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Survey of coyotes, red foxes and wolves from Wyoming, USA, for Echinococcus granulosus s. l.

  • Helminthology - Original Paper
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Abstract

The paraphyletic group Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato is comprised of parasitic tapeworms of wild and domestic canids such as wolves (Canis lupus) and coyotes (Canis latrans), which serve as definitive hosts, and ungulates, which are the intermediate hosts. Members of this tapeworm group are characterized by both cosmopolitan distribution and zoonotic disease potential. This survey (conducted from 2012 through 2017) was designed to provide insight into the prevalence and distribution of this parasite in wild canids in Wyoming. Echinococcus sp. infections were documented in 14 of 22 gray wolves (63.6%), 1 of 182 coyotes (0.55%) and 0 of 5 red foxes (Vulpes fulva). Echinococcus granulosus s. l. was confirmed in 4 of these 14 specimens obtained from wolves with two parasite specimens corresponding morphologically with E. canadensis (G8/G10). These results suggest that wolves serve as the major definitive host of E. granulosus s. l. in Wyoming, while coyotes do not play an equivalent role. Limited sample size precludes evaluation of the importance of the red fox as a favorable definitive host. Whereas this study documents the occurrence of E. granulosus s. l. in Wyoming, the zoonotic disease risk does not appear to be high. Education remains the key to disease prevention, coupled with good hygienic practices by humans and anthelmintic treatment of domestic dogs exhibiting elevated risk of exposure.

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Data availability

The data generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Brian DeBolt and Mike Boyce, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Mike Jimenez, US Fish and Wildlife Service (retired), for collection of wolf samples. Troy Aleshire, Dan Braig, Jim Angal, Emily Hepler, and Joel Modey with the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services provided samples from coyotes and red foxes.

Funding

This study was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Disease Program, 6731 W. Coal Road, Casper, WY, 82604, USA

    Michael J. Pipas

  2. USDA Wildlife Services, 123 Williams Road, Pavillion, WY, 82523, USA

    David R. Fowler

  3. Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY, 82070, USA

    Katherine D. Bardsley & Berit Bangoura

Authors
  1. Michael J. Pipas
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  2. David R. Fowler
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  3. Katherine D. Bardsley
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  4. Berit Bangoura
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Contributions

Data collection and sample processing were conducted by David Fowler and Katherine Bardsley. Berit Bangoura identified the parasite specimens. The manuscript was prepared by Michael Pipas and Berit Bangoura.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael J. Pipas.

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Ethics approval

No ethical approval is required, as no human participants were involved in this study.

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No human participants were involved in this study.

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No human participants were involved in this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Welfare of animals

All samples were collected from wild animals euthanized during the course of wildlife damage management activities conducted by USDA Wildlife Services and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

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Section Editor: Bruno Gottstein

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Pipas, M.J., Fowler, D.R., Bardsley, K.D. et al. Survey of coyotes, red foxes and wolves from Wyoming, USA, for Echinococcus granulosus s. l.. Parasitol Res 120, 1335–1340 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-021-07059-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-021-07059-1

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