A coprological survey of parasitic fauna firstly in Wild Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)

A coprological survey of parasitic fauna firstly in Wild Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research article A coprological survey of parasitic fauna firstly in Wild Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) zhijun hou, Zhiwei Peng, Yao Ning, Guangshun Jiang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background：The Amur leopard, one of nine recently recognized subspecies of leopard, is still most threatened in a stochastic procession of extinction. The potential harmless to the conservation of the Amur leopard originating from the disease is in need of urgent attention. Unfortunately, the research on the potential risk to Amur leopard caused by disease is rare. When the parasites were concerned, even the elementary data, such as parasitic fauna, are absent. Our aim in the study is to accumulate the knowledge of it for a better comprehension. Results: There are 7 parasite species, including 3 nematodes (Toxocara cati, capillarid-type parasite, and Metastrongyloidea-type parasite), 2 cestodes (Spirometra sp. and Taenia sp.), 1 trematode (Paragonimus sp.), and 1 protozoa (Cystoisospora felis), were found in this research. The Toxocara cati was highest frequent occurrence, followed by Spirometra sp. Conclusion: The Amur leopard was infected by seven parasites firstly reported. Small Animal Medicine Large Animal Medicine Amur leopard Panthera pardus orientalis parasitic fauna Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Background The leopard ( Panthera pardus ) is a solitary, reclusive species of big feline. It is also the most widespread felid, extending across much of Africa, and Asia from the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean, acting substantial functions for the ecosystems [1]. The Far Eastern leopard ( Panthera pardus orientalis ), also known as the Amur leopard, is one of nine recently recognized subspecies of leopard, whose population and geographic range drastic declining and has lost as much as 98% of their historic range due to the habitat modification, prey depletion, and poaching [2] [3]. Until the two subpopulation of Amur leopard in northern of Primorski Krai disappeared by 1985, the one of the present study becomes only single subpopulation in the planet (Pikunov and Korkishko, 1985) [3]. The subpopulation reside in the region occupying approximately 7,000 km 2 , it is around the borders of the Northeast of China, the extreme southwest of the Primorskii krai (the Far East of Russian), and the extreme north of North Korea [2] [3] [4]. Although the numbers of it is increases in recently [1], however, the Amur leopards on the whole are as few as about 60 individuals[2].As the Amur leopard still is most threatened in a stochastic procession of extinction[5], it is currently classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora [2] [1]. Along with the attention paid on the Amur leopard increasing, a few researches are taken on the ecology with population, potential supporting prey, habitat situation, distribution, and genetic diversity[6] [1] [7] [4], however, little research on the disease is made. As the diseases have lethality adverse to protection of the wild Amur tiger [8], it reminds us that the situation of Amur leopard is likely with Amur tiger or even worse because it is a small, single population. Therefore, the potential harmless to the conservation of the Amur leopard originating from the disease is in need of urgent attention. Unfortunately, the research on the potential risk to Amur leopard caused by disease is rare. When the parasites were concerned, even the elementary data, such as parasitic fauna, are absent. Our aim in the study is to accumulate the knowledge of it for a better comprehension. Results There are 7 parasite species, including 3 nematodes, 2 cestodes, 1 trematode, and 1 protozoa, were found in this research (see Table 1, Fig. 1). The appearing frequency, infect intensities, and parasite egg sizes were show in the Table 1. The morphology characteristic of parasite eggs was show in Fig. 2. The Toxocara cati was higher prevalence, followed by Spirometra sp. Discussion The Toxocara cati is a worldwide parasite of felids, and it is very popular in the both captured and wild Siberian tigers [9-11]. Our research indicates that the Toxocara cati also is a common parasite in wild Amur leopard with a high frequency of 61.9%. In general, the Amur tiger, nearly completely sympatric with Amur leopard, could infect two kinds of roundworm, Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonine . For the captured tiger, both of them are very popular, whereas Toxascaris leonine is rare in the wild Amur tigers [9-11]. The situation of Amur leopard is little difference in Amur leopard as there no Toxascaris leonine was found in the wild population in current study. The capillarid type parasites are wildly distributed in the domestic and wild carnivores, and there are four speicies, including Eucoleus aerophilus (syn. Capillaria aerophila ), Aonchotheca putorii (syn. Capillaria putorii ), Eucoleus boehmi , and Calodium hepaticum (syn. Calpillaria hepatica , Hepaticola hepatica ), have been recorded in felines [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]. The capillarid type parasites in this research were identified as Eucoleus aerophilus or Aonchotheca putorii by the characteristics of eggs [14] [17]. Eucoleus aerophilus is a globally distributed parasite among various wild carnivorous mammals, and resides embedded in host’s epithelium of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles of the lungs. Usually, the pathogenicity of it is considered subclinical with respiratory distress coughing and wheezing, may be the clinical presentations in heavily infected hosts [15]. Aonchotheca putorii is a parasitic nematode of the stomach and small intestines of many wild mammals, and causes severe gastric, associated with a gastric ulcer and secondary anemia [16]. What special species the parasite is need a molecular identification in future. Troglostrongylus