title: The first report of Aelurostrongylus falciformis in Norwegian badgers (Meles meles).
abstract: The first report of Aelurostrongylus falciformis (Schlegel 1933) in Fennoscandian badgers is described. Routine parasitological examination of nine Norwegian badgers, at the National Veterinary Institute during 2004 and 2005, identified A. falciformis in the terminal airways of five of the animals. The first stage larvae (L1) closely resembled, in size and morphology, those of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet 1866). The diagnosis for both A. falciformis and A. vasorum is frequently based on the identification of L1 in faeces or sputum. The potential for misclassification of an A. falciformis infection as A. vasorum, where larval identification is the only diagnostic method used, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Section for Wildlife Diseases, National Veterinary Institute, P,O, Box 8156 Dep, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway. rebecca.davidson@vetinst.no
authors.forename: Rebecca K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Handeland
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gjerde
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D009664:Norway; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*