A helminthological survey of wild red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the metropolitan area of Copenhagen

Abstract

AbstractSixty-eight red foxes were collected from the metropolitan area of Copenhagen and examined for helminth infections. Standard faecal flotations for intestinal parasites gave the following results: Strongyle eggs (75.0%),Capillariaeggs (36.8%),Toxocaraeggs (23.5%),Taeniaeggs (1.5%), and coccidia oocysts (2.9%). Gastrointestinal helminths were collected from 21 of the 68 foxes with the following specimens found:Uncinaria stenocephala(85.7%),Toxocara canis(81.0%),Taeniaspp. (38.1%),Mesocestoides lineatus(23.8%) andPolymorphusspp. (9.5%). Faeces of 39 foxes were examined by the Baermann method for larvae of cardiopulmonary worms with 20 foxes (51.3%) being infected. Fourteen foxes (35.9%) were infected withAngiostrongylus vasorum, 11 (28.2%) were infected withCrenosoma vulpis, and 5 foxes (12.8%) were infected with both species. Muscle digestion of diaphragms from the 68 foxes indicated that none harboured larvae ofTrichinella spiralis.