Publicação
Assessing gastrointestinal parasites of Iberian wolves in northwestern Spain through environmental fecal samples
| Resumo: | The major threats to the Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) include habitat degradation and fragmentation due to the expansion of human occupation, ultimate changes to agricultural practices and territory management, serious decline of preys and poaching. But it is known that parasitic infections severely influence wildlife populations, Iberian Wolf being no exception. The proximity between wolf and humans may be a threat to Public Health once zoonotic pathogens can spread from wolves to human and contrariwise, especially because of environmental contamination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites among Iberian wolves in northwestern Spain. The use of fecal samples is an excellent alternative to the studies conducted before in the Iberian Peninsula, based on data collected post mortem. Therefore, fecal samples were collected directly from the environment (n=398) in predetermined transects in Los Ancares (n=249), Picos de Europa (n=129) and Costa da Morte (n=20) between July and October 2012 and were analyzed using Willis method. Two hundred and one samples were also analyzed using Ritchie method. The overall prevalence was 65.33%. At least thirteen different parasites have been identified with prevalence ranging between 0.25-43.97%: Trichuris spp. (43.97%), Ancylostomatidae (21.60%), Taeniidae (7.54%), Toxocara spp. (7.54%), Capillaria spp. (5.53%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (3.01%), Spirocerca lupi (1.51%), Cystoisospora spp. (1.01%), Hymenolepis diminuta (0.50%), Ascaris suum (0.50%), Moniezia expansa (0.50%), Toxascaris leonina (0.25%) and Nematodirus spp. (0.25%). Significant statistical differences (p<0.05) were found between methods regarding Ancylostomatidae and Trichuris spp.. Despite the environmental origin of the samples, the overall prevalence has been high as well as the diversity of the parasites found. In addition to the wolf health threat, some of them have zoonotic potential, underlying the need to think from the perspective of One Health. |
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| Autores principais: | Nunes, Inês Emanuel Lopes |
| Assunto: | Ancylostomatidae Canis lupus signatus Iberian Peninsula One Health Parasites Taeniidae Trichuris Península Ibérica Parasitas Uma só saúde |
| Ano: | 2017 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama |
| Resumo: | The major threats to the Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) include habitat degradation and fragmentation due to the expansion of human occupation, ultimate changes to agricultural practices and territory management, serious decline of preys and poaching. But it is known that parasitic infections severely influence wildlife populations, Iberian Wolf being no exception. The proximity between wolf and humans may be a threat to Public Health once zoonotic pathogens can spread from wolves to human and contrariwise, especially because of environmental contamination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites among Iberian wolves in northwestern Spain. The use of fecal samples is an excellent alternative to the studies conducted before in the Iberian Peninsula, based on data collected post mortem. Therefore, fecal samples were collected directly from the environment (n=398) in predetermined transects in Los Ancares (n=249), Picos de Europa (n=129) and Costa da Morte (n=20) between July and October 2012 and were analyzed using Willis method. Two hundred and one samples were also analyzed using Ritchie method. The overall prevalence was 65.33%. At least thirteen different parasites have been identified with prevalence ranging between 0.25-43.97%: Trichuris spp. (43.97%), Ancylostomatidae (21.60%), Taeniidae (7.54%), Toxocara spp. (7.54%), Capillaria spp. (5.53%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (3.01%), Spirocerca lupi (1.51%), Cystoisospora spp. (1.01%), Hymenolepis diminuta (0.50%), Ascaris suum (0.50%), Moniezia expansa (0.50%), Toxascaris leonina (0.25%) and Nematodirus spp. (0.25%). Significant statistical differences (p<0.05) were found between methods regarding Ancylostomatidae and Trichuris spp.. Despite the environmental origin of the samples, the overall prevalence has been high as well as the diversity of the parasites found. In addition to the wolf health threat, some of them have zoonotic potential, underlying the need to think from the perspective of One Health. |
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