Publication details
Diverzita helmintov nutrie riečnej (Myocastor coypus) na území Českej republiky
| Title in English | Diversity of Helminths in the River Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in the Czech Republic |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | The river nutria (Myocastor coypus) originates from South America, but its history in the Czech Republic dates back to the 1930s. Nutria was introduced to various parts of the world, including the Czech Republic, for fur farming. However, due to inadequate containment on farms, some individuals escaped into the wild. Although stable wild populations did not form initially, the species has recently become a well-established part of Czech wildlife. As a non-native species, nutria poses a competitive threat to native fauna, such as beavers, and carries the risk of transmitting both native and non-native pathogens in the environment. The aim of our study was to assess the parasite diversity associated with nutrias in the Czech Republic, with a focus on zoonotic pathogens. During 2022, we examined 41 nutria cadavers from nine localities in the Morava River basin for parasitological analysis. To collect helminths, we microscopically inspected internal organs (heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys) as well as the contents and walls of the intestines and stomach. We identified three species of parasitic nematodes, with the highest prevalence observed in Strongyloides myopotami (p = 71%) and Trichuris myocastoris (p = 37%), both of which are host-specific to nutrias. The presence of trematodes was comparatively lower, with only two taxa detected – Echinostoma revolutum (p = 2%) and an undetermined representative of the family Psilostomatidae (p = 12%). A particularly notable finding was the presence of hydatid cysts of Echinococcus multilocularis in the livers of four nutrias from the vicinity of Šumperk. Our preliminary results suggest that the river nutria in the Czech Republic may serve as a risk factor for helminth transmission with zoonotic potential (e.g., E. granulosus, S. myopotami). Despite being a relatively recent addition to Czech wildlife, nutria populations are already frequently synanthropic, meaning they occur in close proximity to human settlements. Therefore, people should exercise caution when encountering or handling nutrias. |