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Extraintestinal helminths of the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) in Western Austria (Vorarlberg)

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Abstract

Between September and December 2004, a total of 411 voles (318 common voles and 93 water voles) were caught in the Austrian province of Vorarlberg (Lustenau, Hohenems, and Dornbirn) and were examined by macroscopy, microscopy, and molecular biological analysis to determine the presence and extent of medically important extraintestinal helminths. The following extraintestinal helminth species were detected: Taenia taeniaeformis (liver), Calodium hepaticum (liver), and Echinococcus multilocularis DNA (liver) in the common vole; and Taenia taeniaeformis (liver), Calodium hepaticum (liver), and Taenia crassiceps (musculature) in the water vole. Infestations with Toxocara canis and Trichinella sp. were not found. Our study documents the first description of E. multilocularis DNA in the intermediate host (Microtus arvalis) and of other medically relevant extraintestinal helminths in common and water voles in Austria.

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Ethical standards

All voles were caught in 2004 according to the Vorarlberger law Lg Bl. Nr. 50/2002.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Hans-Peter Führer, Renate Schneider, Julia Walochnik & Herbert Auer

Authors
  1. Hans-Peter Führer
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  2. Renate Schneider
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  3. Julia Walochnik
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  4. Herbert Auer
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Correspondence to Herbert Auer.

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Führer, HP., Schneider, R., Walochnik, J. et al. Extraintestinal helminths of the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) in Western Austria (Vorarlberg). Parasitol Res 106, 1001–1004 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1753-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1753-x

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