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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Main Authors: 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
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2017-07-01
Series:Parasites & Vectors
Subjects:
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.
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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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