brevior (Metastrongyloidea, Crenosomatidae) and Aelurostrongilus abstrusus (Metastrongyloidea, Angiostrongylidae) are two important feline lungworms [18] [19]. The A. abstrusus is a common nematode of domestic cats, with a widespread and worldwide distribution [18] [20]. While T. brevior have been regarded as infected the wild feline only and been neglected for a long time until some domestic cat infestation cases were reported in recently [19] [21] [22], and it was always thought distributed limited around Mediterranean Europe [23]. The adult worms of A. abstrusus is localized in the alveolar ducts and the bronchioles and it can cause respiratory signs like cough, dyspnea, pulmonary wheezes, chronic wasting, and a considerable impact on the healthy and welfare [18]. T. brevior also localizes in the host’s respiratory system , and can cause cough, dsypnea, severe respiratory distress, and a fatal outcome in kitten [19] [21]. The wild felids have been thought was more susceptible host for T. brevior than domestic cat, and it occurrences in domestic cats is regarded as atypical, yet it needs more reliable evidence to confirm [19]. In current study, the larvae was recognized as T. brevior based on the larvae morphology such as the tail characteristic and body size, and the epidemiological endemic, such as T. brevior was always present in the wild feline, the wildcats may be the natural hosts of T. brevior . However, A. abstrusus could not be excluded as they overlap the features of L1 (the first stage of larvae, the diagnostic stage of A. abstrusus and T. brevior ) [21] [22] [23] [19]. The Spirometra spp., a Pseudophyllidae tapeworm, occupies the intestine of feline and canine definitive hos. The first intermediate host for the parasite is copepod and the second one always are amphibians, reptiles like frogs (tadpole) and snakes [24] [25]. The domestic cat and dog are frequent with high Spirometra spp. infestation [25], while wild carnivores were ones sporadically [26] [27]. As far as the wild felines were concerned, the Panthera leo [28], Lynx lynx [24], leopardus pardalis [26], Lynx rufus , Oncifelis guigna , Puma concolor , Panthera onca , [27] and Panthera tigris [11] have been found positive with Spirometra spp. Some wild carnivores also could be as the paratenic hosts with the stage of spargana, such as Meles meles , Erinaceus europeaus , Martes foina , Mustela putorius , Mus decumanus , Mustela lutreola , Neovison vison , Lutra lutra , Nyctereutes procyonoides , Mustela ermine , Mustela nivalis , and Sorex araneus [29], and most of them were the prey of the leopard. Therefore, it is not strange that the parasite also could found in the Amur leopard with a high frequency of Spirometra spp. (38.1%). Taenie spp., cosmopolitan parasitic tapeworms in animal medicine, including about 45 species, lives on the small intestine of carnivorous mammals, where they complete development to adults and reproduce [30]. Given the Taenie species of feline host, fourteen could take feline as the final host, such as Taenia laticollis , T. omissa , T. taeniaeformis (Syn. H. taeniaeformis ) [30] (Loos-Frank, 2000). The herbivorous and omnivorous always are the intermediate hosts, in which the metacestode inhabits and develops to the stage could infect the final host. A predator-prey relationship between the definitive and intermediate hosts maintains the transmission of Taenia spp. The felids, including Lynx lynx , Lynx rufus , Lynx Canadensis , Puma concolor , Felis margarita , Panthera leo , Panthera tigris , and Felis catus have been found Taenie spp. could occurred in them [30] [31] [32] [33] [11] [34] . Amur leopard, a big size cat, Holarctic felid, preys on a wide range of mammals, but it’s overwhelming majority of diets were roe deer (up to 66%), wild boars (up to 8%), Siberian musk deer (up to 9%), and sika deer (up to 6%)[7]. Therefore, Amur leopard was involved in the life cycles of Taenia sp is not out anticipation. Although it could be concluded that Taenia worms infected the Amur leopard based on presenting the distinctly Taenia eggs, developed larva with 3 pairs of hooks, and surrounded by a thick and striated shell, however, it is difficult to discriminate the Taenia species only based on the morphological characteristics of the eggs as all species of Taenia genus share those special characteristics. The Paragonimus spp., lung flukes, are trematodes that parasitize the lungs of mammal animals like Carnivores, the major definitive host. The first intermediate hosts are snails, in which the myracidium lives, and the second intermediate hosts are crustaceans, crabs or crayfishes, where the metacercariae resides. The definitive hosts become infected by eating raw or under-cooked second intermediate hosts or by eating under-cooked meat of paratenic hosts, such as wild boar and sika deer, which contains juvenile worms[35] [36] [37]. The latter route seems to be more important in Amur leopard, as it always take the wild boar, sika deer and roe deer as food other than crustaceans [7]. There are about fifty nominal Paragonimus species, meanwhile, over half of them have been found in China, one of the major endemic foci of paragonimiasis in the world. Two of them, P. westermani and P. skrjabini , known zoonotic parasites, are more commonly or focused in China. Although most of Paragonimus spp. occur in tropical and subtropical regions, however, two species, P. westermani and P. ohirai , extend far into temperate latitudes of China [35]. The P. westermani , the only one, converges the habitats of the Amur leopards. Although twenty of them were found within the cat, while only seven of them, including P. westermani , were found in wild felines [35]. For P. westermani , it was initially recognized from a Bengal Tiger at the Amsterdam zoological gardens, which migrated from Asia. Thereafter, other seven feline hosts, including felis catus , Catopuma temminckii , Neofelis nebulosa , Panthera pardus , Prionailurus bengalensis , Prionailurus planiceps , and Prionailurus rubiginosus , found could be infected by P. westermani [35]. The trematode of Amur leopard was easily identified