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Capillaria plica in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Serbia: Epidemiology and Diagnostic Approaches to Urinary Capillariosis in Domestic Carnivores

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the presence of C. plica in red foxes and to point out the possibilities of different diagnostic methods, that could be used for diagnosis of urinary capillariosis in domestic carnivores.

Methods

Seventeen red foxes from hunting grounds in the Kolubara District, Republic of Serbia, were examined in February 2019. Animals to be shot were selected based on the criteria of gamekeepers and the permission of the competent Ministry. After hunting, the foxes were examined by ultrasound and autopsied. After the necropsy, biochemical and sediment analysis of urine morphological identification of isolated adult parasites, and macroscopic/microscopic examination of the urinary bladder and kidney tissue were performed.

Results

Adults of C. plica were detected in 3/17 foxes (17.6%) by ultrasound imaging and in 6/17 foxes (35.3%) by necropsy examination. Parasite eggs were found in the urinary sediment of 9/17 foxes (52.9%). The predominant histopathologic changes were amyloid degeneration of the renal glomeruli and proximal tubules (8/17 foxes-47%) as well as acute cystitis (7/17 foxes-41.2%). The occurrence of C. plica was determined in 12/17 (70.6%) of the examined foxes.

Discussion

This study is the first record of the C. plica in red foxes in the Republic of Serbia. Diagnostic methods used in this study could make possible the early revealing of capillariosis in domestic carnivores and could provide reliable clinical and parasitological screening of suspect animals.

Conclusion

The study presents the first report of urinary capillariosis in a fox population in Serbia. The established high prevalence of C. plica in foxes could presume its higher prevalence in domestic and wild carnivores in the future.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant number TR 31084, Grant number TR173001 and Grant number TR31088).

Funding

The study was not supported by any grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Forensics and Legislation, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia

    Jelena Aleksić

  2. Department of Equine, Small Animal, Poultry and Wild Animal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia

    Predrag Stepanović

  3. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia

    Sanda Dimitrijević, Bojan Gajić, Danica Bogunović & Tamara Ilić

  4. Veterinary Medicine Department, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), P.O. Box 1555, Al Ain, UAE

    Bojan Gajić

  5. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Ivana Davidov

  6. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia

    Aleksandra Aleksić-Agelidis

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  1. Jelena Aleksić
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  2. Predrag Stepanović
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Correspondence to Predrag Stepanović.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights statement

This article does not contain any studies involving human participants performed by any of the authors. All individual author participants involved in the study participated in equally.

Ethical standards

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. The foxes used in this study were legally shot during hunting season in the hunting ground of Kolubara District which was approved by the Ministry of agriculture, forestry, and water management of the Republic of Serbia. Samples from legally hunted foxes were obtained during February 2019 in cooperation with local hunters. For this purpose, ethical statements were not necessary to obtain. The red foxes originating from hunting grounds in the area of Kolubara District in the Republic of Serbia. Samples from legally hunted foxes were obtained in cooperation with local hunters during February 2019. The foxes are deliberately shot and examined when they were already dead.

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Aleksić, J., Stepanović, P., Dimitrijević, S. et al. Capillaria plica in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Serbia: Epidemiology and Diagnostic Approaches to Urinary Capillariosis in Domestic Carnivores. Acta Parasit. 65, 954–962 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00244-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00244-9

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