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Diakou, A.; Psalla, D.; Migli, D.; di Cesare, A.; Youlatos, D.; Marcer, F.; Traversa, D.
First evidence of the European wildcat as definitive host of _Angiostrongylus chabaudi_
2016  Parasitology Research (115): 1235-1244

_Angiostrongylus chabaudi_ (Strongylida, Angiostrongylidae) is a parasitic nematode described for the first time last century from the pulmonary arteries of six European wildcats (_Felis silvestris silvestris_) in central Italy. Since then, this parasite remained practically unknown until recently, when immature _A. chabaudi_ have been reported from one wildcat in Germany and two domestic cats (_Felis silvestris catus_) in Italy. The present report describes the first record of _A. chabaudi_ in Greece and, most importantly, the first known case of patent infection by _A. chabaudi_. The necropsy of a road-killed F. s. silvestris found near the lake Kerkini, in the municipality of Serres (Macedonia, Greece), revealed the presence of nematodes of both sexes in the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery of the heart. All parasites were mature adults and numerous eggs were present in the uteruses of females. The morphological characteristics of the parasites were consistent with those of _A. chabaudi_. Moreover, Angiostrongylus-like first stage larvae (L1) were present in the faeces of the animal that was negative for any other cardio-pulmonary parasite. Genetic examination of adult parasites and L1 confirmed the morphological identification as _A. chabaudi_. Histopathological examination of the lungs showed severe, multifocal to coalescing, chronic, interstitial granulomatous pneumonia due to the presence of adult parasites, larvae and eggs. These findings demonstrate for the first unequivocal time that this nematode reproduces in the European wildcat which should be ultimately considered a definitive host of _A. chabaudi_. Finally, the L1 of _A. chabaudi_ are described here for the first time, opening new prospects for further studies on this neglected parasite.

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