RT Journal Article
T1 Thelazia callipaeda infection in Northwestern Spain: what role does the Iberian wolf play?
A1 Estévez-Sánchez, Efrén
A1 López-Beceiro, Ana M.
A1 González-Serrano, Clara
A1 Montoya, Ana
A1 Barrera, Juan P.
A1 Fernández, Blanca
A1 Marino, Valentina
A1 Moraleda-Berral, Pablo
A1 Gómez-Velasco, Clara
A1 Sarquis, Juliana
A1 Checa Herráiz, Rocío
A1 Fidalgo, Luis E.
A1 Miró Corrales, Guadalupe
AB Thelazia callipaeda is a vector-borne parasite infecting the eyes of domestic and wild animals, as well as humans, across Europe. In Spain, it is endemic in several regions, with high prevalence reported in dogs and cats, but data on wildlife remain scarce. This study investigated the prevalence of T. callipaeda in Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) from northwestern Spain and explored epidemiological factors associated with infection. Between 2016 and 2025, 182 wolves from Asturias and Galicia (A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra) were sampled after necropsy. Eyeworms were collected and identified using morphological and molecular methods, with all specimens corresponding to T. callipaeda genotype h1. The overall prevalence was 17 %, with higher rates of infection in Galicia (18.2 %) than Asturias (8.7 %). Infections were restricted to Ourense (37.2 %) and Lugo (26.5 %). Parasite burdens were higher in females and immature wolves (1-3 years) compared to older animals and those in good body condition (BC 4-5). The distribution of infected wolves was associated with the vegetation around Miño and Sil river basins, which may favor the development of the vector Phortica variegata. Lower prevalence in pups could be linked to smaller eye size and lower body condition, while sex- and age-related differences may reflect behavioral or immunological factors. These results indicate that Iberian wolves can act as reservoirs of T. callipaeda in northwestern Spain, underscoring the need for further research into their role in the epidemiology of this zoonotic parasite
PB Elsevier
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/128231
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/128231
LA eng
NO Estévez-Sánchez, E., López-Beceiro, A. M., González-Serrano, C., Montoya, A., Barrera, J. P., Fernández, B., Marino, V., Moraleda-Berral, P., Gómez-Velasco, C., Sarquis, J., Checa, R., Fidalgo, L. E., & Miró, G. (2025). Thelazia callipaeda infection in Northwestern Spain: what role does the Iberian wolf play?. International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife, 28, 101149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101149
NO Credit authorship contribution statementEfrén Estévez-Sánchez: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Visualization, Validation, Software, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation. Ana M. López-Beceiro: Writing – review & editing, Resources, Methodology, Investigation, Data curation, Conceptualization. Clara González-Serrano: Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis. Ana Montoya: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Resources, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation, Conceptualization. Juan P. Barrera: Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Resources, Methodology, Investigation, Data curation. Blanca Fernández: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation. Valentina Marino: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Investigation. Pablo Moraleda-Berral: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Investigation. Clara Gómez-Velasco: Writing – review & editing, Methodology, Investigation. Juliana Sarquis: Writing – review & editing, Methodology. Rocío Checa: Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation. Luis E. Fidalgo: Writing – review & editing, Resources, Methodology, Investigation, Conceptualization. Guadalupe Miró: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Resources, Project administration, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Data curation, Conceptualization.
NO Universidad Complutense
NO Banco Santander
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 dic 2025