The gastro-intestinal parasites community of the Przewalski's horse, Equus przewalskii Poljakov, 1881, and the domestic horse in the Chernobyl exclusion zone
Slivinska, K.
Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne 52(1): 55-58
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0043-5163 PMID: 17007337 Document Number: 600761
In February 2004, the largest of the three reproductive groups of the Przewalski's horse was selected for the helminth survey. Helminths were recorded in all 21 Przewalski's horse surveyed. The helminth fauna consisted of 29 species represented by three nematode (Strongylidae. Oxyuridae, and Ascaridae) and one cestode family (Anoplocephalidae). The nematode of the family Strongylidae was represented by 26 species belonging to the subfamily Strongylinae (six species) and Cyathostominae (20 species). The prevalence of the strongylid infection was 100%. Cylicostephanus minutus, C. longibursatus, C. bidentatus, Cyathostomum catinatum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, C. calicatus and C. asworthi occurred in more than 90% of Przewalski horses surveyed. Coronocyclus coronatus, Cylicostephanus goldi, and Cylicocyclus leptostomus occurred in 70-81% and the remaining 17 species were found in fewer than 50% of all Przewalski horses surveyed. Oxyuris equi of the family Oxyuridae was recorded in 81%, and Parascaris equorum of the family Ascatidae in 19% of Przewalski horses surveyed. In general, the intensity of nematode infection was low. Tapeworms were recorded in 14.3% of Przewalski horses surveyed. Two non-helminth gastrointestinal parasites, Gasterophilus intestinalis and G. veterinus (Diptera: Gasterophilidae) were also recorded. In the Przewalski horse kept in a zoo, 15 nematode species were recorded. All belonged to the family Strongylidae. The most abundant species were C. catinatum, C. longibursatus and C. nassatus.