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 肾膨结线虫病（Dioctophymatosis）由巨肾线虫（Dioctophyme renale）引起，该寄生虫可寄生于犬、猫及野生哺乳动物体内。在巴西，该国多个州的犬只中已确诊该病例。本研究报道了巴西南部蛇类体内检出巨肾线虫幼虫的情况。研究对象为采自巴西南部南里奥格兰德州（Rio Grande do Sul）卡皮昂杜莱昂县（Capão do Leão）的3具道路致死的巴莫南美蛇（Philodryas patagoniensis，蛇目：游蛇科（Dipsadidae），巴西俗名："parelheira"、"papa-pinto"）标本，对其进行剖检后，在其中2条标本的体腔内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。该特定地理区域因多例脊椎动物感染巨肾线虫的病例报道而受到广泛关注，已报道的感染宿主包括家犬、家猫以及食肉目动物、鱼类、淡水龟等各类野生动物。