Skin biopsies from 20 Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus), 17 of which displaying skin lesions, were investigated by histopathology. Different degrees of dermatitis characterized by folliculitis and furunculosis accompanied by epidermal hyperplasia and epidermal and follicular hyperkeratosis were detected. In the most severe lesions, probably self induced by scratching, the superimposition of traumatic lesions was observed. In 8 out of 17 bears (47.0%) of affected bears, cross- and longitudinally-sectioned nematode larvae within the lumen of hair follicles were present, whose localization and morphological characteristics were consistent with Pelodera strongyloides. P. strongyloides is a free-living saprophytic nematode whose third-stage larvae can invade the skin causing pruritic dermatitis in several mammalian species. This is the first report of Pelodera infection in the brown bear. Although capable of causing primary dermatitis, the finding of Pelodera is not sufficient to conclude that it is the cause of the lesions observed in bears. Nevertheless, the high prevalence of the infection is indicative of a diffuse phenomenon that requires further specific investigations given the interest and conservational relevance of this relict bear population.

Pelodera strongyloides in the critically endangered Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) / Di Bari, Michele Angelo; Di Pirro, Vincenza; Ciucci, Paolo; Fondati, Alessandra; Riccardi, Geraldina; Bruno, Rosalia; Latini, Roberta; Guberti, Vittorio; Gentile, Leonardo; Agrimi, Umberto. - In: RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE. - ISSN 0034-5288. - 145:(2022), pp. 50-53. [10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.02.016]

Pelodera strongyloides in the critically endangered Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus)

Ciucci, Paolo
;
2022

Abstract

Skin biopsies from 20 Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus), 17 of which displaying skin lesions, were investigated by histopathology. Different degrees of dermatitis characterized by folliculitis and furunculosis accompanied by epidermal hyperplasia and epidermal and follicular hyperkeratosis were detected. In the most severe lesions, probably self induced by scratching, the superimposition of traumatic lesions was observed. In 8 out of 17 bears (47.0%) of affected bears, cross- and longitudinally-sectioned nematode larvae within the lumen of hair follicles were present, whose localization and morphological characteristics were consistent with Pelodera strongyloides. P. strongyloides is a free-living saprophytic nematode whose third-stage larvae can invade the skin causing pruritic dermatitis in several mammalian species. This is the first report of Pelodera infection in the brown bear. Although capable of causing primary dermatitis, the finding of Pelodera is not sufficient to conclude that it is the cause of the lesions observed in bears. Nevertheless, the high prevalence of the infection is indicative of a diffuse phenomenon that requires further specific investigations given the interest and conservational relevance of this relict bear population.
2022
Apennine brown bear; Pelodera strongyloides; Dermatitis; Nematodes; peloderosis
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Pelodera strongyloides in the critically endangered Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) / Di Bari, Michele Angelo; Di Pirro, Vincenza; Ciucci, Paolo; Fondati, Alessandra; Riccardi, Geraldina; Bruno, Rosalia; Latini, Roberta; Guberti, Vittorio; Gentile, Leonardo; Agrimi, Umberto. - In: RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE. - ISSN 0034-5288. - 145:(2022), pp. 50-53. [10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.02.016]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1610671
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