Genetic Diversity of <i>Dioctophyma renale</i> in Northeast Argentina and Southern Brazil

Abstract

The dynamics of pathogens between domestic and wild fauna remain poorly understood. Numerous conservation problems emerge on that border. Concerning this matter, genomes are used to design of new molecular tools for the sensitive detection of helminths that cause risk diseases from domestic to wild carnivores. Dioctophyma renale is a parasitic nematode that infects the kidney of mammals (mainly Order Carnivora). It can grow and exceed the meter, destroying the kidney. Therefore, its infection is strongly debilitating and even fatal. Numerous cases in domestic dogs were observed on the Argentine coast (prevalence above 30%). There are even reports of infection in wild carnivores including maned wolf (Crysocyon brachyurus); making this parasite a possible threat to the conservation of some endangered species.