Pathoanatomical Changes in the Nasal Ways of Vulpes Vulpes L., 1758 Infected by Capillaria (Eucoleus) Boehmi Supperer, 1953

The infection by the nasal nematode Capillaria (Eucoleus) boehmi Supperer, 1953 has been recorded in foxes in North America, Europe, and in some regions of Russia including the Perm Kray. However, to date, a description of pathoanatomical changes in wild foxes has not been presented in scientific literature, which determines the relevance of this study. We carried out dissection of the carcasses of foxes killed by hunters or in road accidents. The nasal cavities were opened. Tissue samples were placed in a 10% neutral formaldehyde solution. The histological preparations were prepared in the UNIMvet veterinary laboratory using Leica equipment with hematoxylin-eosin staining, subsequent scanning and examination using DigitalPathology© software (Russia). Histological analysis demonstrated changes that characterized pronounced, inactive, eosinophilic, plasmacytic rhinitis. The lamina propria was weakly infiltrated with lymphocytes. The absence of goblet cells was observed. Around the fragments of helminths, the tissues had pronounced swelling and were heavily infiltrated with eosinophils, plasma cells, and, to a lesser extent, lymphocytes and mastocytes. Such changes characterized a pronounced chronic inflammatory reaction development in foxes with a predominance of eosinophils and plasma cells that indicated an allergic component.