Publications by authors named "Calin M Gherman"

Article Synopsis
  • * Between 2017 and 2020, researchers collected and examined 63 common buzzards found dead to identify internal helminth parasites through necropsy.
  • * Findings revealed the presence of various species, including Cestoda and Trematoda, and identified common buzzards as a new host for specific Platyhelminthes, along with providing the first genetic sequence for one of the species reported.
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Background: Dictyocaulosis is a parasitic disease caused by pulmonary nematodes from genus Dictyocaulus affecting various ungulate hosts. It can cause verminous bronchopneumonia and for heavily infected individuals, fatal outcomes can occur.

Case Presentation: The study describes the case of a male European bison which died three months after relocation from Slovakia to one of the reintroduction areas in Nucșoara village, Făgăraș Mountains, Romania.

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Background: Fleas are important hematophagous insects, infesting mammals and birds with a worldwide distribution. Fleas of medical importance have been reported from various carnivores worldwide, such as felids, canids, or mustelids. Romania hosts a wide carnivore diversity, but very little is known about flea species that parasitize these animals in Romania.

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Background: Thelaziosis is a neglected vector-borne disease caused by parasitic nematode worms of the genus Thelazia which affects various hosts. Limited attention has been given to ungulate-associated Thelazia species. Current diagnosis of thelaziosis and the identification/differentiation of species heavily relies on morphological features.

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Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects a large spectrum of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Small rodents and insectivores play an important role in the epidemiology of T. gondii and may serve as a source of infection for both, domestic and wild definitive felid hosts.

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Species of genus have a wide distribution and are reported in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Currently, the genus includes 14 nominal species, out of which 9 are parasitic in mustelids. Two species are mostly reported in mustelids from Europe, namely and .

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Article Synopsis
  • Thelaziosis, caused by a parasitic nematode, is emerging in Europe, with very few cases reported in lagomorphs.
  • A study in Romania examined 326 European brown hare carcasses for ocular parasites over two years, finding a low prevalence (1.23%) of infection.
  • This research is significant as it marks the first report of this infection in Romanian hares and the second in Europe, highlighting the potential of lagomorphs as reservoir hosts for this zoonotic disease.
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Article Synopsis
  • Parasitic diseases in swine lead to major economic losses, particularly affecting free-range farms in Romania, which have seen growth over the past few decades.
  • The study analyzed 960 fecal samples from different age groups of swine across two farms in Transylvania, identifying infections from several parasites, including Balantidium coli and Eimeria spp.
  • Results showed a high prevalence of these parasites, varying by age, type of swine, farm, and season, highlighting the need for further research on the epidemiology of these infections.
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Nematodes of the genus are important zoonotic parasites present throughout Romania. This study aimed to assess the status of in wild animals in Romania over the past 30 years. A literature review of original studies concerning the only two species (out of the four in Europe) of ( and ) confirmed in wildlife from Romania was conducted and corroborated with the results of our original research concerning the topic.

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Tickborne bacterial pathogens have been described worldwide as risk factors for both animal and human health. Spotted fevers caused by Rickettsiae may cause non-specific symptoms, which make clinical diagnosis difficult. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and review the diversity of SFG Rickettsiae in ticks collected in 41 counties in Romania.

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Specimens of the pentastomid parasite, Linguatula serrata, have been reported from several animals in Romania, including some domestic dogs translocated to other parts of Europe. In this study, gray wolves (Canis lupus, n = 80), golden jackals (C. aureus, n = 115), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 236), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 1) were examined for pentastomes.

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Background: The population of wild felids is large and stable in Romania with many carnivore habitats being protected. Felids can be infected with a wide variety of cardio-pulmonary nematodes and can act as reservoirs of infection for domestic cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and species diversity of cardio-pulmonary nematodes in wild felids from Romania.

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is an important mosquito-borne nematode, being of both veterinary and public health concern. The typical final host is represented by the domestic dog, , but it is able to infect a large variety of mammalian species. During the present study (March 2016-February 2022), a total of 459 wild carnivore carcasses belonging to 17 species, from Romania, were evaluated for the presence of adult by necropsy.

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Nematodes of the genus are among the most widespread parasites of domestic and wild omnivores and predatory animals. The present study aimed to evaluate the antiparasitic effect of ATCC 393 (original) and CNCM in CD-1 mice experimentally infected with . Four groups of 20 mice (10 females and 10 males/group) were used, with two control (C) groups and two experimental (E) groups, in which each animal received a daily oral dose of 100 µL of 10 CFU/mL probiotics in Ringer's solution.

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Wild vertebrate hosts can serve as reservoirs or amplification hosts for tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). Wild carnivores due to their large size have an increased risk for harboring large numbers of ticks. Moreover, their large home ranges and long lives may increase the risk of exposure to ticks and TBPs.

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The European badger, Meles meles (Carnivora, Mustelidae) is a widespread opportunistic omnivorous mammal. Its food spectrum comprises a wide variety of plants and small animals, occasionally including rodents, such as mice or rats. Considering that rodents are known to play a key role in the life cycle of Trichinella spp.

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Haemoparasites of the genus infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Feline babesiosis is considered endemic in South Africa, while data on spp. infection in felids in Europe is scarce.

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Protists of the genus Cytauxzoon infect a wide variety of wild and domestic felids worldwide. While the American Cytauxzoon felis has been well described, data on the European isolates of Cytauxzoon are still scant. The aim of the current study was to determine the genetic diversity of European Cytauxzoon spp.

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Background: Ticks are hematophagous arthropods which normally attach to the surface of the host's skin. Their aberrant presence in the subcutaneous tissue of a few carnivores, predominantly foxes, has been reported. However, there have been no reports of this phenomenon in other carnivores such as mustelids or golden jackals.

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The European badger, Meles meles (Carnivora, Mustelidae) is a widespread opportunistic omnivorous mammal. Its food spectrum comprises a wide variety of plants and small animals, occasionally including rodents, such as mice or rats. Considering that rodents are known to play a key role in the life cycle of Trichinella spp.

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Bovine thelaziosis can be caused by Thelazia rhodesi Desmarest 1828, Thelazia gulosa Railliet & Henry 1910 and Thelazia skrjabini Erschow 1928 which are known to be transmitted by species of Muscidae. Therapeutic measures in cattle include mechanical removal of the adult parasites, followed by irrigation of the conjunctival sac with different solutions such as levamisole (1%) or administration of ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg SC), doramectin (0.

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To understand the importance of host' habitat choice in determining parasite burden, we studied the distribution of two helminth parasites of the red fox () in south-eastern Europe (Romania): and , both widely distributed respiratory nematodes parasitic in various carnivores. Even though the life cycle and biology of the two nematodes follow a different pattern, both parasites appear to be co-distributed and often co-infect foxes with variable prevalences across their range. Between July 2016 and August 2018, 550 red foxes, were collected by hunters in different localities from 22 counties of Romania and examined by necropsy.

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Ticks are medically important vectors of infectious diseases that are able to transmit pathogens to humans and animals. Tick-borne diseases represent a major health concern, posing an increasing risk to the public health during the last century and affecting millions of people. The aim of the current study was to provide epidemiological data regarding the presence of certain tick-borne pathogens in ticks feeding on humans in Romania.

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Nematodes of genus Trichinella are wide-spread zoonotic parasites, able to infect a large variety of vertebrates. Animal hosts are usually regarded as asymptomatic carriers. However, there is little data regarding the functional consequences that T.

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Background: Small mammals play an important role in the life-cycle of ticks and are reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was to provide epidemiological data regarding the presence of Borrelia spp. in tissues of small mammals from Romania.

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