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Helminths of Small Mammals
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Helminths of Small Mammals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 24816

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Maria Teresa Galán-Puchades

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Parasites and Health UV-Research Group, Universitat de València, València, Spain
Interests: parasitic zoonoses; parasite epidemiology; neglected tropical diseases; small-mammal endoparasites
Dr. Márius Vicent Fuentes i Ferrer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Parasites and Health UV-Research Group, Universitat de València, València, Spain
Interests: parasitic zoonoses; foodborne parasites; parasite epidemiology; neglected tropical diseases; small-mammal endoparasites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

In nature, small mammals are an essential part of the trophic chain, and their destabilization can seriously unsettle the balance of an ecosystem. Moreover, their helminth parasites have been recognized as potential regulators of small mammal populations and act as biological tags of various environmental perturbations. Small mammals and their helminths have practically colonized all regions around the word, even in extreme climatic conditions or with scarce vegetation. In this context, small mammals act as intermediate hosts, paratenic hosts and definitive hosts of a great variety of helminth parasites, including plathelminths (Trematoda and Cestoda), nemathelminths (Nematoda) and acantocephalans (Acantocephala), which have complex biological cycles, and infect small mammals when a free, environmentally resistant stage is ingested or by depredation of their prey, usually invertebrates, but also other small vertebrates.

The Special Issue “Helminths of Small Mammals”, of the journal Animals, aims to publish high-quality original research and reviews, which focus on all aspects related to small mammals and their helminths, for example: worldwide urban and wild helminths of small mammal populations; helminth community ecology, helminth regulation capacity of their hosts, zoonotic potential, taxonomy and systematics, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, exosomes, helminth–small mammal relationships, etc.

Prof. Maria Teresa Galán-Puchades
Dr. Márius Vicent Fuentes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • helminths
  • small mammals
  • ecology
  • taxonomy
  • helminthic zoonoses
  • omics
  • genetics
  • molecular biology
  • immunology

