title: Detection and molecular characterization of the mosquito-borne filarial nematodeSetaria tundrain Danish roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
abstract: Setaria tundrais a mosquito-borne filarial nematode of cervids in Europe. It has recently been associated with an emerging epidemic disease causing severe morbidity and mortality in reindeer and moose in Finland. Here, we present the first report ofS. tundrain six roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) collected between October 2010 and March 2014 in Denmark. The deer originated from various localities across the country: the eastern part of the Jutland peninsular and four locations on the island Zealand. With the exception of one deer, with parasites residing in a transparent cyst just under the liver capsule, worms (ranging from 2 to >20/deer) were found free in the peritoneal cavity. The worms were identified asS. tundraby morphological examination and/or molecular typing of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA andcox1genes, which showed 99.1-99.8% identity to previously publishedS. tundraisolates from Europe. Roe deer are generally considered as asymptomatic carriers and their numbers in Denmark have increased significantly in recent decades. In light of climatic changes which result in warmer, more humid weather in Scandinavia greater numbers of mosquitoes and, especially, improved conditions for development of parasite larvae in the mosquito vectors are expected, which may lead to increasing prevalence ofS. tundra. Monitoring of this vector-borne parasite may thus be needed in order to enhance the knowledge of factors promoting its expansion and prevalence as well as predicting disease outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Heidi Larsen
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Enemark
authors.affiliation: Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Production Animal and Wildlife Health Research Unit (FINPAR), Elektroniikkatie 3, FI-90590, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mariann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chriél
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: le Fèvre Harslund
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ian David
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Woolsey
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mohammad Nafi Solaiman
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Al-Sabi
keywords: Filarial nematode; Meat hygiene; Peritoneal cavity; Roe deer; Setaria tundra; Vector borne