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Nematode Thelazia callipaeda is spreading across Europe. The first survey of red foxes from Slovakia

  • Viktória Čabanová , Martina Miterpáková EMAIL logo , Martin Oravec , Zuzana Hurníková , Slavomír Jerg , Gabriela Nemčíková and Michaela Brincko Červenská
Published/Copyright: January 17, 2018
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Acta Parasitologica
From the journal Acta Parasitologica Volume 63 Issue 1

Abstract

Canine thalaziosis caused by the spirurid nematode Thelazia callipaeda has started to spread across Western and Central Europe during the last decade. In Slovakia, the first autochthonous cases of this infection were recorded in 2016 in four dogs from the south-eastern part of the country. In August 2017 other autochthonous case, again from the same locality, was reported. Seeing that red foxes are considered the main reservoir hosts for T. callipaeda, their examination could provide an integrated view of the real parasite distribution. Within the present study, 523 red foxes were examined by necropsy, and T. callipaeda nematodes were recovered from the conjunctival sacs of 7 animals, which represents an overall positivity of 1.3%. Six infected foxes originated in eastern Slovakia, which is consistent with the area where positive dogs were recently found. Also, single positive red fox was found in north-western Slovakia. Regarding morphology and morphometry, the specimens recovered from the foxes in this study were evaluated as larger in size when compared to nematodes isolated from Slovak dogs as well as dogs and foxes from other studies. BLAST analyses of the cox1 gene showed that all specimens isolated from Slovak red foxes were identified as haplotype 1 which circulated also in other European countries. Considering that majority of the infected animals, dogs and foxes, came from Košice region, we can presume that this area might become endemic in a short period of time.

Keywords: Thelazia callipaeda; oriental eyeworm; red fox; Vulpes vulpes; Central Europe

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Science Grant Agency VEGA, project No. 2/0018/16, and the project “Application Centre for the Protection of Humans, Animals and Plants against Parasites” (code ITMS: 26220220018), supported by the Research & Development Operational Programme funded by the ERDF (0.4). Authors are grateful to Mr. David McLean for proofreading the manuscript.

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Received: 2017-10-9
Revised: 2017-11-3
Accepted: 2017-11-10
Published Online: 2018-1-17
Published in Print: 2018-3-26

© 2018 W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, PAS

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2018-0018
Keywords for this article
Thelazia callipaeda; oriental eyeworm; red fox; Vulpes vulpes; Central Europe

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  1. Invited Paper
  2. Ultrastructure of digenean trematode eggs (Platyhelminthes: Neoophora): A review emphasizing new comparative data on four European Microphalloidea
  4. Phylogeny and cocoon production in the parasitic leech Myzobdella lugubris Leidy, 1851 (Hirudinidae, Piscicolidae)
  6. Parasites in stray dogs from Italy: prevalence, risk factors and management concerns
  8. A serological study of antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the sera of healthy individuals collected two decades apart
  10. Changes in the incidence of intestinal giardiosis in Mexican population during five years (2011-2015)
  12. Molecular target analysis of stearoyl-CoA desaturase genes of protozoan parasites
  14. Molecular and morphological characterisation of Rhabdias picardiae Junker, Lhermitte-Vallarino et Bain, 2010 (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from Delaland’s River Frog, Amietia delalandii (Duméril et Bibron, 1841) (Amphibia: Pyxicephalidae) in South Africa
  16. Scanning electron microscopy study of Strabax monstrosus von Nordmann, 1864 (Copepoda: Chondracanthidae) from Tunisian waters and histopathological study of its effects on host
  18. Characterization of phosphate transporter(s) and understanding their role in Leishmania donovani parasite
  20. Two nematode species from freshwater and marine fishes in Thailand, including Ascarophis scatophagi sp. nov. (Cystidicolidae) from Scatophagus argus (Scatophagidae)
  22. Metazoan parasite fauna of migrating common garfish, Belone belone (L.), in the Baltic Sea
  24. Measurement of binding strength between prey proteins interacting with Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 and SAG2 using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)
  26. Asymmetric peptidomimetics containing L-tartaric acid core inhibit the aspartyl peptidase activity and growth of Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes
  28. Transcriptional analysis of immune-relevant genes in the mucus of Labeo rohita, experimentally infected with Argulus siamensis
  30. Prevalence of endoparasitic infections of birds in zoo gardens in Serbia
  32. Contamination of swimming pools and hot tubs biofilms with Acanthamoeba
  34. Morphological and molecular characterization of Seuratascaris numidica (Seurat, 1917) (Ascaridida: Ascarididae)
  36. Nematode Thelazia callipaeda is spreading across Europe. The first survey of red foxes from Slovakia
  38. A frequent roundworm Baylisascaris transfuga in overpopulated brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovakia: a problem worthy of attention
  40. Nematode parasites of Duttaphrynus stomaticus (Lutken, 1864) (Amphibia: Anura) with description of a new species of Rhabdias Stiles and Hassall, 1905 (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India
  42. Molecular and serological investigation of infectious diseases in captive and free-range crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous – Linnaeus, 1776) from northeastern Brazil
  44. A new species of Aplectana (Nematoda, Cosmocercidae) in Goniurosaurus bawanglingensis (Squamata, Eublepharidae), from Hainan Province, China
  46. Syphacia muris infection in rats attenuates colorectal carcinogenesis through oxidative stress and gene expression alterations. Implications for modulatory effects by Bryostatin-1
  47. Research Note
  48. The first case of Leporacarus gibbus infestation in a rabbit from Poland
  49. Research Note
  50. Pathological and molecular studies of the renal trematode Paratanaisia bragai in Indian peafowls (Pavo cristatus)
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