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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7 pages, 1204 KiB  
Article
Infection of Mammary Glands of Small Mammals in Eastern North America by Helminths
by David Bruce Conn, Cary A. Hefty and Sarah Cross Owen
Animals 2021, 11(11), 3207; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113207 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1438
Abstract
To determine whether small mammals living in natural settings harbor helminth infections in their mammary glands, we conducted a survey of helminths infecting rodents and soricimorphs in three widespread locations in the eastern United States: states of New York, Tennessee, and Georgia. We [...] Read more.
To determine whether small mammals living in natural settings harbor helminth infections in their mammary glands, we conducted a survey of helminths infecting rodents and soricimorphs in three widespread locations in the eastern United States: states of New York, Tennessee, and Georgia. We examined all the primary organs in all hosts, and identified all helminths. We also excised the complete mammary glands within their subcutaneous fat pads, then stained and mounted each whole mammary gland set for microscopical examination. A total of 53 individual hosts were examined, including 32 Peromyscus spp., 11 Mus musculus, 5 Sigmodon hispidus, 4 Clethrionomys gapperi, and 1 Blarina carolinensis. Helminths collected included Heligmosomoides sp., Hymenolepisdiminuta, Hymenolepis nana, Pterygodermatites peromysci, Schistosomatium douthitti, Syphacia obvelata, Syphacia sigmodontis, and Trichostrongylus sigmodontis. Four S. hispidus were infected by T. sigmodontis in the small intestine; in all four, we also found nematode larvae in lactiferous duct lumen and lactogenic tissue of the mammary glands. We were unable to identify the species of nematode larvae, but the co-occurrence with T. sigmodontis in all cases may suggest an association. Future studies should seek to identify such larvae using molecular and other methods, and to determine the role of these mammary nematode larvae in the life cycle of the identified species. No other host species harbored helminths in the mammary glands. Overall, our results suggest that mammary infections in wild small mammals are not common, but warrant inclusion in future surveys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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22 pages, 3892 KiB  
Article
Ecological Analysis of the Helminth Community of Microtus lusitanicus (Gerbe, 1879) (Rodentia) in Asturias (NW Spain)
by Roser Adalid, Carles Feliu, Aitor Somoano, Marcos Miñarro, Jacint Ventura, Jordi Torres, Jordi Miquel and Màrius Vicent Fuentes
Animals 2021, 11(11), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113055 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2335
Abstract
The Lusitanian pine vole, Microtus lusitanicus, an endemic fossorial rodent of the Iberian Peninsula, has a burrowing behaviour and prefers to live underground. It feeds on bark and roots causing severe damage to trees. In Asturias (NW Spain), where M. lusitanicus is [...] Read more.
The Lusitanian pine vole, Microtus lusitanicus, an endemic fossorial rodent of the Iberian Peninsula, has a burrowing behaviour and prefers to live underground. It feeds on bark and roots causing severe damage to trees. In Asturias (NW Spain), where M. lusitanicus is considered a pest in several orchards, a faunistic-ecological study was carried out to describe the helminth community of this species and the main factors that could influence its helminth component species. For this purpose, our own collection of 710 voles from several orchards of various locations in Asturias was used. Eight helminth species, four cestodes and four nematodes, were found. Statistical non-parametric tests were used to analyse the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the diversity of the helminth community and species prevalence and abundance. The results show the influence of climate variables, the year and season of capture, as well as host age, on the diversity of the helminth community and the infection parameters of some helminth species, underlining the importance of their life cycles. In addition to shedding light on the helminth community of this rodent in Asturias, the results obtained could be used to improve the biological methods applied to fight the M. lusitanicus pest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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23 pages, 4973 KiB  
Article
Ecological Analysis of the Helminth Community of the Wood Mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, along an 18-Year Post-Fire Regeneration Period in a Mediterranean Ecosystem
by Sandra Sáez-Durán, Ángela L. Debenedetti, Sandra Sainz-Elipe, Mireia Sabater-Tena, María Teresa Galán-Puchades and Màrius Vicent Fuentes
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2926; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102926 - 10 Oct 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2202
Abstract
The role of helminths of the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, as biological indicators of the post-fire regeneration process in Serra Calderona Natural Park, a Mediterranean forest ecosystem located between the provinces of València and Castelló (Valencian Country, Spain), has been analysed for [...] Read more.
The role of helminths of the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, as biological indicators of the post-fire regeneration process in Serra Calderona Natural Park, a Mediterranean forest ecosystem located between the provinces of València and Castelló (Valencian Country, Spain), has been analysed for almost twenty years. The helminth ecological analysis of 917 A. sylvaticus (675 originating from the burned area and 242 originating from the control area) has been carried out between the 2nd and 18th post-fire years. The influence of intrinsic (host population density, sex and age) and extrinsic (site, period and year of capture, climate variables) factors on the post-fire evolution of the helminth community of the wood mouse, and the biodiversity, species richness and life cycle of the helminth species was studied. Taking into account the most important results obtained, various aspects of the helminth community dynamics of the wood mouse are confirmed as biological indicators of the post-fire regeneration process in Mediterranean ecosystems. The still existing differences between the two areas are mainly related to the influence of climate variables on the post-fire regeneration process. Moreover, the important role that helminth parasites of the wood mouse play as biological indicators of this process in Mediterranean ecosystems is demonstrated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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15 pages, 6015 KiB  
Article
On the Helminth Fauna of the Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766)) in the Barnim District of Brandenburg State/Germany
by Rolf K. Schuster, Peter Specht and Siegfried Rieger
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082444 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3310
Abstract
The muskrat is a neozoon species that has occupied many countries of continental North Europe after its introduction from north America as fur animals. Due to its burrowing activity it damages river and canal banks and structures of flood control. For this reason, [...] Read more.
The muskrat is a neozoon species that has occupied many countries of continental North Europe after its introduction from north America as fur animals. Due to its burrowing activity it damages river and canal banks and structures of flood control. For this reason, the eradication of this alien species is recommended. Muskrats are also of parasitological interest since they can act as suitable intermediate hosts for Echinococcus multilocularis. On the other hand, little is known on the other helminths that infect muskrats. A total of 130 muskrats of different age groups trapped in different habitats in the Barnim district of the Brandenburg state by a professional hunter were examined for parasites and seven trematodes (Echinostoma sp., Notocotylus noyeri, Plagiorchis elegans, Plagiorchis arvicolae, Psilosostoma simillimum, P. spiculigerum, Opisthorchis felineus and four larval cestode species (Hydatigera taeniaeformis, Taenia martis, Taenia polyacantha, Taenia crassiceps) were detected. Larval stages of E. multilocularis were not found. O. felineus was found for the first time in muskrats in Germany. All the named parasites were present in Europe prior to the introduction of muskrats. With a prevalence of 48.9%, Strobilocercus fasciolaris, the larval stage of the cat tapeworm, H. taeniaeformis, was the most frequent parasite found in adult muskrats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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18 pages, 7301 KiB  
Article
First Data on the Helminth Community of the Smallest Living Mammal on Earth, the Etruscan Pygmy Shrew, Suncus etruscus (Savi, 1822) (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)
by María Teresa Galán-Puchades, Santiago Mas-Coma, María Adela Valero and Màrius V. Fuentes
Animals 2021, 11(7), 2074; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072074 - 12 Jul 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5795
Abstract
Suncus etruscus is the smallest living mammal on Earth by mass. Most adults weigh 1.8–3 g with a body length of 35–48 mm. Catching it in small mammal traps in nature is extremely difficult due to its minute size, and therefore special trapping [...] Read more.
Suncus etruscus is the smallest living mammal on Earth by mass. Most adults weigh 1.8–3 g with a body length of 35–48 mm. Catching it in small mammal traps in nature is extremely difficult due to its minute size, and therefore special trapping methods must be used. We had the unique opportunity of studying, for the first time, the helminth parasites of 166 individuals of S. etruscus, part of the largest collection in the world, which belonged to the French scientist Dr Roger Fons (1942–2016). A total of 150 individuals were captured in the Banyuls-Cerbère area (France) and 16 in the island of Corsica (France). We found seven helminth species, specifically, the cestodes Joyeuxiella pasqualei larvae, Mesocestoides sp. larvae, Staphylocystis claudevaucheri, S. banyulsensis, S. cerberensis, and Pseudhymenolepis sp., and the nematodes Aonchotheca sp. and Nematoda gen. sp. larvae. Neither trematodes nor acanthocephalans were detected. We provide prevalences, infracommunity compositions, and helminth associations. The adult helminth community of S. etruscus seems to be highly specific, i.e., oioxenous, and linked to its insectivore diet. Due to its small size, S. etruscus has undergone numerous physiological adaptations that have probably influenced its helminth spectrum as well as its helminth specificity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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11 pages, 1311 KiB  
Article
A Peculiar Distribution of the Emerging Nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the Canary Islands (Spain): Recent Introduction or Isolation Effect?
by Natalia Martín-Carrillo, Carlos Feliu, Néstor Abreu-Acosta, Elena Izquierdo-Rodriguez, Roberto Dorta-Guerra, Jordi Miquel, Estefanía Abreu-Yanes, Aarón Martin-Alonso, Katherine García-Livia, María Antonieta Quispe-Ricalde, Jordi Serra-Cobo, Basilio Valladares and Pilar Foronda
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051267 - 28 Apr 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3216
Abstract
Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging zoonotic nematode recognized as the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the word. After its discovery in China, it was recorded in 30 countries worldwide. Recently, it has expanded to new areas such as South America and it [...] Read more.
Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emerging zoonotic nematode recognized as the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the word. After its discovery in China, it was recorded in 30 countries worldwide. Recently, it has expanded to new areas such as South America and it has been recently found in the Atlantic island of Tenerife (Canary Islands). In order to characterize the distribution of A. cantonensis in the Canary Islands, the lungs of 1462 rodents were sampled in eight islands of the archipelago over 13 years and were then analyzed for A. cantonensis. Remarkably, the parasite was detected only in Tenerife, in Rattus rattus (19.7%) and Rattus norvegicus (7.14%). They were concretely in the northern part of the island, which had a warmer and more humid climate than the south and main cities. The absence of this nematode in other islands with similar environmental conditions could be explained by an isolation effect or by a recent introduction of the parasite in the islands. Besides, the presence in Tenerife of the most invasive lineage of A. cantonensis reinforced the hypothesis of a recent introduction on this island. This study highlights the need to implement control measures to prevent the expansion to other areas in order to avoid the transmission to humans and other animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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Review

