A Grid-cell Based Fecal Sampling Scheme Reveals: Land-use and Altitude Affect Prevalence Rates of Angiostrongylus Vasorum and Other Parasites of Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes)

Overview

Journal Parasitol Res

Specialty Parasitology

Date 2019 May 13

PMID 31079253

Citations 6

Authors

Barbara Koller

Daniel Hegglin

Manuela Schnyder

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In view of the role of foxes as a reservoir for Angiostrongylus vasorum, a nematode of the heart and lungs of dogs and foxes, its occurrence across Switzerland was investigated in foxes applying a standardized sampling scheme for fox fecal samples. In 72 study areas, which consisted of three 1-km grid cells, a total of 1481 samples were collected by walking transects following linear features in the terrain, and analyzed by a flotation-sieving method. The overall prevalence rate of A. vasorum in fecal samples was 8.8% (95% confidence interval, CI 7.4-10.3%), being significantly higher in the Swiss Plateau (11.4%, CI. 9.4-13.8%) compared with other bioregions, and more prevalent in areas with less than 50% of cultivated land (p = 0.043). Prevalence rates increased with decreasing altitudes being significantly higher below 400 m above sea level (20.6%, 95% CI 15.2-26.9%), while all samples collected above 900 m asl were negative. Eggs of Toxocara sp. (12.1%), Taeniidae (10.5%), Capillaria spp. (8.3%), Trichuris vulpis (5.5%), hookworms (5.3%), Toxascaris leonina (1.3%) and Strongyloides sp. (0.4%) were furthermore identified. Taeniid eggs were positively and Capillaria spp. negatively associated with the amount of cultivated land. The prevalence rates based on our fecal analyses were generally lower compared with previous studies from Switzerland which were based on fox necropsies. However, the grid cell-based sampling scheme with replicable transects for fox feces collection proved to be a suitable, non-invasive method for parasitic large-scale surveys providing information on the relative infectious pressure for the local dog population.

Citing Articles

The global prevalence of among red foxes (): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Holland C, Afra Z, Valizadeh S, Ebrahimi M, Rostami A Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2024; 25:100984.

PMID: 39297146 PMC: 11409046. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100984.

A walk on the wild side: A review of the epidemiology of and in wild hosts.

Holland C Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2023; 22:216-228.

PMID: 37964985 PMC: 10641444. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.008.

spp. and : Current Risk of Spreading in Central and Northern Europe.

Fuehrer H, Morelli S, Unterkofler M, Bajer A, Bakran-Lebl K, Dwuznik-Szarek D Pathogens. 2021; 10(10).

PMID: 34684217 PMC: 8537668. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101268.

The prevalence of intestinal nematodes among red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in north-western Poland.

Tylkowska A, Pilarczyk B, Tomza-Marciniak A, Pilarczyk R Acta Vet Scand. 2021; 63(1):19.

PMID: 33952322 PMC: 8100824. DOI: 10.1186/s13028-021-00584-0.

Investigation of the occurrence of in coyotes in southern Ontario, Canada.

Kotwa J, Schnyder M, Jardine C, Deplazes P, Pearl D, Berke O J Vet Diagn Invest. 2021; 33(4):664-669.

PMID: 33890522 PMC: 8225693. DOI: 10.1177/10406387211011990.

References

Hofer S, Gloor S, Muller U, Mathis A, Hegglin D, Deplazes P . High prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and voles (Arvicola terrestris) in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. Parasitology. 2000; 120 ( Pt 2):135-42. DOI: 10.1017/s0031182099005351. View

Deplazes P, Eckert J . Veterinary aspects of alveolar echinococcosis--a zoonosis of public health significance. Vet Parasitol. 2001; 98(1-3):65-87. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(01)00424-1. View

Wolfe A, Hogan S, Maguire D, Fitzpatrick C, Vaughan L, Wall D . Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Ireland as hosts for parasites of potential zoonotic and veterinary significance. Vet Rec. 2002; 149(25):759-63. View

