Occurrence of Bacterial and Protozoan Pathogens in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Central Italy

Abstract

Most surveys of pathogens in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have focused on particular agents. The aim of this study was to verify, with bacteriological and molecular analyses, the occurrence of the main bacterial and protozoan pathogens that are able to infect canids, in red foxes regularly hunted in Central Italy. Spleen, brain, kidney and fecal samples from red foxes were submitted to bacteriological and/or molecular analyses to detect Salmonella spp., Yersinia spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Brucella spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp., Neospora caninum, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp. and microsporidia. Two (9.1%) strains of Yersinia enterocolitica biotype 1 and 2 (9.1%) of Yersinia frederiksenii were isolated from 22 fecal samples. Among the 22 spleen samples, seven (31.8%) were PCR-positive for H. canis and 3 (13.6%) for Babesia vulpes. Kidneys from two (2.9%) foxes, among 71 tested, were PCR-positive for L. interrogans. Even though the analyses were carried out on a small number of animals, the results suggested that red foxes from the selected geographic area may act as reservoirs of some investigated pathogens.

Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Wild Canids

“…In Switzerland, none of the 1550 red fox sera samples tested for E. canis were positive [ 26 ], whereas 6.7% (4/60) of a red fox population in the Netherlands had detectable antibodies against monocytic ehrlichia ( E. chaffeensiis ) [ 27 ]. Similarly, molecular surveys carried out in different European areas found E. canis positivity rates very variable in relation to the investigated area and the years of sampling: 2.9% (2/69) in Portugal [ 28 ], 16.6% (2/12) in Spain [ 29 ], 52% (55/105) in 2012–2015 [ 16 ] and 2.9% (7/244) in 2017–2019 [ 30 ] in Southern Italy, 0% in 2007–2008 (0/150) and 2016–2021 (0/22) [ 31 , 32 ] and 44.4% (68/153) in 2014–2016 in Central Italy [ 33 ].…”

“…Pusterla et al [ 26 ] found 2.8% (44/1550) seroprevalence for A. phagocytophilum among red foxes in Switzerland. Moreover, different molecular prevalence rates have been detected: from 0.6% (1/153) to 16.6% (25/150) in Italy [ 31 , 32 , 33 ], 0.6% (3/506) in Austria [ 44 ], 2.4% (4/162) in Switzerland [ 45 ], 2.55% (9/353) in Romania [ 46 ], 2.56% (3/117) [ 37 ] and 4% (1/25) [ 47 ] in the Czech Republic, 2.7% (3/111) in Poland [ 48 ], 8.2% (10/122) in Germany [ 49 ], 9.9% (8/81) in the Netherlands [ 50 ] and 12.5% (52/415) in Hungary [ 51 ].…”

“…Red foxes have been found infected by B. vulpes , and several reports, mostly from European countries are present in the literature. Babesia vulpes has been reported as the sole species found in foxes from Croatia [ 185 ], Portugal [ 186 ], Italy [ 16 , 31 , 32 , 187 ], Hungary [ 188 ], Germany [ 189 , 190 ], the United Kingdom [ 191 ], Spain [ 144 , 192 ], Romania [ 193 ], France [ 125 ] and the Czech Republic [ 37 ]. However, B. canis was found in red fox from Bosnia Herzegovina [ 34 ], Austria [ 44 ], Serbia [ 194 ] and Poland [ 195 ], with a lower prevalence, always.…”

“…In Europe, H. canis was found in red foxes from Spain [ 141 , 250 , 251 ], Slovakia [ 252 ], Portugal [ 253 ], Italy [ 17 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 254 ], Croatia [ 185 ], Germany [ 255 ], France [ 125 ], Hungary [ 51 , 244 , 256 ], Austria [ 44 , 189 ], Bosnia Herzegovina [ 34 ], the Czech Republic [ 37 , 257 ], Serbia [ 194 ] and Poland [ 195 ], with prevalences ranging from 5.1% to 92% in 157 and 93 V. vulpes, respectively [ 17 , 125 ]. The high frequency of infection, in areas where definitive hosts have not registered, would suggest a vertical transmission in foxes as well [ 44 ].…”

Molecular detection of Babesia spp. in dogs in Germany (2007–2020) and identification of potential risk factors for infection

“…Babesia vulpes , with Ixodes hexagonus and Ixodes canisuga as the suspected vectors, has been detected in dogs in northwestern Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Serbia, France and Sweden [ 21 – 26 ], in foxes in Italy and Germany [ 27 – 29 ], and in ticks from dogs in the UK [ 30 ], which suggests that autochthonous infection in Germany is a possibility. Babesia vogeli transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus has mainly been reported in the Mediterranean area [ 2 ].…”