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13 pages, 989 KiB  
Review
The Invasive Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus): A Model System for Studying Parasites and Ecoimmunology during a Biological Invasion
by Andrew McManus, Celia V. Holland, Heikki Henttonen and Peter Stuart
Animals 2021, 11(9), 2529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092529 - 28 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3866
Abstract
The primary driver of the observed increase in emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has been identified as human interaction with wildlife and this increase has emphasized knowledge gaps in wildlife pathogens dynamics. Wild rodent models have proven excellent for studying changes in parasite communities [...] Read more.
The primary driver of the observed increase in emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has been identified as human interaction with wildlife and this increase has emphasized knowledge gaps in wildlife pathogens dynamics. Wild rodent models have proven excellent for studying changes in parasite communities and have been a particular focus of eco-immunological research. Helminth species have been shown to be one of the factors regulating rodent abundance and indirectly affect disease burden through trade-offs between immune pathways. The Myodes glareolus invasion in Ireland is a unique model system to explore the invasion dynamics of helminth species. Studies of the invasive population of M. glareolus in Ireland have revealed a verifiable introduction point and its steady spread. Helminths studies of this invasion have identified enemy release, spillover, spillback and dilution taking place. Longitudinal studies have the potential to demonstrate the interplay between helminth parasite dynamics and both immune adaptation and coinfecting microparasites as M. glareolus become established across Ireland. Using the M. glareolus invasion as a model system and other similar wildlife systems, we can begin to fill the large gap in our knowledge surrounding the area of wildlife pathogen dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Helminths of Small Mammals)
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