Occurrence, incidence and geographic distribution of Protostrongylidae among sheep in Switzerland
Sauerlander, R.
Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde 120(6): 301-308
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7281 PMID: 675225 Document Number: 130903
In 14 cantons of Northern, Central and Southern Switzerland, 186 flocks of sheep were examined once, by coprological analysis, for the presence of lungworms. An infection rate of 95.2% with Protostrongylinae was established. In 73.7% of the flocks Muellerius capillaris, in 67.7% Protostrongylus sp., in 53.8% Neostrongylus linearis and in 39.8% Cystocaulus ocreatus were found. The large lungworm, Dictyocaulus filaria, was present in 8.6% of the flocks. In most flocks, mixed infections with several species of Protostrongylinae or with D. filaria, respectively, were present. There were no geographical differences in the distribution of the various species. Furthermore, by examining 200 lungs of sheep of different age groups at slaughter, the species of lungworms mentioned above were identified on the basis of the morphology of their adult stages and of macroscopical lung lesions. A morphometrical analysis of the spicula of about 3000 male Protostrongylus showed the presence of P. rufescens only. The meat inspection statistics of a large slaughterhouse show that in 1973, 47.7% out of 8569, and in 1974, 34.8% out of 6597 sheep lungs had to be confiscated because of lungworm lesions.