as paragonimus with the features of the eggs, the distantly shoulders or opercular ridges which are useful for differentiating Paragonimus eggs from the large operculate eggs of other trematodes [38]. For the specific Paragonimus species discrimination, with a high degree certainty, it was the P. westermani based on the epidemiological data, such as the parasite’s endemic region and host species recorded in the past. However, it is not sufficient to deny the possibility of the other Paragonimus spp. without molecular evidence. There are only two coccidian species, Cystoisospora felis (syn. Isopora felis ) and C. rivolta (syn. Isopora rivolta ), in cats. The typical symptom of Cystoisospora was diarrhea in kittens, occasionall mortality for C. Felis [39]. The egg size of C. felis (32–53×26-43 μm) is much bigger than C. rivolta (18–25 x 16–23 μm) [39], so it was certainly identified that the coccidian species from Amur leopard as the C. felis based on the eggs sizes. Until now, with the Amur leopard together, those wild felines, including Panthera tigris , Panthera leo , Panthera pardus , Lynx rufus , and Felis silvestris , have been found infected C. felis [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44]. Traditionally, the C. felis was thought transmitted by oral uptake of oocysts without intermediate host, but this was obviously impracticable for wild Amur leopard as their population density are much lower that domestic felines. Therefore, paratenic host must play an important role in transmission of C. felis . Actually, based on the results of bioassay studies, the animals like dog, cattle, pig, mice, and rabbit may act as paratenic host for Cystoisospora has been discussed in the past[39]. The wild Amur leopards, a solitary, reclusive species, its life history, living environment, and food have a big difference with the domestic cat. So, the parasite of it, especial the nematodes without intermediate host, must have optional ways instead of the traditional oral-feces route. Considered the paratenic host, which always in the food-chain of the big carnivore, is a necessary actor in parasite distribution among wild Amur leopard will not be too seriously. With the instance of the parasites without intermediate host in the present study, Toxocara cati , capillarid-type , Metastrongyloidea-type, and Cystoisospora felis , all of them are suspected taking paratenic host for their transmission [45]. The non-invasive sampling approach, based on collection of scats in the environment, is extraordinary favorable for epidemiological studies on wild carnivore animals, and necessary when protected species are investigated without interfering in the existing structure of the population. However, the study based on mostly scats collected in the environment did not allow the individual animal identification and some stool samples belonged to the same animal cannot be exclude. Therefore, the term frequency was used instead of prevalence to describe the proportion of parasite infections in this research [46]. Conclusion The Amur leopard were infected by seven parasites firstly reported. Methods The research was carried in the Northeast of China, and most samples were collected in the Wangqing National Nature Reserve (Fig.2). After permission was granted by local government, 42 fecal samples were collected opportunistically from the ground in the areas where Amur leopards resided from 2013-2015. The samples were collected in winter to early spring, in that time the local temperature is absolutely below 0 ℃. The samples were stored in -80 ℃ frozen after back to the laboratory. Parasitic eggs were separate with saturated solution of sodium chloride as the floating medium and identified based on the morphological characteristics with the microscope mechanic, infection intensity was determined by the modified McMaster technique, the detective limitation is 60 n/g [47]. Declaration Abbreviations Not applicable Ethics approval and consent to participate Collecting the feces samples from the wild Amur leopard was approved by the local government agents. Consent for publication Not applicable Availability of data and materials All the data and materials used in this report are included in the manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding This study was supported by the following Grants: National Key Research and Development Program (project 2017YFD0501702), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2572018BE07) and Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases from the State Forestry Administration of China. The funding body was solely involved in funding and had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, or in writing the manuscript. Authors’ contributions ZH designed the research and wrote the manuscript. ZP and YN collected the samples and isolated parasite eggs of the Amur Leopard. GJ helped in conceived of this work and participated in its design. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. 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Table Table 1 The fauna, eggs size, frequency and intensity of the parasite in Amur leopard Parasitic species Egg sizes μm frequency % Infection intensity EPG a Highest infection intensity EPG Toxocara cati 58×72 61.90 272.24 2790 Eucoleus aerophilus or Aonchotheca putorii 28×55 26.21% 20.33 300 Lungworm (Metastrongyloidea) 312×17 b 9.5% \ \ Spirometra sp. 42×70 38.10% 428.31 3510 Taenia sp. 30×32 2.4% \ \ Paragonimus sp. 54×76 2.4% \ \ Cystoisospora felis 38×44 2.4% \ \ Note：a Eggs Per Gram, EPG; b larva Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-2667","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":115593,"identity":"f055f44d-f520-441b-9ad4-00076e379885","order_by":1,"name":"zhijun hou","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAzklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAyBmZjBgA1IJjA8SKmpI08Js8ODMMWK1gEECm+TDFmbCWszZe4w/FxTwJW5nT39WkdjAxsDf3p2AV4tlzxkD4xkGbIk7ex6k3UjcIcMgcebsBvwOu5FjkMwD1LLhRsKxG4ln2BgMJHIJazkM0ZLYVpDYxkyUFsNmiJZkNgbitJw5VswM1GK84cwzZomEM8d4CPvlePPmzzx/jsluOJ7+8OOPiho5/vZe/FqgABGDPMQoBwEi0skoGAWjYBSMXAAAmmFKRzDbKgQAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7239-3347","institution":"Central