Occurrence of Dioctophyme renale larvae (Goeze, 1782) (Nematoda: Enoplida) in a new host from southern Brazil

Abstract Dioctophymatosis is caused by the giant kidney worm Dioctophyme renale which occurs in dogs, cats, and wild mammals. In Brazil, the disease has been diagnosed in dogs from several states around the country. In the present study, the occurrence of D. renale larvae in snakes from southern of Brazil is reported. Three specimens of Philodryas patagoniensis (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) (common names in Brazil: “parelheira”, “papa-pinto”) roadkill in the county of Capão do Leão, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, were necropsied. Two third-stage larvae of D. renale were found in the coelomic cavity of P. patagoniensis. This study reveals a new host for D. renale larvae in the southern region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This particular geographic area of the country has stood out as several cases of D. renale infection have been reported in a number of vertebrates from this region including domestic dogs and cats and wild animals such as carnivores, fish, and freshwater turtles.

摘要 巨肾线虫病（Dioctophymatosis）由巨肾线虫（Dioctophyme renale）引发，该寄生虫可感染犬、猫及野生哺乳动物。在巴西，该国多个州的犬只均已确诊该病例。本研究报道了巴西南部地区蛇类体内巨肾线虫幼虫的检出情况。研究人员对巴西南部南里奥格兰德州卡佩昂杜莱昂县境内因道路交通事故致死的3条巴塔哥尼亚钝头蛇（Philodryas patagoniensis，蛇目：钝头蛇科（Dipsadidae），巴西通用俗名："parelheira"、"papa-pinto"）进行了尸检。在其中2条蛇的体腔中检出巨肾线虫三期幼虫。本研究明确了巴西南部南里奥格兰德州地区巨肾线虫幼虫的一种新宿主。该国这片特殊区域因多例脊椎动物巨肾线虫感染病例而受到关注，此前已有包括家养犬、猫在内的家养动物，以及食肉目动物、鱼类、淡水龟类在内的多种野生动物在此区域被报道感染该寄生虫。