title: Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a potential reservoir host of cardiorespiratory parasites in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
abstract: Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is considered as reservoir of different cardiorespiratory parasites of veterinary and medical importance. Since data on cardiorespiratory parasites in foxes in Bosnia and Herzegovina are still lacking, the aims of the present study were to (i) investigate the prevalence and geographical distribution of these parasites, (ii) determine genetic diversity of detected parasite species, and (iii) to estimate the role of foxes in the transmission cycle to companion animals and humans. Four species, morphologically and molecularly identified as Eucoleus boehmi (64.6%; 51/79), Eucoleus aerophilus (69.7%; 154/221), Crenosoma vulpis (45.7%; 101/221) and Linguatula serrata (1.3%; 1/79) were retrieved from nasal cavity and lungs in 184 (83.3%) animals. The occurrence of heartworms, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Dirofilaria immitis was not detected by necropsy or PCR. Furthermore, three distinct haplotypes of E. aerophilus (I, III, XV) and two of C. vulpis (I, II) previously reported in pet animals and wild carnivores were confirmed in this study. A new haplotype of C. vulpis (designated as haplotype V) was also identified based on 12S rRNA gene for the first time. The present study indicates a high prevalence and wide distribution of nasal and lung nematodes in fox population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and supports the existence of transmission patterns between wildlife and pet animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Institut of Parasitology, Universiy of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hodžić
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alić
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Ismar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klebić
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Mirsad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadrić
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Messina, Piazza Pugliatti 1, 98168 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brianti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Institut of Parasitology, Universiy of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: georg.duscher@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Georg Gerhard
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Duscher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary*; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth
keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Cardiorespiratory parasites; Epidemiology; Haplotypes; Red fox