title: First findings ofTrichinella spiralisand DNA ofEchinococcus multilocularisin wild raccoon dogs in the Netherlands.
abstract: The recent invasion of the raccoon dog in the Netherlands may be associated with the risk of introduction and spread of zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was to assess whetherEchinococcus multilocularisandTrichinellaspp. infections are present in Dutch raccoon dogs. Between 2013 and 2014, nine raccoon dogs, mainly road kills, were collected for necropsies. One raccoon dog tested repeatedly positive in the qPCR forE. multilocularis. The positive raccoon dog was collected in the province of Flevoland, which is not a known endemic region forE. multilocularis. Another raccoon dog tested positive forTrichinella spiralisby the digestion of the forelimb musculature and the tongue.Trichinella spiralishas not been reported in wildlife since 1998 and thus far was not found in wild carnivores in the Netherlands. It shows that despite the small raccoon dog population that is present in the Netherlands and the limited number of raccoon dogs that were tested, the raccoon dog may play a role in the epidemiology ofE. multilocularisandTrichinellaspp. in the Netherlands.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van den End
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Roon
authors.affiliation: Bureau Mulder-natuurlijk, Berkenlaan 28, 3737RN Groenekan, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frits
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franssen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dam-Deisz
authors.affiliation: Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margriet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montizaan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Giessen
keywords: Echinococcus multilocularis; Public health; Raccoon dog; Trichinella spp.; Wildlife; Zoonosis