South University of Forestry and Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"zhijun","middleName":"","lastName":"hou","suffix":""},{"id":115594,"identity":"ff4fea6f-0b7e-4e2b-a3fd-c77eb4f88361","order_by":2,"name":"Zhiwei Peng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Northeast Forestry University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhiwei","middleName":"","lastName":"Peng","suffix":""},{"id":115595,"identity":"38e9d7a7-5436-4363-8ee3-c511807c1645","order_by":3,"name":"Yao Ning","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Northeast Forestry University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yao","middleName":"","lastName":"Ning","suffix":""},{"id":115596,"identity":"ff290360-59b0-43c5-b3ae-2f5395c4c94d","order_by":4,"name":"Guangshun Jiang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Northeast Forestry University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Guangshun","middleName":"","lastName":"Jiang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2019-07-19 17:29:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":606307,"identity":"9565daae-7ca1-46d4-ae28-51032bf2abad","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2020-03-06 13:51:55","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":502328,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"The eggs morphology features of the parasites among Amur leopards\n2-1 Toxocara cati; 2-2 The capillarid type parasite; 2-3 Metastrongyloidea-lungworm; 2-4; Paragonimus sp.\n2-5 Spirometra sp.; 2-6 Taenia sp.; 2-7 Cystoisospora felis \nThe picture showed the morphological characteristic of the targeted parasite eggs.","description":"","filename":"Figure1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2667/v1/Figure 1.png"},{"id":606308,"identity":"377aae9e-5605-479b-bbaa-645a4bbfdf37","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2020-03-06 13:51:55","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1071115,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"The picture showed the site of the samples were collected, it was made by one author Dr Zhiwei Peng.","description":"","filename":"Figure2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2667/v1/Figure 2.png"},{"id":13468912,"identity":"f425400b-7538-44c3-a5ee-b64e3cb63977","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2021-09-16 21:00:20","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2164695,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-2667/v1/9ad72ace-f5b2-4326-94b2-b4dfaa832162.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"A coprological survey of parasitic fauna firstly in Wild Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe leopard (\u003cem\u003ePanthera pardus\u003c/em\u003e) is a solitary, reclusive species of big feline. It is also the most widespread felid, extending across much of Africa, and Asia from the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean, acting substantial functions for the ecosystems [1]. \u0026nbsp;The Far Eastern leopard (\u003cem\u003ePanthera pardus orientalis\u003c/em\u003e), also known as the Amur leopard, is one of nine recently recognized subspecies of leopard, whose population and geographic range drastic declining and has lost as much as 98% of their historic range due to the habitat modification, prey depletion, and poaching [2] [3]. Until the two subpopulation of Amur leopard in northern of Primorski Krai disappeared by 1985, the one of the present study becomes only single subpopulation in the planet (Pikunov and Korkishko, 1985) [3]. The subpopulation reside in the region occupying approximately 7,000 km\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e, it is around the borders of the Northeast of China, the extreme southwest of the Primorskii krai (the Far East of Russian), and the extreme north of North Korea [2] [3] [4]. Although the numbers of it is increases in recently [1], however, the Amur leopards on the whole are as few as about 60 individuals[2].As the Amur leopard still is most threatened in a stochastic procession of extinction[5], it is currently classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora \u0026nbsp;[2] [1].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong with the attention paid on the Amur leopard increasing, a few researches are taken on the ecology with population, potential supporting prey, habitat situation, distribution, and genetic diversity[6] [1] [7] [4], however, little research on the disease is made. As the diseases have lethality adverse to protection of the wild Amur tiger [8], it reminds us that the situation of Amur leopard is likely with Amur tiger or even worse because it is a small, single population. Therefore, the potential harmless to the conservation of the Amur leopard originating from the disease is in need of urgent attention. Unfortunately, the research on the potential risk to Amur leopard caused by disease is rare. When the parasites were concerned, even the elementary data, such as parasitic fauna, are absent. Our aim in the study is to accumulate the knowledge of it for a better comprehension.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThere are 7 parasite species, including 3 nematodes, 2 cestodes, 1 trematode, and 1 protozoa, were found in this research (see Table 1, Fig. 1). The appearing frequency, infect intensities, and parasite egg sizes were show in the Table 1. The morphology characteristic of parasite eggs was show in Fig. 2. The \u003cem\u003eToxocara cati\u003c/em\u003e was higher prevalence, followed by \u003cem\u003eSpirometra\u003c/em\u003e sp.