Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24099/vet.arhiv.170127

Endoparasites of wildcats in Croatia

Franjo Martinković ; Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Magda Sindičić orcid.org/0000-0002-1391-3648 ; Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Snježana Lučinger ; Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Iva Štimac ; Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Miljenko Bujanić ; Department of Veterinary Economics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Tatjana Živičnjak ; Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Dagny Stojčević Jan ; Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Nikica Šprem orcid.org/0000-0002-3475-6653 ; Department of Fisheries, Beekeeping, Game Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia
Ratko Popović ; Croatian Forest, Department Sisak, Sisak, Croatia
Dean Konjević orcid.org/0000-0002-8584-9825 ; Department of Veterinary Economics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Reports on the parasitic fauna of wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) are rare and often based on a small sample size, therefore the goal of this research was to investigate the prevalence of endoparasites in wildcats in Croatia. Necropsy was conducted on 34 adult wildcats killed in traffic or provided by hunters following regular hunting operations. All animals tested negative for rabies. The contents of the stomach and intestine were examined under a microscope. Feces from the rectum were analyzed using flotation with a saturated ZnSO4 solution, while the diaphragm was examined using artificial digestion. Direct immunofluorescence was used for the first time to detect Giardia sp. cysts in wildcats. All animals were infected with at least one species of parasites, while the most diverse infestation included six different species of parasites in a single animal. The following parasite species were found (% of prevalence of adult parasites and their developmental stages in all analyzed samples): Taenia taeniaeformis (55.9%), Capillaria sp. (50%), Toxocara cati (50%), Isospora sp. (29.4%), Strongyloides sp. (23.5%), Giardia sp. (17.6%), Ancylostoma tubaeformae (14.7%), Physaloptera sp. (11.8%), Hymenolepididae (8.8%), Alaria alata (5.9%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (5.9%), Toxascaris leonina (5.9%), Trichinella sp. (5.9%), Mesocestoides lineatus (5.9%), Anoplocephalidae (2.9%), Dipylidium caninum (2.9%), Trichuris sp. (2.9%), Isospora felis (2.9%), Eimeria sp. (2.9%) and Sarcocystis sp. (2.9%). Among those, Eimeria sp., Trichuris sp. eggs, anoplocephalid and hymenolepidid type eggs are spurious parasites, coming from ingested prey. Four of the identified species have never been previously reported in wildcats - Giardia sp., Strongyloides sp., Sarcocystis sp. and Dipylidium caninum.

Keywords

parasites; wildcat; Felis silvestris silvestris; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

189352

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/189352

Publication date:

9.11.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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