Coprological analysis for estimating prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive sloth bears (Melursus ursinus)

Author(s):  
V. Manjunatha ◽  
M. Rout ◽  
A.A. Sha ◽  
S.M. Byregowda ◽  
T. Joseph

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gastrointestinal parasitic infestations in captive bears maintained in Wildlife SOS, Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru. A total of 85 fecal samples were collected over a period of 12 months from apparently normal/healthy captive bears and examined. The fecal samples were analysed using sedimentation and floatation techniques followed by microscopic identification of parasitic eggs. It revealed the prevalence of 51 (60%) Hymenolepis diminuta, 20 (23.52%) Toxocara sp ova, 3 (3.52%) Capillaria sp, 2 (2.35%) Trichuris sp ova, 2 (2.35%) Eimeria sp oocysts and 8 (9.41%) Ancylostomatid eggs. The study suggested that among different parasitic infections, the prevalence of cestodes was extremely higher, since insects were the intermediate hosts for the Hymenolepis sp. The study is suggestive of periodic anthelmintic therapy in the said species under captivity so as to maintain a sound health.

2021 ◽  
pp. 2091-2096
Author(s):  
Sirikanda Thanasuwan ◽  
Supawadee Piratae ◽  
Anupong Tankrathok

Background and Aim: Parasitic infections are one of the major problems to the production of cattle in Thailand. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of cattle in Kalasin Province, Thailand. Materials and Methods: A total of 333 fecal samples of cattle were collected directly from the rectum. The fecal samples were subjected to formalin-ethyl acetate concentration methods for examination. The eggs or oocysts were identified based on the morphology and size of the eggs or oocysts. Results: Out of 333 fecal samples examined, 320 were found positive for GI parasitic infections with a prevalence of 96.09%. Overall, among the prevalence of nematodes, trematodes, and protozoa, the most prevalent parasites were Strongyle-type 278 (84.24%), followed by Strongyloides spp. 54 (16.36%) and Trichuris spp. 75 (22.73%), while Protozoan oocyst recorded Eimeria spp. amounted to 131 (39.7%). Fasciola spp. and Paramphistomum spp. were 67 (20.30%) and 81 (24.55%), respectively. Most of the positive fecal samples were infected with the double infection which has the highest prevalence rate of about 40.24%, followed by single, three, and 4-5 types of parasites 30.63, 16.82, and 7.21%, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that Kalasin Province is highly endemic for GI parasites and this area may be an important source for an outbreak. Therefore, every household should deworm its cattle and eliminate and control snails as intermediate hosts. Findings from this study provide information that will assist in improving the cattle in Kalasin Province for better production and higher profitability.


2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-142
Author(s):  
TC Nath ◽  
MJU Bhuiyan ◽  
MS Alam

To investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of calves, 450 feacal samples were collected from Mirsarai Upazilla of Chittagong District of Bangladesh during the period from 2011 to 2012. Fecal samples of calves aged up to 6 months of three different genotypes were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. The results of faecal examination revealed that 54.22% calves were infected with some of the parasites. Toxocara spp (22.66%), Eimeria spp (17.33%), Strongyloides spp (6.44%), gastrointestinal strongyles (3.78%), Moniezia spp (01.78%), Trichuris spp (01.56%) and Fasciola gigantica (0.66%) were found. We found eggs of Toxocara spp eggs, Strongyloides spp eggs and oocysts of Eimeria spp during the age of first month, gastrointestinal strongyles eggs and Moniezia eggs at/during/within the age of 3 months and eggs of Trichuris spp and Fasciola gigantic during the age of five months of age. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in Local, Shahiwal cross and Holstein Frisian cross were 46%, 52% and 62%, respectively. The age and genotype of the calves and the locality of investigations might have influenced the prevalence of the parasitic infections. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v42i2.18494 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2013. 42 (2): 139-142


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 284
Author(s):  
Hamit Mahamat Alio ◽  
Fombotioh Ndifor ◽  
Samafou Kemba ◽  
Issa Ramat Adam ◽  
Nack Jacques ◽  
...  

