Extraintestinal nematodes of the red fox Vulpes vulpes in north-west Italy. Issue 4 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Magi, M.; Guardone, L.; Prati, M.C.; Mignone, W.; Macchioni, F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of helminthology. Volume 89:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 506
• Page End: 511
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Helminthology -- Periodicals; 592.3
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X1400025X
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-149X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Extraintestinal nematodes of the red fox (<italic>Vulpes vulpes</italic>) are a wide group of parasites that infect wild and domestic carnivores and occasionally humans. Nematodes in the cardiopulmonary system, stomach, urinary apparatus and muscle tissue of 165 red foxes (<italic>Vulpes vulpes</italic>) from north-west Italy (Liguria and Piedmont) were investigated between 2009 and 2012. Of the cardiopulmonary nematodes, a high prevalence of <italic>Angiostrongylus vasorum</italic> and <italic>Eucoleus aerophilus</italic> (syn. <italic>Capillaria aerophila</italic>) was found, 78.2% and 41.8% respectively; <italic>Crenosoma vulpis</italic> (15.8%) and <italic>Filaroides</italic> spp. (4.8%) were also found. <italic>Spirocerca lupi</italic> (23.5%), <italic>Aonchotheca putorii</italic> (syn. <italic>Capillaria putorii</italic>) (8.6%) and <italic>Physaloptera</italic> spp. (2.5%) were detected in the stomach and <italic>Pearsonema plica</italic> (syn. <italic>Capillaria plica</italic>) (56.8%) in the bladder. <italic>Eucoleus boehmi</italic> (syn. <italic>Capillaria boehmi)</italic> was also detected in the nasal cavities of one of the two foxes examined. A coprological examination revealed eggs of <italic>E. aerophilus</italic>, <italic>A. putorii</italic>, <italic>S. lupi</italic>, <italic>Physaloptera</italic> spp. and eggs of intestinal parasites. Filarial worms were absent in all the 165 animals examined, nor was there evidence of <italic>Trichinella</italic> spp. in any of the foxes. The foxes were found to host a high prevalence of many species of extraintestinal nematodes. The prevalence of <italic>A. vasorum</italic> in foxes found in the present study is among the highest in Europe. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, <italic>E. boehmi</italic> and <italic>Filaroides</italic> spp. have never been reported before in this host in Italy.</p> </abstract>