Metastrongyloid lungworm infections in pets, but also in wild animals, are characterized by individually varying degrees of cardiovascular und pulmonary symptoms, but can also cause a mild or subclinical course. These parasites have come into focus in recent years, since increasing prevalence und cases of disease have been reported in animals and humans. Furthermore, autochthonous lungworm infections recently occurred in previously undescribed regions and endemic areas are expanding. Thus, it was reported that these nematodes are spreading in Europe and South America. So far, the reasons behind this phenomenon are unclear und probably multifactorial. However, the obligate intermediate host population, consisting of terrestrial gastropods, may play an important role. Therefore, in the present work, intermediate host populations (terrestrial snails/slugs) und definitive host populations (Eurasian lynxes und domestic dogs) in different regions (Germany, Macaronesia und Colombia) were tested for the presence of lungworm infections. An epidemiological study was carried out in snail populations from the Canary Islands, Macaronesian Archipelago. Recently, the zoonotic rat lungworm (A. cantonensis) was found to be present on the island of Teneriffa. In the current work, gastropods from Teneriffa und other islands of the archipelago were analysed for lungworm species for the first time. Slug (P. lamarckii) und snail (C. aspersum, T. pisana, R. decollata) species were collected from six islands und artificially digested to study lungworm infections. In addition to A. cantonensis, A. vasorum und A. abstrusus infections were found in gastropod samples. The latter are veterinary relevant parasites und were here described for the first time for the islands of Teneriffa und El Hierro. In addition, terrestrial slugs (Arion spp., D. reticulatum, L. maximus) originating from selected locations in the federal states of Bavaria und Baden-Württemberg, Germany, were examined for lungworm infections in summer and autumn 2018. In total, 11.6 % (60/517) of the snails were infected with A. vasorum, 1.7 % (9/517) with A. abstrusus, 0.8 % (4/517) with C. vulpis und 1.0 % (5/517) tested positive for T. brevior. A hyperendemic focus of canine angiostrongylosis was identified in Obrigheim (Baden-Württemberg). Here, gastropod infection rates increased from 13.6 % (17/125) to 63.0 % (34/54) within a few months. Molecular analyses showed for the first time that T. brevior-infected Arion spp. slugs indeed are present in Baden-Württemberg. The current data confirm that A. vasorum infection occur in hyperendemic foci und can be associated with high infection rates in intermediate host populations. Moreover, the prevalence for a certain region revealed highly dynamic und may rise considerably within a short period of time. Both studies show that the current efforts for targeted monitoring to protect dogs from angiostrongylosis in hyperendemic areas must be intensified und that all host types (intermediate hosts, paratenic hosts und definitive hosts) must be examined on a regular basis covering even small geographical to prevent further spread of lungworm-related diseases in humans and animals. In addition to intermediate hosts, definitive host populations are also of great importance in the spread of lungworm infections. Especially red foxes und European wildcat are considered as important reservoir hosts of A. vasorum und A. abstrusus, respectively. So far, other wild animal species have scarcely been analyzed for lungworm infections. Therefore, the Eurasian lynx (L. lynx), an endangered wild animal und apex predator, was here examined for the first time in Germany for its helminth und protozoa fauna, using the non-invasive method of in field faecal sample collection and analysis. In total, 15 endoparasite taxa were identified, comprising seven nematodes (A. abstrusus, Angiostrongylus spp., U. stenocephala, T. leonina, T. cati, Cylicospirura spp., und Capillaria spp.), one cestode (Diphyllobothriidae), und one trematode (Heterophylidae) und six protozoa (i.e., C. rivolta, C. felis, T. gondii/Hammondia spp., Sarcocystis spp., G. intestinalis und Cryptosporidium spp.). This work represents the first report of patent A. abstrusus und Angiostrongylus spp. infections in free-living lynxes from Germany und gives first insights into the occurrence of zoonotic relevant metazoa (e.g., T. cati und U. stenocephala) und protozoa (e.g., G. intestinalis, Cryptosporidium spp.) in these wild felids. The present data should serve as a baseline study for future monitoring studies on endoparasites in the Eurasian lynx und help establish appropriate management practices for the conservation of lynx in Europe. Moreover, an epidemiological study on definite host of lungworms was conducted in Colombia. Here, A. vasorum was recently detected in terrestrial snails but data on the prevalence of lungworm infection in domestic dogs were lacking. Therefore, sera from 1,024 dogs originating from seven different Colombian provinces were collected and analysed by ELISA for A. vasorum antigens und parasite-specific antibodies. Overall, 1.05 % und 2.62 % of canids revealed antigen- and antibody-positive, respectively. This study represents the first large-scale analysis on canine A. vasorum seroprevalence in Colombia. The results confirm the presence of A. vasorum in this country. However, none of the dogs showed positive antigen- und antibody-related reactions at a time.