Parasite diversity in grey wolves (Canis lupus) from Tuscany, central Italy: a copromicroscopical investigation

Parasite monitoring is considered an important issue for wildlife conservation as well as for veterinary and public health. In Italy, data on endoparasites of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) are still limited. A copro-microscopical study was performed to investigate endoparasites of grey wolf communities in three Apennine natural reserves and a hilly area in northern Tuscany, central Italy. A total of 66 fresh faecal samples were collected and examined using the Mini-FLOTAC technique with a high-density flotation solution. Apparent prevalence and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for each parasite taxon, while true parasite prevalence rates were assessed for individual wolves identified after molecular analyses in one of the three natural areas (Apuan Alps Regional Park, AARP). Overall, a high prevalence of endoparasites was estimated (92.4 %, 95 % CI 83.2-97.5), and most samples were found positive for respiratory capillariids (81.8 %), i.e., Eucoleus boehmi (66.7 %) and Eucoleus aerophilus (31.8 %), Sarcocystis spp. (36.4 %) and hookworms (21.2 %). Physaloptera spp. (7.6 %), Toxocara canis (1.5 %), Spirocerca lupi (1.5 %) Crenosoma vulpis (1.5 %), Angiostrongylus vasorum (1.5 %), Opistorchis felineus (3 %), Alaria alata (1.5 %), Taeniids (12.1 %), and Cystoisospora spp. (6.1 %) were also identified. Dicrocoelium dendriticum eggs and Demodex spp. mites were detected in few samples. No significant differences emerged between faecal and population prevalence for any of the parasite species identified in AARP. Findings from this study add new information on grey wolf endoparasite infections in Italy and confirm the high prevalence of respiratory capillariids circulating among wild canids in Europe. Our results highlight the important role grey wolves may play in the transmission of these capillariid species between wild and domestic canids as well as of potentially zoonotic parasites in examined areas. Moreover, some endoparasites identified in this study may negatively affect the health of infected wolves.