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Animals
Special Issues
Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems
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Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 7311

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Eligia Rodríguez-Ponce

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Trasmontaña, Arucas, s/n, 35413 Las Palmas, Spain
Interests: one health; parasitology; wildlife; infection
Dr. Kevin M. Santana Hernández

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Trasmontaña, Arucas, s/n, 35413 Las Palmas, Spain
Interests: parasitology; wildlife; pathology; invasive species

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of parasites from wild and feral animals is crucial for understanding the sources of zoonotic pathogens, potential emerging diseases, and dissemination of new invasive species through their alien hosts in new habitats.

Therefore, wildlife parasites can have significant impacts on animal and human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem stability not only from a conservation perspective but also from an economic loss perspective.

This Special Issue aims to explore various aspects of wildlife parasitology, including the identification and classification of parasites, their epidemiology, and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of parasitism in wildlife populations with emphasis on zoonotic parasites and invasive species.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies that provide insights into new or poorly known parasites, parasite–host relationships, parasite-driven changes in wildlife behavior, and the implications for conservation, wildlife management, and the possible direct transmission to humans by direct (handling or co-habiting) or indirect contact (food or vector-borne).

Prof. Dr. Eligia Rodríguez-Ponce
Guest Editor

Dr. Kevin M. Santana Hernández
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wildlife
  • parasites
  • ecosystem health
  • zoonotic diseases

