PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Squamate reptiles cohabiting with companion animals may represent a source of helminth infections, especially through predation by dogs and cats with an outdoor lifestyle.
METHODS: In order to assess the role of reptiles as intermediate/paratenic hosts of trophically transmitted helminths, synanthropic reptiles (n = 245) captured from different ecological settings (i.e., households, dog shelters, urban, peri-urban and rural areas or natural parks) of southern Italy were examined for endoparasites. Parasitic cysts (i.e., larval forms of acanthocephalans, cestodes and nematodes) and free helminths (i.e., adult nematodes and digeneans) were morphologically and molecularly identified, and statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate the correlations between reptiles, infections, and ecological settings.
RESULTS: Overall, 31% of reptiles were positive for at least one helminth, with Podarcis siculus (18.7%) and Tarentola mauritanica (8.1%) being the most frequently infected species. Among the parasites of medical interest, Joyeuxiella echinorhyncoides showed the highest prevalence (19.7%), followed by Diplopylidium acanthotetra (10.5%), Joyeuxiella pasqualei, Mesocestoides lineatus (5.6%) and Physaloptera sp. (3.9%). Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus was detected once. Podarcis siculus and T. mauritanica were associated with cestode infections.
CONCLUSIONS: The wide range of helminths detected here in reptiles living in sympatry with pets and the fact that many of these helminth species are parasitic and may infect companion animals (e.g., J. pasqualei, J. echinorhyncoides, D. acanthotetra, Physaloptera sp.) and humans (i.e., Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus, Mesocestoides lineatus) indicate the potential health risk associated with pets preying on these small vertebrates. Our results indicate the need for complementary investigations of trophically transmitted parasites in dogs and cats living in sympatry with reptiles.
METHODS: In order to assess the role of reptiles as intermediate/paratenic hosts of trophically transmitted helminths, synanthropic reptiles (n = 245) captured from different ecological settings (i.e., households, dog shelters, urban, peri-urban and rural areas or natural parks) of southern Italy were examined for endoparasites. Parasitic cysts (i.e., larval forms of acanthocephalans, cestodes and nematodes) and free helminths (i.e., adult nematodes and digeneans) were morphologically and molecularly identified, and statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate the correlations between reptiles, infections, and ecological settings.
RESULTS: Overall, 31% of reptiles were positive for at least one helminth, with Podarcis siculus (18.7%) and Tarentola mauritanica (8.1%) being the most frequently infected species. Among the parasites of medical interest, Joyeuxiella echinorhyncoides showed the highest prevalence (19.7%), followed by Diplopylidium acanthotetra (10.5%), Joyeuxiella pasqualei, Mesocestoides lineatus (5.6%) and Physaloptera sp. (3.9%). Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus was detected once. Podarcis siculus and T. mauritanica were associated with cestode infections.
CONCLUSIONS: The wide range of helminths detected here in reptiles living in sympatry with pets and the fact that many of these helminth species are parasitic and may infect companion animals (e.g., J. pasqualei, J. echinorhyncoides, D. acanthotetra, Physaloptera sp.) and humans (i.e., Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus, Mesocestoides lineatus) indicate the potential health risk associated with pets preying on these small vertebrates. Our results indicate the need for complementary investigations of trophically transmitted parasites in dogs and cats living in sympatry with reptiles.
摘要：
背景：与伴侣动物同居的Squamate爬行动物可能是蠕虫感染的来源，尤其是通过有户外生活方式的狗和猫的捕食。
方法：为了评估爬行动物作为滋养传播的蠕虫的中间/paratenic宿主的作用，从不同的生态环境中捕获的同食爬行动物(n=245)(即，家庭,狗窝,城市,检查了意大利南部的城市和农村地区或自然公园）的内寄生虫。寄生虫囊肿(即，无头鱼的幼虫形式，线虫和线虫)和游离蠕虫(即，成年线虫和成虫）在形态和分子上进行了鉴定，并进行统计分析以评估爬行动物之间的相关性，感染,和生态环境。
结果：总体而言，31%的爬行动物至少一只蠕虫呈阳性，其中Podarcissiculus（18.7％）和Tarentolamauritanica（8.1％）是最常感染的物种。在医学上感兴趣的寄生虫中，棘球蚴患病率最高(19.7%),其次是刺五加二联(10.5%)，尤尤希埃拉pasqualei,线性中皮层（5.6％）和鱼翅目。（3.9%）。一次检测到水蛭。Podarcissiculus和Mauritanica与c虫感染有关。
结论：在与宠物共生的爬行动物中检测到的各种蠕虫，以及许多这些蠕虫物种是寄生虫并可能感染伴侣动物的事实（例如，J.Pasqualei,J.echinorhyncoides，D.刺五加,鱼翅目。)和人类(即，水蛭，Mesocestoideslineatus）表明与捕食这些小脊椎动物的宠物相关的潜在健康风险。我们的结果表明，有必要对与爬行动物共生的狗和猫的滋养传播寄生虫进行补充研究。
方法：为了评估爬行动物作为滋养传播的蠕虫的中间/paratenic宿主的作用，从不同的生态环境中捕获的同食爬行动物(n=245)(即，家庭,狗窝,城市,检查了意大利南部的城市和农村地区或自然公园）的内寄生虫。寄生虫囊肿(即，无头鱼的幼虫形式，线虫和线虫)和游离蠕虫(即，成年线虫和成虫）在形态和分子上进行了鉴定，并进行统计分析以评估爬行动物之间的相关性，感染,和生态环境。
结果：总体而言，31%的爬行动物至少一只蠕虫呈阳性，其中Podarcissiculus（18.7％）和Tarentolamauritanica（8.1％）是最常感染的物种。在医学上感兴趣的寄生虫中，棘球蚴患病率最高(19.7%),其次是刺五加二联(10.5%)，尤尤希埃拉pasqualei,线性中皮层（5.6％）和鱼翅目。（3.9%）。一次检测到水蛭。Podarcissiculus和Mauritanica与c虫感染有关。
结论：在与宠物共生的爬行动物中检测到的各种蠕虫，以及许多这些蠕虫物种是寄生虫并可能感染伴侣动物的事实（例如，J.Pasqualei,J.echinorhyncoides，D.刺五加,鱼翅目。)和人类(即，水蛭，Mesocestoideslineatus）表明与捕食这些小脊椎动物的宠物相关的潜在健康风险。我们的结果表明，有必要对与爬行动物共生的狗和猫的滋养传播寄生虫进行补充研究。
