Search Results (38)

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites not only significantly impact goat health and productivity but can also affect human health due to the zoonotic potential of some species. This study investigates the prevalence of internal parasites within the tropical monsoon ecosystem of southern Thailand, focusing on both phenotypic and molecular characteristics of the parasites and identifying associated risk factors in caprine farming systems. A total of 276 meat goats from Nakhon Si Thammarat province were examined, indicating an overall GI parasite prevalence of 88.8% (245/276), with strongyles and Eimeria spp. identified as the dominant parasites. In addition, mixed parasitic infections were observed in 72.2% of cases, whereas single infections comprised 27.8%. Strongyle-positive fecal samples were cultured and genetically sequenced, revealing the presence of Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and Oesophagostomum asperum. For associated risk factors, gender and grazing with other herds significantly impacted overall GI parasitic infections, while the gender, breed, and packed cell volume (PCV) affected the strongyle infection. A correlation analysis revealed a substantial relationship between strongyle egg per gram (EPG) counts and clinical parameters, indicating that monitoring animals with low body condition scores (BCS) and high Faffa Malan Chart (FAMACHA) scores could be an effective strategy for controlling strongyle infections. These findings highlight the importance of continued research and effective farm management practices to address strongyle infections in meat goats, improving their health and agricultural productivity in tropical regions. Moreover, the detection of four zoonotic parasites (Giardia spp., H. contortus, T. colubriformis, and Fasciola spp.) indicates the necessity for the routine surveillance and monitoring of zoonotic parasites in goats to mitigate potential human health risks. Full article

Gastrointestinal parasites (GIPs) and tick infestations remain critical health challenges limiting cattle productivity in rural South Africa, particularly within communal farming systems. The Eastern Cape Province, characterized by high livestock densities and variable management practices, provides a unique context in which to examine parasitic burdens across systems. This study aimed to compare the prevalence, intensity, and diversity of GIPs and tick species in cattle raised under rural communal grazing versus communal feedlot systems in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of 160 cattle (n = 80 per system) were randomly selected for fecal and tick examinations in community-based feedlots in Holela (Centane) and Gxwalibomvu (Tsomo), as well as from surrounding rural villages. Fecal samples were analyzed using the McMaster technique to determine fecal egg counts (FEC), while tick species were identified and counted from standardized body regions. Body condition scores (BCS) were recorded, and farmer practices related to parasite control were surveyed. Results showed significantly higher GI parasite prevalence and FEC in rural community cattle compared to feedlot cattle (p < 0.05), with Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus spp. being the most prevalent. Similarly, rural cattle had significantly higher tick infestation rates, dominated by Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma hebraeum. Logistic regression identified rural production system, poor body condition (BCS ≤ 2), and absence of recent deworming as significant risk factors for GI parasitism (p < 0.05). Strong negative correlations were found between BCS and both FEC (r = −0.63) and tick burden (r = −0.57). Additionally, rural farmers reported lower acaricide usage and greater reliance on traditional remedies. The study confirms that rural communal systems expose cattle to higher parasitic risks due to unmanaged grazing, limited veterinary support, and poor parasite control strategies. Communal feedlots, by contrast, offer more controlled conditions that reduce parasitic burden. Integrating strategic parasite management, farmer training, and expanded veterinary outreach is essential to improving cattle health and productivity in communal areas. Full article

Gastrointestinal parasites impact the health and productivity of domestic birds and may even be more common in production systems with lower biosafety conditions. In this context, backyard poultry production systems (BPPS), defined as small-scale family production systems, could be more affected. However, information about its epidemiology is limited in the Central Zone of Chile. This study aimed to determine the risk factors and spatial distribution of gastrointestinal parasites in BPPS in Central Chile. Thus, feces samples were collected from 51 backyards and analyzed using copro–parasitological techniques. In parallel, an epidemiological survey was conducted on the farmers, and the data were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors. Spatial analysis was performed with the detected parasite species to determine high-risk clusters. Eimeria spp. was the most frequently detected parasite (72.5%), followed by Capillaria spp. (50.9%) and Ascaridia galli (49%). Regarding parasitic burden, nearly 90% of BPPS showed low parasitic burden for Eimeria spp. and helminths. In turn, the availability of potable drinking water (95% CI: 0.054–0.905; p = 0.036) and proper ventilation of the pens (95% CI: 0.003–0.429; p = 0.009) reduced the presence of parasites. Spatial high-risk clusters were detected for Eimeria spp. (RR = 2.60; p-value < 0.0001), A. galli (RR = 2.93; p-value = 0.021), and Trichostrongylus spp. (RR = 5.85; p-value = 0.050). Full article

