Occurrence of tongue worm, Linguatula c.f. serrata (Pentastomida: Linguatulidae) in wild canids and livestock in south-eastern Australia

Publication date: Available online 4 September 2017 Source:International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Author(s): Shokoofeh Shamsi, Kate McSpadden, Sara Baker, David J. Jenkins Pentastomids are obligate zoonotic arthropod parasites utilising canids and vulpids as their definitive hosts and several herbivorous species as their intermediate hosts. Reported only 10 times in Australia over the last 150 years as incidental findings, adult Pentastomids referred to as Linguatula serrata have been encountered in nasal cavities of domestic and wild dogs, and foxes. Nymphs have been reported in cattle and rabbits. In the present study, a number of potential definitive hosts, including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo and C.l. dingo x C. familiaris) and feral cats (Felis catus), and intermediate hosts cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), feral pigs (Sus scrofa), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), goats (Capra hircus) and a European hare (Lepus europaeus), from the highlands of south-eastern Australia were examined. Of the animals examined 67.6% of wild dogs (n = 37), 14.5% of red foxes (n = 55) and 4.3% of cattle (n = 164) were found to be infected with Pentastomids, herein identified as Linguatula c.f. serrata. The common occurrence of the parasite in wild dogs and less frequently in foxes suggests these wild canids have potential to act as a reservoir for infection of livestock, wildlife, domestic dogs and possibly humans. The un...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research