Detection of Crenosoma spp., Angiostrongylus vasorum and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Gastropods in Eastern Austria
Hans‐Peter Fuehrer, Simone Morelli, Julian Bleicher, Thomas Brauchart, Mirjam Edler, Nicole Eisschiel, Tatjana Hering, Sigrun Lercher, Karoline Mohab, Simon Reinelt, Theresa Stessl, Doris Fasching, Ricarda Nimphy, Anja Pelzl, Bita Shahi‐Barogh, Licha N Wortha, Karin Lebl, Michael Duda, Helmut Sattmann, Roland Schaper, Donato Traversa, Anja Joachim
Abstract
Canine and feline cardiorespiratory parasites are of utmost relevance in veterinary medicine. Key epizootiological information on major pet metastrongyloids, i.e., Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis infecting dogs, and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior infecting cats, is missing from Austria. This study investigated their occurrence in 1320 gastropods collected in the Austrian provinces of Styria, Burgenland, Lower Austria, and in metropolitan Vienna. Metastrongyloid larvae were microscopically detected in 25 samples, and sequence analysis confirmed the presence of metastrongyloids in nine samples, i.e., A. vasorum in one slug (Arion vulgaris) (0.07%), C. vulpis in five slugs (one Limax maximus and four A. vulgaris) (0.4%), A. abstrusus in two A. vulgaris (0.17%), and the hedgehog lungworm Crenosoma striatum was detected in one A. vulgaris. The present study confirms the enzooticity of major cardiorespiratory nematodes in Austria and that canine and feline populations are at risk of infection.