Parámetros hematológicos de la comadreja overa, Didelphis albiventris (Lund, 1841), de poblaciones silvestres del centro de la Argentina

the objective of this study was to assess haematological parameters in free-ranging white-bellied opossums (didelphis albiventris) in the central region of argentina. total and differential blood cell counts were conducted in thirty-nine captured individuals. the mean (± standard deviation) values obtained were: erythrocytes 5.01 (±2.4) x 106μl-1, leukocytes: 27,097 (±14,313) μl-1; neutrophils 7,600 (±7,097) μl-1 (including immature neutrophils: 794 (±2,738) μl-1); lymphocytes: 13,110 (±7,541) μl-1; basophils: 1,218 (±1,441) μl-1; eosinophils: 1,983 (±2,458) μl-1; monocytes: 2,321 (±2,818) μl-1,. multivariable statistical analysis showed that neutrophils were strongly associated with sex (p = 0.006). the levels of neutrophils in females doubled that of males. eosinophils were associated with season. in summer there were significantly greater eosinophils levels than in the winter (p = 0.042). morphological alterations of erythrocytes were observed in approximately 55% of the blood samples, most of which were stomatocytes and rouleau. a cell type not previously described for this species, annular leukocyte, was also found.