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Experimental comparison of Baylisascaris procyonis definitive host competence between domestic dogs and raccoons (Procyon lotor)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2020

Sarah G. H. Sapp
Affiliation:
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia,Athens, GA, USA Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia,Athens, GA, USA
David A. Elsemore
Affiliation:
IDEXX Laboratories Inc.,Westbrook, ME, USA
Rita Hanna
Affiliation:
IDEXX Laboratories Inc.,Westbrook, ME, USA
Michael J. Yabsley*
Affiliation:
Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia,Athens, GA, USA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia,Athens, GA, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Michael J. Yabsley, E-mail: myabsley@uga.edu

Abstract

Domestic dogs can function as either paratenic or definitive hosts for the zoonotic raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis. However, factors leading to development of patent infections in dogs are under-studied. Here we compared infection dynamics of B. procyonis in dogs vs the natural raccoon host. Dogs and raccoons were inoculated 5000 or 500 B. procyonis eggs (n = 3 per dose) or were fed B. procyonis-infected laboratory mice (n = 3 per dose; mice inoculated with 1000 or 250 eggs). Fecal samples were analysed via flotation and a commercial coproantigen ELISA designed for detection of Toxocara spp. Two of 12 dogs (both received low dose larvae) developed patent infections; all 12 raccoons became infected with 10 developing patent infections. Compared with dogs, prepatent periods were shorter in raccoons and maximum egg outputs were much greater. Baylisascaris procyonis coproantigens were detectable via ELISA in all raccoons and the patently infected dogs. Finally, dogs spontaneously lost infections while all patently infected raccoons shed eggs until conclusion of the study. Our results demonstrate that dogs are clearly suboptimal hosts showing limited parasite establishment and fecundity vs raccoons. Despite the low competence, patently infected dogs still pose a risk for human exposure, emphasizing the importance of control measures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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