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CHARACTERIZATION OF LESIONS INDUCED BY SPIROCERCA VULPIS (SPIRURIDAE: SPIROCERCIDAE) IN RED FOXES (VULPES VULPES). J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:137-147. [PMID: 34788835 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Spirocerca lupi infection in dogs (Canis domesticus) is associated with esophageal lesions that may evolve to a neoplastic stage in the form of esophageal sarcoma. In the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) infected with the closely related Spirocerca vulpis, similar lesions may occur in the stomach, but neoplastic forms have not been reported. We characterize Spirocerca vulpis-induced lesions in the fox, using pathology and immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques. Seventy-one out of 163 Spirocerca vulpis-positive red foxes were selected and subjected to histopathological study. Lesions were classified as patchy or diffuse. Ten patchy and 10 diffuse lesion samples were studied using three IHC markers (CD68, CD3, and CD79α for macrophages, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes, respectively) and H&E stain for neutrophils and eosinophils. Intensity of necrosis, hemorrhages, and the presence of collagen was also analyzed. Of the S. vulpis-positive red foxes, 96.9% had S. vulpis nodules localized in the gastric area (wall and/or omentum), and 3.1% had nodules in the small intestine. All the samples had a moderate to severe lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Mild eosinophil infiltration was observed in both types of lesions, while neutrophil infiltration was significatively higher in the patchy than in the diffuse lesions. Fibrosis with mature collagen fibers was also predominant in the patchy lesions along with the presence of T lymphocytes and macrophages. Both the patchy and diffuse patterns had very few B lymphocytes. These findings suggest that the diffuse form is an earlier stage of the lesion, which eventually evolves into patchy forms. Neoplastic forms were not seen. Although more studies are necessary, this study describes the lesions, characterizes the inflammatory infiltrates, and establishes a possible evolution of the different pathological forms of S. vulpis infection in the red fox.
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Hoa LTK, Hien HV, Phuc PTH, Lan NTK, Doanh PN. Morphological and molecular characterization of Spirocerca lupi (Nematoda: Spirocercidae) from domestic dogs in Vietnam with reference to Spirocerca vulpis. Parasitol Int 2021; 84:102381. [PMID: 33975001 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Spirocerca lupi is a common parasitic nematode associated with esophageal cancer of canids. Recent surveys have revealed an increasing number of canids infected with Spirocerca spp. in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Western Asia, and described a new species, Spirocerca vulpis, from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). However, in Southeast Asia, research on Spirocerca spp. is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore Spirocerca infection in domestic dogs in Vietnam and to identify the Spirocerca species by analyzing their morphometric and molecular data. We found Spirocerca spp. specimens in 51 (17.7%) out of 287 dogs examined with the intensity of infection ranging from one to 29 nematodes per dog. These nematodes were morphologically and molecularly identified as S. lupi. For morphology, the presence/absence of teeth, the ratio of glandular to muscular esophagus lengths, and the position of the vulva opening of S. lupi and S. vulpis varied between reports, suggesting caution in identification of Spirocerca species based exclusively on morphological characteristics. The molecular analysis based on a partial cox1 sequence revealed that S. lupi from Vietnam is genetically close to those from India and China, but far different from those of Israel, South Africa, Peru and Hungary. Given high genetic and morphological variations, more extensive surveys on Spirocerca spp. from various mammalian hosts at a greater scale are necessary to elucidate the divergence of this nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Thi Khanh Hoa
- Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen, Viet Nam
| | - Hoang Van Hien
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Phan Thi Hong Phuc
- Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Thi Kim Lan
- Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Thai Nguyen, Viet Nam
| | - Pham Ngoc Doanh
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam; Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
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Gama A, Rojas A, Pires I, Coutinho T, Seixas F, Silva F, Lopes AP, Cardoso L, Baneth G. First report of Spirocerca vulpis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Portugal. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:3109-3112. [PMID: 32643084 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06794-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have described Spirocerca lupi-like nematodes in the stomach of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Europe. A phylogenetic analysis of those specimens using mitochondrial DNA and their morphological reexamination allowed their characterization as a different species, Spirocerca vulpis. Between the years of 2010 and 2017, roundworms were collected from seven red foxes of northeastern Portugal found at necropsy with nodular lesions on their stomach wall. Histopathological analysis of four foxes revealed granulomatous lesions of the gastric nodules. On morphological assessment, by light microscopy, nematodes revealed the presence of six triangular teeth-like buccal capsule structures, which are absent in S. lupi. Polymerase chain reaction was run to amplify a 551 bp partial fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Sequences were 99% similar to S. vulpis (85% coverage) of red foxes from Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 99% similar (99% coverage) to sequences of Spirocerca sp. of red foxes from Denmark and 93% similar (99% coverage) to S. lupi from South Africa. This is the first report of S. vulpis in foxes or any other host from Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelina Gama
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Alicia Rojas
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Isabel Pires
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Teresa Coutinho
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Seixas
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Filipe Silva
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Patrícia Lopes
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal.
