This paper discusses the prevalence and intensity of infection of endoparasites in conventionally maintained Short Hair guinea pigs colonies from a breeding (A) and an experimental (B) facilities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It also evaluates the efficacy of the methods of prevention adopted by both facilities. The search of parasites was performed by direct examination of intestinal mucosa and its contents, WHEATLEY's trichrome method and coproparasitological examinations by Ritchie's and Kinyoun's techniques. The prevalences of endoparasites found throught direct examination of intestinal mucosa and its contents were: Balantidium sp. (78%), Cyathodinium sp. (68%), Eimeria caviae (38%), Paraspidodera uncinata (34%) and Giardia muris (24%). The prevalences of endoparasites found throught Ritchie's and Kinyoun's techniques in facility A were: E. caviae (74%), Balantidium sp. (68%), Cyathodinium sp. (68%) and Cryptosporidium sp. (5%). In facility B: E. caviae (58%), Balantidium sp. (42%), Cyathodinium sp. (25%) and G. muris (8%) were found. The high prevalences in both facilities suggest that the efficacy of the sanitary barriers adopted in the prevention of parasitic infections should be revised.
guinea pigs; health monitoring; endoparasites; protozoan; helminths
