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：巨肾膨结线虫病（Dioctophymatosis）由巨肾膨结线虫（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疾病病例。本研究报道了巴西南部地区蛇类体内的巨肾膨结线虫幼虫感染情况：研究人员对在巴西南部南里奥格兰德州（Rio Grande do Sul）卡庞杜莱昂县（Capão do Leão）道路上发现的3只巴塔哥尼亚斜鳞蛇（Philodryas patagoniensis，蛇亚目：钝头蛇科（Dipsadidae），巴西俗名：“parelheira”、“papa-pinto”）的路杀尸体进行了剖检，在其体腔内检出2条巨肾膨结线虫三期幼虫。本研究在巴西南部南里奥格兰德州区域发现了巨肾膨结线虫幼虫的新宿主，该区域此前已有多例脊椎动物感染巨肾膨结线虫的报道，涉及家养犬猫以及食肉目动物、鱼类、淡水龟等多种野生动物。