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Table S3. Individual taeniosis cases identified in case reports in eastern Europe available from 1990 to 2017. Table S4. Aggregated taeniosis cases reported in documents (authorities’ reports, epidemiological bulletins, national registries and publications) identified in eastern Europe available from 1990 to 2017. Table S5. Taeniosis prevalence data reported in epidemiological studies published between 1990–2017. Table S6. Individual human cysticercosis cases identified in case reports in eastern Europe (1990–2017). Table S7. Aggregated human cysticercosis cases identified in case reports and publications in eastern Europe (1990–2017). Table S8. Porcine cysticercosis cases identified and reported during meat inspection in case reports and publications in eastern Europe (1990–2017). Table S9. Bovine cysticercosis cases identified and reported during meat inspection in case reports and publications in eastern Europe (1990–2017). (DOCX 207 kb)

PRISMA checklist. (PDF 68 kb)

Deer fascioloidosis is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by the non-native trematode Fascioloides magna. Infections of red deer with F. magna in Croatia have been reported for the first time in 2000 in the Baranja region. Subsequently, the disease spread throughout the Eastern parts of the country, involving all 3 deer species (red, roe, and fallow) and mouflons. Within the disease control programme (DCP), livers from all shot deer were thoroughly analysed and all detected trematodes and gross lesions were counted and categorized. Prevalence of positive animals, in this study for Spačva region, in the period ranging from 2007 to 2011 was 36.42% (46.39% when fawns are not considered). Epidemiological analysis was applied to evaluate risk factors and disease patterns at the population level with the aim to understand factors with negative influence on therapeutic effect. Each demographic variable was tested at the seasonal, individual and location level. Model for pathological lesions suggested that the likelihood of lesions was dependent on age (p=0.003). We did not find any locality or sex related significant differences. Finally, environmental characteristics and migratory patterns were analysed using Geographic Information System (GIS) and showed that Spačva region represents an epidemiological unit for red deer fascioloidosis.

Country sheets template. (PDF 81 kb)

Reports on the parasitic fauna of wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) are rare and often based on a small sample size, therefore the goal of this research was to investigate the prevalence of endoparasites in wildcats in Croatia. Necropsy was conducted on 34 adult wildcats killed in traffic or provided by hunters following regular hunting operations. All animals tested negative for rabies. The contents of the stomach and intestine were examined under a microscope. Feces from the rectum were analyzed using flotation with a saturated ZnSO4 solution, while the diaphragm was examined using artificial digestion. Direct immunofluorescence was used for the first time to detect Giardia sp. cysts in wildcats. All animals were infected with at least one species of parasites, while the most diverse infestation included six different species of parasites in a single animal. The following parasite species were found (% of prevalence of adult parasites and their developmental stages in all analyzed samples): Taenia taeniaeformis (55.9%), Capillaria sp. (50%), Toxocara cati (50%), Isospora sp. (29.4%), Strongyloides sp. (23.5%), Giardia sp. (17.6%), Ancylostoma tubaeformae (14.7%), Physaloptera sp. (11.8%), Hymenolepididae (8.8%), Alaria alata (5.9%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (5.9%), Toxascaris leonina (5.9%), Trichinella sp. (5.9%), Mesocestoides lineatus (5.9%), Anoplocephalidae (2.9%), Dipylidium caninum (2.9%), Trichuris sp. (2.9%), Isospora felis (2.9%), Eimeria sp. (2.9%) and Sarcocystis sp. (2.9%). Among those, Eimeria sp., Trichuris sp. eggs, anoplocephalid and hymenolepidid type eggs are spurious parasites, coming from ingested prey. Four of the identified species have never been previously reported in wildcats - Giardia sp., Strongyloides sp., Sarcocystis sp. and Dipylidium caninum.

Reports on the parasitic fauna of wild cats (Felis silvestris) are rare and often based on a small sample size. Our goal was to investigate the prevalence of parasites associated to gastrointestinal tract in wild cats in Croatia. Necropsy was conducted on 22 adult wild cats, killed in traffic or hunting. All animals were tested negative for rabies. Content of the stomach and intestine was examined under microscope. Feces from the rectum were analyzed using flotation in saturated ZnSO4 solution (S.G.1.8) while diaphragm was examined using artificial digestion. Direct immunoflorescence was used to detect Giardia spp. cysts. All animals were infected with at least one species of parasites (four cats were infected with only one species), while the most diverse infestation included six different species of parasites in a single cat. The following parasite species were found (% of prevalence of adult parasites and their developmental stages in all analyzed samples): Capillaria spp. (59.1%), Taenia taeniaeformis (54.5%), Toxocara cati (54.5%), Strongyloides spp. (31.8%), Isospora spp. (31.8%), Physaloptera spp. (18.2%), Giardia spp. (18.2%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (9.1%), Hymenolepis spp. (9.1%), Trichinela spp. (9.1%), Alaria alata (4.5%), Dipylidium caninum (4.5%), Anoplocephala spp. (4.5%), Eimeria spp. (4.5%) and Trichuris spp. (4.5%). Eimeria spp. oocists, Anoplocephala spp. and Hymenolepis spp. eggs came from the prey eaten by the cat. Capillaria spp. is a frequent parasite of birds, suggesting that finding of their eggs in wild cat’s intestine are probably result of cat’s preying upon birds. This is a first description of Physaloptera spp. in wild cats in Croatia.