Thelazia callipaeda in mustelids from Romania with the European badger, Meles meles, as a new host for this parasite

Abstract

Background Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) is a vector-borne zoonotic eye worm with a broad host spectrum. In Europe, it is an emerging threat, having greatly expanded its geographical distribution during the past two decades. In Romania, T . callipaeda has been previously reported in domestic and wild canids and felids. The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of T. callipaeda in mustelids in the country. Methods Between March 2015 and April 2019, 77 road-killed mustelids (3 pine martens, Martes martes ; 6 European polecats, Mustela putorius ; 13 beech martens, Martes foina ; and 55 European badgers, Meles meles ) were examined by necropsy. If present, all ocular nematodes were collected and stored in absolute ethanol, for subsequent morphological and molecular identification. Results Two animals were found to be infected with T. callipaeda : one European badger and one beech marten. The molecular analysis revealed a 100% nucleotide similarity to T. callipaeda haplotype h1 for all the sequenced specimens. Conclusions To our knowledge, the present study demonstrates for the first time the occurrence of T. callipaeda in mustelids from Romania, records the easternmost locality of the parasite in Europe, and represents the first report of T. callipaeda in the European badger, Meles meles , extending the known host range for this parasite in Europe.

Zoonotic Thelazia callipaeda eyeworm in brown bears ( Ursus arctos ): A new host record in Europe

“…red foxes, beech martens, wolves and badgers) and lagomorphs (e.g. hares and wild rabbits) (Dumitrache et al., 2018; Gama et al., 2016; Ionică et al., 2019; Mihalca et al., 2016; Otranto et al., 2007, 2009; Otranto & Dantas‐Torres, 2015). This is further supported by the cases in areas with no reports of infested domestic animals, where the role of wild carnivores in introducing, maintaining and spreading this nematode was crucial (Otranto & Dantas‐Torres, 2015).…”

The Vector-Borne Zoonotic Nematode Thelazia callipaeda in the Eastern Part of Europe, with a Clinical Case Report in a Dog in Poland

“…In recent years, an increased number of T. callipaeda infection clinical cases have been observed throughout Europe ( Figure 1 ) [ 4 , 15 ]. Carnivores are considered the main definitive hosts of T. callipaeda , including domestic carnivores, such as domestic dogs or domestic cats [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ], or wild carnivores, such as the red fox Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758), the European badger Meles meles (Linnaeus, 1758), the beech marten Martes foina (Erxleben, 1777), the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx (Linnaeus, 1758), the golden jackals Canis aureus Linnaeus, 1758, the gray wolf Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758, the racoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834), the sable Martes zibellina (Linnaeus, 1758), the wild cats Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777, and the Asiatic black bear Ursus thibetanus G. [Baron] Cuvier, 1823 [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. However, T. callipaeda has been reported also in other mammals, including the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758), the brown hare Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 [ 27 , 28 ] and, above all, in humans [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 11 , 14 ].…”

The new cases of thelaziosis on the Balkan Peninsula

“…In the Eastern Balkans and more precisely Bulgaria, this nematode has been identified only in dogs (Colella et al, 2016). The highest number of cases and a wider range of host species were noted in Romania, where the eyeworm was reported as parasite of dogs, cats, wolves, red foxes, and recently, mustelids (do Valea et al, 2019;Ionică et al, 2019).…”