When things go wrong: Cysticercus longicollis in an adult wild red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

First case of Cysticercus longicollis, larval stage of Taenia crassiceps, was diagnosed in a wild adult male red fox (Vulpes vulpes). The fox was killed by dogs at Nature Park Medvednica and presented to the University of Zagreb Faculty of Veterinary Medicine with history of being unable to run away and having skin lesions on legs that resembled to those of mange. Necropsy revealed whitish fluctuant mass full of cysticercus-like structures, surrounded by fibrous capsule and placed between the leg muscles, and numerous of spherical cysts in the subcutis and in the peritoneal cavity. Cysticerci were identified as C. longicollis based on their size, number and size of the rostellar hooks, mode of proliferation and DNA analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of T. crassiceps cysticercosis in a wild carnivore.

Correction to: Epidemiology of taeniosis/cysticercosis in Europe, a systematic review: eastern Europe.

In the original article [1], the authors Dr Jasmin OMERAGIC and Dr Davor ALAGIC were erroneously omitted from the co-authors list.

Evaluation of factors affecting the efficacy of treatment against Fascioloides magna in wild red deer population.

Deer fascioloidosis is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by the non-native trematode Fascioloides magna. Infections of red deer with F. magna in Croatia have been reported for the first time in 2000 in the Baranja region. Subsequently, the disease spread throughout the Eastern parts of the country, involving all 3 deer species (red, roe, and fallow) and mouflons. Within the disease control programme (DCP), livers from all shot deer were thoroughly analysed and all detected trematodes and gross lesions were counted and categorized. Prevalence of positive animals, in this study for Spacva region, in the period ranging from 2007 to 2012 was 36.42% (46.39% when fawns are not considered). Epidemiological analysis was applied to evaluate risk factors and disease patterns at the population level with the aim to understand factors with negative influence on therapeutic effect. Each demographic variable was tested at the seasonal, individual and location level. Model for pathological lesions suggested that the likelihood of lesions was dependent on age (p = 0.003). We did not find any locality or sex related significant differences. Finally, environmental characteristics and migratory patterns were analysed using Geographic Information System (GIS) and showed that Spacva region represents an epidemiological unit for red deer fascioloidosis.

Epidemiology of taeniosis/cysticercosis in Europe, a systematic review: eastern Europe.

BACKGROUND: Taenia solium and Taenia saginata are food-borne parasites of global importance. In eastern Europe only fragmented information is available on the epidemiology of these zoonotic parasites in humans and animal populations. In particular for T. solium, on-going transmission is suspected. The aim of this systematic review was to collect the available data and describe the current knowledge on the epidemiology of T. solium and T. saginata in eastern Europe. METHODS: Literature published in international databases from 1990 to 2017 was systematically reviewed. Furthermore, local sources and unpublished data from national databases were retrieved from local eastern European experts. The study area included 22 countries. RESULTS: Researchers from 18 out of the 22 countries provided data from local and unpublished sources, while no contacts could be established with researchers from Belarus, Kosovo, Malta and Ukraine. Taeniosis and human cysticercosis cases were reported in 14 and 15 out of the 22 countries, respectively. Estonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia reported cases of porcine cysticercosis. Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine reported bovine cysticercosis. CONCLUSIONS: There is indication that taeniosis and cysticercosis are present across eastern Europe but information on the occurrence of T. solium and T. saginata across the region remains incomplete. Available data are scarce and species identification is in most cases absent. Given the public health impact of T. solium and the potential economic and trade implications due to T. saginata, notification of taeniosis and human cysticercosis should be implemented and surveillance and notification systems in animals should be improved.