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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Rojas A, Deplazes P, Baneth G. Unravelling Spirocerca vulpis from red foxes from Switzerland: a 20-year-old record. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:3105-3108. [PMID: 32627080 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06791-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spirocerca vulpis is a parasitic nematode of red foxes associated with gastric nodule formation. Since its description in 2018, this species has been reported in red foxes from Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, and Portugal. We present here the analysis of uncharacterized nematodes obtained from gastric nodules of a red fox from Switzerland in 1999. The specimens were identified as S. vulpis based on the observation of teeth-like structures in the buccal capsule and a 99.4% sequence identity to S. vulpis DNA from Spain. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the clustering of the Swiss sequences in a different group from specimens of other geographical locations. Altogether, this study constitutes the first report of S. vulpis in Switzerland and a report of the oldest specimen of this species in the world. Our findings highlight the widespread distribution of S. vulpis in Europe which may be facilitated by the free-roaming nature of red foxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Rojas
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel. .,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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Occurrence, prevalence, and explanatory environmental variables of Spirocerca vulpis infestation in the foxes of western Spain. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:973-983. [PMID: 31932914 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06590-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to not only establish the prevalence of the recently described Spirocerca vulpis parasite in the wild-life cycle of carnivores in western Spain but to also elaborate a model to explain the risk of infestation based on 16 topo-climatic and habitat variables. During the period from June 2016 to November 2017, 1644 carcasses of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and another 105 wild mammals, legally hunted or killed in car accidents, were analyzed. Parasitic nodules of Spirocerca were found in 6% of the foxes, and the molecular analyses established a homology of our samples with the species S. vulpis. There were no differences in the occurrence of the infestation between sexes, but there were differences in terms of age, such that infestation was proportionally more frequent among young individuals. In terms of temporality, a higher percentage of positive cases was observed during the late-autumn and winter months, especially between December and February. This study provides new data on the factors that predispose S. vulpis infection in the red fox. Model results indicate that a spatial pattern exists in the occurrence and prevalence of this species in the studied area (higher probabilities to the west), and that this pattern seems to mainly be associated with topo-climatic variables.
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First epidemiological data on Spirocerca vulpis in the red fox: A parasite of clustered geographical distribution. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2019; 18:100338. [PMID: 31796180 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This is the first study describing the epidemiology of Spirocerca vulpis after its description as a new species in 2018. During the period 2006-2013, a total of 286 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the Valencian Community (southeast Spain) were necropsied. Based on data collected, S. vulpis prevalence and intensity were calculated, as well as the spatial distribution of this nematode. Influence of host (sex and age) and environmental factors on S. vulpis occurrence was evaluated. MAXENT software was used to model and predict the parasite distribution. Continuous and discrete prediction maps were built using ArcMap 10.6. The prevalence of S. vulpis was 22% (63/286; 95% CI: 17.4-27.3), and the median intensity was 5 (IQR 11) nematode specimens. No significant difference in term of intensity was found between males and females; regarding the host age, S. vulpis was found only in adult foxes, with the exception of one juvenile individual. The distribution of S. vulpis in foxes was skewed to the left, highlighting that parasite infection affects few individuals within a population, with parasitized animals being responsible to maintain the infection at the population level. The majority of parasitized foxes had a parasite burden lower than eight parasites/individual. S. vulpis distribution in Valencian Community presents sharply defined areas in which there are optimal environmental conditions for maintaining the life cycle of this parasite. Climatic variables and altitude are the main factors influencing the parasite presence. Our results indicate that S. vulpis has epidemiological characteristics similar to those of S. lupi and, therefore, based on the phylogenetic proximity of both nematode species, it is likely that coprophagous beetle species might play a key epidemiological role in the maintenance of this newly described Spirocerca species. Moreover, it is currently unknown if S. vulpis can infect the dog and other wild canid species apart from the red fox and, if so, what are the pathogenic effects on these host species. Therefore, it is necessary to continue investigating the epidemiology of this parasite in order to know the range of appropriate host species. This information will enable to know if S. vulpis endemic areas should be considered as health risk points for dogs, especially for the most exposed, such as those living in rural areas, and hunting dogs.
