Summary: | Red foxes are the most abundant wild carnivore species in Europe commonly exposed to pathogenic <i>Leptospira</i> and <i>Hepatozoon canis</i>. Despite high seroprevalence, the clinical disease caused by these pathogens in red foxes has never been reported. Herein, we report the first-ever case of a fatal <i>Leptospira</i> spp. and <i>H. canis</i> coinfection in a two-month-old red fox cub with acute haemolytic anaemia, mild bronchopneumonia, intraalveolar haemorrhage, and tubulonephrosis. The presence of pathogenic <i>Leptospira</i> spp. DNA was detected in the kidney and lung tissues of the infected animal. In contrast to our previous knowledge, we believe that such fatal cases due to concomitant infection by <i>Leptospira</i> spp. and <i>H. canis</i>, especially in young animals, may commonly occur in nature. However, further studies are required to identify other factors that possibly contribute to the severity and the pathogenic effect of <i>Leptospira</i> spp. and <i>H. canis</i> infections in red foxes.
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