title: High prevalence of Eucoleus boehmi (syn. Capillaria boehmi) in foxes from western Austria.
abstract: Eucoleus boehmi (syn. Capillaria boehmi) is a canine trichuroid nematode affecting the upper respiratory airways (i.e., nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses) of dogs, foxes, and wolves. In the past few years, reports in dogs and wild canids have increased from across Europe, but data on its occurrence and distribution in Austria is scanty. A total of 47 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the two westernmost provinces (Tyrol and Vorarlberg) of Austria were therefore examined for the presence of E. boehmi at necropsy. Eggs and adult nematodes were identified morphologically and molecularly (cox1) as E. boehmi. These nematodes were found in 26 (78.8 %) and 13 (92.9 %) foxes from Tyrol and Vorarlberg, respectively, with an overall prevalence of 83.0 % (39/47). The prevalence rate of infection recorded in this study is among the highest in Europe. These results suggest that foxes may represent an important source of infection for dogs and other canids, but further studies are needed to elucidate the transmission dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hodžić
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruckschwaiger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg Gerhard
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Duscher
authors.affiliation: Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Technikerstraße 70, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Glawischnig
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria. hans-peter.fuehrer@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Fuehrer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002195:Capillaria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000235:genetics; D017189:Enoplida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1
keywords: Austria; Eucoleus boehmi; Red fox; Tyrol; Vorarlberg; Vulpes vulpes