A recent study uncovered the first known case of fatal babesiosis in a wild Iberian wolf in northern Spain. The wolf was co-infected with Babesia canis, Hepatozoon canis, and Leishmania infantum—a rare and deadly combination. Post-mortem analysis revealed severe organ damage, with B. canis identified as the primary cause of death. An extended survey of 91 wolves found high prevalence rates of H. canis (96.3%) and L. infantum (23.8%), even in regions previously considered non-endemic. Other co-infections have also been described in this new article issued in the International Journal of Parasitology: Parasites & Wildlife.

These findings highlight the role of wolves as indicators of ecosystem health and the growing threat of vector-borne diseases in wildlife due to environmental change.

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