First report of Angiostrongylus vasorum parasitizing lesser grison (Galictis cuja) (Mustelidae) in Brazil

Abstract

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a metastrongylid nematode that parasitizes the pulmonary arteries and right heart of canids, being the etiological agent of canine angiostrongylosis, a disease of growing veterinary concern due to its expanding geographic distribution and the involvement of domestic and wild hosts. In Brazil, the parasite has been reported mainly in domestic dogs and some wild canids, and its occurrence in mustelids has been documented only once previously. This study reports the first occurrence of A. vasorum infecting a lesser grison ( Galictis cuja ) in Brazil. The mustelid was found after being accidentally run over by a vehicle on a highway in the south of the country. Clinical, physical, and complementary examinations were performed for clinical screening. In the parasitological examination of feces, nematode larvae were recovered and identified morphometrically and molecularly through conventional PCR targeting to the COX1 gene, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The results confirmed the presence of A. vasorum , showing 99–100% identity with sequences of the same species deposited in GenBank. Therefore, we document here the first report of A. vasorum parasitizing G. cuja . Thus, the number of known host species parasitized by this helminth is expanded. Furthermore, we provide a new molecular sequence, contributing to the knowledge of this nematode in South America.

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