Extensive anthelmintic (AH) use for endoparasitism prevention, especially gastrointestinal strongyle (GIS) infections, led to AH resistance (AR). This study assessed the internal parasitic profile and AR occurrence in goat herds. Five herds (H, n = 300) raised in household systems in Romania (2020–2021) were dewormed with eprinomectin in the fall (H1, H2) and albendazole in the spring (H3–H5). Fecal samples (n = 67) were collected pre- and 14 days post-AH administration. Coprological examinations, coprocultures, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed. Anthelmintic resistance was detected in H1, H2, and H5. Pre-AH administrations, Eimeria spp. was the most common parasite (95.5%), followed by GIS (91.0%), P. rufescens/M. capillaris (77.6%), Dyctiocaulus filaria (56.7%), and Moniezia spp. (43.3%). Teladorsagia circumcincta (4/5), Trichostrongylus colubriformis (4/5), Oesophagostomum venulosum (3/5), Haemonchus placei (3/5), Haemonchus contortus (2/5), and Cooperia oncophora (2/5) were identified by PCR. Mean OPG/EPG values for Eimeria spp. and GIS were <1000 eggs/gram feces, tending to be higher in young versus adult goats and in autumn versus spring. FECR (90%CI) values post-AH administration were 38.42 (23.4; 71.8), 54.71 (−4.1; 75.1) for eprinomectin, and 9.78 (−1.7; 64.8) for albendazole, suggesting AH ineffectiveness and AR presence in H1, H2, and H5, respectively. These findings highlight that specific management measures are needed. Full article

Parasites and infectious diseases pose significant threats to primate populations, especially in captive non-human primates (NHPs). This study aimed to assess the diversity and prevalence of intestinal parasites in NHPs at the CIRMF Primatology Center. A total of 97 fecal samples were analyzed using parasitological techniques, including sodium chloride flotation and modified Baermann sedimentation methods. An overall parasite prevalence of 93.81% (91/97) was observed. Sixteen groups of parasites with zoonotic potential were identified, comprising ten genera of nematodes (Trichuris, Enterobius, Hookworm, Trichostrongylus, Mammomonogamus, Spirure, Oesophagostomum, Schistosoma, Ascaris, and Strongyloides), three genera of protists (Eimeria, Balantioides coli/Buxtonella, and Entamoeba), one genus of cestodes (Hymenolepis), and two genera of trematodes (Dicrocoelium and Paramphistomum). High prevalences were noted for Oesophagostomum spp. (83.5%), Strongyloides spp. (52.58%), and Trichostrongylus spp. (50.52%). These findings underscore the potential role of the CIRMF Primatology Center in maintaining and facilitating the transmission of intestinal parasites with high zoonotic potential. The co-existence of human and NHP parasites in shared environments, such as zoos and research facilities, emphasizes the need for a holistic, One Health approach that addresses the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment. This study highlights the urgent need for collaborative strategies to mitigate the risks of zoonotic parasite transmission between NHPs and humans in captive settings. Full article

Camels, vital to economies in Asia, Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula, have been domesticated for over 4000 years. They thrive in arid regions like Xinjiang, China, but face challenges from internal and external parasites, particularly gastrointestinal parasites, which impact health, meat and milk quality, and production efficiency. This study investigates the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infections in camels from five major regions in Xinjiang. We collected 435 fresh fecal samples and used the saturated saline flotation method and McMaster’s method for detection. Molecular examination followed. The overall prevalence was 18.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.7–22.2%), with Urumqi showing the highest prevalence (29%, 95% CI: 23.4–35.1%) compared to other regions (odds ratio [OR]: 4.62, 95% CI: 2.63–8.41%). Younger camels (≤3 years old) were more likely infected by the parasites after adjusting for the region differences (OR: 10.53, 5.12–24.65%). However, we found no evidence that the prevalence was different between male and female camels. PCR analysis identified Trichostrongylus spp., Chabertia ovina, and Haemonchus contortus as predominant parasites, with observed co-infections indicating a complex parasitic landscape. The findings provide essential epidemiological data for effective parasite control strategies. Full article

