First molecular and histopathological evidence of Mesocestoides Vogae in a golden jackal in Caspian sea littoral of Iran.

BACKGROUND

Mesocestoides vogae is a pathogenic cyclophyllidean cestode with a complex three-host lifecycle. While reports of Mesocestoides spp. in wild carnivores exist globally, molecular confirmation in golden jackals (Canis aureus) from the Middle East remains scarce.

METHODS

In June 2024, a road-killed male golden jackal was recovered from the Caspian Sea littoral of Iran. Necropsy revealed peritoneal cysts consistent with tetrathyridia. Histopathological evaluation using Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) staining confirmed features characteristic of Mesocestoides spp. larvae. For molecular identification, DNA was extracted and a partial fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using primers JB3 and JB4.5. Phylogenetic analysis was performed in MEGA11 using the maximum likelihood method with the GTR + G + I model and 1000 bootstrap replications, including COI sequences of different Mesocestoides spp. available in GenBank.

RESULTS

The COI sequence showed 99.5% identity with M. vogae isolates from Europe. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the obtained sequence (PV290066) clustered with M. vogae isolates from Japan. Histopathology revealed chronic inflammation with fibroplasia and mononuclear infiltration around viable tetrathyridia.

CONCLUSION

This study establishes the first confirmed molecular and histopathological detection of M. vogae in a golden jackal in Iran. This finding is significant for wildlife health, as it confirms the golden jackal's role in the parasite's transmission cycle within the Caspian littoral ecosystem. Consequently, these results highlight the critical need for integrated surveillance programs at the wildlife-domestic animal interface to monitor the spread and impact of this parasite on regional wildlife populations.