The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), an apex predator with an omnipresent distribution in the Arctic, is a potential source of intestinal parasites that may endanger people and pet animals such as dogs, thus posing a health risk. Non-invasive methods, such as coprology, are often the only option when studying wildlife parasitic fauna. However, the detection and identification of parasites are significantly enhanced when used in combination with methods of molecular biology. Using both approaches, we identified unicellular and multicellular parasites in faeces of arctic foxes and carcasses of sibling voles (Microtus levis) in Svalbard, where molecular methods are used for the first time. Six new species were detected in the arctic fox in Svalbard, Eucoleus aerophilus, Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, Eimeria spp., and Enterocytozoon bieneusi, the latter never found in the arctic fox species before. In addition, only one parasite was found in the sibling vole in Svalbard, the Cryptosporidium alticolis, which has never been detected in Svalbard before.

• MeSH
• Ancylostomatoidea isolation & purification   MeSH
• Arvicolinae parasitology   MeSH
• Helminths isolation & purification   MeSH
• Cryptosporidium isolation & purification   MeSH
• Animals, Wild parasitology   MeSH
• Eimeria isolation & purification   MeSH
• Feces parasitology   MeSH
• Nematoda isolation & purification   MeSH
• Foxes parasitology   MeSH
• Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic veterinary   MeSH
• Dogs MeSH
• Toxocara canis isolation & purification   MeSH
• Trichuris isolation & purification   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Dogs MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Arctic Regions MeSH
• Svalbard MeSH