The First Identification of in the Raccoon Dog ( in Romania.

spp. are nematodes distributed throughout the world that affect an impressive number of host animals (mammals, birds, and reptiles) involved in the evolution of two cycles, the domestic and the sylvatic. The raccoon dog () is an omnivorous mammal with great ecological plasticity. The expansion of the raccoon dog in Europe is associated with the risk of the introduction and spread of different pathogens, especially zoonotic ones (). Currently, the raccoon dog's range in Romania is limited to the Danube Delta area, the Lower Danube Meadow, and the Prut Meadow. The aim of this study was to examine the presence of larvae isolated from the muscles of raccoon dog from six hunting funds of Giurgeni, Ialomița County, Romania. The muscle samples were examined via artificial digestion, and the obtained larvae were processed via multiplex PCR. The PCR-amplified ESV and ITS1 DNA fragments were then sequenced for species confirmation. The species , which is the most common species identified in wild carnivores in temperate zones, was confirmed. Although has been reported in several host animals in Romania, this case report confirms its presence in the raccoon dog for the first time.