Cardio-pulmonary nematodes of the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) of Sardinia, Italy

Cardio-pulmonary parasites, such as Angiostrongylus vasorum , Crenosoma vulpis , and Eucoleus aerophilus , pose a significant concern on account of pulmonary and cardiac problems they induce in dogs. While the red fox is known to be a key reservoir host for A. vasorum and may also play a role in transmitting C. vulpis and E. aerophilus , there has been no recent research on these parasites in foxes from Sardinia, with the most current studies dating back to 1986. A survey was conducted on red foxes in Sardinia, where a total of 51 foxes were collected, necropsied, and examined for adult worms in their hearts and lungs. The worms were identified using morphometric analysis and molecular methods. The results showed a 54.9% overall prevalence at dissection: 45.1% of the foxes were positive for E. aerophilus , 17.6% for C. vulpis , and 13.7% for A. vasorum . The molecular analyses validated the morphological characterization. In comparison to previous research, which found 13 out of 85 foxes to be positive for A. vasorum with a prevalence rate of 15.3% and 1 for E. aerophilus with a prevalence of 1.2%, this study showed an increased prevalence of E. aerophilus and C. vulpis , and a decrease in the prevalence of A. vasorum . These results indicate that the red foxes in Sardinia represent a reservoir host for cardio-pulmonary nematodes and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome in dogs.