Birds kept in zoological institutions are highly exposed to gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism caused by coccidia and nematodes. The current research aimed to characterize the avian GI parasitic fauna in several zoological collections in Portugal and Spain. During the full year of 2022, a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from four zoological institutions: Lisbon Zoo, Olivais Pedagogical Farm, and Avian Biodiversity Center (Lisbon, Portugal), and Avifauna park (Lugo, Spain). Analysis was conducted in domestic bird species (autochthonous and exotic poultry breeds), and 18 different exotic bird species like Galliformes (peacock, pheasant), Anseriformes (duck), Psittaciformes (parrot, macaw, cockatiel, parakeet, cockatoo), Coraciiformes (motmot), Charadriiformes (avocet), Strigiformes (owl), Phoenicopteriformes (flamingo), Struthioniformes (ostrich), Rheiformes (rhea), and Casuariiformes (emu, cassowary). Feces were processed using Mini-FLOTAC (MF), to identify parasitic forms and quantify their shedding (oocysts or eggs per gram of feces). Moreover, 15 fecal samples from pheasants were also processed using the McMaster method (McM), to compare the parasite shedding and frequencies between techniques. MF implementation allowed identification of coccidia infections in all bird collections. Also, peacocks of the Lisbon Zoo tested positive for Trichostrongylus tenuis and Strongyloides pavonis, and the exotic birds from Avifauna park were also positive for several nematode species, with Ascaridia sp., Capillaria sp., Strongyloides sp., and Syngamus trachea eggs being detected in pheasants’ feces. Moreover, the analysis of pheasants’ feces with MF detected prevalences of 33% for coccidia oocysts, and 47% for Capillaria sp. and Ascaridia sp. eggs, while McM detected prevalences of 13%, 27%, and 40% for the respective parasite taxa, with no differences being observed between methods (p = 0.39, p = 0.45, and p = 0.50, respectively). This research provided more scientific support regarding the importance of using Mini-FLOTAC in routine parasitological diagnosis in birds kept at zoological institutions. Full article

Deer are susceptible to infection with parasitic helminths, including species which are of increasing economic concern to the livestock industry due to anthelmintic drug resistance. This paper systematically collates helminth prevalence data from deer across Europe and explores patterns in relation to host and parasite species, as well as landscape factors. A livestock pasture contact index (LPCI) is developed to predict epidemiological overlap between deer and livestock, and hence to examine deer helminth fauna in the context of their surrounding environment. Fifty-eight studies comprising fallow (Dama dama), red (Cervus elaphus), roe (Capreolus capreolus) and sika (Cervus nippon) deer were identified. Deer populations in “likely” contact with livestock pasture had a higher mean prevalence of the abomasal nematodes Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia ostertagi, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus axei (p = 0.01), which are common in livestock and not primarily associated with deer. Roe deer populations had a higher prevalence of T. circumcincta (p = 0.02) and T. axei (p = 0.01) than fallow deer and a higher prevalence of H. contortus than both red (p = 0.01) and fallow deer (p = 0.02). Liver fluke and lungworm species were present sporadically at low prevalence, while the abomasal nematode Ashworthius sidemi occurred locally at high prevalence. Insights from this research suggest that deer helminth fauna is reflective of their surrounding environment, including the livestock species which inhabit areas of shared grazing. This is explored from an epidemiological perspective, and the prospect of helminth transmission between wild and domestic hosts is discussed, including drug-resistant strains, alongside the role of helminths as indicators relevant to the transmission of other pathogens at the wildlife–livestock interface. Full article

The aim of this study was to document a case of parasite co-infection in a captive Bactrian camel and to supply morphometric data of the found pathogens. It concerned a 20-year-old male animal inhabiting Sofia Zoo, Bulgaria. A decreased appetite and gastrointestinal disorders were observed in it during the summer of 2022. Improvement in the animal’s condition was achieved after the administration of antibiotics, sulfonamides, and other symptomatic medicines. However, two weeks after treatment, clinical symptoms reappeared. Then, a diarrheal fecal sample from the animal was subjected to parasitological examination by direct smear and flotation and sedimentation techniques. Multiple infections by helminths (Trichostrongylus sp., Haemonchus sp., Oesophagostomum sp., Trichuris sp., and Dicrocoelium sp.), ciliates (Buxtonella cameli), and protozoa (Eimeria cameli) were found, with E. cameli being reported for the first time in zoo conditions. Deworming led to the recovery of the general condition and appearance of the animal’s feces, but two weeks later, it died suddenly. We considered that the parasitic infection was not the direct cause of the fatal outcome, and its presence, other health disorders, and the advanced age of the animal were among the contributing factors. This case reveals the need to combine planned preventive deworming with routine parasitological diagnostics to take timely and targeted actions to protect the health of animals inhabiting zoo facilities. Full article

