Background Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are important emerging causes of disease in dogs. Alongside these domesticated hosts, there is increasing recognition that these piroplasms can also be found in a range of wild animals with isolated reports describing the presence of these pathogen in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and captive grey wolves (Canis lupus). The prevalence and impact of these infections in free-ranging populations of canids are unknown. To gain a better insight into the epidemiology and pathogenesis of piroplasm infections in free-ranging grey wolves, pathological and molecular investigations into captive and free-ranging grey wolves in Croatia were performed.ResultsThe carcasses of 107 free-ranging wolves and one captive wolf were the subjects of post-mortem investigations and sampling for molecular studies. A blood sample from one live captured wolf for telemetric tracking was also used for molecular analysis. PCR amplification targeting the 18S RNA gene revealed that 21 of 108 free-ranging wolves and one captive animal were positive for Theileria/Babesia DNA. Subsequent sequencing of a fragment of the 18S RNA gene revealed that 7/22 animals were positive for Babesia canis while the other amplified sequence were found to be identical with corresponding 18S rDNA sequences of Theileria capreoli isolated from wild deer (15/22). Haematological and cytological analysis revealed the presence of signet-ring shaped or pear-shaped piroplasms in several animals with the overall parasite burden in all positive animals assessed to be very low. Pathological investigation of the captive animal revealed fatal septicemia as a likely outcome of hemolytic anaemia. There was little or no evidence of hemolytic disease consistent with babesiosis in other animals.ConclusionImportantly, the presence of B. canis in free-ranging grey wolves has not been described before but has been reported in a single fox and domestic dogs only. That B. canis infections cause disease in dogs but have little impact on wolf health possibly suggests that the wolf is the natural and the domestic dog is a secondary host. Surprisingly, the frequent finding of Theileria capreoli in wolves suggests that this Theileria species is not restricted to ungulates (cervids) but commonly infects also this carnivore species. Nevertheless, the potential role that these asymptomatically infected animals may play in the dispersal of these pathogens to susceptible sympatric species such as domesticated dogs requires further investigation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2106-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Metacercariae of the digenetic trematode Clinostomum complanatum Rudolphi, 1814 were observed in chub (Squalius cephalus) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from the Orljava River (Croatia). Both the prevalence and infection intensity were higher in the chub (prevalence 23.4%, average intensity 70.5) than in the common carp (5.9%, 4.5). In general, the metacercariae were located in the wall of the anterior part of the digestive tract and branchial cavity, the supraocular region, and the hypaxial musculature near the paired fins. Histology revealed the obvious affinity of the parasite for striated muscles and connective tissue. In situ, the metacercariae were surrounded by wellvascularized connective tissue capsules composed primarily of collagen fibers, fibroblasts, and fibrocytes. This study provides some insight into the parasite’s pathogenicity and the relationship between host and parasite.
Pleuralne izljeve definiramo kao patološko nakupljanje tekućine u pleuralnoj šupljini, a koji u pasa nastaju posljedično različitim upalnim, sistemskim, metaboličkim, kardiovaskularnim, infekcijskim i neoplastičnim bolestima te traumama, a dijelimo ih na transudate, modificirane transudate i eksudate. Uzroci pleuralnog izljeva su, patofiziološki gledano, porast hidrostatskog tlaka (pr. posljedično zastojnom zatajivanju srca), pad onkotskog tlaka (pr. posljedično hipoproteinemiji), povećana propustnost stijenke krvnih žila (najčešće posljedično upalnoj reakciji) i opstrukcija limfnih žila (najčešće posljedično tumorskom rastu). Najčešći klinički znak u pasa s patološkim pleuralnim izljevima je otežano disanje (respiratorni distres, dispneja). Ostali klinički znaci uključuju: skvrčen, ležeći položaj s ispruženim glavom i vratom, disanje otvorenim ustima, ubrzano i naglašeno abdominalno disanje, a u uznapredovalih slučajeva prisutna je i cijanoza. Postupkom torakocenteze, osim što uklanjamo pleuralni izljev, možemo ga i prouzročiti, a daljnja laboratorijska dijagnostička obrada je ključna za postavljanje sumnje (ponekad i konačne dijagnoze) na uzrok ili uzroke koji su doveli do patološkog nakupljanja tekućine u pleuralnoj šupljini. Svrha je ovog preglednog rada prikazati uzroke i specifične vrste izljeva u pleuralnu šupljinu u pasa, kao i dijagnostički pristup istima.
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