AUTHOR=Deak Georgiana , Ionică Angela Monica , Gherman Calin Mircea , Mihalca Andrei Daniel 

TITLE=Diversity of Crenosoma species in mustelids with the first molecular characterization of C. melesi and C. petrowi

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1094554

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1094554

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>Species of genus <italic>Crenosoma</italic> have a wide distribution and are reported in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Currently, the genus includes 14 nominal species, out of which 9 are parasitic in mustelids. Two species are mostly reported in mustelids from Europe, namely <italic>C. melesi</italic> and <italic>C. petrowi</italic>. Up to now, no genetic sequences are deposited in GenBank for any of the two. The aims of this study were to investigate the distribution, prevalence, and diversity of <italic>Crenosoma</italic> spp. infecting mustelids in Romania and to genetically characterize the species. Mustelids (<italic>n</italic> = 247) were collected over a period of 7 years from different locations in Romania and the respiratory tract was removed and examined for nematodes. Detected nematodes were morphologically identified and fragments of two genes were sequenced. Sampled mustelids included Eurasian badger, <italic>Meles meles</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 102), Eurasian otter, <italic>Lutra lutra</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 20), beech marten, <italic>Martes foina</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 36), European pine marten, <italic>Martes martes</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 5), steppe polecat, <italic>Mustela eversmanii</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 1), European mink, <italic>Mustela lutreola</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 1), least weasel, <italic>Mustela nivalis</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 2), European polecat<italic>, Mustela putorius</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 78), and marbled polecat, <italic>Vormela peregusna</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 1). Nematodes from Eurasian badgers were morphologically identified as <italic>C. melesi</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 13, 12.74%) and <italic>C. petrowi</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 3, 2.94%). Nematodes from the beech martens were identified as <italic>C. petrowi</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 6, 16.66%), <italic>C. vulpis</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 1, 2.78%) and <italic>Crenosoma</italic> spp. (<italic>n</italic> = 3, 8.33%). Co-infections with two <italic>Crenosoma</italic> species were detected in one beech marten (<italic>C. petrowi</italic> + <italic>C. vulpis, n</italic> = 1, 2.77%) and in one European pine marten [<italic>C. petrowi</italic> + <italic>C. vulpis</italic> (<italic>n</italic> = 1, 20%)]. Two genes of <italic>Crenosoma melesi</italic> and <italic>C. petrowi</italic> were partly sequenced for the first time. We report new host-parasite associations for <italic>M. martes</italic> and <italic>C. vulpis</italic>. However, further studies are needed in order to determine the host-parasite associations and to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of <italic>Crenosoma</italic> nematodes.</p>