Detection of Toxocara cati Larvae in a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) and in a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) in Basilicata Region, Italy.

Mariateresa Toce,Gianluca Marucci,Antonella Cristina Romano,Lucia Palazzo,Ileana Pietragalla

doi:10.3390/ani12060710

Abstract

Simple SummaryIn this study we report the detection of Toxocara cati larvae in the muscle tissue of two birds of prey, a red kite (Milvus milvus) and a common buzzard (Buteo buteo), received in our laboratory as part of the Wildlife Monitoring and Control Plan of the Basilicata Region (Italy). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of identification of T. cati larvae in these two species.Toxocara cati is a common parasite of wild and domestic felines, and presents a cosmopolitan distribution. Adult parasites localize in the gut of the definitive host giving rise to the infection, which usually runs asymptomatic. These worms produce eggs that are excreted with feces into the environment, where they become a source of infection for paratenic hosts, such as mammals, birds, and invertebrates. In this brief communication, we report the detection of T. cati larvae in a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and a red kite (Milvus milvus), in the Basilicata Region of Italy. This result may be important to define new pathways of spread and survival of T. cati in the wild.

Highlights

Toxocara cati is an ascarid nematode in the order Ascarididia, superfamily Ascaridoidea, family Toxocaridae
We report the detection of T. cati larvae in a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and a red kite (Milvus milvus), in the Basilicata Region of Italy
Paratenic hosts harboring infective larvae in their tissues play an important role in T. cati diffusion, since, when ingested by a definitive host, the larvae may complete their final molt to evolve into adult worms

Summary

Introduction

Toxocara cati is an ascarid nematode in the order Ascarididia, superfamily Ascaridoidea, family Toxocaridae. Most clinical manifestations induced by T. cati infection run asymptomatically or nonspecifically; its impact on public health may be underestimated [7,8].The red kite is a diurnal raptor belonging to the Accipitridae family; population estimates offer a total picture of approximately 25,200–33,400 pairs, concentrated essentially throughout Europe. The red kite and common buzzard are both predatory birds, and they can be called scavengers as they do not disdain carrion and habitually frequent landfills [14,15] This feeding behavior puts the two species at risk for infection by endoparasites. The aim of this work was to report the discovery of T. cati larvae in the muscle tissue of two carcasses of birds of prey, a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and a red kite (Milvus milvus), collected in the Basilicata Region, and to demonstrate that evidence of infection in these two birds makes them potential hosts capable of maintaining and spreading the parasite in the environment

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