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. 2025 Aug 11:12:1629099.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1629099. eCollection 2025.

First molecular identification of Spirometra mansoni in the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Croatia

Ana Šikić  1 , Ema Gagović  2 , Alicia Rojas  3 , Magda Sindičić  4 , Daria Jurković Žilić  2 , Šimun Naletlić  5 , Davor Balić  6 , Adnan Hodžić  7 , Relja Beck  2
Affiliations

First molecular identification of Spirometra mansoni in the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Croatia

Ana Šikić et al. Front Vet Sci. .

Abstract

This study presents the first molecularly confirmed identification of the cestode Spirometra mansoni in the golden jackals (Canis aureus) in Croatia, and possibly the first such report in Europe. Of 198 jackals examined between 2020 and 2025, adult Spirometra worms were recovered from three individuals. The morphological characteristics of these specimens were consistent with S. mansoni, and their identity was confirmed by PCR and sequencing of the mitochondrial cox1 and nad1 genes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the obtained sequences within the S. mansoni clade, with strong posterior probability support. This finding expands the known host range and geographic distribution of S. mansoni and underscores the importance of integrating molecular diagnostics in parasitological surveys. Further research is needed to assess the role of golden jackals and other wildlife in the epidemiology of Spirometra spp. in Europe.

Keywords: Canis aureus; Croatia; Spirometra mansoni; cox1; nad1.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Geographic locations in Croatia where Spirometra mansoni was detected in. Figure was created with QGIS.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Morphological assessment of the scolex and proglottids of Spirometra mansoni collected from the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Croatia. (a) Elongated scolex of an adult showing two bothria (marked with white triangles), the neck (yellow triangle) and the beginning of the strobila (pink triangle). (b) Mature proglottid with evident genital pore (marked with an orange triangle), uterine pore (white triangle), coiled uterus (pink triangle) and vitelline glands (brown asterisk). (c) Mature proglottid showing the genital pore (orange triangle), coiled uterus filled with eggs (pink triangle), testis (yellow triangle) and vitelline glands (brown asterisk).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Phylogenetic analysis of cox1 sequences of Spirometra spp. (1,567 bp) from different hosts and geographical regions. Bayesian inference phylogenetic tree showing Spirometra spp. in different color blocks. The Spirometra mansoni sequence obtained this study is marked with a black diamond.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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