First evidence of papilloma in a wild individual of Cratogeomys fumosus (Rodentia: Geomyidae) in central Mexico

Papiloma cutáneo en Cratogeomys fumosus

Abstract

Cratogeomys fumosus is a fossorial rodent endemic to Mexico, but little is known about its health status in free-ranging populations. The objective of this note is to describe an oral lesion compatible with a papillomatous lesion in a free-ranging individual of this species from San Cristóbal, Ecatepec de Morelos Municipality, State of Mexico. During a science outreach activity in Ecatepec de Morelos, a citizen reported a C. fumosus individual. The animal underwent an external clinical examination, photographic documentation, and veterinary evaluation. Subsequently, a biopsy of the lesion was collected and processed using routine paraffin embedding and hematoxylin and eosin staining for histopathological examination. An adult female presented with a 1.2 × 0.9 cm verrucous lesion located at the commissure of the lower lip, with no visible necrosis or hemorrhage. Histopathological examination revealed severe papillary hyperplasia, moderate orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, and the presence of koilocytes, findings compatible with a papillomatous lesion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first lesion with clinical and histopathological features compatible with a papillomatous lesion in C. fumosus. This case expands current knowledge of the health of free-ranging fossorial mammals and highlights the need to incorporate molecular tools in future studies to confirm the possible viral etiology of this type of lesion.