Helminths in the wolf, Canis lupus, from north-western Spain

Fifteen helminth species were collected from 47 wolves (Canis lupus) which were surveyed from 1993 to 1999 in northwestern Spain. These included the t rematode Alaria alata (2.1%); the cestodes Taenia hydatigena (44.7%), T. mu lticeps (29.8%), T. serialis (2.1%), Dipylidium caninum (6.4%) and Mesocest oides sp. aff. litteratus (4.2%); and the nematodes Pearsonema plica (7.4%) , Trichuris vulpis (10.6%), Trichinella britovi (12.8%), Ancylostoma caninu m (8.5%), Uncinaria stenocephala (51.1%), Toxocara canis (6.4%) Toxascaris leonina (4.2%), Allgiostrongylus vasorum (2.1%) and Dirofilaria immitis (2. 1%). Only two wolves were not infected. A single infection occurred in 28.9 % of the cases, but the commonest infracommunity (31.1%) involved three spe cies. The helminths Alaria alata, Taenia hydatigena, Mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus, P. plica, Trichuris vulpis, and Ancylostoma caninum parasitizi ng C. lupus are reported for the first time in Spain. Taenia serialis and D , immitis are reported for the first time in wolves in Europe. Angiostrongy lus vasorum represents a new host record for wolves. The helminth fauna of Spanish wolves is compared with that of other European wolf populations. So me epidemiological considerations of the helminth fauna of wolves in Spain and the health risk to humans are also discussed.