Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland
The raccoon (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) and the raccoon dog (<i>Nyctereutes procyonoides</i>) were introduced to Europe and, in the past decades, their populations have increased and adapted to synanthropic environments across Europe. In view of their possible further spread in Eu...
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/110 |
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| author | Katarzyna Buńkowska-Gawlik Joanna Hildebrand Marcin Popiołek Dorota Merta Agnieszka Perec-Matysiak |
| author_facet | Katarzyna Buńkowska-Gawlik Joanna Hildebrand Marcin Popiołek Dorota Merta Agnieszka Perec-Matysiak |
| author_sort | Katarzyna Buńkowska-Gawlik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The raccoon (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) and the raccoon dog (<i>Nyctereutes procyonoides</i>) were introduced to Europe and, in the past decades, their populations have increased and adapted to synanthropic environments across Europe. In view of their possible further spread in Europe, the invasive species should be examined as potential reservoirs for helminths, including tapeworms. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and diversity of tapeworms in introduced wild carnivores in Poland by identifying cestode species based on copro-DNA analysis. A total of 214 individual fecal samples from non-native invasive carnivores, i.e., raccoons and raccoon dogs, and additionally 47 samples from native carnivores, i.e., European badgers (<i>Meles meles</i>), were analyzed for the presence of cestodes. PCR analysis of fecal samples targeting a fragment of mitochondrial (mt) 12S rRNA gene revealed the presence of cestode DNA in 19 of 103 (18.4%) raccoons, in 13 of 111 (11.7%) raccoon dogs and in 23 of 47 (48.9%) badgers. Sequence analysis demonstrated the presence of <i>Mesocestoides litteratus</i> in raccoons and raccoon dogs, while <i>Mesocestoides lineatus</i> was identified only in two samples derived from raccoon dogs. Moreover, in this study, <i>Atriotaenia incisa</i> was for the first time molecularly characterized by using fragments of mt 12S rRNA gene, and the DNA of this cestode species was detected in the fecal samples of all the examined host species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:17:03Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:17:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e4818c3663e44eb8b97eee8b9f8be4e2023-11-23T21:30:31ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172022-01-0111211010.3390/pathogens11020110Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in PolandKatarzyna Buńkowska-Gawlik0Joanna Hildebrand1Marcin Popiołek2Dorota Merta3Agnieszka Perec-Matysiak4Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Kraków, 30-084 Kraków, PolandDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, 51-148 Wrocław, PolandThe raccoon (<i>Procyon lotor</i>) and the raccoon dog (<i>Nyctereutes procyonoides</i>) were introduced to Europe and, in the past decades, their populations have increased and adapted to synanthropic environments across Europe. In view of their possible further spread in Europe, the invasive species should be examined as potential reservoirs for helminths, including tapeworms. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and diversity of tapeworms in introduced wild carnivores in Poland by identifying cestode species based on copro-DNA analysis. A total of 214 individual fecal samples from non-native invasive carnivores, i.e., raccoons and raccoon dogs, and additionally 47 samples from native carnivores, i.e., European badgers (<i>Meles meles</i>), were analyzed for the presence of cestodes. PCR analysis of fecal samples targeting a fragment of mitochondrial (mt) 12S rRNA gene revealed the presence of cestode DNA in 19 of 103 (18.4%) raccoons, in 13 of 111 (11.7%) raccoon dogs and in 23 of 47 (48.9%) badgers. Sequence analysis demonstrated the presence of <i>Mesocestoides litteratus</i> in raccoons and raccoon dogs, while <i>Mesocestoides lineatus</i> was identified only in two samples derived from raccoon dogs. Moreover, in this study, <i>Atriotaenia incisa</i> was for the first time molecularly characterized by using fragments of mt 12S rRNA gene, and the DNA of this cestode species was detected in the fecal samples of all the examined host species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/110raccoonraccoon dogcestodescopro-PCR |
| spellingShingle | Katarzyna Buńkowska-Gawlik Joanna Hildebrand Marcin Popiołek Dorota Merta Agnieszka Perec-Matysiak Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland Pathogens raccoon raccoon dog cestodes copro-PCR |
| title | Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland |
| title_full | Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland |
| title_fullStr | Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland |
| title_short | Copro-Molecular Identification of Tapeworms in Introduced Invasive Carnivores in Poland |
| title_sort | copro molecular identification of tapeworms in introduced invasive carnivores in poland |
| topic | raccoon raccoon dog cestodes copro-PCR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/2/110 |
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