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Rojas A, Dvir E, Farkas R, Sarma K, Borthakur S, Jabbar A, Markovics A, Otranto D, Baneth G. Phylogenetic analysis of Spirocerca lupi and Spirocerca vulpis reveal high genetic diversity and intra-individual variation. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:639. [PMID: 30547850 PMCID: PMC6295112 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3202-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spirocerca lupi is a parasitic nematode of canids that can lead to a severe and potentially fatal disease. Recently, a new species, Spirocerca vulpis, was described from red foxes in Europe, suggesting a high genetic diversity of the Spirocerca spp. infecting canids. The genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships of S. lupi collected from naturally-infected domestic dogs from Australia, Hungary, Israel, Italy, India and South Africa, and S. vulpis from red foxes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Spain, was studied using mitochondrial and rDNA markers. Results A high intra-individual variation was found in the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) locus in all Spirocerca spp., ranging between 0.37–2.84%, with up to six haplotypes per specimen. In addition, a combination of phylogenetic and haplotype analyses revealed a large variability between S. lupi specimens collected from different geographical locations using the ITS1 (0.37–9.33%) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene (1.42–6.74%). This genetic diversity led to the identification of two S. lupi genotypes circulating among dogs (PTP support > 0.829), including genotype 1 found in S. lupi from Australia, India, Israel and South Africa, and genotype 2 represented by specimens from Hungary and Italy. These genotypes presented pairwise nucleotide distances of 0.14%, 8.06% and 6.48 ± 0.28% in the small rDNA subunit (18S), ITS1 and cox1 loci, respectively. Additionally, Nei’s genetic distance in the ITS1 showed a further subdivision of genotype 1 worms into 1A (Israel and South Africa) and 1B (Australia and India). A morphological analysis of the anterior and posterior extremities of genotype 1 and genotype 2 worms using scanning electron microscopy did not show any differences between the specimens, contrary to the morphological differences between S. lupi and S. vulpis. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the high genetic variability among Spirocerca spp. from different geographical locations, thereby expanding our understanding of the epidemiology, evolution and phylogenetic variability within the genus. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3202-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Rojas
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eran Dvir
- Department of Animal Sciences, Tel-Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Róbert Farkas
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kalyan Sarma
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Mizoram, India
| | - Sonjoy Borthakur
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Mizoram, India
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
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Nichols E, Alarcón V, Forgie S, Gomez-Puerta LA, Jones MS. Coprophagous Insects and the Ecology of Infectious Diseases of Wildlife. ILAR J 2018; 58:336-342. [PMID: 29036417 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilx022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A diversity of macro- and microparasitic species exert strong influences on wildlife population density, community structure, and ecosystem functioning, all through their impacts on individual host fitness. Through consuming, manipulating, and relocating wildlife feces, over 7,000 species of coprophagous dung beetles interact with a staggering diversity of wildlife parasites with fecal-oral transmission in ways that both increase and decrease transmission. Here, we review the mechanisms by which dung beetles influence micro- and macroparasite transmission and outline a future research framework that integrates theory and empirical insights to advance our understanding of how these relationships may interact with ongoing environmental change drivers to further influence wildlife populations and community structure. Any organism that significantly influences parasite transmission will impact multiple levels of biological organization. Therefore, improving our understanding of the role of dung beetle interactions within disease ecology will be key to future efforts to understand the overall dynamics of infection in wildlife and how parasites contribute to the maintenance of ecosystem structure and function and evolutionary processes in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Nichols
