Endoparasites in the feces of arctic foxes in a terrestrial ecosystem in Canada

Elmore, Stacey A.; Lalonde, Laura F.; Samelius, Gustaf; Alisauskas, Ray T.; Gajadhar, Alvin A.; Jenkins, Emily J.

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.02.005

Cited by 36 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…heydorni DNA in L. gymnocercus in this study is similar to previous reports in others wild canids [29,30] and is also similar to the detected in domestic dogs. Therefore, L. gymnocercus is suggested as a natural DH of H. heydorni in Argentina and future studies should be conducted in order to confirm the presence of the closely related protozoa N. caninum.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptsupporting

confidence: 92%

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in intestine mucosal scrapings and fecal samples of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus)

Scioscia

Gos

Denegri

et al. 2017

Parasitology International

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Sarcocystis spp. are obligatory intracellular protozoan parasites which can infect humans and animals. Most of Sarcocystis species were identified based on the detection of muscle cysts in different intermediate hosts (IH). Regarding to natural infection in definitive host, there are few reports which have reached to determining species of Sarcocystis. The present work was aimed to studying the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. (oocysts and sporocysts) in mucosal scrapings of small intestine and fecal samples of one the most abundant wild canids from South America, Lycalopex gymnocercus (Pampas fox), and to identify the Sarcocystis spp. using molecular tools. A total of 131 free-living L. gymnocercus were sampled in rural areas located in several departments from Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Fecal samples from all the animals and 33 small intestines were analyzed. Fecal and mucosal scrapings samples were analyzed by sugar flotation method and once oocysts or sporocysts were detected, sedimentation was performed and DNA extracted with a commercial kit. A PCR was conducted using primers targeting a fragment of the 18S rRNA gene and the amplicons were purified and sequenced. Of the total Pampas foxes analyzed, 23 (17.6%) had Sarcocystis spp. oocysts/sporocysts in fecal and/or mucosal samples. Sarcocystis spp. sporocysts were detected in 13.0% (17/131) of fecal samples and in 39.4% (13/33) of mucosal samples by the initial sugar flotation. Twenty one L. gymnocercus samples were processed by DNA extraction and PCR. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. infection was successfully achieved in 14 foxes and was distributed as follows: 4.6% S. cruzi (6/131), 3.8% Sarcocystis spp. using birds as IH (S. albifronsi and S. anasi among others, 5/131), 0.8% S. tenella (1/131) and 1.5% (2/131) with low homology (97%) with S. miescheriana. In one fecal sample with spherical oocysts, the sequencing results showed a 100% sequence identity with Hammondia heydorni. The results show that the mucosal scrapings are the eligible sample to identify prevalence and to proceed with species identification. Lycalopex gymnocercus is suggested as definitive host for S. cruzi, S. tenella and probably various Sarcocystis spp. using birds as intermediate hosts as well as for H. heydorni.

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Section: Accepted Manuscriptsupporting

confidence: 92%

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in intestine mucosal scrapings and fecal samples of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus)

Scioscia

Gos

Denegri

et al. 2017

Parasitology International

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“…Gompper et al (2003) reported a prevalence of 2% in coyote feces in New York, and Elmore et al (2013) found a single Neospora/Hammondia -like positive sample out of 95 arctic fox feces in Canada (1.1%). However, neither of these studies confirmed the identity of these oocysts using molecular methods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparatively little is known about the ecology of H. heydorni in wildlife. Surveys of free-ranging wild canids that have detected H. heydorni were unable to genetically distinguish this parasite from N. caninum (Gompper et al, 2003; Elmore et al, 2013). The goal of this study was to use a series of PCR assays to determine the presence of DNA attributed to coccidia, N. caninum or H. heydorni oocysts in wild canid fecal samples (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Hammondia heydorni DNA in feces collected in and around an Ohio Wildlife Conservation Center

Sinnott

Torres

Wolfe

et al. 2016

Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports

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This study aimed to identify DNA attributed to Hammondia heydorni oocysts in the feces of wild canids in and around an Ohio wildlife conservation center. Two hundred and eighty-five wild canid fecal samples were analyzed using PCR with melting curve analysis to detect coccidian DNA. Coccidia-positive samples were further subjected to H. heydorni-specific and N. caninum-specific PCR assays. Samples positive by the H. heydorni-specific assay were additionally analyzed with a PCR assay to distinguish H. heydorni from Hammondia triffittae. Coccidian DNA was detected in 51 of the 285 (17.9%) wildlife samples. H. heydorni DNA was detected in three of the coccidia-positive wildlife samples (1.1%) and N. caninum was detected in none. Determining the presence of H. heydorni in wild canids will contribute to a greater understanding of the role these hosts play in the ecology of this parasite.

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“…do not usually use canids as definitive hosts (Woodland, 1924), and the three samples containing Hymenolepis eggs found here are probably artefacts from ingested rodent prey. Hymenolepis eggs were also recorded in Arctic fox faecal samples (Elmore et al, 2013). Many helminths found in Ethiopian wolves have been recorded in domestic dogs from Debre Zeit (Yacob et al, 2007), Ambo (Zewdu et al, 2010) and Jimma (Degefu et al, 2011), all located within approximately 325 km north-west of BMNP.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Helminth parasites in the endangered Ethiopian wolf,Canis simensis

et al. 2014

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Ethiopian wolves, Canis simensis, are an endangered carnivore endemic to the Ethiopian highlands. Although previous studies have focused on aspects of Ethiopian wolf biology, including diet, territoriality, reproduction and infectious diseases such as rabies, little is known of their helminth parasites. In the current study, faecal samples were collected from 94 wild Ethiopian wolves in the Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia, between August 2008 and February 2010, and were screened for the presence of helminth eggs using a semi-quantitative volumetric dilution method with microscopy. We found that 66 of the 94 faecal samples (70.2%) contained eggs from at least one group of helminths, including Capillaria, Toxocara, Trichuris, ancylostomatids, Hymenolepis and taeniids. Eggs of Capillaria sp. were found most commonly, followed by Trichuris sp., ancylostomatid species and Toxocara species. Three samples contained Hymenolepis sp. eggs, which were likely artefacts from ingested prey species. Four samples contained taeniid eggs, one of which was copro-polymerase chain reaction (copro-PCR) and sequence positive for Echinococcus granulosus, suggesting a spillover from a domestic parasite cycle into this wildlife species. Associations between presence/absence of Capillaria, Toxocara and Trichuris eggs were found; and egg burdens of Toxocara and ancylostomatids were found to be associated with geographical location and sampling season.

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Endoparasites in the feces of arctic foxes in a terrestrial ecosystem in Canada

Abstract: Graphical abstract

Cited by 36 publications

References 43 publications

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in intestine mucosal scrapings and fecal samples of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus)

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in intestine mucosal scrapings and fecal samples of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus)

Detection of Hammondia heydorni DNA in feces collected in and around an Ohio Wildlife Conservation Center

Helminth parasites in the endangered Ethiopian wolf,Canis simensis

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