Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids
The giant liver fluke (<i>Fascioloides magna</i>) is an invasive parasite found permanently in three foci in Europe. The fluke has an indirect life cycle involving a final and an intermediate host. The currently accepted terminology determines three types of final hosts: definitive, dead...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/741 |
| _version_ | 1797598784005341184 |
|---|---|
| author | Tibor Halász Tamás Tari Eszter Nagy Gábor Nagy Ágnes Csivincsik |
| author_facet | Tibor Halász Tamás Tari Eszter Nagy Gábor Nagy Ágnes Csivincsik |
| author_sort | Tibor Halász |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The giant liver fluke (<i>Fascioloides magna</i>) is an invasive parasite found permanently in three foci in Europe. The fluke has an indirect life cycle involving a final and an intermediate host. The currently accepted terminology determines three types of final hosts: definitive, dead-end, and aberrant hosts. Recently, roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) has been classified as an aberrant host, which cannot contribute to the reproduction of <i>F. magna</i>. This study investigated the hatchability of <i>F. magna</i> eggs of red deer (<i>Cervus elaphus</i>) and roe deer origin to compare the suitability of the two host species for the maintenance of the parasite. The study was carried out on a newly invaded area, two years after the first reported observation of <i>F. magna</i>. The prevalence of the parasite proved to be 68.4% (CI95% 44.6–85.3%) in red deer and 36.7% (CI95% 24.8–50.0%) in roe deer. The difference between the two species was confirmed to be significant (<i>p</i> = 0.02). The mean intensity proved to be 10.0 (CI95% 4.9–22.6) and 7.59 (CI95% 2.7–24.2) in the red deer and the roe deer, respectively. The difference of the mean intensities did not prove to be significant (<i>p</i> = 0.72). Of the 70 observed pseudocysts, 67 originated from red deer and 3 from roe deer. Most of the pseudocysts contained two flukes, while a few pseudocysts contained one or three parasites. Egg production was observed in all three types of pseudocysts. We did not find more than three flukes in any pseudocyst. The apparent proportion of self-fertilisation in flukes without mating partners was 23.5% and 100% in red deer and roe deer, respectively. The survival of single-parent eggs was not confirmed to be worse than that of gregarious parents. The viability of offspring originating from roe and red deer differed significantly. Our findings suggest that <i>F. magna</i> adapted to the new populations of susceptible hosts rather than vice versa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:25:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a405b2fc3ed5476e94b91beddab34e50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:25:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-a405b2fc3ed5476e94b91beddab34e502023-11-18T02:47:41ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-05-0112574110.3390/pathogens12050741Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in CervidsTibor Halász0Tamás Tari1Eszter Nagy2Gábor Nagy3Ágnes Csivincsik4Institute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-7400 Kaposvár, HungaryInstitute of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Sopron, H-9400 Sopron, HungaryInstitute of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Sopron, H-9400 Sopron, HungaryInstitute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-7400 Kaposvár, HungaryInstitute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition, Kaposvár Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-7400 Kaposvár, HungaryThe giant liver fluke (<i>Fascioloides magna</i>) is an invasive parasite found permanently in three foci in Europe. The fluke has an indirect life cycle involving a final and an intermediate host. The currently accepted terminology determines three types of final hosts: definitive, dead-end, and aberrant hosts. Recently, roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) has been classified as an aberrant host, which cannot contribute to the reproduction of <i>F. magna</i>. This study investigated the hatchability of <i>F. magna</i> eggs of red deer (<i>Cervus elaphus</i>) and roe deer origin to compare the suitability of the two host species for the maintenance of the parasite. The study was carried out on a newly invaded area, two years after the first reported observation of <i>F. magna</i>. The prevalence of the parasite proved to be 68.4% (CI95% 44.6–85.3%) in red deer and 36.7% (CI95% 24.8–50.0%) in roe deer. The difference between the two species was confirmed to be significant (<i>p</i> = 0.02). The mean intensity proved to be 10.0 (CI95% 4.9–22.6) and 7.59 (CI95% 2.7–24.2) in the red deer and the roe deer, respectively. The difference of the mean intensities did not prove to be significant (<i>p</i> = 0.72). Of the 70 observed pseudocysts, 67 originated from red deer and 3 from roe deer. Most of the pseudocysts contained two flukes, while a few pseudocysts contained one or three parasites. Egg production was observed in all three types of pseudocysts. We did not find more than three flukes in any pseudocyst. The apparent proportion of self-fertilisation in flukes without mating partners was 23.5% and 100% in red deer and roe deer, respectively. The survival of single-parent eggs was not confirmed to be worse than that of gregarious parents. The viability of offspring originating from roe and red deer differed significantly. Our findings suggest that <i>F. magna</i> adapted to the new populations of susceptible hosts rather than vice versa.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/741roe deerred deer<i>Fascioloides magna</i>egg hatching |
| spellingShingle | Tibor Halász Tamás Tari Eszter Nagy Gábor Nagy Ágnes Csivincsik Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids Pathogens roe deer red deer <i>Fascioloides magna</i> egg hatching |
| title | Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids |
| title_full | Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids |
| title_fullStr | Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids |
| title_short | Hatchability of <i>Fascioloides magna</i> Eggs in Cervids |
| title_sort | hatchability of i fascioloides magna i eggs in cervids |
| topic | roe deer red deer <i>Fascioloides magna</i> egg hatching |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/5/741 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tiborhalasz hatchabilityofifascioloidesmagnaieggsincervids AT tamastari hatchabilityofifascioloidesmagnaieggsincervids AT eszternagy hatchabilityofifascioloidesmagnaieggsincervids AT gabornagy hatchabilityofifascioloidesmagnaieggsincervids AT agnescsivincsik hatchabilityofifascioloidesmagnaieggsincervids |