ABSTRACT
Coyotes (Canis latrans) rapidly expanded across North America during the 20th century and in 1987 colonized insular Newfoundland, Canada. Their arrival brought the potential for new predator-prey interactions and the potential for transmission of parasites to naïve populations. Trichinella spp. and Echinococcus spp. are zoonotic parasites not previously reported from the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Muscle samples (diaphragm and tongue) from 153 coyotes and feces from 35/153 coyotes were collected. Larvae of Trichinella spp. were recovered by muscle digestion from 6/153 coyotes (3.9%) and identified using multiplex PCR and Sanger sequencing as T. nativa. Fecal samples were screened for DNA of Echinococcus spp. using qPCR, and intestines from positive animals were examined for adult cestodes. No fecal samples were positive for DNA of E. multilocularis, and 2/35 (5.7%) samples were positive for E. canadensis, of which one was successfully genotyped as the G10 cervid strain. Echinococcus canadensis has not previously been reported on the island of Newfoundland, historically the only region of Canada where Echinococcus spp. was not known to occur. No species of Trichinella have previously been reported on the island. Both parasites are zoonotic, and hunters, trappers, dog owners, and the general public should be aware of these new risks for public health.
