Raccoons contraband - The metazoan parasite fauna of free-ranging raccoons in central Europe

Norbert Peter; Dorian D Dörge; Sarah Cunze; Anna V Schantz; Ajdin Skaljic; Sonja Rueckert; Sven Klimpel

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.01.003

Raccoons contraband - The metazoan parasite fauna of free-ranging raccoons in central Europe

Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2023 Jan 13:20:79-88. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.01.003. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

Norbert Peter¹, Dorian D Dörge¹, Sarah Cunze¹, Anna V Schantz¹, Ajdin Skaljic¹, Sonja Rueckert², Sven Klimpel^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, Frankfurt, Main, D-60438, Germany.
² School of Applied Sciences and Center for Conservation and Restoration Science, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh, EH11 1HX, UK.
³ Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt, Main, D-60325, Germany.
⁴ LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325, Frankfurt, Main, Germany.

Abstract

The invasive raccoon (Procyon lotor) is an abundant carnivore and considered as an important potential vector of infectious diseases and parasites in Europe. Raccoons show a broad, opportunistic, omnivorous food spectrum. Food supply and habitat quality in urban areas are very attractive for the generalist raccoon. This inevitably leads to increased interaction with humans, domestic animals and livestock, making the raccoon a potentially suitable zoonosis vector. In its autochthonous range, especially in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, the raccoon has been studied very intensively since the beginning of the 20th century. Whereas, basic field biology and parasitology studies in Germany and Europe are lacking and have only been conducted sporadically, regionally and on small sample sizes. In the presented study 234 raccoons from central Germany were comprehensively examined for their metazoan parasite fauna. The present study shows for the first time an extremely diverse parasite fauna in raccoons outside their native range and proves their essential role as intermediate hosts and hosts for ecto- and endoparasites. A total of 23 different parasite species were identified, five of which are human pathogens, 14 of which are new for the parasite fauna of raccoons in Europe. The human pathogenic raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis is the most common parasite species in this study, with a prevalence of up to 95%. The digenetic trematode Plagiorchis muris, another human pathogenic parasite species, was detected for the first time in raccoons. The ongoing spread of invasive carnivores and the associated spread and transmission of their parasites and other pathogens increases the potential health risk of wild and farmed animals as well as humans. An increase in parasitic diseases in humans (e.g. raccoon roundworm) is to be expected, especially in urban areas, where raccoons are becoming more and more abundant.

Keywords: Baylisascaris procyonis; Invasive species; Metazoan parasite fauna; Plagiorchis muris; Raccoon (Procyon lotor); Zoonotic diseases.