Parasitic Diseases in Wild Animals

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 429

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Instituto de Farmacologia y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
Interests: neuroparasites in domestic animals; angiostrongyloides in small animals; veterinary neurology; neuroanatomy
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Guest Editor
Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
Interests: parasitology; innate immunity; parasite-host cell interactions; parasitology of marine mammals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parasitic diseases in wildlife, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, can substantially affect species populations, posing a significant threat to biodiversity and ecological equilibrium. Comprehending the effects of these diseases on animal health is vital for maintaining ecosystem integrity. Wild animals often serve as reservoirs, maintenance hosts, and spillover hosts for a diverse range of parasitic agents. This is in addition to other challenges these species face, such as habitat loss and climate change. Birds, reptiles, and wild mammals can harbor, shed, and transmit zoonotic parasites, raising concerns for veterinary and public health. Furthermore, addressing parasitic conditions in wildlife is crucial for conservation initiatives and preventing the extinction of endangered species. Progress in this area requires an interdisciplinary approach integrating ecology and veterinary and medical sciences. This Special Issue aims to explore these dimensions, including diagnostic procedures, host–parasite interactions, and environmental conditions on parasitic diseases in wild animals.

Dr. Marcelo Gómez
Prof. Dr. Carlos Rodrigo Hermosilla
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • parasitic diseases
  • host–parasite interactions
  • diagnosis
  • transmission
  • parasite control strategies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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17 pages, 1816 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review on the Occurrence of Babesia spp. and Anaplasma spp. in Ticks and Wild Boar from Europe—A 15-Year Retrospective Study
by Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu, Diana Hoffman, Tiana Florea, Ion Oprescu, Simona Dumitru, Mirela Imre, Vlad Iorgoni, Anamaria Plesko, Sorin Morariu and Marius Stelian Ilie
Pathogens 2025, 14(7), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14070612 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 331
Abstract
The wild boar (Sus scrofa) has experienced significant population growth as well as geographic expansion across Europe over the past 15 years, leading to increased concerns regarding its role in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. Among these, Babesia spp. and Anaplasma [...] Read more.
The wild boar (Sus scrofa) has experienced significant population growth as well as geographic expansion across Europe over the past 15 years, leading to increased concerns regarding its role in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. Among these, Babesia spp. and Anaplasma spp. are of particular importance due to their impact on both wildlife and domestic animals. This study systematically reviews the prevalence and distribution of Babesia and Anaplasma spp. in wild boars and associated tick vectors across multiple European countries, synthesizing data from literature published between 2010 and 2024. A comprehensive search of Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases was conducted using predefined keywords related to babesiosis, anaplasmosis, wild boars, Europe, and tick-borne diseases. A total of 281 studies were initially retrieved, of which 19 met the inclusion criteria following relevance assessment. Data extraction focused on pathogen identification, diagnostic methods, sample type, host species, and prevalence rates. Molecular detection methods, primarily PCR and sequencing, were the most used diagnostic tools. Results indicate substantial regional variations in the prevalence of Babesia and Anaplasma spp. A. phagocytophilum was detected in wild boar populations across multiple countries, with the highest prevalence rates observed in Slovakia (28.2%) and Poland (20.34%). Conversely, lower prevalence rates were recorded in France (2%) and Portugal (3.1%). Babesia spp. showed higher prevalence rates in Italy (6.2%), while its detection in other regions such as Romania and Spain was minimal or absent. Notably, spleen and multi-organ samples (spleen/liver/kidney) exhibited higher positivity rates compared to blood samples, suggesting an organotropic localization of these pathogens. The findings underscore the role of wild boars as reservoirs for tick-borne pathogens and highlight their potential to contribute to the epidemiological cycle of these infections. The increasing distribution of wild boars, coupled with climate-driven shifts in tick populations, may further facilitate pathogen transmission. Future studies should focus on integrating molecular, serological, and ecological approaches to improve surveillance and risk assessment. Standardized methodologies across different regions will be essential in enhancing comparative epidemiological insights and informing targeted disease management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Diseases in Wild Animals)
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