Identification and epidemiological analysis of Perostrongylus falciformis infestation in Irish badgers

• Main Authors: Jennifer OC. Byrne, Andrew W. Byrne, Annetta Zintl, Karolina Jankowska, Emmanuel Coulange, Theo de Waal, Grainne McCarthy, James O’Keeffe, Inger S. Hamnes, Ursula Fogarty
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-07-01
• Series: Irish Veterinary Journal
• Subjects: Badger; Meles meles; Lungworm; Perostrongylus falciformis; Ireland
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13620-019-0144-6

Abstract Background The lungworm, Perostrongylus falciformis (fomerly known as Aelurostrongylus falciformis) has been identified in badgers (Meles meles) in Britain, the Russian Federation, Italy, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, Bosnia Herzegovina and Romania, while Aelurostrongylus pridhami has been reported from badgers in Spain. Results Pulmonary tissue from 1580 Irish badgers was examined and an estimated prevalence of 32.09% (95% CI: 29.79–34.45%) of this parasite was detected. Confirmation of its occurrence was made by PCR analysis on a subset of the population. Conclusion Infestation was widely distributed throughout the Republic of Ireland, with a trend towards higher infestation risk in western versus eastern counties. In addition males were at a higher risk of infestation than females and juveniles were at a significantly higher risk than adult badgers.