First report of Angiostrongylus vasorum and Hepatozoon from a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from West Virginia, USA

Whitney M Kistler; Justin D Brown; Andrew B Allison; Nicole M Nemeth; Michael J Yabsley

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.007

First report of Angiostrongylus vasorum and Hepatozoon from a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from West Virginia, USA

Vet Parasitol. 2014 Feb 24;200(1-2):216-20. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.007. Epub 2013 Dec 19.

Authors

Whitney M Kistler¹, Justin D Brown², Andrew B Allison³, Nicole M Nemeth⁴, Michael J Yabsley⁵

Affiliations

¹ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: whitney.kistler@gmail.com.
² Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
³ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
⁴ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
⁵ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.

PMID: 24412356
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.007

Abstract

Angiostrongylus vasorum was identified in the lungs of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from West Virginia, United States (US), indicating a new geographical location for this metastrongylid nematode. The fox was euthanized and submitted for necropsy after displaying erratic behavior. We did not detect rabies virus or canine distemper virus from the fox. We observed bronchopneumonia associated with A. vasorum infection disseminated in both lungs. In addition, protozoal meronts were observed in the liver, spleen, and mesenteric lymph node, and were identified as Hepatozoon canis. Lymphoid depletion was also observed in the spleen and mesenteric lymph node. In addition to A. vasorum and H. canis infections, Eucoleus aerophilus eggs and adult worms were observed in the lungs of the fox. Severe lesions associated with A. vasorum infection were observed in the lungs and these were determined to be the likely cause of morbidity; however, synergistic effects among the multiple infections detected in this fox cannot be ruled out. This is the first report of an autochthonous A. vasorum infection in the US and from outside of Newfoundland Canada, the only place in North America where the parasite is known to be endemic. Additionally, this is the first report of a H. canis infection in a red fox from the US.

Keywords: Angiostrongylus vasorum; Eucoleus aerophilus; Hepatozoon; Red fox; Vulpes vulpes.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Angiostrongylus / physiology*
Animals
Coccidiosis / diagnosis
Coccidiosis / parasitology
Coccidiosis / pathology
Coccidiosis / veterinary*
Coinfection / parasitology
Coinfection / veterinary
Eucoccidiida / classification
Eucoccidiida / genetics
Eucoccidiida / physiology*
Female
Foxes / parasitology*
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
Strongylida Infections / diagnosis*
Strongylida Infections / parasitology*
Strongylida Infections / pathology
West Virginia

Substances

RNA, Ribosomal, 18S

Associated data

GENBANK/KF969489