1. Monitoring campaign over an edible dormouse population (Glis glis; rodentia: Gliridae) in Sicily: First report of mesocestodiasis
- Author
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Gianluca Marucci, Francesco Severini, Mario Lo Valvo, Roberto Puleio, Valentina Cumbo, Simone M. Cacciò, Domenico Pieri, Guido Ruggero Loria, Luigi Gradoni, Lucia Galuppo, Giorgia Schirò, Schiro G., Pieri D., Lo Valvo M., Gradoni L., Cacciò S.M., Severini F., Marucci G., Galuppo L., Cumbo V., Puleio R., and Loria G.R.
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Mesocestoides lineatus ,030231 tropical medicine ,Population ,Settore BIO/05 - Zoologia ,Zoology ,Crop (anatomy) ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Nest ,biology.animal ,lcsh:Zoology ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,Dormouse ,education ,Edible dormouse ,education.field_of_study ,Dormice ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Glis glis ,biology.organism_classification ,Monopsyllus sciorum ,030104 developmental biology ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Animal Science and Zoology - Abstract
Simple Summary In Nebrodi Park (Sicily, Italy), live many wild mammal species that move closer to human beings every day. The edible dormouse (Glis glis), in 2017 and 2018, was responsible for nut crop damage in the area. For this reason, a sanitary monitoring campaign involving 30 dormice was carried out by collecting rectal and conjunctival swabs and fur and nest content, which were then processed for laboratory examinations. A large presence of fleas belonging to Monopsyllus sciurorum was found. Necropsy of a dead dormouse revealed an infection of Mesocestoides lineatus, whose cysts were found in the abdomen cavity and on the liver; this is the first report of this in this species. Further studies are necessary to identify their role in the environment, considering the limited knowledge of this species in Italy. Abstract This study reports on the health status of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) living in Nebrodi Park (Sicily, Italy), responsible for nut crop damage in the area. In the frame of a monitoring campaign for potential zoonotic risk involving 30 dormice, rectal and conjunctival swabs and fur and nest content were collected for bacteriological and parasitological examinations, respectively. A large presence of fleas belonging to Monopsyllus sciurorum was found. Necropsy of a dead dormouse revealed an infection of Mesocestoides lineatus, whose cysts were found in the abdomen cavity and on the liver; this is the first report of this in this species. Further studies are necessary to identify their role in the environment, considering the limited knowledge of this species in Italy.
- Published
- 2021