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- Title
Gastrointestinal helminths of gray wolves (<italic>Canis lupus lupus</italic>) from Sweden.
- Authors
Kapel, Christian Moliin Outzen; Al-Sabi, Mohammad Nafi Solaiman; Rääf, Linnea; Osterman-Lind, Eva; Uhlhorn, Henrik
- Abstract
As the Scandinavian wolf population is limited in size, it is only rarely subject to systematic studies on its disease biology, especially gastrointestinal parasites. Therefore, this study aims to describe the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths of gray wolves hunted on a limited license as a part of a wildlife management program. Helminths of 20 wolves were examined post mortem by macroscopy and coprology. Intestinal worms of five species were recovered from 18 wolves (90%): <italic>Uncinaria stenocephala</italic> (90%), <italic>Taenia</italic> spp. (45%), <italic>Alaria alata</italic> (25%), and <italic>Mesocestoides</italic> spp. (5%). Of the taeniid specimens typed by multiplex PCR and sequencing of the <italic>cox1</italic> gene, 25% belonged to <italic>Taenia hydatigena</italic> and 25% to <italic>Taenia krabbei</italic>. The overall species diversity was low compared to findings from wolves of the northern hemisphere. Fecal eggs of <italic>Eucoleus boehmi</italic> were detected in 12 wolves (60%). Fecal metastrongylid larvae were found in seven individuals (39%), but PCR analyses specific for <italic>Angiostrongylus vasorum</italic> were negative. The wolves were in good body condition suggesting that the parasite infestation had no negative impact on the general health of the examined wolves. Although some of the recovered parasite species have zoonotic or veterinary impact, it is not likely that the spare wolf population pose substantial threat to human or veterinary health.
- Subjects
WOLVES; HELMINTHS; UNCINARIA; ALARIA; MESOCESTOIDES; TAENIA; CAPILLARIA columbae; DISEASES
- Publication
Parasitology Research, 2018, Vol 117, Issue 6, p1891
- ISSN
0932-0113
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00436-018-5881-z