Occurrence of Dioctophyme renale larvae (Goeze, 1782) (Nematoda: Enoplida) in a new host from southern Brazil

Abstract

Dioctophymatosis is caused by the giant kidney worm Dioctophyme renale which occurs in dogs, cats, and wild mammals. In Brazil, the disease has been diagnosed in dogs from several states around the country. In the present study, the occurrence of D. renale larvae in snakes from southern of Brazil is reported. Three specimens of Philodryas patagoniensis (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) (common names in Brazil: “parelheira”, “papa-pinto”) roadkill in the county of Capão do Leão, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, were necropsied. Two third-stage larvae of D. renale were found in the coelomic cavity of P. patagoniensis. This study reveals a new host for D. renale larvae in the southern region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This particular geographic area of the country has stood out as several cases of D. renale infection have been reported in a number of vertebrates from this region including domestic dogs and cats and wild animals such as carnivores, fish, and freshwater turtles.

An evaluation of techniques to diagnose Dioctophyme renale in dogs

“…Dioctophyme renale has a vast geographic distribution and has been reported in numerous American, European, and Asian countries (Eiras et al, 2021;Yang et al, 2019). This nematode has been documented throughout Brazil, with emphasis on the southern region of the country, where various studies have reported the adult parasite in dogs and cats (Brunner et al, 2022;Pedrassani et al, 2017;Perera et al, 2016;Rappeti et al, 2017), wild mammals (Pedrassani et al, 2017;Pesenti et al, 2012;Trindade et al, 2018), and paratenic hosts such as anurans (Pedrassani et al, 2009), fish (Mascarenhas et al, 2019), freshwater turtles (Mascarenhas & Müller, 2015;Mascarenhas et al, 2022) and snakes (Mascarenhas et al, 2018). Domestic and wild mammals (definitive hosts) become infected by ingesting infective larva (L3) present in aquatic oligochaetes (intermediate hosts) or fish and anurans (paratenic hosts) (Mace & Anderson, 1975;Measures, 2001;Measures & Anderson, 1985).…”

Lumbriculus variegatus (Müller, 1774) (Oligochaeta, Lumbriculidae) in Campos do Jordão State Park, São Paulo, Brazil

“…Thus, knowing aspects of its ecology and geographical distribution becomes very important for the data production to be used as a basis for bioassessment research and for public health issues, since Lumbriculus variegatus (Müller, 1774) (Lumbriculidae, Clitellata) was identified in as the intermediate host of Dioctophyme renale (Goeze, 1782) (Nematoda, Dioctophymatidae) (Mace and Anderson, 1975). Dioctophyme renale has a worldwide distribution and can affect dogs, cats, wild mammals and even human (Mascarenhas et al, 2018) being characterized as zoonosis (Pedrassani and Nascimento, 2015). The life cycle of parasite occurs through the ingestion of eggs by Lumbriculus variegatus, which is the only intermediate host essential for the continuation of the cycle.…”

Nuevos hallazgos y localidades de Dioctophyme renale (Nematoda, Enoplida, Dioctophymatidae) en Chrysocyon brachyurus (Carnivora: Canidae) para la República Argentina

“…oligoqueto de agua dulce y éste puede ser ingerido por ranas, peces de agua dulce, tortugas dulceacuícolas y culebras, que sirven como hospedadores paraténicos (Mace & Anderson 1975;Measures 2001;Pedrassani et al 2009;Mascarenhas & Muller 2015;Mascarenhas et al 2018Mascarenhas et al , 2019. Los nemátodos presentan una coloración característica (rojo/púrpura oscuro) (Giorello et al 2017) y en cánidos domésticos su longitud varía, con un tamaño en hembras hasta 100 cm y en machos entre 11-30 cm (Urquhart et al 1998;Measures 2001;Taylor et al 2016).…”