Contributions to Knowledge of the Dictyocaulosis of the Red Deer

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202504.1246.v1
• Publication Date: 2025-04-18T03:50:12Z
• Authors: Manuel González-Velo; Antonio Espinosa-...; Adriana Ripa; Miguel Angel Hurt...; Miguel Habela Mar...; Jose Luis Fernánd...; Cristina Bazo-Pérez

Dictyocaulosis is a parasitic disease affecting ungulate species, including red deer (Cervus elaphus). Dictyocaulus genus consist of nine species but only four are reported to infect deer. The characterized by respiratory tract infection, particularly in lungs, bronchi and bronchioles, causing inflammatory hemorrhagic microscopic lesions also emphysema edema. Biological cycle consists female that oviposits larvae eggs the trachea be expelled exterior coughing releasing L1 environment. In this study 106 adult were collected from seven locations Extremadura (Spain). Eight positive lungs primarily assessed morphological identification, leading mean intensity 13.25 worms/infected lung, globally descending an average 1.78 adults/sampled lung. presence worms upper middle was confirmed anatomopathological analysis. Molecular identification made sequencing COI gene. As result, we have detected three genetic groups supported significant subdivision using ɸST measure D. cervi viviparus showing its respective matrilineal ancestry while eckerti sharing. Consequently, introgression between these two suggested. has been identified same Spanish region on basis characters, for first time explored geographic area.