In tropical areas gastrointestinal parasitosis are constantly changing in frequency and the large number of asymptomatic carriers continue to be a public health problem. This study was carried out during the last trimester of 2019 in the city of N’Djamena (Chad). This work was designed to take a stock of the overall level of carriage of parasitic infections of the population of the city. Our study sample was made up of 366 individuals whose age varied from 1 to 77 years. Each subject included in this study benefited from parasitological stool analysis using three methods. The method of direct observation in physiological water, the method of concentration in formalin-ether and that of Kato Katz. The results obtained showed that 222 subjects were carriers of at least one species of parasite, or either a global infection rate of 60.66%. Ten species of gastrointestinal parasites were identified of which three species of protozoa: Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (34.70 %), Giardia intestinalis (3.55%), Entamoeba coli (0.55%) and seven species of helminths: Hymenolepis nana (18.85%), Ascaris lumbricoides (9.29%), Taenia saginata (8.20%), Hymenolepis diminuta (2.19%), Schiotosoma mansoni (0.27%), Heterophyes hetrophyses (0.55%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.27%). In N’Djamena the parasitism of those investigated was mainly (45.63%) monospecific and poly-specific (bi-and tri-specific) in 15.03% of the causes while 39.34% of persons examined were free from all forms of protozoa and helminths. The epidemiology of pathogenic forms was linked to a lack of hygiene especially ignorance of the risk of faecal peril. It is therefore important to strengthen the health education of the population in this city in particular and throughout the country in general.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 9956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishvapali Kobbekaduwa ◽  
Caroline Fillieux ◽  
Ashan Thududgala ◽  
R.P.V. Jayantha Rajapakse ◽  
Rupika Subashini Rajakaruna

Sri Lanka is home to four species of wildcats: Leopard, Fishing Cat, Rusty-spotted Cat and Jungle Cat.  All four, except the Jungle Cat, are listed threatened.  A coprological survey was carried out in 2014 to determine the gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of wild and captive cats in Sri Lanka.  Parasite eggs and cysts were isolated and morphologically identified using iodine smears and a modified salt flotation.  The intensity of infection was quantified using a McMaster counting technique.  A total of 45 fecal samples were analyzed.  Except for the six captive Rusty-spotted Cats, all cats were infected with one or more GI parasites.  The presence of Moniezia sp. in Leopards in the Horton Plains National Park with an intensity of 150–1850 EPG (eggs per gram of feces) was unexpected.  Moniezia is a common GI parasite of ruminants and before our study it had never been recorded in Leopards.  Cross species infection with Moniezia could be possible due to accidental ingestion of cysticercoid infected oribatid mites, the intermediate host which could have been picked up in the pasture while feeding on carcasses.  Among the other parasitic infections in Leopards Toxocara was most common (61.9%) followed by strongyle infections (15.4%).  Of the fecal samples collected from wild Leopards 80.0% were infected with GI parasites while no GI parasites were found in the captive Leopard samples.  The Jungle Cats and the Rusty-spotted Cats sampled were in captivity and only the Jungle Cats were infected with strongyles.  Toxocara was recorded in Leopards and Fishing Cat both in captivity and in the wild.  It is a common GI infection of cats causing morbidity in all age groups and mortality in young animals.  Although parasitic infections of cats may not be a direct reason for a species’ decline, parasitic infections spreading within a small fragmented population could reduce the vitality and numbers and threaten the population further.  This is the first report of GI parasites of wildcats of Sri Lanka and the first record of Moniezia infections in Leopards.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dante Lobos-Ovalle ◽  
Claudio Navarrete ◽  
Juan G. Navedo ◽  
Miguel Peña-Espinoza ◽  
Claudio Verdugo

Abstract High-performance validated tests are essential for successful epidemiological monitoring, surveillance of parasitic infections, and comparative studies in wildlife populations. The Mini-FLOTAC is a novel flotation-based technique for the sensitive detection and quantification of gastrointestinal parasites that is recently being explored for use in wildlife. A limitation of any flotation-based copromicroscopic method is the selection of the flotation solution (FS), which might influence the performance of the test. However, no study has compared the influence of using different FS in the Mini-FLOTAC technique for parasite detection in wild birds. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the Mini-FLOTAC in three waterbird host species using two widely used FS: saturated salt (NaCl; specific gravity 1.20) and saturated zinc sulfate (ZnSO4; specific gravity 1.35). One hundred fresh fecal samples were analyzed for parasite fecal egg counts (FEC). Regardless of the host species, fecal samples evaluated with the Mini-FLOTAC method using ZnSO4 resulted in a significantly higher detection rate and higher FEC of strongylid, capillarid, cestode, and trematode parasites, than samples analyzed with the NaCl solution. Our concise study demonstrated the importance of using an appropriate FS for the identification of parasite eggs in wildlife species, especially in hosts with an expected aggregated distribution and low parasite load such as waterbird hosts. The higher analytical sensitivity of the Mini-FLOTAC technique achieved with ZnSO4, and its applicability to fieldwork, highlights this method as a promising tool for the quantitative surveillance of parasite infections in wild bird populations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-41
Author(s):  
Umanga C. Gunasekera ◽  
Susiji Wickramasinghe ◽  
Ganga Wijesinghe ◽  
R.P.V.J. Rajapakse

