A little-known capillariid of carnivores with an unusual localization

The purpose of the research is to study the distribution of the nematode Capillaria paranalis in wild carnivores in the Central region of the European part of Russia and to evaluate histopathological changes in the anal glands.

Materials and methods. The anal glands were examined during helminthological autopsies of 25 pine martens (Martes martes) and 43 foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from hunting grounds in the Ryazan and Tver regions. The material for histological examination was fixed in 10% formalin, sections were stained with Mayer’s Hematoxylin-Eosin.

Results and discussion. C. paranalis nematodes were found in the anal glands of 16 (64%) martens in number from 2 to 11, averaging 6 specimens, with an abundance index (AI) of 3.8 specimens. Nematodes were found in 5 (12%) foxes in number from 1 to 3, averaging 2.2 specimens, with an AI of 0.3 specimens. Histological examination showed that nematodes in the anal glands are located parietal and within the stratum corneum of the mucosa. Bilateral sacculitis is moderately expressed, the process is chronic. In the places of nematode location, the epithelium is degeneratively changed. Soft tissues surrounding the anal glands are edematous, there are clusters of small lymphocytes, less often histiocytes and macrophages, sometimes neutrophils, eosinophils and plasma cells are visible.

1. Kuleshov A. A., Romashov B. V. Modern fauna and distribution of capillariid nematodes in carnivores of the Voronezh region. «Innovatsionnyye tekhnologii i tekhnicheskiye sredstva dlya APK»: materialy Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii molodykh uchenykh i spetsialistov = Innovative technologies and technical means for the agro-industrial complex: Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference of Young Scientists and Specialists. Voronezh: Voronezh State Agrarian University named after. Emperor Peter I. 2015; Part III: 113-118. (In Russ.)

2. Panova O. A., Khrustalev A. V., Andreyanov O. N., Kuznetsova A. D., Kuznetsov K. S. Study of the helminth fauna of the common fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Central Russia. Veterïnarïya = Veterinary Medicine. 2023; 11: 60-63. https://doi.org/10.30896/0042-4846.2023.26.11.60-63 (In Russ.)

3. Romashova E. N., Rogov M. V., Romashov B. V., Nikulin P. I. Helminths of wild carnivores in the Voronezh region: ecological and faunal analysis. Rossiyskiy parazitologicheskiy zhurnal = Russian Journal of Parasitology. 2014; 1: 23-33. (In Russ.)

4. Forstner M. J., Geisel O. Capillaria paranalis sp. n. (Nematoda; Trichuridae) aus den Analbeuteln des Steinmarders (Martes foina). Berliner und Münchener tierärztliche Wochenschrift. 1980; 93: 312–316.

5. Geisel O. Haarwürmer in den Analbeuteln von Musteliden Vorkommen und histopathologische Befunde. Berliner und Münchener tierärztliche Wochenschrift. 1980; 93: 411-413.

6. Hamir A. N. Capillariasis of the anal sacs of raccoons (Procyon lotor), and a possible association with anal sac impaction. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 1998; 10: 371-373.

7. Hamir A. N., Snyder D. E. A Retrospective Histopathological Survey of Capillariasis in Raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Oregon. The Journal of Parasitology. 1999; 85 (6): 1172-1174. https://doi.org/10.2307/3285684

8. Haupt W., Hartung J., Ribbeck R. Beitrag zum Endoparasiten befall des Steinmarders (Martes foina Erxleben, 1777) aus der Umgebung von Leipzig. Populationsbiologie marderartiger Säugetiere. Wissenschaftliche Beitrage der MartinLuther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg. 1989; 37 (P39): 617–622.

9. Lillie R. D., Fullmer H. M. Histopathologic technic and practical histochemistry. New York: McGrawHill, 1976; 942.

10. Moravec F. Proposal of a new systematic arrangement of nematodes of the family Capillariidae. Folia Parasitologica. 1982; 29 (2): 119-132.

11. Tomczuk K., Hirzmann J., Bauer C., Zięba P., Szczepaniak K., Studzińska M., DemkowskaKutrzepa M., Roczeń-Karczmarz M. Parasites as the etiology of paranal sinusitis in foxes. Annals of Parasitology. 2019; 65 (1): 43.

12. Visser M., Messner C., Rehbein S. Massive infestation with fur mites (Lynxacarus mustelae) of a stone marten (Martes foina) from Tyrol. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift. 2011; 123 (1): 36-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-011-0005-0

13. von Kretschmar F. M. Die Parasiten des Europäischen Iltisses Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758 in Deutschland. Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde. München, 2016; 194.

14. Zimmerli J. Étude des parasites de la fouine (Martes foina) dans le canton de Vaud durant la période 1980-1981. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde. 1982; 124. 419-422. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-588605