Intestinal helminths of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in north-west Italy

Abstract

SummaryA total of 180 foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from an area scarcely investigated of north-west Italy, were examined for intestinal helminths using sedimentation and counting technique (SCT). Faecal samples were submitted to centrifugation with 50 % zinc sulphate used as fl otation solution. No fox was found completely negative for intestinal helminths. The most frequently identifi ed nematodes were Uncinaria stenocephala (70.0 %), Molineus legerae (27.2 %), Toxocara canis (26.7 %), Toxascaris leonina (25.6 %), Trichuris vulpis (21.1 %), Aonchotheca putorii (8.9 %), Pterygodermatites affi nis (5.6 %). Genus Mesocestoides (81.7 %), family Dilepididae (29.4 %) and Taenia spp. (8.3 %) were the most prevalent cestodes. All foxes were negative for E. multilocularis and E. granulosus. In two foxes trematodes belonging to the family Plagiorchidae were found. The study highlighted that foxes are hosts of intestinal helminths of veterinary and medical importance which may be transmitted to dogs and humans.

Helminth parasites of the red foxVulpes vulpes(L., 1758) and the wolfCanis lupus italicusAltobello, 1921 in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

“…The mean intensity recovered was the highest among tapeworms (91.7; Table I), as already reported by other authors (e.g. Segovia et al 2004;Saeed et al 2006;Magi et al 2009Magi et al , 2016. Curiously, another fox had several tetrathyridia encysted in the hepatic parenchyma, mainly under the gallbladder; no mature tapeworms were recovered in the small intestine.…”

“…Guberti & Poglayen 1991: P = 46.4%, MI = 5.7 of 153 foxes; Manfredi et al 2003: P = 56.1% of 42 foxes). Differently from Soldati et al (1976), Magi et al (2009Magi et al ( , 2016 and Capelli et al (2003), we couldn't find any Toxascaris leonina. This actually agrees with most studies on helminths of foxes, in which a higher prevalence of T. canis was usually reported (LoosFrank & Zeyhle 1982;Richards et al 1995;Vervaeke et al 2005;Al-Sabi et al 2014).…”

“…More recently, Ferroglio et al (2012) described the infection in a dog from Aosta Valley. We did not find any other reports of this trematode in several parasitological surveys on Italian foxes (Soldati et al 1976;Rossi et al 1983;Poglayen et al 1985;Leoni et al 1986;Iori et al Guberti & Poglayen 1991;Capelli et al 2003;Manfredi et al 2003;Di Cerbo et al 2008;Magi et al 2009Magi et al , 2016. In the present study, the infection was observed in only three foxes (prevalence 5.3%; Table I), all living in lowlands rich in humid areas and channels, a suitable environment for the lifecycle development of the parasite ( Figure 2).…”

“…Similar prevalences in foxes were reported in Portugal (Eira et al 2006: 3.2% of 62 foxes) and, despite a higher number of animals, in Haute-Savoie and Cantal, France (Deblock et al 1988: 4% of 154 foxes; Pétavy et al 1990: 5% of 150 foxes), Liguria, Italy (Magi et al 2016: 5.6% of 180 foxes) and Slovenia (Vergles Rataj et al 2013: 4.2% of 428 foxes). In Italy we have reports from several northern regions (Iori et al 1990;Capelli et al 2003;Manfredi et al 2003;Di Cerbo et al 2008;Magi et al 2016) and Sardinia (Leoni et al 1986: Rictularia sp. ), but not from Emilia-Romagna.…”

Prevalence of intestinal nematodes of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in north-west Poland

“…Toxocariasis is responsible for the visceral and ocular larva migrans syndrome (3,13,14). In humans, as paratenic hosts, larvae of Toxocara canis do not develop into the adult stage, but migrate throughout the tissues and remain there as L3 arrested larvae for an extended period of time (15).…”