GUILHON J . [Role of the Limacidae in the evolutive cycle of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet, 1866)]. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1960; 251:2252-3. View

Stefanic S, Shaikenov B, Deplazes P, Dinkel A, Torgerson P, Mathis A . Polymerase chain reaction for detection of patent infections of Echinococcus granulosus ("sheep strain") in naturally infected dogs. Parasitol Res. 2004; 92(4):347-51. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-003-1043-y. View

Bolt G, Monrad J, Henriksen P, Dietz H, Koch J, Bindseil E . The fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a reservoir for canine angiostrongylosis in Denmark. Field survey and experimental infections. Acta Vet Scand. 1992; 33(4):357-62. PMC: 8117834. View

Chapman P, Boag A, Guitian J, Boswood A . Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in 23 dogs (1999-2002). J Small Anim Pract. 2004; 45(9):435-40. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2004.tb00261.x. View

Staebler S, Ochs H, Steffen F, Naegeli F, Borel N, Sieber-Ruckstuhl N . [Autochthonous infections with Angiostrongylus vasorum in dogs in Switzerland and Germany]. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd. 2005; 147(3):121-7. DOI: 10.1024/0036-7281.147.3.121. View

Nevarez A, Lopez A, Conboy G, Ireland W, Sims D . Distribution of Crenosoma vulpis and Eucoleus aerophilus in the lung of free-ranging red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). J Vet Diagn Invest. 2005; 17(5):486-9. DOI: 10.1177/104063870501700516. View

10.

Fischer C, Reperant L, Weber J, Hegglin D, Deplazes P . Echinococcus multlocularis infections of rural, residential and urban foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Parasite. 2006; 12(4):339-46. DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2005124339. View

11.

Saeed I, Maddox-Hyttel C, Monrad J, Kapel C . Helminths of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Denmark. Vet Parasitol. 2006; 139(1-3):168-79. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.02.015. View

12.

Pilarczyk B, Balicka-Ramisz A, Ramisz A . [The occurrence of intestinal nematodes in red foxes in the Western Pomerania]. Wiad Parazytol. 2006; 51(3):249-51. View

13.

Kleijn D, Baquero R, Clough Y, Diaz M, De Esteban J, Fernandez F . Mixed biodiversity benefits of agri-environment schemes in five European countries. Ecol Lett. 2006; 9(3):243-54. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00869.x. View

14.

Reperant L, Hegglin D, Fischer C, Kohler L, Weber J, Deplazes P . Influence of urbanization on the epidemiology of intestinal helminths of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Geneva, Switzerland. Parasitol Res. 2007; 101(3):605-11. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-007-0520-0. View

15.

Papazahariadou M, Founta A, Papadopoulos E, Chliounakis S, Antoniadou-Sotiriadou K, Theodorides Y . Gastrointestinal parasites of shepherd and hunting dogs in the Serres Prefecture, Northern Greece. Vet Parasitol. 2007; 148(2):170-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.05.013. View

16.

Koch J, Willesen J . Canine pulmonary angiostrongylosis: an update. Vet J. 2008; 179(3):348-59. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.11.014. View

17.

Morgan E, Tomlinson A, Hunter S, Nichols T, Roberts E, Fox M . Angiostrongylus vasorum and Eucoleus aerophilus in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Great Britain. Vet Parasitol. 2008; 154(1-2):48-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.02.030. View

18.

Taubert A, Pantchev N, Globokar Vrhovec M, Bauer C, Hermosilla C . Lungworm infections (Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus) in dogs and cats in Germany and Denmark in 2003-2007. Vet Parasitol. 2008; 159(2):175-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.10.005. View

19.

van Doorn D, van de Sande A, Nijsse E, Eysker M, Ploeger H . Autochthonous Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in dogs in The Netherlands. Vet Parasitol. 2009; 162(1-2):163-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.02.019. View

20.

Barutzki D, Schaper R . Natural infections of Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis in dogs in Germany (2007-2009). Parasitol Res. 2009; 105 Suppl 1:S39-48. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-009-1494-x. View