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eToxocara cati\u003c/em\u003e is a worldwide parasite of felids, and it is very popular in the both captured and wild Siberian tigers [9-11]. Our research indicates that the \u003cem\u003eToxocara cati \u003c/em\u003ealso is a common parasite in wild Amur leopard with a high frequency of 61.9%. In general, the Amur tiger, nearly completely sympatric with Amur leopard, could infect two kinds of roundworm, \u003cem\u003eToxocara cati\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eToxascaris leonine\u003c/em\u003e. For the captured tiger, both of them are very popular, whereas \u003cem\u003eToxascaris leonine\u003c/em\u003e is rare in the wild Amur tigers [9-11]. The situation of Amur leopard is little difference in Amur leopard as there no \u003cem\u003eToxascaris leonine \u003c/em\u003ewas found in the wild population in current study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe capillarid type parasites are wildly distributed in the domestic and wild carnivores, and there are four speicies, including \u003cem\u003eEucoleus aerophilus \u003c/em\u003e(syn.\u003cem\u003e Capillaria aerophila\u003c/em\u003e), \u003cem\u003eAonchotheca putorii \u003c/em\u003e(syn. \u003cem\u003eCapillaria putorii\u003c/em\u003e), \u003cem\u003eEucoleus boehmi\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eCalodium hepaticum\u003c/em\u003e (syn. \u003cem\u003eCalpillaria hepatica\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHepaticola hepatica\u003c/em\u003e), have been recorded in felines [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]. The capillarid type parasites in this research were identified as \u003cem\u003eEucoleus aerophilus\u003c/em\u003e or \u003cem\u003eAonchotheca putorii\u003c/em\u003e by the characteristics of eggs [14] [17]. \u003cem\u003eEucoleus aerophilus\u003c/em\u003e is a globally distributed parasite among various wild carnivorous mammals, and resides embedded in host\u0026rsquo;s epithelium of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles of the lungs. Usually, the pathogenicity of it is considered subclinical with respiratory distress coughing and wheezing, may be the clinical presentations in heavily infected hosts [15]. \u003cem\u003eAonchotheca putorii\u003c/em\u003e is a parasitic nematode of the stomach and small intestines of many wild mammals, and causes severe gastric, associated with a gastric ulcer and secondary anemia [16]. What special species the parasite is need a molecular identification in future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTroglostrongylus brevior\u003c/em\u003e (Metastrongyloidea, Crenosomatidae) and\u003cem\u003e Aelurostrongilus abstrusus\u003c/em\u003e (Metastrongyloidea, Angiostrongylidae) are two important feline lungworms [18] [19]. The \u003cem\u003eA. abstrusus \u003c/em\u003eis a common nematode of domestic cats, with a widespread and worldwide distribution [18] [20]. While \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e have been regarded as infected the wild feline only and been neglected for a long time until some domestic cat infestation cases were reported in recently [19] [21] [22], and it was always thought distributed limited around Mediterranean Europe [23]. The adult worms of \u003cem\u003eA. abstrusus\u003c/em\u003e is localized in the alveolar ducts and the bronchioles and it can cause respiratory signs like cough, dyspnea, pulmonary wheezes, chronic wasting, and a considerable impact on the healthy and welfare [18]. \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e also localizes in the host\u0026rsquo;s respiratory system , and can cause cough, dsypnea, severe respiratory distress, and a fatal outcome in kitten [19] [21]. The wild felids have been thought was more susceptible host for \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e than domestic cat, and it occurrences in domestic cats is regarded as atypical, yet it needs more reliable evidence to confirm [19]. In current study, the larvae was recognized as \u003cem\u003eT. brevior \u003c/em\u003ebased on the larvae morphology such as the tail characteristic and body size, and the epidemiological endemic, such as \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e was always present in the wild feline, the wildcats may be the natural hosts of \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e. However, \u003cem\u003eA. abstrusus\u003c/em\u003e could not be excluded as they overlap the features of L1 (the first stage of larvae, the diagnostic stage of\u003cem\u003e A. abstrusus\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eT. brevior\u003c/em\u003e) [21] [22] [23] [19].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eSpirometra\u003c/em\u003e spp., a Pseudophyllidae tapeworm, occupies the intestine of feline and canine definitive hos. The first intermediate host for the parasite is copepod and the second one always are amphibians, reptiles like frogs (tadpole) and snakes [24] [25]. The domestic cat and dog are frequent with high\u003cem\u003e Spirometra\u003c/em\u003e spp. infestation [25], while wild carnivores were ones sporadically [26] [27]. As far as the wild felines were concerned, the \u003cem\u003ePanthera leo\u003c/em\u003e [28], \u003cem\u003eLynx lynx\u003c/em\u003e [24], \u003cem\u003eleopardus pardalis\u003c/em\u003e[26], \u003cem\u003eLynx rufus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eOncifelis guigna\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePuma concolor\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePanthera onca\u003c/em\u003e, [27] and \u003cem\u003ePanthera tigris \u003c/em\u003e[11] have been found positive with \u003cem\u003eSpirometra\u003c/em\u003e spp. Some wild carnivores also could be as the paratenic hosts with the stage of spargana, such as \u003cem\u003eMeles meles\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eErinaceus europeaus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMartes foina\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMustela putorius\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMus decumanus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMustela lutreola\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNeovison vison\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e Lutra lutra\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNyctereutes procyonoides\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMustela ermine\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMustela nivalis\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eSorex araneus\u003c/em\u003e [29], and most of them were the prey of the leopard. Therefore, it is not strange that the parasite also could found in the Amur leopard with a high frequency of \u003cem\u003eSpirometra\u003c/em\u003e spp. (38.1%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTaenie\u003c/em\u003e spp., cosmopolitan parasitic tapeworms in animal medicine, including about 45 species, lives on the small intestine of carnivorous mammals, where they complete development to adults and reproduce [30]. Given the \u003cem\u003eTaenie\u003c/em\u003e species of feline host, fourteen could take feline as the final host, such as\u003cem\u003e Taenia\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003elaticollis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eT. omissa\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e T. taeniaeformis \u003c/em\u003e(Syn.