Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Larval and Adult Stages of Eustrongylides excisus (Nematoda: Dioctophymatoidea) with Histopathological Observations

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology 2019-12, Vol.105 (6), p.882-889
• Main Authors: Mazzone, Angelica, Caffara, Monica, Gustinelli, Andrea, Agnetti, Francesco, Sgariglia, Elisa, Vaglio, Giovanni Lo, Quaglio, Francesco, Fioravanti, Maria L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Animals; Anus; Bird Diseases - parasitology; Bird Diseases - pathology; Birds; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Dioctophymatoidea - anatomy & histology; Dioctophymatoidea - classification; Dioctophymatoidea - genetics; Dioctophymatoidea - growth & development; DNA; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - chemistry; Eggs; Enoplida Infections - parasitology; Enoplida Infections - pathology; Enoplida Infections - veterinary; Etiology; Eustrongylides; Eustrongylides excisus; Female; Females; Fish; Fish Diseases - parasitology; Fish Diseases - pathology; Fishery products; Fishes; Fishing; Fresh Water; Freshwater fish; Geographical distribution; Granulomas; Great Cormorant; Histology; Italy; Lakes; Larva - anatomy & histology; Larva - classification; Larva - genetics; Larvae; Life cycles; Likelihood Functions; Male; Marketability; Molecular Identification; Morphology; Muscles; Nematodes; Ovum - ultrastructure; Parasites; Phalacrocorax carbo; Pictures; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Proventriculus - parasitology; Proventriculus - pathology; Reptiles & amphibians; Software; Species; Taxonomy; Uterus; Zoonoses
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/19-44

The genus Eustrongylides includes nematodes known as the etiological agent of the “big red worm disease.” The aim of this work was to identify Eustrongylides spp. larvae from fish and adults from great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) sampled at Lake Trasimeno, Italy, by morphological and molecular analysis. Histopathological description of the lesions in birds was also provided. We described adults of Eustrongylides excisus for the first time in Italy, and we also linked larval stages 3 and 4 to adults. The use of molecular tools combined with the traditional taxonomy will help the identification of the species, including species inquirendae. Moreover, molecular analysis can also help to investigate the role of intermediate and paratenic hosts, to deepen the knowledge about geographical distribution of the different Eustrongylides spp. and to define the zoonotic potential of E. excisus, which has not yet been identified as causal agent of human cases.