- Elizabeth Nichols, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Viviana Alarcón, BSc, is a project manager at the Ecology Department, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Shaun Forgie is a research associate at Landcare Research, Tamaki, in Auckland, New Zealand. Luis A. Gomez-Puerta is a DVM at the School of Veterinary Medicine, National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. Matthew S. Jones is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Entomology, Washington State University, in Pullman, Washington
| | - Viviana Alarcón
- Elizabeth Nichols, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Viviana Alarcón, BSc, is a project manager at the Ecology Department, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Shaun Forgie is a research associate at Landcare Research, Tamaki, in Auckland, New Zealand. Luis A. Gomez-Puerta is a DVM at the School of Veterinary Medicine, National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. Matthew S. Jones is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Entomology, Washington State University, in Pullman, Washington
| | - Shaun Forgie
- Elizabeth Nichols, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Viviana Alarcón, BSc, is a project manager at the Ecology Department, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Shaun Forgie is a research associate at Landcare Research, Tamaki, in Auckland, New Zealand. Luis A. Gomez-Puerta is a DVM at the School of Veterinary Medicine, National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. Matthew S. Jones is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Entomology, Washington State University, in Pullman, Washington
| | - Luis A Gomez-Puerta
- Elizabeth Nichols, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Viviana Alarcón, BSc, is a project manager at the Ecology Department, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Shaun Forgie is a research associate at Landcare Research, Tamaki, in Auckland, New Zealand. Luis A. Gomez-Puerta is a DVM at the School of Veterinary Medicine, National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. Matthew S. Jones is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Entomology, Washington State University, in Pullman, Washington
| | - Matthew S Jones
- Elizabeth Nichols, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Viviana Alarcón, BSc, is a project manager at the Ecology Department, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil. Shaun Forgie is a research associate at Landcare Research, Tamaki, in Auckland, New Zealand. Luis A. Gomez-Puerta is a DVM at the School of Veterinary Medicine, National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. Matthew S. Jones is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Entomology, Washington State University, in Pullman, Washington
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Greeff JM, Reid K, Gagjee JR, Clift SJ, de Waal PJ. Population genetic structure of the parasitic nematode Spirocerca lupi in South Africa. Vet Parasitol 2018; 258:64-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Morphological and molecular identification of Spirocerca lupi (Nematoda: Spiruridae) found in the Andean fox ( Lycalopex culpaeus). J Parasit Dis 2018; 42:449-454. [PMID: 30166794 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-018-1009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lesions compatible with spirocercosis were found in the esophagus and aorta of an Andean fox from Cuzco, Peru. The esophageal and aortic lesions were 5.5 and 1.5 cm in diameter, respectively. A total of 12 adult nematodes (6 males and 6 females) were collected from the esophageal lesion, and all were identified as Spirocerca lupi by morphological and molecular methods. Molecular characterization was performed by analyzing two sources of the cox1 gene, and the sequences were compared with previous S. lupi sequences from other work deposited in GenBank. Analysis of the partial cox1 gene from S. lupi (n = 3) showed 2 haplotypes and had 95-99% nucleotide similarity to previously described sequences. Also, molecular analysis showed that S. lupi is a very diverse group, due to the genetic variability of the partial sequences of the cox1 gene of Spirocerca. This study is the first to report finding of spirocercosis in the Andean fox.