\u003cem\u003e H. taeniaeformis\u003c/em\u003e) [30] (Loos-Frank, 2000). The herbivorous and omnivorous always are the intermediate hosts, in which the metacestode inhabits and develops to the stage could infect the final host. A predator-prey relationship between the definitive and intermediate hosts maintains the transmission of\u003cem\u003e Taenia \u003c/em\u003espp. The felids, including \u003cem\u003eLynx lynx\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e Lynx rufus\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e Lynx Canadensis\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e Puma concolor\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e Felis margarita\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePanthera leo\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePanthera tigris\u003c/em\u003e, and\u003cem\u003e Felis catus\u003c/em\u003e have been found \u003cem\u003eTaenie\u003c/em\u003e spp. could occurred in them [30] [31] [32] [33] [11] [34] . Amur leopard, a big size cat, Holarctic felid, preys on a wide range of mammals, but it\u0026rsquo;s overwhelming majority of diets were roe deer (up to 66%), wild boars (up to 8%), Siberian musk deer (up to 9%), and sika deer (up to 6%)[7]. Therefore, Amur leopard was involved in the life cycles of \u003cem\u003eTaenia \u003c/em\u003esp is not out anticipation. Although it could be concluded that \u003cem\u003eTaenia\u003c/em\u003e worms infected the Amur leopard based on presenting the distinctly \u003cem\u003eTaenia \u003c/em\u003eeggs, developed larva with 3 pairs of hooks, and surrounded by a thick and striated shell, however, it is difficult to discriminate the\u003cem\u003e Taenia\u003c/em\u003e species only based on the morphological characteristics of the eggs as all species of \u003cem\u003eTaenia\u003c/em\u003e genus share those special characteristics.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e spp., lung flukes, are trematodes that parasitize the lungs of mammal animals like Carnivores, the major definitive host. The first intermediate hosts are snails, in which the myracidium lives, and the second intermediate hosts are crustaceans, crabs or crayfishes, where the metacercariae resides. The definitive hosts become infected by eating raw or under-cooked second intermediate hosts or by eating under-cooked meat of paratenic hosts, such as wild boar and sika deer, which contains juvenile worms[35] [36] [37]. The latter route seems to be more important in Amur leopard, as it always take the wild boar, sika deer and roe deer as food other than crustaceans [7].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are about fifty nominal \u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e species, meanwhile, over half of them have been found in China, one of the major endemic foci of paragonimiasis in the world. Two of them,\u003cem\u003e P. westermani \u003c/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e P. skrjabini\u003c/em\u003e, known zoonotic parasites, are more commonly or focused in China. Although most of\u003cem\u003e Paragonimus\u003c/em\u003e spp. occur in tropical and subtropical regions, however, two species,\u003cem\u003e P. westermani\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eP. ohirai\u003c/em\u003e, extend far into temperate latitudes of China [35]. The \u003cem\u003eP. westermani\u003c/em\u003e , the only one, converges the habitats of the Amur leopards. Although twenty of them were found within the cat, while only seven of them, including\u003cem\u003e P. westermani\u003c/em\u003e, were found in wild felines [35]. For \u003cem\u003eP. westermani\u003c/em\u003e, it was initially recognized from a Bengal Tiger at the Amsterdam zoological gardens, which migrated from Asia. Thereafter, other seven feline hosts, including \u003cem\u003efelis catus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCatopuma temminckii\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNeofelis nebulosa\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePanthera pardus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePrionailurus bengalensis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePrionailurus planiceps\u003c/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003ePrionailurus rubiginosus\u003c/em\u003e, found could be infected by \u003cem\u003eP. westermani \u003c/em\u003e[35]. The trematode of Amur leopard was easily identified as \u003cem\u003eparagonimus\u003c/em\u003e with the features of the eggs, the distantly shoulders or opercular ridges which are useful for differentiating \u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e eggs from the large operculate eggs of other trematodes [38]. For the specific \u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e species discrimination, with a high degree certainty, it was the \u003cem\u003eP. westermani\u003c/em\u003e based on the epidemiological data, such as the parasite\u0026rsquo;s endemic region and host species recorded in the past. However, it is not sufficient to deny the possibility of the other \u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e spp. without molecular evidence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are only two coccidian