Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes
Abstract Background Angiostrongylus vasorum is the causative agent of canine angiostrongylosis, a severe snail-borne disease of dogs. Red foxes are important natural reservoirs of infection, and surveys of foxes provide a more objective picture of the parasite distribution. Our aim was to investigat...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-07-01
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Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2270-x |
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author | Georgiana Deak Călin M. Gherman Angela M. Ionică Alexandru D. Vezendan Gianluca D’Amico Ioana A. Matei Aikaterini A. Daskalaki Ionuț Marian Aurel Damian Vasile Cozma Andrei D. Mihalca |
author_facet | Georgiana Deak Călin M. Gherman Angela M. Ionică Alexandru D. Vezendan Gianluca D’Amico Ioana A. Matei Aikaterini A. Daskalaki Ionuț Marian Aurel Damian Vasile Cozma Andrei D. Mihalca |
author_sort | Georgiana Deak |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Background Angiostrongylus vasorum is the causative agent of canine angiostrongylosis, a severe snail-borne disease of dogs. Red foxes are important natural reservoirs of infection, and surveys of foxes provide a more objective picture of the parasite distribution. Our aim was to investigate the possibility of the presence of A. vasorum in red foxes from the western part of Romania and to analyse the risk factors related to the sex, age and geographic origin of the foxes. Between July 2016 and April 2017, 567 hunted red foxes from 10 counties of western Romania were examined by necropsy for the presence of lungworms. Results Overall, the infection with A. vasorum has been found in 24 red foxes (4.2%) originating in four counties (Mureș, Hunedoara, Sălaj and Cluj). There was no significant difference between the prevalence in males and females, between juveniles and adults and between counties. Conclusions This is the first report of autochthonous infections of A. vasorum in Romania, showing a relatively low prevalence and extending eastwards the known distributional range of this parasite in Europe. The presence of autochthonous cases in domestic dogs in Romania remains to be confirmed by further studies. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:55:53Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-68ea060fa5324d1b95b4df654fc77185 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1756-3305 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-19T13:55:53Z |
publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
publisher | BMC |
record_format | Article |
series | Parasites & Vectors |
spelling | doaj.art-68ea060fa5324d1b95b4df654fc771852022-12-21T20:18:36ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052017-07-011011610.1186/s13071-017-2270-xAngiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpesGeorgiana Deak0Călin M. Gherman1Angela M. Ionică2Alexandru D. Vezendan3Gianluca D’Amico4Ioana A. Matei5Aikaterini A. Daskalaki6Ionuț Marian7Aurel Damian8Vasile Cozma9Andrei D. Mihalca10Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Comparative Anatomy, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary MedicineAbstract Background Angiostrongylus vasorum is the causative agent of canine angiostrongylosis, a severe snail-borne disease of dogs. Red foxes are important natural reservoirs of infection, and surveys of foxes provide a more objective picture of the parasite distribution. Our aim was to investigate the possibility of the presence of A. vasorum in red foxes from the western part of Romania and to analyse the risk factors related to the sex, age and geographic origin of the foxes. Between July 2016 and April 2017, 567 hunted red foxes from 10 counties of western Romania were examined by necropsy for the presence of lungworms. Results Overall, the infection with A. vasorum has been found in 24 red foxes (4.2%) originating in four counties (Mureș, Hunedoara, Sălaj and Cluj). There was no significant difference between the prevalence in males and females, between juveniles and adults and between counties. Conclusions This is the first report of autochthonous infections of A. vasorum in Romania, showing a relatively low prevalence and extending eastwards the known distributional range of this parasite in Europe. The presence of autochthonous cases in domestic dogs in Romania remains to be confirmed by further studies.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2270-xAngiostrongylus vasorumRomaniaRed foxVulpes vulpes |
spellingShingle | Georgiana Deak Călin M. Gherman Angela M. Ionică Alexandru D. Vezendan Gianluca D’Amico Ioana A. Matei Aikaterini A. Daskalaki Ionuț Marian Aurel Damian Vasile Cozma Andrei D. Mihalca Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes Parasites & Vectors Angiostrongylus vasorum Romania Red fox Vulpes vulpes |
title | Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes |
title_full | Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes |
title_fullStr | Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes |
title_full_unstemmed | Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes |
title_short | Angiostrongylus vasorum in Romania: an extensive survey in red foxes, Vulpes vulpes |
title_sort | angiostrongylus vasorum in romania an extensive survey in red foxes vulpes vulpes |
topic | Angiostrongylus vasorum Romania Red fox Vulpes vulpes |
url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2270-x |
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