Meysam Sharifdini
Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Title: Helminthes in Feral raccoon (Procyon lotor) as an alien species in Iran
Biography
Biography: Meysam Sharifdini
Abstract
Raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a native mammal in North and Central America. At present, as a result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, the raccoon is now distributed in several European and Asian countries such as Japan, Germany and Iran. Objective of this study was to determine prevalence of gastrointestinal and tissue helminths from feral raccoons in Guilan province. During 2015-2017, a total of 30 feral raccoons including 12 males and 18 females were collected form Guilan province, northern Iran. The gastrointestinal tracts and tissues such as lung, liver and muscles were examined for presence of helminths. 20 raccoons (66.7%) were found infected with five intestinal helminth species. The prevalence of infection with Strongyloides procyonis Little, 1966 (Nematoda) was 63.3%, Plagiorchis koreanus Ogata, 1938 (Trematoda) (13.3%), Centrorhynchus sp. Luhe, 1911 (Acanthocephala) (10.0%), Camerostrongylus didelphis Wolfgang, 1951 (Nematoda) (3.3%), and Spirocerca lupi Rudolphi, 1809 (Nematoda) (3.3%). No larvae or adult worms were found in other tissues of the examined raccoons. No larvae or adult worms were found in the tissues of examined raccoons. In current study, most of the raccoons were infected with S. procyonis. Concerning public health importance of zoonotic parasites transmittable through raccoons, the rapid control and decrease of population and distribution of raccoons in Iran is suggested.