The influence of four levels of dietary supplementation on the development of the immune response and on the biology of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis was evaluated in Dorper lambs under serial artificial infections with 1000 infective larvae (L3) of each species; the supplement was given every 3 days for 12 weeks. For each of the four diets formulated, one infected group (n = 7) and one control group (n = 4) were set up. Diets 1, 2, 3, and 4 contained 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of concentrate, respectively. There was an evident immune response to infection in all groups, manifested through eosinophilia and the production of anti-L3 immunoglobulins. There was a significant inverse relationship between the levels of nutrients in the diets and the numbers of late fourth-stage larvae, immature adult stages, and adults of H. contortus. Following 12 weeks of serial infections, most of the H. contortus population was found at the early fourth stage, indicating the occurrence of hypobiosis. The early fourth stage represented 59.5%, 75.8%, 83.3%, and 86.3% of the total Haemonchus worm burden, respectively, in Diets 1, 2, 3, and 4. In the case of T. colubriformis, hypobiosis was not observed, and diet had no influence on the establishment of parasites. Full article

In the northernmost German federal state Schleswig-Holstein, populations of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) show diverse densities and varying courses over the years. To examine differences in pathomorphological findings and infectious diseases as possible reasons for varying population dynamics, we assessed 155 hunted hares from three locations in Schleswig-Holstein from 2016 to 2020. We investigated the association of location, year, age, and sex of animals to certain pathomorphological findings and infectious diseases. Frequent pathomorphological findings were intestinal parasites (63.9%), hepatitis (55.5%), nephritis (31.0%), steatitis (23.2%), enteritis (13.5%), and pneumonia (5.2%). Body condition differed significantly between locations, and the prevalence of pneumonia was significantly higher in females. Enteritis was not detected in 2019, when much more juveniles were sampled. Hepatitis and nephritis occurred significantly more often in 2016 and among adults. Additionally, more adults showed hepatitis with concurrent serotitre for European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV), while intestinal parasitosis as well as high excretion rates of coccidia were more common in juveniles. Sampled animals showed high infection rates with Eimeria spp. (96.1%), Trichostrongylus spp. (52.0%), Graphidium strigosum (41.2%), and a high seroprevalence (90.9%) for EBHSV, without severe symptoms. This study revealed a low prevalence of infectious pathogens, but a high prevalence of chronic inflammations of unknown origin in the tested brown hare populations. Overall, our results indicate a rather minor importance of infectious diseases for observed population dynamics of analysed hare populations in Schleswig-Holstein. Full article

Gastrointestinal nematode parasites and gastrointestinal protozoan parasites are considered detrimental to the livestock population and manifest production-limiting effects. Small and large ruminants (cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep) are important components of the rural economy of northern India. However, the epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites in this agro-climatic region has not been studied extensively. In this study, the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was determined in 163 animals, including cattle (n = 86), buffalo (n = 11), goats (n = 48), and sheep (n = 18) from 26 sampling sites by copro-parasitological analysis. The prevalence values of 94.47% and 66.87% were recorded for the nematodes and protozoa, respectively. The group-wise prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites was 95.3%, 90.9%, 93.7%, and 94.4% in cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep, respectively, whereas for gastrointestinal protozoan parasites, the respective values were 70.9%, 54.5%, 60.4%, and 72.2%. Copromicroscopy revealed ten genera of nematodes—Ascaris, Capillaria, Cooperia, Haemonchus, Nematodirus, Oesophagostomum, Ostertagia, Strongyloides, Trichostrongylus, Trichuris, and one protozoan genus—Eimeria. The prevalence of Trichostrongylus spp. was highest in buffaloes, whereas in cattle, Ascaris spp. were predominant. In both goats and sheep, Haemonchus contortus was found to be predominant. The highest prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was recorded in the rainy season. These findings indicate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in the ruminant population in this region and necessitate the implementation of preventive and control strategies for effective animal health management. Full article

