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First record of Physaloptera sp. in Eastern Coyotes (Canis latrans) from Pennsylvania, USA

Eastern Coyotes (Canis latrans) have rapidly expanded through the North-Eastern United States and are frequently seen not only in rural or uninhabited spaces, but also in urban areas. Consequently, interactions between Eastern Coyotes, humans, and domesticated animals are now common. This may pose a real threat to human health as numerous endoparasites that infect canids may have the potential to be hosted by humans. The stomachs of one hundred and ninety-three Eastern Coyotes, representing twenty-four counties, were collected from hunts between 2009 and 2012 in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. and examined for parasites. Sixty-one endoparasite individuals were found in Blair, Clearfield, Dauphin, Erie, Lehigh, Snyder, and Somerset counties. Specimens were relaxed and cleared using standard protocols and compared to a pictorial atlas for identification (University of Pennsylvania, Diagnosis of Veterinary Endoparasitic Infections Index). Identification confirms the presence of Physaloptera rara and Ackertia marmotae. This represents the first record of Physaloptera rara in Eastern Coyotes in Pennsylvania.