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Cardiopulmonary helminths in foxes from the Pyrenees

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Abstract

The present survey was carried out to investigate the prevalence of cardiopulmonary helminths in red foxes in Pyrenees area and to evaluate the role of foxes in the eco-epidemiology of these nematodes. Hearts and entire respiratory tracts were obtained from 87 foxes from Vall d’Aran region, Pyrenees, Catalonia, north-eastern Spain. The cardiopulmonary tracts were dissected, flushed and examined for nematodes using sedimented flushing water. Of the 87 examined foxes, 53 (61%) were positive for cardiopulmonary helminths. The identified nematodes were Crenosoma vulpis (44.8%), Eucoleus aerophilus (29.9%) and Angiostrongylus vasorum (3.4%). Statistical differences were observed only on comparing age and C. vulpis prevalence, with young foxes being more infected than adults. The high prevalence of cardiopulmonary nematodes suggested that red foxes may play an important role in their transmission and maintenance in the studied area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitologia. Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals. Facultat de Veterinària (Edifici V), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

    Ignasi Garrido-Castañé, Anna Ortuño & Joaquim Castellà

  2. Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals. Facultat de Veterinària (Edifici V), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

    Ignasi Marco

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  1. Ignasi Garrido-Castañé
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  2. Anna Ortuño
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  3. Ignasi Marco
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  4. Joaquim Castellà
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Correspondence to Ignasi Garrido-Castañé.

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Garrido-Castañé, I., Ortuño, A., Marco, I. et al. Cardiopulmonary helminths in foxes from the Pyrenees. Acta Parasit. 60, 712–715 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2015-0101

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2015-0101

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