Intestinal parasites of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in northern and western Canada

Abstract

Gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) are mobile opportunistic predators that can be infected by a wide range of parasites, with many acquired via predator–prey relationships. Historically, many of these parasites were identified only to genus or family, but genetic tools now enable identification of parasite fauna to species and beyond. We examined 191 intestines from wolves harvested for other purposes from regions in the Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Adult helminths were collected from intestinal contents for morphological and molecular identification, and for a subset of wolves, fecal samples were also analyzed to detect helminth eggs and protozoan (oo)cysts. Using both detection methods, we found that 83% of 191 intestines contained one or more parasite species, including cestodes (Taenia spp., Echinococcus spp., and Diphyllobothrium sp.), nematodes (Uncinaria stenocephala Railliet, 1884, Trichuris spp., Physaloptera spp., and Toxascaris leonina (von Linstow, 1902)), a trematode (Alaria sp.), and protozoa (Sarcocystis spp., Giardia sp., and Cryptosporidium spp.). Molecular characterization identified one species of Diphyllobothrium (Diphyllobothrium latum (L., 1758) Cobbold, 1858), three species of Taenia (Taenia krabbei Moniez, 1879, Taenia hydatigena Pallas, 1766, and Taenia multiceps Leske, 1786), and two Giardia duodenalis (Davaine) Deschiens, 1921 assemblages (B and C). These results demonstrate the diverse diet of wolves and illustrate the possibility of parasite spillover among wildlife, domestic animals, and people.

Echinococcus spp. Tapeworms in North America

“…For example, Rausch reported that in a randomly collected sampling of 200 wild canids in the Brooks Range of Alaska, ≈30% were infected with E. canadensis tapeworms. This finding is similar to Schurer et al’s ( 15 ) recent report indicating infections in 37% (71/191) of wolves sampled across Canada. Rausch ( 16 ) found 24% (24/101) of moose infected in an agricultural region of southern Alaska, and 4% (1/23) of moose infected in the Anchorage area.…”

“…Rausch’s ( 11 ) comprehensive review of E. canadensis tapeworms provides extensive information regarding the strongly endemic cycles he and others observed from the 1950s to the late 1990s throughout Alaska, Canada, and other Arctic countries. Likewise, readers are directed to Schurer et al’s ( 14 , 15 ) reviews of ungulate and wolf infections.…”

Global Distribution of Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis

“…the parasite has recently been detected in wolves (Canis lupus) in taiga and boreal regions of the southern Northwest Territories and northern British Columbia (Gesy et al, 2014;Schurer et al, 2014aSchurer et al, , 2016. p0600…”

Detecting co-infections of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus canadensis in coyotes and red foxes in Alberta, Canada using real-time PCR

“…The historical distribution of E. multilocularis in Canada encompasses two disjunct geographic areas: Northern Tundra Zone and North Central Region, both involving different predator-host communities ( Eckert et al, 2001 ). However, recent findings of the parasite in areas previously considered as nonendemic suggest an expansion of its geographic range ( Schurer et al, 2013b , 2016 ; Gesy et al, 2014 ). This parasite circulates primarily through smaller canids as definitive hosts: foxes ( Vulpes spp.)…”