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Spirocerca vulpis sp. nov. (Spiruridae: Spirocercidae): description of a new nematode species of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae). Parasitology 2018; 145:1917-1928. [PMID: 29781422 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018000707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported nematodes of the Spirocercidae family in the stomach nodules of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) described as Spirocerca sp. or Spirocerca lupi (Rudolphi, 1819). We characterized spirurid worms collected from red foxes and compared them to S. lupi from domestic dogs by morphometric and phylogenetic analyses. Nematodes from red foxes differed from S. lupi by the presence of six triangular teeth-like buccal capsule structures, which are absent in the latter. Additionally, in female worms from red foxes, the distance of the vulva opening to the anterior end and the ratio of the glandular-to-muscular oesophagus lengths were larger than those of S. lupi (P < 0.006). In males, the lengths of the whole oesophagus and glandular part, the ratio of the glandular-to-muscular oesophagus and the comparison of the oesophagus to the total body length were smaller in S. lupi (all P < 0.044). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. lupi and the red foxes spirurid represent monophyletic sister groups with pairwise nucleotide distances of 9.2 and 0.2% in the cytochrome oxidase 1 and 18S genes, respectively. Based on these comparisons, the nematodes from red foxes were considered to belong to a separate species, for which the name Spirocerca vulpis sp. nov. is proposed.
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Valcárcel F, González J, Aguilar A, Sánchez M, González MG, Suárez R, Tercero AM, Tercero JM, Nieto JM, González-Guirado AM, Olmeda AS. Spirocercosis in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a natural reserve located in a meso-Mediterranean area. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2018; 13:115-119. [PMID: 31014857 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Spirocerca lupi Rudolphi 1809 (Nematoda Spirocercidae) has an indirect cycle involving intermediate and paratenic hosts, having domestic or wild canids as the main definitive hosts. The most frequent pathology affecting dogs is a granulomatous tumor-like growth containing adults in the oesophagus and aorta. There are very few references about the presence of nodules in the stomach. There is scant information about the epidemiology of this disease in wild red foxes in meso-Mediterranean areas. In this work we report on the natural infection of wild red foxes by Spirocerca lupi and the damage produced in the stomach wall in an area where contact with other potential definitive hosts (canids) is very rare. From July 2015 to November 2016, 61 red foxes were sampled. 18.03% of the stomach walls examined had nodules containing Spirocerca lupi adults and eggs. The prevalence of infection was similar for young and adult groups (23.81 and 18.18%; χ2 = 0.25; df = 1; P = 0.6171) and it was higher in females than in males (25.81 versus 10.00%, χ2 = 2.58; df = 1; P = 0.1082). The red fox population in the area seems to be well established judging from their age distribution and the fact that they could be captured all year round. It would appear that in the absence of other main definitive host S. lupi population is able to survive just parasitizing red foxes. Pathologic effects of this parasite on red foxes seems to show some differences related to domestic dogs. These results also indicates as predator control programs can maintain suitable host populations with reduced level of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Valcárcel
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal (INIA), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - J González
- Villamagna SA, Finca "La Garganta", 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - A Aguilar
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal (INIA), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - M Sánchez
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal (INIA), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - M G González
- Villamagna SA, Finca "La Garganta", 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - R Suárez
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - A M Tercero
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - J M Tercero
- Villamagna SA, Finca "La Garganta", 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
| | - J M Nieto
- Departamento de Anatomía, Producción y Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Fac. de Veterinaria, 27002 Lugo, Spain
| | - A M González-Guirado
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Patológica, Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), 28130 Valdeomos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - A S Olmeda
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Phythian CJ, Stafford KD, Coles GC, Morgan ER. Taeniid and other parasite ova in the faeces of working sheepdogs in south-west England. Vet Rec 2018; 182:603. [PMID: 29511109 DOI: 10.1136/vr.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Clare J Phythian
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Section for Small Ruminant Research, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Production Animal Clinical Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway
| | | | - Gerald C Coles
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Eric R Morgan
