Raccoon dog ectoparasites and their transmitted pathogens

Abstract

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), also known as mangut, is an invasive Canidae family mammal whose introduction from East Asia to Europe countries has been accompanied by intensive migration of these animals and spread throughout most of Europe including Lithuania. Nyctereutes procyonoides is host of various ectoparasites such as ticks, lice, and fleas, which can also carry a variety of disease-causing pathogens: viral, bacterial, and protozoan origin. Therefore it is especially important that these animals could spread pathogens that are not specific to the local fauna while migrating. In the present study ticks removed from raccoon dogs were examined for presence of different pathogens (Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilyum). The possible role of raccoon dogs in spread of tick-borne transmitted diseases in Lithuania was determined. In total 44 ticks (40 Ixodes ricinus and 4 Dermacentor reticulatus) from 9 raccoon dogs have been tested by using molecular methods. We used different molecular markers, conventional and nested PCR, and sequence analysis for determination and identification of pathogen species and strains. In this study was detected Babesia microti in I. ricinus ticks from one raccoon dog. Two Rickettsia spp. species were identified: Rickettsia helvetica in I. ricinus ticks from three raccoon dogs and Rickettsia monacensis in I. ricinus tick from one raccoon dog. Bartonella spp. was found in I. ricinus from one specimen of raccoon dog. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in I. ricinus harbored by one raccoon dog. Three Borrelia species were identified: one raccoon dog harbored both, B. afzelii and B. myiamotoi infected I. ricinus, and one B. valaisiana infected I. ricinus ticks. [...]