<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The present study was carried out on 10 frogs, <italic>Pelophylax ridibundus</italic> (Pallas, 1771), captured near the river Bahlui, Iasi, between April and May, 2019, for the study of digestive helminths and their effect on the digestive tract. Macroscopic examination of the general cavity revealed distension of the small intestine. The sectioning of the intestinal wall revealed a variable number of parasites (1 – 12) with a whitish cylindrical body, anchored in the duodenal mucosa. The morphological study of the parasites confirmed the species as <italic>Acantocephalus ranae</italic>. The prevalence of the infection was 60 % and the average intensity was 4.83 ± 4.15. Lesions of the small intestine were characterized by catarrhal enteritis, hemorrhagic spots and ulcers on the mucosa, occlusion and obstruction of the intestinal lumen. Histologically, eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate in the glandular crypts, mucosal and submucosal edema, fibrosis and conjunctival hyperplasia, total mucosal atrophy, were found. The infection with <italic>Acanthocephalus ranae</italic> in <italic>Pelophylax ridibundus</italic> caused severe pathological changes, conditioned by the intensity of the infection, aspects revealed for the first time in Romania.</p></abstract>

The present study was carried out on 10 frogs, Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771), captured near the river Bahlui, Iasi, between April and May, 2019, for the study of digestive helminths and their effect on the digestive tract. Macroscopic examination of the general cavity revealed distension of the small intestine. The sectioning of the intestinal wall revealed a variable number of parasites (1 – 12) with a whitish cylindrical body, anchored in the duodenal mucosa. The morphological study of the parasites confirmed the species as Acantocephalus ranae. The prevalence of the infection was 60 % and the average intensity was 4.83 ± 4.15. Lesions of the small intestine were characterized by catarrhal enteritis, hemorrhagic spots and ulcers on the mucosa, occlusion and obstruction of the intestinal lumen. Histologically, eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate in the glandular crypts, mucosal and submucosal edema, fibrosis and conjunctival hyperplasia, total mucosal atrophy, were found. The infection with Acanthocephalus ranae in Pelophylax ridibundus caused severe pathological changes, conditioned by the intensity of the infection, aspects revealed for the first time in Romania.

Parasitism with <italic>Acanthocephalus ranae</italic> in frogs (<italic>Pelophylax ridibundus</italic> Pallas 1771), from North-east Romania

University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine ”Ion Ionescu de la Brad” in Iasi

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Parasitism with  in frogs ( Pallas 1771), from North-east Romania

The present study was carried out on 10 frogs, Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771), captured near the river Bahlui, Iasi, between April and May, 2019, for the...

Parasitism with Acanthocephalus ranae in frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus Pallas 1771), from North-east Romania

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Feb 10, 2021

Page range: 68 - 73

Received: Jun 03, 2020

Accepted: Dec 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2021-0008

Keywords
small intestine, prevalence, histopathological features

© 2021 O. C. Iacob, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2 a, b, c, d.

Parasitism with Acanthocephalus ranae in frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus Pallas 1771), from North-east Romania

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Feb 10, 2021

Page range: 68 - 73

Received: Jun 03, 2020

Accepted: Dec 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2021-0008

Keywordssmall intestine, prevalence, histopathological features

© 2021 O. C. Iacob, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2 a, b, c, d.

Keywords
small intestine, prevalence, histopathological features