A study of gastrointestinal nematodes in roe deer was carried out in the regional hunting reserves of Riaño and Mampodre, Province of León, Spain, to provide information on their prevalence and intensity of infection in relation to the sampling areas, age of the animals, and body weight. Through a regulated necropsy of the animals, all of them harbored gastrointestinal nematodes in their digestive tract, with a mean intensity of parasitism of 638 ± 646.1 nematodes/infected animal. Eleven genera were found and 18 species of gastrointestinal nematodes were identified, three of them polymorphic: Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Trichostrongylus capricola, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Haemonchus contortus, Spiculopteragia spiculoptera/Spiculopteragia mathevossiani, Ostertagia leptospicularis/Ostertagia kolchida, Ostertagia (Grosspiculopteragia) occidentalis, Teladorsagia circumcincta/Teladorsagia trifurcate, Marshallagia marshalli, Nematodirus europaeus, Cooperia oncophora, Capillaria bovis, Oesophagostomum venulosum, and Trichuris ovis. All of them have already been cited in roe deer in Europe, but Marshallagia marshalli, Capillaria bovis, and Ostertagia (Grosspiculopteragia) occidentalis are reported for the first time in Spain in this host. The abomasum was the intestinal section, where the prevalence (98.9%) and mean intensity ($\overline{\mathrm{x}}$ = 370.7 ± 374.4 worms/roe deer; range 3–1762) were significantly higher, but no statistically significant differences were found when comparing the sampling areas and age of animals. The animals with lower body weight had a higher parasite load than those in better physical condition, finding, in this case, statistically significant differences (p = 0.0020). Seven genera and 14 species were identified. In the small intestine, 88% of the animals examined presented gastrointestinal nematodes, with an average intensity of $\overline{\mathrm{x}}$ = 131.7 ± 225.6 parasites/infected animal, ranging between 4–1254 worms. No statistically significant differences were found when the three parameters studied were compared. Four genera and seven species were identified. In the large intestine/cecum, 78.3% of the examined roe deer presented adult worms, with an average intensity of 6.3 ± 5.5 worms/infected animal; range 1–26 worms. Only statistically significant differences were observed when considering the mean intensity of parasitism and the sampling area (p = 0.0093). Two genera and two species were identified. Several of the species found in the study were studied molecularly, and with the sequences obtained compared with those deposited in GenBank, phylogenetic trees were prepared to determine their taxonomic status. Using coprological techniques, the existing correlation in the shedding of gastrointestinal nematode eggs in roe deer was investigated with that of semi-extensive sheep farms in the same study area to verify the existence of cross-transmission of these parasites between wild and domestic animals. The high values found in the studied parameters show that northern Spain is an area of high-intensity infection for roe deer. Full article

Parasites are generally overdispersed among their hosts, with far-reaching implications for their population dynamics and control. The factors determining parasite overdispersion have long been debated. In particular, stochastic parasite acquisition and individual host variation in density-dependent regulation through acquired host immunity have been identified as key factors, but their relative roles and possible interactions have seen little empirical exploration in parasite populations. Here, Taylor’s power law is applied to test the hypothesis that periodic parasite removal destabilises the host-parasite relationship and increases variance in parasite burden around the mean. The slope of the power relationship was compared by analysis of covariance among 325 nematode populations in wild and domestic ruminants, exploiting that domestic ruminants are often routinely treated against parasite infections. In Haemonchus spp. and Trichostrongylus axei in domestic livestock, the slope increased with the frequency of anthelmintic treatment, supporting this hypothesis. In Nematodirus spp., against which acquired immunity is known to be strong, the slope was significantly greater in post-mortem worm burden data than in faecal egg counts, while this relationship did not hold for the less immunogenic genus Marshallagia. Considered together, these findings suggest that immunity acting through an exposure-dependent reduction in parasite fecundity stabilises variance in faecal egg counts, reducing overdispersion, and that periodic anthelmintic treatment interferes with this process and increases overdispersion. The results have implications for the diagnosis and control of parasitic infections in domestic animals, which are complicated by overdispersion, and for our understanding of parasite distribution in free-living wildlife. Parasite-host systems, in which treatment and immunity effectively mimic metapopulation processes of patch extinction and density dependence, could also yield general insights into the spatio-temporal stability of animal distributions. Full article

Background: Pig slurry can negatively impact on the environmental, animal, and human health. Knowing the relationship between the organic and inorganic loads, pathogens, and toxicity allows identifying the main parameters to be removed or treated before final disposal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between the physicochemical properties, microbiological, and parasitological content, ecotoxicological effects, and biochemical methane potential (BMP) of pig slurries. Methods: Ten pig slurry samples at two production stages were characterized and a BMP test at two substrate/inoculum (S/I) ratios was conducted to compare the methane yields. Results: We found high content of Cu, Zn, quaternary ammonium, pathogenic microorganisms (E. coli and Salmonella), and parasites (Trichuris and Trichostrongylus). Toxicity on lettuce, radish, and Daphnia was observed with a slurry concentration greater than 1.35%. Positive correlations were found between toxicity on Daphnia and chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, Zn, and Cu, as well as between phytotoxicity and COD, NH₄, Na, K, and conductivity. The lowest S/I ratio showed 13% more methane yield. It was associated with high removals of COD and volatile fatty acids. Conclusions: We recommend using a low S/I ratio to treat pig slurry as it improves the efficiency of the anaerobic process. Full article