Prevalence, Intensity and Risks Involved in Helminth Infections in Domestic Mountain Pony and Balkan Donkey in Na-ture Park Stara Planina, Serbia
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Abstract
Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, intensity and risk factors (age and gender) promoting the intestinal helminthic infections of the Domestic mountain ponies and Balkan donkeys in Serbia.
Methods: Prevalence, intensity and risk factors influencing helminth infection in horses (n=39) and donkeys (n=18) at the site of Nature Park Stara Planina, were studied from May to Sep 2015. The presence of one or several gastrointestinal helminth species was confirmed by faecal flotation in 97.43% of horses and 88.88% of donkeys included in the monitoring. The identified helminth species were Trichostrongylus axei, Strongylus edentatus, S. vulgaris, Parascaris equorum, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi and Anoplocephala magna in 84.61%, 46.15%, 5.13%, 58.97%, 94.87% and 38.46% of horses, respectively. The significant association of infection with P. equorum and sex of horses was established. (χ2=13.33, P<0.01).
Results: The prevalence of parasitic helminths identified in donkeys was the following: D. arnfieldi, T. axei, Pa. equorum, S. vulgaris, A. margna and Strongyloides westeri in 55.55%, 38.89%, 27.78%, 22.22% and 22.22% of donkeys, respectively. Moreover, the mean faecal egg count was higher in donkeys (369.9 EPG - egg per gram) than in horses (250.2 EPG). The association between the age and the mean EPG was significant (P<0.05) in both equine species.
Conclusion: The results of the investigation provided basic information that can be helpful for planning strategic control of nematode infection in equine population in Nature Reserves in Serbia.
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| Issue | Vol 16 No 2 (2021) | |
| Section | Short Communication(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v16i2.6283 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Equine Helminths Infection Prevalence Stara Planina | ||
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