigratingbirdsinprotectedareas.)andthishasledto eradication campaigns. Several investigators have provided information on diseases of nutria, with special attention given to agents that might cause epizootics in wild populations, domestic livestock or man (Arcangeli et al., 1997; Howerth et al., 1994; K€ ohler et al., 1987, 1988; Martino and Stanchi, 1998; Menard et al., 2000, 2001; Michel et al., 2001; Soldatietal.,1998;Waitkinsetal.,1985;Wanyanguetal., 1986; Wendland et al., 1987). In this paper, we report on lesions in major viscera, the prevalence of antibodies against four disease agents, and fecal bacteria in a popu- lation of nutria living in a protected area of Piedmont (Italy), including the Po river. To improve our knowledge of nutria diseases in this area we obtained samples during a population control project. 2. Material and methods Ninety adult nutria were trapped in baited cage traps at Ôclimb-outÕ points in a wetland protected area located Research in Veterinary Science 75 (2003) 21–25 www.elsevier.com/locate/rvsc * Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-011-670-9036; fax: +39-011-670- 9031. E-mail address: bollo@veter.unito.it (E. Bollo). 0034-5288/03/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0034-5288(03)00035-3