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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Rothmann W, de Waal PJ. Diversity of Spirocerca lupi in domestic dogs and black-backed jackals ( Canis mesomelas ) from South Africa. Vet Parasitol 2017; 244:59-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Bumby MM, Williams MC, Steyl JCA, Harrison-White R, Lutermann H, Fosgate GT, de Waal PJ, Mitha J, Clift SJ. Genotyping and comparative pathology of Spirocerca in black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) in South Africa. BMC Vet Res 2017; 13:245. [PMID: 28814297 PMCID: PMC5559831 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1175-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pathology of spirocercosis, a disease caused by the infestation of carnivores with the nematode Spirocerca lupi, has been extensively described in domestic dogs and coyotes. However, it has not been described in wild carnivores in South Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether black-backed jackals are a host for Spirocerca species and to provide a detailed description of the associated pathology. Jackals were also stratified according to age and the Spirocerca species recovered were characterized using molecular techniques. Methods Standard necropsies were performed on routinely culled jackals from three of the nine provinces of South Africa during the period June 2012 to February 2013. Jackals were screened for the presence of pathognomonic Spirocerca-induced lesions and for evidence of aberrant migration. Relevant samples were submitted for histopathology and collected larvae were genotyped at nine microsatellite loci. Results Spirocerca lupi-associated aortic lesions were found in 16 of 93 (17%) black-backed jackals. Of these, four (25%) were associated with S. lupi larvae. Genotyping of the larvae revealed amplification of all nine loci that amplified dog-derived S. lupi, with the same level of polymorphism in the allele size ranges. Only 1 of 93 jackals had an esophageal nodule with concurrent S. lupi-induced aortic aneurysms. The single esophageal nodule found did not contain adult nematodes, nor did it communicate with the esophageal lumen. None of the jackals that were examined had macroscopically evident spondylitis, which is frequently reported in the dog. Histopathology of the S. lupi-induced aortic lesions in the jackal revealed replacement of elastic and smooth muscle fibers by fibrous connective tissue. In cases where inflammation was present, the inflammatory infiltrate consisted predominantly of eosinophils. The single esophageal nodule histologically resembled the early inflammatory nodule described in dogs and consisted of fibrous connective tissue, multifocal accumulation of lymphocytes, plasma cells and rare hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Conclusions These lesions suggest that the life cycle of S. lupi may not or only rarely be completed in jackals. A possible explanation might be that jackals are relatively resistant to developing significant pathology associated with S. lupi-infection. However, before any conclusions can be drawn, many more jackals, including those that die naturally will have to be investigated for evidence of S. lupi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Bumby
- Section Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
| | - M C Williams
- Section Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - J C A Steyl
- Section Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - R Harrison-White
- Wildlife Damage- Research and Management, North West Parks and Tourism Board, Madikwe and SA Lombard Nature Reserves, North West province, South Africa, P.O. Box 783540, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2146, South Africa
| | - H Lutermann
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - G T Fosgate
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - P J de Waal
- Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - J Mitha
- Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - S J Clift
- Section Pathology, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
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Reid K, Mitha JR, Greeff JM, de Waal PJ. Molecular genomics resource for the parasitic nematode Spirocerca lupi: Identification of 149 microsatellite loci using FIASCO and next generation sequencing. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2015; 203:1-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2015.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 09/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Otranto D, Cantacessi C, Dantas-Torres F, Brianti E, Pfeffer M, Genchi C, Guberti V, Capelli G, Deplazes P. The role of wild canids and felids in spreading parasites to dogs and cats in Europe. Part II: Helminths and arthropods. Vet Parasitol 2015; 213:24-37. [PMID: 26049678 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, ecological factors, combined with everchanging landscapes mainly linked to human activities (e.g. encroachment and tourism) have contributed to modifications in the transmission of parasitic diseases from domestic to wildlife carnivores and vice versa. In the first of this two-part review article, we have provided an account of diseases caused by protozoan parasites characterised by a two-way transmission route between domestic and wild carnivore species. In this second and final part, we focus our attention on parasitic diseases caused by helminth and arthropod parasites shared between domestic and wild canids and felids in Europe. While a complete understanding of the biology, ecology and epidemiology of these parasites is particularly challenging to achieve, especially given the complexity of the environments in which these diseases perpetuate, advancements in current knowledge of transmission routes is crucial to provide policy-makers with clear indications on strategies to reduce the impact of these diseases on changing ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universita' degli Studi di Bari, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
| | - Cinzia Cantacessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, CB3 0ES Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universita' degli Studi di Bari, 70010 Valenzano, Italy; Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fiocruz-PE, Recife, Brazil
| | - Emanuele Brianti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Universita' degli Studi di Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene & Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudio Genchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanita' Pubblica, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Vittorio Guberti
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Gioia Capelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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