species, \u003cem\u003eCystoisospora\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003efelis\u003c/em\u003e (syn. \u003cem\u003eIsopora felis\u003c/em\u003e) and \u003cem\u003eC. rivolta \u003c/em\u003e(syn. \u003cem\u003eIsopora rivolta\u003c/em\u003e), in cats. The typical symptom of \u003cem\u003eCystoisospora\u003c/em\u003e was diarrhea in kittens, occasionall mortality for \u003cem\u003eC. Felis\u003c/em\u003e [39]. The egg size of \u003cem\u003eC. felis\u003c/em\u003e (32\u0026ndash;53\u0026times;26-43 \u0026mu;m) is much bigger than \u003cem\u003eC. rivolta \u003c/em\u003e(18\u0026ndash;25 x 16\u0026ndash;23 \u0026mu;m) [39], so it was certainly identified that the coccidian species from Amur leopard as the\u003cem\u003e C. felis \u003c/em\u003ebased on the eggs sizes. Until now, with the Amur leopard together, those wild felines, including \u003cem\u003ePanthera tigris\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePanthera leo\u003c/em\u003e , \u003cem\u003ePanthera pardus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLynx rufus\u003c/em\u003e, and\u003cem\u003e Felis silvestris\u003c/em\u003e, have been found infected \u003cem\u003eC. felis\u003c/em\u003e [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44]. Traditionally, the \u003cem\u003eC. felis\u003c/em\u003e was thought transmitted by oral uptake of oocysts without intermediate host, but this was obviously impracticable for wild Amur leopard as their population density are much lower that domestic felines. Therefore, paratenic host must play an important role in transmission of \u003cem\u003eC. felis\u003c/em\u003e. Actually, based on the results of bioassay studies, the animals like dog, cattle, pig, mice, and rabbit may act as paratenic host for \u003cem\u003eCystoisospora\u003c/em\u003e has been discussed in the past[39].\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wild Amur leopards, a solitary, reclusive species, its life history, living environment, and food have a big difference with the domestic cat. So, the parasite of it, especial the nematodes without intermediate host, must have optional ways instead of the traditional oral-feces route. Considered the paratenic host, which always in the food-chain of the big carnivore, is a necessary actor in parasite distribution among wild Amur leopard will not be too seriously. With the instance of the parasites without intermediate host in the present study, \u003cem\u003eToxocara cati\u003c/em\u003e, capillarid-type , Metastrongyloidea-type, and\u003cem\u003e Cystoisospora\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003efelis\u003c/em\u003e, all of them are suspected taking paratenic host for their transmission [45].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe non-invasive sampling approach, based on collection of scats in the environment, is extraordinary favorable for epidemiological studies on wild carnivore animals, and necessary when protected species are investigated without interfering in the existing structure of the population. However, the study based on mostly scats collected in the environment did not allow the individual animal identification and some stool samples belonged to the same animal cannot be exclude. Therefore, the term frequency was used instead of prevalence to describe the proportion of parasite infections in this research [46].\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe Amur leopard were infected by seven parasites firstly reported.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe research was carried in the Northeast of China, and most samples were collected in the Wangqing National Nature Reserve (Fig.2). After permission was granted by local government, 42 fecal samples were collected opportunistically from the ground in the areas where Amur leopards resided from 2013-2015. The samples were collected in winter to early spring, in that time the local temperature is absolutely below 0 ℃. The samples were stored in -80 ℃ frozen after back to the laboratory. Parasitic eggs were separate with saturated solution of sodium chloride as the floating medium and identified based on the morphological characteristics with the microscope mechanic, infection intensity was determined by the modified McMaster technique, the detective limitation is 60 n/g [47]. \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declaration","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbbreviations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCollecting the feces samples from the wild Amur leopard was approved by the local government agents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the data and materials used in this report are included in the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was supported by the following Grants: National Key Research and Development Program (project 2017YFD0501702), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2572018BE07) and Surveillance of Wildlife Diseases from the State Forestry Administration of China. The funding body was solely involved in funding and had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, or in writing the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZH designed the research and wrote the manuscript. ZP and YN collected the samples and isolated parasite eggs of the Amur Leopard. GJ helped in conceived of this work and participated in its design. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe thank Prof. Douglas Bowman Dwight and Dr. Araceli Lucio-Forste of Cornell University for their assistance in parasite identification and some valuable scientific suggestions on this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJacobson AP, Gerngross P, Lemeris JR, Jr., Schoonover RF, Anco C, Breitenmoser-Wursten C, Durant SM, Farhadinia MS, Henschel P, Kamler JF\u003cem\u003e et al\u003c/em\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003eLeopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range\u003c/strong\u003e. \u003cem\u003ePeerJ \u003c/em\u003e2016, \u003cstrong\u003e4\u003c/strong\u003e:e1974.