Intestinal parasites of Myocastor coypus (Rodentia, Myocastoridae) on animal farms in Eastern Ukraine
Abstract
Keeping and breeding of nutria Myocastor coypus (Molina, 1782) (Rodentia, Myocastoridae) is gaining popularity due to the biological characteristics of these animals and their undemanding habitat conditions. The study aimed to investigate the parasitofauna of nutria depending on the technology of their keeping under the conditions of fur farms in Eastern Ukraine (Kharkiv region). Fecal samples of 377 animals of different age and sex groups from farms in various districts of the Kharkiv region under aviary and cage conditions were examined. In addition, 30 samples of 10 g each from nutria carcasses (tongue, masticatory muscle, diaphragm) were analyzed for trichinosis. It was found that the infe c tion rate of nutria o n the farms of the Kharkiv region was, on average, 40.3% of the examined animals. The average infection rate in caged nutria is 36.7%, and in aviary breeding, 44.1%. The predominant endoparasites of nutria in the Kharkiv region are protozoa (28.4%), with a slightly lower percentage (8.2%) of helminths. Mixed infection of animals is noted in 3.7%. The detected parasitic agents belong to the classes Nematoda (Enoplea) Rudolphi, 1808, and Sporozoa Levine, 1970. Eimeria myopotami Yukimoff, 1933 (Eucoccidiorida, Eimeriidae) and Strongyloides myopotami Artigas et Pacheco, 1933 (Rhabditida, Strongyloididae) were found to be the most common parasites in the nutria. The prev a lence of simultaneous infection with three pathogens ( Trichuris myocastoris Enigk, 1933 (Trichocephalida, Trichur i dae), Strongyloides myopotami , Eimeria myopotami ) was 8.7% in the aviary farm and 4.8% in the cage farm. The lo w est prevalence of helminth infection in nutria was observed in animals aged 1 – 2 months (2.1%), and the highest prev a lence of mixed infection was observed in nutria aged 6 – 8 months (9.2%). In aviary housing, Eimeria infection of nutria was observed throughout the year, with no worm infection in December and no mixed infection in February, May through October, and November. In cage housing, Eimeria infection was absent in January, and worm infection was absent in March, May through September, and December. Mixed infections were detected in January, April, and Se p tember, mainly in young females. Pathogens Cryptosporidium spp. Tyzzer, 1907 (Eucoccidiorida, Cryptosporidiidae) and Giardia spp. Künstler, 1882 (Diplomonadida, Hexamitidae) were not found in nutria. Testing for trichinosis was negative. Prospects for further research include the development of modern, science-based measures for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases in commercial animals.References
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