Antibodies to Besnoitia Spp. In Three Species of Freeranging Opossum (Didelphis Spp.) in Florida, Usa, and Brazil

-seropositive samples were obtained from Virginia opossums clinically suspected to have besnoitiosis based on the appearance of diffuse skin lesions. These data support the further evaluation of serological testing in future studies of besnoitiosis in the opossum as well as a hypothesis of limited infection in the opossum of South Florida, USA, and southern and southeastern Brazil. Overall, the preliminary data has management implications for rehabilitation centers that commonly treat this species and research implications in the application of these assays in wildlife species.