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSulikhan NS, Gilbert M, Blidchenko EY, Naidenko SV, Ivanchuk GV, Gorpenchenko TY, Alshinetskiy MV, Shevtsova EI, Goodrich JM, Lewis JCM\u003cem\u003e et al\u003c/em\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003eCanine Distemper Virus in a Wild Far Eastern Leopard ( Panthera Pardus Orientalis)\u003c/strong\u003e. \u003cem\u003eJournal of wildlife diseases \u003c/em\u003e2018, \u003cstrong\u003e54\u003c/strong\u003e(1):170-174.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMark Hebblewhite, Dale G. 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Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell; 2012.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGori F, Armua-Fernandez MT, Milanesi P, Serafini M, Magi M, Deplazes P, Macchioni F: \u003cstrong\u003eThe occurrence of taeniids of wolves in Liguria (northern Italy)\u003c/strong\u003e. \u003cem\u003eInternational journal for parasitology Parasites and wildlife \u003c/em\u003e2015, \u003cstrong\u003e4\u003c/strong\u003e(2):252-255.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNwosu CO, Madu PP, Richards WS: \u003cstrong\u003ePrevalence and seasonal changes in the population of gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants in the semi-arid zone of north-eastern Nigeria\u003c/strong\u003e. \u003cem\u003eVeterinary parasitology \u003c/em\u003e2007, \u003cstrong\u003e144\u003c/strong\u003e(1-2):118-124.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Table","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable 1 The fauna, eggs size, frequency and intensity of the parasite in Amur leopard\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"598\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParasitic species\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEgg sizes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026mu;m\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003efrequency\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInfection intensity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEPG\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighest infection intensity EPG\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eToxocara cati\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e58\u0026times;72\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e61.90\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e272.24\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2790\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEucoleus aerophilus or Aonchotheca putorii\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e28\u0026times;55\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26.21%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20.33\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLungworm\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Metastrongyloidea)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e312\u0026times;17\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSpirometra\u003c/em\u003e sp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e42\u0026times;70\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38.10%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e428.31\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3510\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTaenia\u003c/em\u003e sp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e30\u0026times;32\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eParagonimus\u003c/em\u003e sp.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e54\u0026times;76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"151\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCystoisospora\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003efelis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"79\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38\u0026times;44\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"85\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"113\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"170\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\\\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote：a Eggs Per Gram, EPG;\u0026nbsp; b larva\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Amur leopard; Panthera pardus orientalis; parasitic fauna ","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Background：The Amur leopard, one of nine recently recognized subspecies of leopard, is still most threatened in a stochastic procession of extinction. The potential harmless to the conservation of the Amur leopard originating from the disease is in need of urgent attention. Unfortunately, the research on the potential risk to Amur leopard caused by disease is rare. When the parasites were concerned, even the elementary data, such as parasitic fauna, are absent. Our aim in the study is to accumulate the knowledge of it for a better comprehension.\nResults: There are 7 parasite species, including 3 nematodes (Toxocara cati, capillarid-type parasite, and Metastrongyloidea-type parasite), 2 cestodes (Spirometra sp. and Taenia sp.), 1 trematode (Paragonimus sp.), and 1 protozoa (Cystoisospora felis), were found in this research. The Toxocara cati was highest frequent occurrence, followed by Spirometra sp.\nConclusion: The Amur leopard was infected by seven parasites firstly reported.","manuscriptTitle":"A coprological survey of parasitic fauna firstly in Wild Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2019-07-23 21:21:22","doi":"10.21203/rs.2.11851/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9b4d2809-958e-413f-aa0f-607041967895","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 23rd, 2019","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":17893,"name":"Small Animal Medicine"},{"id":17894,"name":"Large Animal Medicine"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2019-07-23 21:21:22","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-2667","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"identity":"rs-2667","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"WrCJVZZCHTDjtuVLN7oU0","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}