New Insights on the Distribution of Setaria tundra: A Case Report from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Genetic Variation of the COX1 Gene

Filaroid nematode Setaria tundra is a parasite well adapted to cervids, especially to roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Adult forms are located in the abdominal cavity, and infections are usually asymptomatic. During 2024, a total od 31 carcasses of roe deer were examined in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). During gross pathologic examination nematodes were found in two cases and were identified as S. tundra by morphological and molecular analysis. In the Balkan region, this nematode has previously been described in Croatia and Serbia. This study represents the first report of S. tundra in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Genetic diversity parameters and neutrality tests of 50 cox1 sequences belonging to S. tundra from Europe indicate a genetic signature consistent with recent population expansion.