Powers Karen E, Cavanagh Meghan H, Walker Lorien G, Elsen Samuel D, Struthers A Theoden, Page L Kristen
Biology Department, Box 6931, Radford University, Radford, Virginia 24242, USA.
Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Wheaton College, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, Illinois 60187, USA.
J Wildl Dis. 2025 Jan 1;61(1):229-233. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-24-00086.
Baylisascaris procyonis is a roundworm that does not affect its definitive host, raccoons (Procyon lotor), but may have a devastating effect when ingested by paratenic hosts such as Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister). Despite being considered a major factor in woodrat population extirpation and decline in states northward, there have been no large-scale surveys for raccoon roundworm in Virginia, US. From 2022 to 2024, we visited 60 karst or nonkarst rocky habitats known (current or historical) or suspected to be Allegheny woodrat locations in western Virginia. We opportunistically collected raccoon feces as individual piles or subsampled from visible latrines. We used fecal flotation to determine the presence and prevalence of raccoon roundworm eggs in samples collected from 44 sites across 15 counties and 1 independent city. We found evidence of this roundworm at eight (18.2%) sites in six counties. Because woodrats are especially vulnerable to fatal larval infections with B. procyonis, the presence of the parasite at multiple sites suggests conservation measures should be implemented to protect these populations.
浣熊贝蛔虫是一种蛔虫，它不会对其终宿主浣熊（北美浣熊）产生影响，但当被中间宿主（如阿勒格尼林鼠）摄入时，可能会产生毁灭性影响。尽管被认为是导致林鼠种群灭绝以及美国北部各州林鼠数量下降的主要因素，但美国弗吉尼亚州尚未对浣熊蛔虫进行大规模调查。2022年至2024年期间，我们走访了弗吉尼亚州西部60个已知（当前或历史上）或疑似为阿勒格尼林鼠栖息地的岩溶或非岩溶岩石栖息地。我们随机收集浣熊粪便，将其作为单独的粪堆收集，或从可见的粪便堆中进行二次采样。我们采用粪便漂浮法来确定从15个县和1个独立市的44个地点采集的样本中浣熊蛔虫卵的存在情况和流行率。我们在6个县的8个（18.2%）地点发现了这种蛔虫的踪迹。由于林鼠特别容易受到浣熊贝蛔虫幼虫致命感染的影响，多个地点发现该寄生虫表明应采取保护措施来保护这些种群。
