AUTHOR=Šikić Ana , Gagović Ema , Rojas Alicia , Sindičić Magda , Žilić Daria Jurković , Naletlić Šimun , Balić Davor , Hodžić Adnan , Beck Relja 

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1629099

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2025.1629099

ISSN=2297-1769

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.