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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10 pages, 495 KB  
Article
Rickettsia parkeri Strain Atlantic  Rainforest in Archived Amblyomma geayi from Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) in Manaus, Brazil
by Rafaela Moreira, Guilherme Moreira, Mahima Hemnani, Carlos Augusto Rodrigues do Nascimento, Sergio Luís Gianizella, João Rodrigo Mesquita and Patrícia Ferreira Barradas
Animals 2025, 15(18), 2645; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15182645 - 9 Sep 2025
Viewed by 382
Abstract
In the Brazilian Amazon biome, there has been a rise in human spotted fever cases, but still significant knowledge gaps regarding the diversity and epidemiology of the tick–host–Rickettsia relationship. In the herein study, rickettsiae were investigated in ticks from captured live wild [...] Read more.
In the Brazilian Amazon biome, there has been a rise in human spotted fever cases, but still significant knowledge gaps regarding the diversity and epidemiology of the tick–host–Rickettsia relationship. In the herein study, rickettsiae were investigated in ticks from captured live wild hosts in the Amazon biome by PCR targeting a partial sequence of ompB and gltA genes. All 343 ticks were morphologically identified as belonging to five species of the genus Amblyomma. Amblyomma varium (n = 24, 7%) were collected from a Rhinella marina and a Bradypus tridactylus. Amblyomma geayi (n = 51, 15%) were collected from two Bradypus tridactylus. Amblyomma goeldii (n = 116, 34%) were collected from three Tamandua tetradactyla. Amblyomma dissimile (n = 131, 38%) were collected from two Boa constrictor. Amblyomma humerale (n = 21, 6%) were collected from a Chelonoidis spp. Four A. geayi ticks (one female and three males) collected from a three-toed sloth (B. tridactylus) in 2015 were found to be positive for Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic Rainforest. The molecular findings herein have confirmed that R. parkeri spotted fever may occur in the Amazon Rainforest associated with A. geayi, expanding the geographical distribution of the R. parkeri strain to the Central Amazon Rainforest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems)
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11 pages, 5386 KB  
Communication
Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in Blood of the Lizard Microlophus atacamensis: Understanding the T. cruzi Cycle in a Coastal Island of the Atacama Desert
by Josefa Borcosque-Avendaño, Nicol Quiroga, Franco Cianferoni, Gabriel Díaz-Campusano, José Luis Marcos, Carezza Botto-Mahan, Fernando Torres-Pérez, Antonella Bacigalupo and Ricardo Campos-Soto
Animals 2025, 15(9), 1221; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091221 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1299
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causative of Chagas disease, is primarily transmitted through blood-sucking insects and infects mammalian and some reptilian hosts. In Chile, insects of the Mepraia genus are key vectors of T. cruzi in its wild transmission cycle. High prevalence and [...] Read more.
Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causative of Chagas disease, is primarily transmitted through blood-sucking insects and infects mammalian and some reptilian hosts. In Chile, insects of the Mepraia genus are key vectors of T. cruzi in its wild transmission cycle. High prevalence and mixed infection of T. cruzi lineages have been reported in a Mepraia population on Santa María Island in the Atacama Desert. However, no small mammals have been reported. The island’s vertebrate community is dominated by the lizard Microlophus atacamensis and marine and scavenger birds. This study aimed to research blood samples of M. atacamensis for the presence of T. cruzi DNA (kDNA and satDNA) using conventional PCR (cPCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and estimate parasitemia. Our findings reveal that 39.4% of 33 individuals were positive with both cPCR and qPCR, while when assessing infection with either technique, it rises up to 81.8%. These findings confirm that M. atacamensis is a host of T. cruzi, suggesting its potential role as a key reservoir in the island’s transmission cycle. This study provides new insights into the life cycle of T. cruzi in the coastal Atacama Desert, highlighting the importance of reptiles in the epidemiology of this parasite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems)
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10 pages, 6795 KB  
Article
Morphological and Molecular Identification of Obligatory Myiasis-Causing Species in Wild Cervids in Croatia
by Ema Gagović, Daria Jurković Žilić, Krunoslav Pintur, Adnan Hodžić, Šimun Naletilić and Relja Beck
Animals 2025, 15(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020208 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1147
Abstract
The infestation of ruminants by fly larvae of the Oestridae family can lead to nasopharyngeal or subcutaneous myiasis, which can harm animal welfare and productivity on sheep and cattle farms. The infestation of wild ruminants allows them to serve as reservoirs for subsequent [...] Read more.
The infestation of ruminants by fly larvae of the Oestridae family can lead to nasopharyngeal or subcutaneous myiasis, which can harm animal welfare and productivity on sheep and cattle farms. The infestation of wild ruminants allows them to serve as reservoirs for subsequent transfer to domestic animals. The fly species most commonly responsible for myiasis have been well studied in many parts of the world, but less so in southeastern Europe. Here, we identified three botfly species among 197 subcutaneous larvae and 138 nasopharyngeal larvae from 36 wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 9 wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) at 30 locations across Croatia. Instars were stored in 75% ethanol and their species and developmental stage were identified based on morphological and morphometric keys. Subcutaneous larvae in both cervid species were identified as Hypoderma diana, while nasopharyngeal larvae were identified as Cephenemyia simulator in roe deer and Pharyngomyia picta in red deer. Partial sequencing of the gene-encoding mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I confirmed the taxonomic classification of C. stimulator and P. picta but was unable to confirm that of H. diana for lack of previously published sequences. This study appears to be the first to combine the morphological and molecular characterization of myiasis-causing botflies in wild cervids in southeastern Europe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 2090 KB  
Article
Endoparasites of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L.) and Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) in Serbian Hunting Grounds
by Nemanja M. Jovanovic, Tamas Petrović, Nenadovic Katarina, Dejan Bugarski, Zoran Stanimirovic, Milan Rajkovic, Marko Ristic, Jovan Mirceta and Tamara Ilic
Animals 2024, 14(21), 3120; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14213120 - 30 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2696
Abstract
In this study, parasitological examinations were conducted from 2019 to 2023. Fecal samples were collected from 289 wild ruminants (158 red deer and 131 roe deer) from hunting grounds in Vojvodina, which belong to the public company Vojvodinašume. Using qualitative and quantitative coprological [...] Read more.
In this study, parasitological examinations were conducted from 2019 to 2023. Fecal samples were collected from 289 wild ruminants (158 red deer and 131 roe deer) from hunting grounds in Vojvodina, which belong to the public company Vojvodinašume. Using qualitative and quantitative coprological diagnostic methods, the presence of protozoa (coccidia and Buxtonella sulcata), nematodes (gastrointestinal strongyles, Trichuris spp., Capillaria spp., Dictyocaulus spp., and Muellerius spp.), cestodes (Moniezia spp.), and trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, Fascioloides magna, Paramphistomum spp., and Dicrocoelium dendriticum) in the form of single and mixed infections were confirmed. Coproculture was used to identify the infective larvae of gastrointestinal strongyles. The total prevalence of endoparasitic infections in hunting ground 1 was 89.77% in red deer and 92.85% in roe deer, while in hunting ground 2, it was 72.97% in red deer and 85.96% in roe deer. Knowledge of the prevalence and assessment of the intensity of parasitic infections in wild ruminants is necessary for designing health protection programs in hunting grounds and planning control strategies, which are significant for this branch of hunting and public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems)
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28 pages, 2923 KB  
Systematic Review
Hemoparasites in Wild Birds: A Systematic Review of Their Ecology and Clinical Implications
by Alberto Alvarado-Piqueras, María Teresa Gómez-Muñoz and Bárbara Martín-Maldonado
Animals 2025, 15(17), 2570; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15172570 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 662
Abstract
Hemoparasites are blood-borne parasites transmitted by vectors and are commonly found in wild birds worldwide. The most frequently reported genera include Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Trypanosoma, while filarial worms and other hemoparasites are less frequently reported. Despite their importance, [...] Read more.
Hemoparasites are blood-borne parasites transmitted by vectors and are commonly found in wild birds worldwide. The most frequently reported genera include Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Trypanosoma, while filarial worms and other hemoparasites are less frequently reported. Despite their importance, knowledge of their effects on the health of wild birds remains limited. This systematic review summarizes all scientific findings on hemoparasites in wild birds, emphasizing their implications for host health. The literature reveals a high number of articles in this area in recent decades, reflecting a growing concern about hemoparasites in wildlife and their ecological impact. However, studies remain unevenly distributed across regions and bird taxa. Diagnostic limitations, particularly in fieldwork and wildlife rehabilitation, continue to present challenges for the accurate detection and monitoring of these parasites. Nevertheless, molecular tools have advanced our understanding of parasite diversity and host–parasite dynamics. Our work highlights key knowledge gaps and stresses the need for further research to improve the understanding of the role of hemoparasites in avian ecology, particularly concerning environmental change and emerging infectious diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Wildlife Parasitology: Impacts on Health, Biodiversity, and Ecosystems)
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