Identification and epidemiological analysis of Perostrongylus falciformis infestation in Irish badgers
Date
2019-07-09
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Publisher
Springer
Abstract
Background: The lungworm, Perostrongylus falciformis (fomerly known as Aelurostrongylus falciformis) has been
identified in badgers (Meles meles) in Britain, the Russian Federation, Italy, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Bosnia Herzegovina
and Romania, while Aelurostrongylus pridhami has been reported from badgers in Spain.
Results: Pulmonary tissue from 1580 Irish badgers was examined and an estimated prevalence of 32.09% (95% CI:
29.79–34.45%) of this parasite was detected. Confirmation of its occurrence was made by PCR analysis on a subset of
the population.
Conclusion: Infestation was widely distributed throughout the Republic of Ireland, with a trend towards higher
infestation risk in western versus eastern counties. In addition males were at a higher risk of infestation than females
and juveniles were at a significantly higher risk than adult badgers.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 24 June 2019; Published Online - 9 July 2019
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Keywords
: Badger, Meles meles, Lungworm, Perostrongylus falciformis, Ireland
Citation
OC. Byrne, J., Byrne, A. W., Zintl, A., Jankowska, K., Coulange, E., de Waal, T., McCarthy, G., O’Keeffe, J., Hamnes, I. S. and Fogarty, U. (2019) ‘Identification and epidemiological analysis of Perostrongylus falciformis infestation in Irish badgers’, Irish Veterinary Journal. Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 72(1). doi: 10.1186/s13620-019-0144-6.