Fifteen species of primates from different geographic areas are living in captivity at the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka. As a result of limited space in the Zoo and ever increasing visitors, there is a possibility to increase the incidence of human animal contact. Therefore, it is important to identify potential parasitic infections that can be transferred from humans to animals and vise versa. In the present study, the primates were investigated for the gastrointestinal parasites. Total of 85 fecal samples were collected from all the species and examined for the presence of helminthes and protozoa. Balantidium sp., Entamoeba coli, Giardia sp., Blastocystis sp. and coccidial oocytes including Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts were identified. Furthermore, Nematodes and Cestodes were also recorded.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Si-Yuan Qin ◽  
Ming-Yang Yin ◽  
Guang-Yao Song ◽  
Qi-Dong Tan ◽  
Jin-Lei Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Little information about the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in yaks (Bos grunniens) in northwest China is available. Therefore, the objective of the study was to quantify faecal egg counts of gastrointestinal parasites (helminths and coccidia) in free-range yaks from Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, Northwest China. Results Parasites were detected in 290 of 733 (39.56%) faecal samples. The results showed that Strongylidae, Trichuris spp. and Eimeria spp. were detected all year round, Strongyloides papillosus was detected in autumn and summer, and Nematodirus spp. was detected in both autumn and spring. In contrast, Fasciola spp. was only detected in spring. The prevalence rates of parasitic infections in different seasons were significantly different. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of gastrointestinal parasites in yaks (Bos grunniens) in Gansu, China. The results demonstrated a high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infections, specifically GN infections, in yaks in GTAP and these infections can cause economic losses to the local cattle industry.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Plínio Aguiar de Oliveira ◽  
Beatriz Riet-Correa ◽  
Pablo Estima-Silva ◽  
Ana Carolina Barreto Coelho ◽  
Bianca Lemos dos Santos ◽  
...  

Abstract Gastrointestinal parasites represent an important cause of reduced productivity of sheep worldwide. As anthelmintic are still the main control tool for these parasites, this work evaluated the efficacy of commercially available active principles in 22 sheep flocks in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In each farm 10 sheep were randomly distributed in seven groups with the following treatments: abamectin; albendazole; closantel; levamisole; monepantel; trichlorphon and no anthelmintic (control). All flocks showed resistance to at least three anthelmintics and in 20 farms only two products demonstrated efficacy for parasitic control. In two farms, there was no susceptibility to the six active principles tested. The results of this study provide evidence that the common commercially available anthelmintic are not assuring effective chemical control of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in ovine flocks in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. Monepantel, the newest introduced drug in the Brazilian market was not effective in 18% of the flocks tested, confirming that the parasitic resistance can be established quickly after the introduction of new molecules mainly when alternative program of parasite control is not performed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandi Wren ◽  
Ian S. Ray ◽  
Melissa Remis ◽  
Thomas R. Gillespie ◽  
Joseph Camp

AbstractSocial grooming in the animal kingdom is common and serves several functions, from removing ectoparasites to maintaining social bonds between conspecifics. We examined whether time spent grooming with others in a highly social mammal species was associated with infection status for gastrointestinal parasites. Of six parasites detected, one (Trichuris sp.) was associated with social grooming behaviors, but more specifically with direct physical contact with others. Individuals infected with Trichuris sp. spent significantly less time grooming conspecifics than those not infected, and time in direct contact with others was the major predictor of infection status. One model correctly predicted infection status for Trichuris sp. with a reliability of 95.17% overall when the variables used were time spent in direct contact and time spent grooming others. This decrease in time spent grooming and interacting with others is likely a sickness behavior displayed by individuals with less energy or motivation for non-essential behaviors. This study highlights the need for an understanding of a study population’s parasitic infections when attempting to interpret animal behavior.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurora L. Ursache ◽  
Adriana Györke ◽  
Viorica Mircean ◽  
Mirabela Oana Dumitrache ◽  
Andrei Răzvan Codea ◽  
...  

Abstract Gastrointestinal parasites are involved in the health and wellbeing of cats and some of them, due to their zoonotic character represent a problem for the public health. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of parasitic infections in cats with digestive symptoms. Faecal samples collected from 137 cats were analysed by the flotation method using sodium chloride saturated solution. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites was 56.6%. GI parasites were significantly (p=0.005) more common in cats with digestive symptoms (69.8%) than in clinically healthy ones (23.0%). Toxocara cati (40.2%) was the most frequently identified GI parasite, followed by Cystoisospora spp. (10.2%), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (3.7%), Taenia spp. (2.2), Giardia duodenalis (2.2%), and Toxoplasma gondii-like oocysts (0.7%). T. cati (53.3%, p<0.0001) and Cystoisospora spp. (15.6%, p<0.001) were significantly more frequently diagnosed in cats with digestive symptoms. Lack of deworming in the last three months (OR: 15.9), outdoor access (OR: 13.8), the presence of digestive symptoms (OR: 5.4), and young age (OR: 4.2) were identified as risk factors for T. cati infection by logistic regression analysis. Regardless of the age, symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, and inappetence were positively associated with T. cati.


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